“Hesitation, anxiety, the struggle between belief and disbelief—all that is sometimes such a torment for a conscientious man... that it’s better to hang oneself.”

“For no reason, but the sunrise, the bay of Naples, the sea—you look at them and it makes you sad. What’s most revolting is that one is really sad! No, it’s better at home. Here at least one blames others for everything and excuses oneself.”

“What's most revolting is that one is really sad! No, it's better at home. Here at least one blames others for everything and excuses oneself.”

“Break what must be broken, once for all, that's all, and take the suffering on oneself.”

“a man is no example for a woman. It’s a different thing.”

“Had you accepted that third counsel of the mighty spirit, you would have furnished all that man seeks on earth, that is: someone to bow down to, someone to take over his conscience, and a means for uniting everyone at last into a common, concordant, and incontestable anthill - for the need for universal union is the third and last torment of men.”

“On an exceptionally hot evening early in July a young man came out of the garret in which he lodged in S. Place and walked slowly, as though in hesitation, towards K. bridge.”