Possibly it had occurred to him the colossal significance of that light had now vanished forever. [...] It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was a green light on a dock. His count of enchanted objects had diminished by one.

I am a woman and my business is to hold things together. My business is to tear them apart.

For the moment I can only cry out that I have lost my splendid mirage. Come back, come back, O glittering and white!

I learned a little of beauty - enough to know that it had nothing to do with truth.

Things are sweeter when they're lost. I know--because once I wanted something and got it. It was the only thing I ever wanted badly, Dot, and when I got it it turned to dust in my hand.

unloved women have no biographies-- they have histories

If I knew words enough, I could write the longest love letter in the world and never get tired