“Its walls were mirrored, its tables marble, its espresso feral, its pastry stale.”

“It's all mirror, mirror on the wall because beauty is power the same way money is power the same way a gun is power.”

“I'm not clumsy. It's just the floor hates me, the tables and chairs are bullies, and the wall gets in the way.”

“On its third rising only a portion of the drawing-room was disclosed; the rest being concealed by a screen, hung with some sort of dark and coarse drapery. The marble basin was removed; in its place, stood a deal table and a kitchen chair: these objects were visible by a very dim light proceeding from a horn lantern, the wax candles being all extinguished.”

“I hate Earl Grey with a passion. It's like drinking stale perfume...”

“You were talking to that niche in the wall again, Gwyneth. I saw you.""Yes, but it's my favorite bit of wall, Gordon. I'd hurt its feelings if I didn't stop and talk to it.”