“The reader may ask how to tell fact from fiction. A rough guide: anything that seems particularly unlikely is probably true.”

“This was the usual thing. What I asked for was facts: what I got was a sermon.”

“Jesus Maria,’ the boy says. ‘The star that guides us to Bethlehem. I thought it was an engine for torture.”

“Already d'Anton did not believe this. He recognized it as a disclaimer that Camille would issue from time to time in the hope of disguising the fact that he was an inveterate hell-raiser.”

“Richard goes with a bob of the head but without another word. It seems he interprets 'don't tell anybody' as 'don't tell anybody but Rafe', because ten minutes later Rafe comes in, and stands looking at him, with his eyebrows raised. Red-headed people can look quite strained when they are raising eyebrows that aren't really there.”

“Tell me, why do you think I do this?" The king sounds curious. "Out of lust? Is that what you think?"Kill a cardinal? Divide your country? Split the church? 'Seems extravagant,' Chapuys murmurs.”

“Do you know Camille Desmoulins?” he asked. “Have you seen him? He’s one of these law-school boys. Never used anything more dangerous than a paper knife.” He shook his head wonderingly.“Where do they come from, these people? They’re virgins. They’ve never been to war. They’ve never been on the huntingfield. They’ve never killed an animal, let alone a man. But they’re such enthusiasts for murder.”