“Yes, after all, if I were to join you, I might enjoy myself, and wouldn't that be a shame? Please, don't spare me another thought.”

“Please, please don't try hurting me, my friends.I wouldn't forgive myself If I had to kill you all.”

“After a moment, he turned sharply to me. 'Are you quite all right?''Yes, perfectly. Why do you ask?''Because I have just called you contrary and you did not bother to contradict me. I thought you might be ill.”

“Please, don't spare my self-confidence, sir. I never take it with me when I leave home.”

“Father of mine, I abandon myself to you, make of me that which is pleasing to you. Whatever you might do to me, I thank you.”

“One evening, after he’d read a piece about yet another savagery in Bosnia, I saw there were tears in his eyes. ‘Don’t it ever stop?’ he said. ‘I can mind Father telling that there’d be no more wars, not after his one. It shames me. It shames all of us. What’s the good in reading, if that’s all there is to read about?”