Book: The gadfly

You can't even predict what will bring tomorrow. In good times people know what to keep, and now...

The conventions of conventional morality does not exist for me. I believe that the basis of relations between a man and a woman should be a sense of friendliness or hostility.
Man lives all alone in the whole world and feels that the presence of women to do it alone. He meets a woman who he likes and which he, too, is not nasty... So why not accept with gratitude what she can give him, why entering into any closer bond. I don't see anything wrong - if only in such a relationship be fair, without cheating, without unnecessary offense. It seemed to me that our friendship will be pleasant for both of us, and only it will become a burden, we will tear each other.

The deadliest weapon I know is ridicule.

Their indifference is further emphasized devotion and love.

But even the most docile horse will kick if you are always jerking at the rein.

- <...> And if so, how do you avoid censorship?
- I'm not going to avoid it. I just stop to count it.

We, crippled, do not boast of their ugliness, the woman flaunts his folly.

The surest way to catch is to convince yourself to failure in advance.

All mechanical habits are bad and slavish.

He is either an uncommonly clever knave, or the greatest ass.

Y - you know, I think I would be d-a precious find for Riccardo if he had to treat me then. After all, he, like a true surgeon, awfully fond of broken bones, and I at that time was broken, it seems that everything that can be broken, with the exception of the neck.
- And your courage.

... You, of course, you'll tell her about this? (on the death of He)
- No, I can't! You better directly ask me to go and kill her. How do I tell her how?
Martini closed his eyes with his hands. And not opening them felt like a startled mule. He lifted his head. Gemma stood in the doorway.
Did you hear Cerise? she said. - It's all over. He was shot.

You put them [the handcuffs] on a fresh wound?
- P of course, your Eminence. Fresh wounds to exist. Old little use: they will just whine and not burn you as fire.

- So, you blamed the importation of firearms. Why is it you needed?
- UB-kill rats.
- Terrible response. Do you think rats those people who do not share your beliefs?
N some of them.