“Oh,clever... what's the use of that? Are they human beings?”

“We all want things we can't have. Being a decent human being is accepting that.”

“No doubt our accepting what we are must always inhibit our being what we ought to be.”

“There comes a time in each life like a point of fulcrum. At that time you must accept yourself. It is not any more what you will become. It is what you are and always will be. You are too young to know this. You are still becoming. Not being.”

“You use your life.”

“Nice girl, dear boy.""Oh . . ." I shrugged. "You know.""Most attractive.""Cheaper than central heating.""I'm sure.”

“and like most people who have spent much of their adult life being emotionally dishonest, I overcalculated the sympathy a final being honest would bring”