“Politics bores you?" Bronsen said.Julien smiled. "It does. Apologies, sir, and it is not that I haven't tried to be fascinated. But careful and meticulous research has suggested the hypothesis that all politicians are liars, fools, and tricksters, and I have as yet come across no evidence to the contrary. They can do great damage, and rarely any good. It is the job of the sensible man to try and protect civilization from their depradations.”

“Alek said, "Do you think I'm being a fool?" "I think you're trying to do something good. But doing good is rarely easy, and no weapon has ever stopped a war.”

“You can try to distract me with your kisses, sir, but I will come through with the goods in the end.”

“Sir John's temper since he has taken seriously to politics has become quite unbearable. Really, now that the House of Commons is trying to become useful, it does a great deal of harm.”

“I have tried, of course, to be faithful to the evidence. Yet evidence is not truth. It is only evident.”

“Be quiet or I'll be forced to flick you.""Ooh," he mocked. "The ultimate threat. I don't think I've ever been flicked before.""Are you suggesting I can't hurt you?""On the contrary, I think you have the power to do great damage.”