Every man looks out for himself, and he has the happiest life who manages to hoodwink himself best of all.

And, indeed, I will at this point ask an idle question on my own account: which is better — cheap happiness or exalted sufferings? Well, which is better?

Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams.

You must accept it as it is, and hence accept all consequences. A wall is indeed a wall.

Twice two makes four seems to me simply a piece of insolence. Twice two makes four is a pert coxcomb who stands with arms akimbo barring your path and spitting. I admit that twice two makes four is an excellent thing, but if we are to give everything its due, twice two makes five is sometimes a very charming thing too.

Man is sometimes extraordinarily, passionately, in love with suffering.

For a woman, all resurrection, all salvation, from whatever perdition, lies in love; in fact, it is her only way to it.