“She felt that at some point she must finally and formally talk to Louisa about Hubert, and ask her to acknowledge that the worst possible thing had happened to her as well.”

“she kept sliding down, in small half-willing surrenders, till she was a heap, with the book held tiringly above her face.”

“To apologize for what you most wanted to do, to concede that it was obnoxious, boring, 'vulgar and unsafe' --- that was the worst thing.”

“He somehow saw that to her being drunk had its whole long sentimental history, whereas to him it was a freakish novelty.”

“...but he felt the relief of being alone as well...the forgotten solitude which measures and verifies the strength of an affair, and which, being temporary, is a kind of pleasure.”

“Delight is délice, délit is a misdemeanour''Well, it's bloody close...''Well, they often are....”

“Nick felt a tear rise to his eye at the thought of the child's utter innocence of hangovers.”