I stood in the lee of an overhanging rock and thought of many things.

No worse fate can befall a young man or woman than becoming prematurely entrenched in prudence and negation.

There are some people who cannot help giving. Why? Because they experience a real psychological pleasure in doing so. They don't do it with an eye to their own advantage, they do it on the quiet; they detest doing it openly because that would take away some of the satisfaction. They do it in secret, with quick trembling hands, their breasts rocked by a spiritual well being which they do not themselves understand.

When good befalls a man he calls it Providence, when evil fate.

And the great spirit of darkness spread a shroud over me...everything was silent-everything. But upon the heights soughed the everlasting song, the voice of the air, the distant, toneless humming which is never silent.

Today riches and honours have been lavished on me, but one gift has been lacking, the most important one of all, the only one that matters, the gift of youth.

There was a rock in front of my hut, a tall, gray rock. By its looks it seemed to be well-disposed toward me.