“It's only water," she said."Tell that to a drowning man," Giddon said.”

“That was a perfectly reasonable explanation," she said grumpily. "Perhaps my advisers don't lie to me.""Isn't that what you'd want?" asked Giddon."Well, yes, but it doesn't elucidate my puzzle!""If I may say so, Lady Queen," said Giddon, "it's not always easy to follow your conversation.""Oh, Giddon," she said, sighing. "If it's any comfort, I don't follow it either.”

“And you're not going to tell me she didn't make a move on you. At least test the waters.""The waters," he said, "were not receptive.""If they had been, I'd have drowned her in them already.”

“I was doing science," Giddon said. "He threw a bean.""I was testing the impact of a bean upon water," Bann said."That's not even a real thing.""Perhaps I'll test the impact of a bean upon your beautiful white shirt.”

“I've liked you better when Katsa's around,' Giddon said. 'She's so rotten to me that you seem positively pleasant in contrast.”

“I'd rather feel something for real than pretend it's not what it is. Which Zen guy said "If you want to drown, do not torture yourself with shallow water"?”