all the time something within her was crying for a decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately — and the decision must be made by some force — of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality — that was close at hand

Beauty means the scent of roses and then the death of roses

in crowded rooms they would form words with their lips for each other's eyes

All that kept her from breaking was that it was not an image of strength that was leaving her; she would be just as strong without him.

These lights, this brightness, these clusters of human hope, of wild desire—I shall take these lights in my fingers. I shall make them bright, and whether they shine or not, it is in these fingers that they shall succeed or fail.

You know, you’re a little complicated after all.” “Oh no,” she assured him hastily. “No, I’m not really - I’m just a - I’m just a whole lot of different simple people.

There are no second acts in American lives.