“What is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do.”

“Be it true or false, what is said about men often has as much influence upon their lives, and especially upon their destinies, as what they do.”

“Whether true or false, what is said about men often has as much influence on their lives, and particularly on their destinies, as what they do.”

“True or false, that which is said of men often occupies as important a place in their lives, and above all in their destinies, as that which they do.”

“Idleness, pleasure, what abysses! To do nothing is a dreary course to take, be sure of it. To live idle upon the substance of society! To be useless, that is to say, noxious! This leads straight to the lowest depth of misery. ”

“It was all over with him. Marius loved a woman. His destiny was entering upon the unknown. ”

“Do what we may to shape the mysterious stuff of which our lives are composed, the dark threads of our destiny will always re-emerge.”