There were just enough great lines in this book
to keep me reading till then end.
Lines like these...
- There were times nowadays when Lucilla uttered aloud the sentiments that she thought she was only thinking. This was obviously one of those times.
- "I'll help you wash up," said Nadine, with that too-bright willingness of the guest who is weary of domesticity and hopes to goodness her noble offer will be refused.
- Lucilla's chronic difficulty in realizing that her children were not only grown-up, but elderly, was further increased in the case of her son George by the fact that he never had fully grown up.
- ...though they were back in the old grooves they were back there without the old ardor.
- She was a good and affectionate mother-in-law, provided the women her sons had taken to wife did not attempt to manage them...
- She always refused to be hurried. Hurry was so aging.
- "We work under orders but not under our own steam." (Hillary re. responsibilities as a priest)
- Increasingly, as he got older, he enjoyed things.
- And if his rheumatism keeps him awake most of the night he won't mind much, for it'll give him the opportunity of a few more wakeful hours in which to praise God.
- There's nothing like good slashing personal criticism for begetting humility. A conceited man never yet made a good artist. How could he? Satisfied, you stick where you are.
- That was the bet thing about old age; it didn't leave you with much upon which to congratulate yourself.
- It's queer, but after people are dead, you find that you understand them better.
- No one has the right to seek ease of conscience at the expense of another's happiness; that's selfish, too.
- I only know that here and now, today, the happiness of those we live with is what matters.
- The readiness is all. (Quoting Hamlet, I believe)
- The more she cared for people the more did she see their faults and labor for their removal with the perseverance of someone with a piece of emery paper rubbing away at the rust on a bright sword.
- They (the young) must build, of course, but relying upon the judgement of the old.
