I think being condemned to death is the only real distinction," said Mathilde. "It is the only thing which cannot be bought.

She had caprices of a marvellous unexpectedness, and how is any one to imitate a caprice?

Never had he found himself so close to those terrible weapons of feminine artillery.

The man of genius is he and he alone who finds such joy in his art that he will work at it come hell or high water.

After moral poisoning, one requires physical remedies and a bottle of champagne.

The first qualification for a historian is to have no ability to invent.

One can acquire everything in solitude except character.