A Lesson In Secrets Quotes
"I have observed your work in recent years and it does not claim the full measure of your skill or intellect. In time there will be a new path for you to follow..."
"If there is a God, then why does he allow war to continue?"
"A man can stand anything, except a succession of ordinary days."
"I see my role as being instrumental in introducing the study of philosophy in a way that has meaning for my students, rather than regurgitating a series of lectures on modern thought."
"I didn’t say anything because I was waiting to see what happened, and I didn’t want them to know they’d been rumbled."
"The truth is, I didn’t feel threatened. I suspected they were gathering information, and I wanted to wait until they showed their hand, then base my next move on whatever that hand held."
"I’ve heard on the college grapevine that the response to your lessons is good, and other lecturers have noted your professionalism in your role. We are happy to have you here at St. Francis."
"And if we then know more about ourselves and each other—with that sense of wonder—surely we will be less inclined go to war."
"I’ll have to inform Huntley, but expect me there by about half past five."
"The secretary came to me first. She could have gone to anyone in the staff room, but she came to me—I’m not sure, but my position here could be compromised."
"I am terribly sorry, Dr. Roth, but Dr. Liddicote has left the college for the day."
"I can’t let you leave yet—the police are on their way and they’ll want to speak to you."
"I have to return to Dr. Liddicote’s room to await the police—someone should be with the body."
"I knew you were the person I should tell; Dr. Liddicote wouldn’t have wanted any panic."
"No, don’t assume strength. It’s the technique."
"We try to ascertain the reason for a heart attack, if some level of anguish or worry had caused the heart to spasm."
"He and Dr. Roth were often rowing about something or another."
"It’s a web, Detective Chief Superintendent. A web."
"Your brief from Huntley was loose—I’ll be honest, I think they’ve got only a wee shadow of a clue."
"Our boys never mutinied, not the soldiers of the Crown and her colonies."
"And I think there’s a piece of paper with your signature on it, vowing that you will keep the secrets of the Crown."
"Now then, time for you to go back to your lodgings. It’s been a long day for you and you’ve a big job on your hands."
"Feeling rather like Goldilocks in the three bears’ house, Maisie began to walk around the kitchen, then the sitting room, stepping lightly so she made little sound."
"Maisie sensed that Rose Linden had been a kindly soul, that she had lived in her house, worked in her garden, and accepted her lot with a certain ease."
"In the main bedroom a lace counterpane covered a bed made for two."
"Maisie knew that Rose Linden had passed away in her own home, in this bed."
"Maisie began to read the titles on the spine of one book after another, then knelt down to better see those on the floor of the cupboard."
"Maisie crossed the road and stepped into the black Invicta motor car, where MacFarlane and Stratton were already seated."
"Maisie ignored the 'no, we’re not' and went on."
"Maisie scooped up the essays left for her, and pushed them into her briefcase."
"The debate will be held in a hall that, though old, was made for debating."
"Maisie walked down the path, unlatched the front gate, and was about to continue on towards the station when she heard a whistle from the other side of the street."
"Maisie saw Richard Stratton look away as MacFarlane approached."
"Maisie wondered, briefly, if it would come to pass that she might say such things about a man she had loved for years."
"Maisie was in front of her second-year class, a larger group than usual."
"Maisie had written two words on the blackboard with a crisp new stick of chalk: Good and Evil."
"Sometimes, it makes me so tired, so exhausted, just thinking back over those years."
"How I hate the feeling of being cornered. Makes me feel a bit like I’ve been ambushed."
"You can always come back to learn more—I have a good teacher here."
"Mind you, it makes one man shine out, in my opinion."
"I think he was easily distracted by his ambitions and things that would suddenly take his attention—starting a political interest group, for example, or campaigning for a member of Parliament he suddenly supported—so he found settling down to complete a piece of academic work quite difficult."
"If a mouse were a wushu master, he could kill by taking a man’s head in his tiny paws and breaking his neck."
"I have come to realize that, each day, I have only that day."
"And I think he probably regretted his decision for the rest of his life, though he was not the sort of man who would have taken action to make amends."
"I realized her throat was dry. There were other boxes to go through today, but for now she wanted to think about the girls and women who had worked in secret throughout the war."
"I believe I almost felt sorry for him. All that passion for peace, and he was alone."
"By paying attention, Maisie. If you pay attention, everyone has something they want to hide, even if it’s going shopping in London."
"National Socialism is the way. There is no other political philosophy that will deliver us from the social stranglehold of our system of lords and serfs, and there is no other party that would protect our shores, while bringing prosperity and security to those of Anglo-Saxon stock."
"I killed him with my bare hands, and almost lost my life in return. I buried him with the strength I had left, and I went back to work."
"He’s improved, Billy. If you remember, he was quite accommodating last time we had to work with him. As I said, now he’s out from under Stratton’s shadow, he’s much better to work with."
"But what about Dunstan Headley? She doodled his name on the case map in front of her, then tapped her pencil on the paper, absently creating a cluster of gray dots spiraling in and out, in and out, as if following the pattern of a snail shell."
"We’re all having a wonderful time being peaceful together."
"Puppy dog bounding to see the adored master."
"It’s not what you want to hear at the college, is it? Not very peaceful, eh?"
"I expect I’ll see you all at the service tomorrow."
"Maisie nodded. 'Oh, yes, of course—don’t let any other member of staff see you do that or you will be hauled over the coals.'"
"Maisie did not return to London immediately, as instructed by MacFarlane."
"Remember your myths. Go back to the legends, and perhaps those great philosophers we’ve been studying."
"She hoped MacFarlane and Stratton arrived by motor car before dawn the following morning."
"In her defense, they sneaked off—they should have informed the office of their intentions; it’s a college rule."
". . . where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy . . ."
"Maisie sighed. 'I’d better be off, Daniel. I have to be on my way.'"
"She realized that she had stopped walking. It was dusk, but as she turned to leave, she looked down at the words carved on a stone placed adjacent to the path."