Words are water in this city. One drop of rumour could drown us.

What are we all chasing? Nella wonders. To live, of course. To be unbound from the invisible ropes that Johannes spoke of in his study. Or to be happy in them, at least.

You are a stone, thrown upon a lake. But the ripples you create will never make you still.

This city is like no other city in the world. It is brilliant but it is bloated, and I've never called it home

The turnip cannot thrive in the tulips patch of soil.

The rules of this house are written in water. I must either sink or swim.

Because, Petronella - it's something in his soul. It's something in his soul and you can't get it out.

All we can do if we're lucky is stich up the mistakes other people make.

Love your children, for they are the seeds that will make this city bloom.

Take care, take care. This city thrives! It's money gives you wings to soar. But it is a yoke on your shoulders and you would do well to take note of the bruise around your neck.

Believe it or don't believe it, Madame. But my feet are tired too. Bloody tired. Like a dead man's.

Real people are made out of a whole lot of things—flesh, bone, blood, nerves, stuff like that. Literary people are made out of words.

If you have ever prayed in the dawn you will ask yourself why you were so foolish as not to do it always: it is difficult to get into communion with God in the midst of the hurly-burly of the day.

Everything I did, all my actions, all of the problems I had I dedicate to God and to Chile, because I kept Chile from becoming Communist.

I appreciate what I have a lot more than I did when I was younger.

It's good to know that if I behave strangely enough, society will take full responsibility for me.

Play reaches the habits most needed for intellectual growth.

I never aspired to be anything. What I've done is beyond my wildest.

We have won an armistice on a single battlefield, not peace in our world. We may not now relax our guard nor cease our quest.

I never thought I would ever say this . . . but I'm wearing flats today.

Nobody prefers to earn income any more, because that's taxable. Rich people prefer to make capital gains.