Everything makes sense a bit at a time. But when you try to think of it all at once, it comes out wrong.

All holy piety in public, and all peeled grapes and self-indulgence in private.

The students were staring at her in the manner of those who have heard of the species 'female' but have never expected to get this close to one.

... when your name is really and truly Percy Blakeney, pronounced 'Black-knee', and you still have bad acne in your twenties, you accept Pimple as a nickname and are grateful that it wasn't anything worse.

If you have enough book space, I don't want to talk to you.

Probably the last man who knew how it worked had been tortured to death years before. Or as soon as it was installed. Killing the creator was a traditional method of patent-protection.

You'll see! We're going to the palace. Fetch Angua. We might need her. And bring the search warrant. You mean the sledgehammer, sir? Yes.