“If there is ever another war in Europe, it will come out of some damned silly thing in the Balkans.”
“One day the great European War will come out of some damned foolish thing in the Balkans (1888).”
“A sergeant despatch rider came up and handed me a message, which read, 'The war in Europe is over.' I called out to the sergeant, 'I've got a message here. The war in Europe is over.' He said, 'Very good, sir,' saluted, turned to some men nearby, and said, 'The war in Europe is over. Five-minute break.”
“Some slight friction threatening in the Balkans, sir.”
“That doesn't sound like civil war to me," said Gaylen, turning back to his book with a smile. "It only sounds silly.""Of course it's silly," said the Prime Minister impatiently. "But a lot of serious things start silly.”
“It's not true that life is one damn thing after another; it's one damn thing over and over.”