“Bill Door found a piece of chalk in the farm's old smithy, located a piece of board among the debris, and wrote very carefully for some time. Then he wedged the board in front of the henhouse and pointed Cyril toward it.THIS YOU WILL READ, he said.Cyril peered myopically at the "Cock-A Doodle-Doo" in heavy gothic script. Somewhere in his tiny mad chicken mind a very distinct and chilly understanding formed that he'd better learn to read very, very quickly.”

“They hadn't read as many stories as Malicia, and were rather more attached to the experience of real life, which is that when someone small and righteous takes on someone big and nasty, he is grilled bread product, very quickly.”

“Words are the litmus paper of the minds. If you find yourself in the power of someone who will use the word "commence" in cold blood, go somewhere else very quickly. But if they say "Enter", don't stop to pack.”

“I'VE NEVER BEEN VERY SURE ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT, said Bill Door. I AM NOT SURE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS RIGHT. OR WRONG. JUST PLACES TO STAND.”

“And when the Patrician was unhappy, he became very democratic. He found intricate and painful ways of spreading that unhappiness as far as possible.”

“Gods play games with the fates of men. But first they have to get all the pieces on the board and look all over the place for the dice.”

“Astfgl peered around through the swirling gas clouds. At least he was in the right place. The whole point about the end of the universe was that you couldn’t go past it accidentally.The last few embers winked out. Time and space collided silently, and collapsed.Astfgl coughed. It can get so very lonely, when you’re twenty million light-years from home.“Anyone there?” he said.YES.The voice was right by his ear. Even demon kings can shiver.“Apart from you, I mean,” he said. “Have you seen anybody?”YES.“Who?”EVERYONE.Astfgl sighed. “I mean anyone recently.”IT’S BEEN VERY QUIET, said Death.”