“Did you know that Ethiopia might have fifteen-hundred rock churches? Most are carved ou of rock outcropping. Some date back to the 13th century. Even the locals have forgotten where they are all located. Some are in caves, in the ground, and on top of tabletop mountains like Debre Damo. If the falashas wanted to hide the Ark, they would have lots of choices that were more secure than the middle of Axum.”

“These cultures come and go for a boundless enthusiasim for histories that might have never existed”

“They migrated to the usual room on the second floor. Heywood Broun was there by the door, setting up bottles of gin, scotch and beer. Alexander Woollcott sat ensconced behind the round table (not THE Round Table). He shuffled the cards and stacked up poker chips.Dorothy stopped in the doorway and watched what they were doing. 'You boys sure know how to treat a woman,' she said. 'Liquor in the front and poker in the rear.”

“Whatever,” he said. “Like you care. I’m gone. Have a nice motorcycle ride back to your church where you can have fun pretending to be some kind of saint we all know you aren't.”

“We're all the same in the dark.”

“Some people just have more of a chance than others, and some just have to take the chances that they have. I know a lot of people who were more unfortunate than Jerry Bines, who turned out much better-”

“For they might be parted for hundreds of years, she and Peter; she never wrote a letter and his were dry sticks; but suddenly it would come over her, If he were with me now what would he say? --some days, some sights bringing him back to her calmly, without the old bitterness; which perhaps was the reward of having cared for people; they came back in the middle of St. James's Park on a fine morning--indeed they did.”