“I had already established, as you know, that it was logically impossible for Kenneth to be distressed by anything that might occur between Ned and myself; but Kenneth, being an artist, has perhaps not studied logic and is unaware of the impossibility.” LogicDistressArtists Book:Thus Was Adonis Murdered Source: Thus Was Adonis Murdered
“There are days on which Julia does not open letters. She is overcome, as I understand it, by a sort of superstitious dread, in which she is persuaded that letters bode her no good: they will be from the Gas Board, and demand money; or from the Inland Revenue, and demand accounts; or from some much valued friend, and demand an answer.” Letters Book:The Shortest Way to Hades Source: The Shortest Way to Hades
“Julia's unhappy relationship with the Inland Revenue was due to her omission, during four years of modestly successful practice at the Bar, to pay any income tax. The truth is, I think, that she did not, in her heart of hearts, really believe in income tax. It was a subject which she had studied for examinations and on which she had thereafter advised a number of clients: she naturally did not suppose, in these circumstances, that it had anything to do with real life.” HumourTaxes Book:Thus Was Adonis Murdered Source: Thus Was Adonis Murdered
“On my first day in London I made an early start. Reaching the Public Record Office not much after ten, I soon secured the papers I needed for my research and settled in my place. I became, as is the way of the scholar, so deeply absorbed as to lose all consciousness of my surroundings or of the passage of time. When at last I came to myself, it was almost eleven and I was quite exhausted: I knew I could not prudently continue without refreshment.” HumourAcademia Book:Thus Was Adonis Murdered Source: Thus Was Adonis Murdered
“I should explain — in view of my last letter, you may find it slightly surprising — that Daphne and I are now bosom friends. That is to say, she seems to think we are; and I do not feel that I know her well enough to dispute it.” FriendshipHumour Book:The Sibyl in Her Grave Source: The Sibyl in Her Grave
“...it seems to us that the readers who want fiction to be like life are considerably outnumbered by those who would like life to be like fiction.” WantSeemsFictionReader Book:The Sirens Sang of Murder Source: The Sirens Sang of Murder
“The trouble with real life is that you don't know whether you're the hero or just some nice chap who gets bumped off in chapter five to show what a rotter the villain is without anyone minding too much.” KnowsRealShowsLife IsFiveToo MuchNiceTroubleHeroReal LifeVillainChaptersChapsSome Nice Book:The Sirens Sang of Murder Source: The Sirens Sang of Murder
“You will be interested to hear, Hilary, that it [the drug] had a most remarkable effect — even on Selena after a very modest quantity. She cast off all conventional restraints and devoted herself without shame to the pleasure of the moment." I asked for particulars of this uncharacteristic conduct. "She took from her handbag a paperback edition of Pride and Prejudice and sat on the sofa reading it, declining all offers of conversation.” MomentsReadingPleasureEffectsPrideDrugOffersConversationPrejudiceShameCastsSatRemarkableQuantityDevotedConventionalModestRestraintSofasHandbags Author:Sarah Caudwell
“One doesn't like to appear vulgarly inquisitive. But if everyone one knows has suddenly started murdering everyone else, it would be terribly nice to know about it.” IfsKnowsWould BeNiceInquisitive Author:Sarah Caudwell