“I had been alone more than I could have been had I gone by myself.”

“I was more alone than if I had been alone.”

“Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly.”

“In my confused state I wondered if I had not died and gone to hell. And if this was the case, I wished that I had been allowed more opportunities to sin, for this seemed a rather excessive judgement on what had been a frankly dull and blameless life. But I was not dead. I could see that now.”

“I had been foolish in imagining that I had seen anything in it, more than that you were extremely good looking, and that I could paint.”

“I didn't think there was any way to convinceJack that he wanted more than I had togive, that to people who'd been damaged theway I had been, fear and the will to survivewould always be more powerful than attachment.I could only love in a limited way”