The main qualities that had earned him this universal respect in the service were, first, an extreme indulgence towards people, based on his awareness of his own shortcomings; second, a perfect liberalism, not the sort he read about in the newspapers, but the sort he had in his blood, which made him treat all people, whatever their rank or status, in a perfectly equal and identical way; and, third - most important - a perfect indifference to the business he was occupied with, owing to which he never got carried away and never made mistakes.

If you want to be happy, be.

She had no need to ask why he had come. She knew as certainly as if he had told her that he was here to be where she was.

In order to know what he is, a man must first know what the sum of this mysterious humanity is, a humanity made up of people who, like himself, do not understand what they are.

A writer is dear and necessary for us only in the measure of which he reveals to us the inner workings of his very soul.

A leader is the wave pushed ahead by the ship.

But that's just the aim of civilization - to make everything a source of enjoyment.