Literature offers the thrill of minds of great clarity wrestling with the endless problems and delights of being human. To engage with them is to engage with oneself, and the lasting rewards are not confined to specific career paths.

Julius Tallow was a fool. He appeared complacent, but like a weak swimmer out of his depth, his legs were kicking frantically under the surface, trying to keep him afloat. Whatever happened, Nathaniel did not intend to sink with him.

That's usually how they start, the young ones. Meaningless waffle.

Pardon me, Highness, a women waits whithout." "Whithout what?

That's usuаllу hоw thеу start, thе young оnеs. Meaningless waffle.

He was transfixed at the sight of the lords and ladies of his realm running about like demented chickens.

A typical master. Right to the end, he didn’t give me a chance to get a word in edgeways. Which is a pity, because at that last moment I’d have liked to tell him what I thought of him. Mind you, since in that split second we were, to all intents and purposes, one and the same, I rather think he knew anyway.