Madame Aubain's servant Felicite was the envy of the ladies of Pont-l'Eveque for half a century.

The most important thing in the world is to hold your soul aloft.

When you reduce a woman to writing, she makes you think of a thousand other women

Emma was no asleep, she was pretending to be asleep; and, while he was dozing off at her side, she lay awake, dreaming other dreams.

Melancholy is a sensual pleasure that is deliberately provoked. How many people shut themselves away to make themselves sadder, or to weep beside a stream, or choose a sentimental book! We are constantly building and unbuilding ourselves.

The hearts of women are like those little pieces of furniture with secret hiding - places, full of drawers fitted into each other; you go a lot of trouble, break your nails, and in the bottom find some withered flower, a few grains of dust - or emptiness!

One day, I shall explode like an artillery shell and all my bits will be found on the writing table.