When I was a child and they burned me out of my home, I was frightened and I ran away. Eventually I ran far away. It was to a place called France. Many of you have been there, and many have not. But I must tell you, ladies and gentlemen, in that country I never feared. It was like a fairyland place.

Is that what they call a vocation, what you do with joy as if you had fire in your heart, the devil in your body?

I spent 30 minutes each morning rubbing my body with half a lemon to lighten my skin.

Beautiful? It's all a question of luck. I was born with good legs. As for the rest... beautiful, no. Amusing, yes.

A violinist had a violin, a painter his palette. All I had was myself. I was the instrument that I must care for.

He was my cream, and I was his coffee - And when you poured us together, it was something.

The old Catholic parties hounded me with a Christian hatred from station to station, city to city, one stage to another.