So, having found a lady, could you not have come to her aid, or left her alone? Why drag her into your foolishness?' 'Love,' he explained. She looked at him with eyes the blue of the sky. 'I hope you choke on it,' she said, flatly.

In a novel, you can always go back and make it look like you knew what you were doing all along before the thing goes out and gets published.

Every hour wounds. The last one kills.

She decides to make a list of the things that make her happy. She writes 'plum-blossom' at the top of a piece of paper. Then she stares at the paper, unable to think of anything else. Eventually it begins to get dark.

What a refreshing mind you have, young man. There really is nothing quite like total ignorance, is there?

If you can't eat it, drink it, smoke it, or snort it... then f*ck it!

Just go with it. It won't hurt.' I stared at him. Adults only ever said that when it, whatever it happened to be, was going to hurt so much.