He had been to see Mrs. Erlich just before starting home for the holidays, and found her making German Christmas cakes. She took him into the kitchen and explained the almost holy traditions that governed this complicated cookery. Her excitement and seriousness as she beat and stirred were very pretty, Claude thought. She told off on her fingers the many ingredients, but he believed there were things she did not name: the fragrance of old friendships, the glow of early memories, belief in wonder-working rhymes and songs.

William Tavener never heeded ominous forecasts in the domestic horizon, and he never looked for a storm until it broke.

A work-room should be like an old shoe; no matter how shabby, it's better than a new one.

Success is less interesting than struggle. There is great pleasure in the effort.

The summer moon hung full in the sky. For the time being it was the great fact of the world.

The soul cannot be humbled by fasts and prayer; it must be broken by mortal sin to experience forgiveness of sin and rise to a state of grace. Otherwise, religion is nothing but dead logic.

The prayers of all good people are good.