“It was always a relief when she came home to him. Like water or food. Like music or that moment when you cut yourself with a knife and squeeze the skin and no blood oozes out.”

“I was born with music inside me. Music was one of my parts. Like my ribs, my kidneys, my liver, my heart. Like my blood. It was a force already within me when I arrived on the scene. It was a necessity for me-like food or water.”

“She poured the water, arranged some bread near enough the embers to scorch but not catch fire, and looked up at Little John. She was so accustomed to his step, to his bulk, that it took a moment to notice his face; and when she did . . . It was, she thought, rather like the moment it took to realize one had cut one's finger as one stared dumbly at the first drop of blood on the knife-blade. You know it is going to hurt quite a lot in a minute.”

“Getting anything out of my husband is like trying to squeeze water out when you're stoned.”

“He was like a bottle and music was the wine.... She liked to be near him when it poured.”

“giving an explanation of why I cut was tough. I didn't even really understand why I did it. I took a deep breath. "Well...when I cut the skin, and feel the pain...and see the blood-it's like I'm letting out this loud scream.”