“The leopard is a cruel lover. His tenderness breaks the gazelle’s heart.”

“Can the leopard change his spots?” Emrys mused. “Leopards have, but the other leopards don’t like it.”

“As for writing, that's a cruel hard business. Unless you're very lucky it'll break your heart.”

“I felt my heart breaking all over again. Why? Why had this happened to us? Why was the universe so cruel?”

“There is no God, but I hope someone watches over you. New lovers are nervous and tender, but smash everything. For the heart is an organ of fire. Every night I cut out my heart. But in the morning it was full again.”

“Repentance was never yet produced in any man's heart apart from the grace of God. As soon may you expect the leopard to regret the blood with which its fangs are moistened,—as soon might you expect the lion of the wood to abjure his cruel tyranny over the feeble beasts of the plain, as expect the sinner to make any confession, or offer any repentance that shall be accepted of God, unless grace shall first renew the heart.”