Joseph Conrad, The Secret Sharer Quotes
Let them think what they liked, but I didn't mean to drown myself. I meant to swim till I sank -- but that's not the same thing.
Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention, but fear, too, is not barren of ingenious suggestions.
I wondered how far I should turn out faithful to that ideal conception of one's own personality every man sets up for himself secretly.