"Gaudy Night" Quotes

There is something at the bottom of every new human thought, every thought of genius, or even every earnest thought that springs up in any brain, which can never be communicated to others, even if one were to write volumes about it and were explaining one's idea for thirty-five years; there's something left which cannot be induced to emerge from your brain, and remains with you forever; and with it you will die, without communicating to anyone perhaps the most important of your ideas.

One can't go back to the past, but one can try to make amends.

I know what she's like - a thin-lipped, sunken-chested type - looks as if she's had all the strength burnt out of her when she was little. You know the kind of thing I mean.

Fear is the mother of foresight.

The wrong thing is the right thing until the wrong thing becomes the right thing again.

When I say, 'I will reach out my beloved,' I do not mean, 'I will remain here and put out my hand when you come into reach'—I mean, 'You will have to cover leagues and acres to meet me, and you will have to do it of your own free will.'

Playing about with ink and paper, so soon forgotten! When people's lives were at stake!

Promise me that if I meet anyone else you'll darn well kill yourself. Don't let's start anything we can't finish.

If one has a personal philosophy—if one has a sensible scheme of conduct—it's rather fun to be in danger.

I rather like her. She looks as if she takes no nonsense from anybody.