Modern Romans insisted that there was only one god, a notion that struck Alobar as comically simplistic. Worse, this Semitic deity was reputed to be jealous (what was there to be jealous of if there were no other gods?), vindictive, and altogether foul-tempered. If you didn't serve the nasty fellow, the Romans would burn your house down. If you did serve him, you were called a Christian and got to burn other people's houses down.

Madame Lily Devalier always asked "Where are you?" in a way that insinuated that there were only two places on earth one could be: New Orleans and somewhere ridiculous.

I rather like the smell of absurdity in the morning.

There are two lost continents.... We are one: the lovers.

Magic things are fond of deceptions.

Sometimes one gets the feeling that life still thinks it's living in Paris in the '30s.

The only question is how to make love stay.