The great advantage of living in a large family is that early lesson of life's essential unfairness.

I have only ever read one book in my life, and that is White Fang. It's so frightfully good I've never bothered to read another.

Chickens are cheerless birds, I advise you to keep geese which can be taught to follow like dogs, one needs all the companionship one can get in these days.

In France that is the one rule, never make trouble.

Twice in her life she had mistaken something else for it; it was like seeing somebody in the street who you think is a friend, you whistle and wave and run after him, and it is not only not the friend, but not even very like him. A few minutes later the real friend appears in view, and then you can't imagine how you ever mistook that other person for him. Linda was now looking upon the authentic face of love, and she knew it, but it frightened her. That it should come so casually, so much by a series of accidents, was frightening.

Sisters are a shield against life's cruel adversity.

I do love translating; it is the pure pleasure of writing without the misery of inventing.