Whether you function as welders or inspectors, the laws of physics are implacable lie-detectors. You may fool men. You will never fool the metal.

When the souls rise up in glory, yours shall not be shunned nor sunderered, but shall be the prize of the gods' gardens. Even your darkness shall be treasured then, and all your pain made holy.

If there's no game, isn't winning a pretty meaningless concept?

You couldn't be that good and not know it, somewhere in your secret heart, however much you'd been abused into affecting public humility.

Too late, he recalled Miles's dictum that the reward for a job well done was usually a harder job.

The world demands I make good choices on no information, and then blames my maidenhood for my mistakes, as if my maidenhood were responsible for my ignorance. Ignorance is not stupidity, but it might as well be. And I do not like feeling stupid.

Well, what is a blessing but a curse from another point of view?