"“Government affairs are a bit beyond our experience,” said Jean. “Nonsense. You’ll feel right at home. What is government but theft by consent? You’ll be moving in a society of kindred spirits.”"

"“What happened wasn’t fair!” “Fair? You mean to claim with a straight face that you buy into that heresy, my boy?”"

"They’ll be fine, and wiser for the experience. Young minds are brittle. Oldsters, now, we’ve had some disappointments. We’ve set aside the notion that we’re the center of the universe, so our minds bend with strain instead of meeting it head-on."

"“You need money that badly?” “As a tool, certainly. Its application is simple and universally effective.”"

"Damn it, when will you learn that refusing to admit you’ve lost isn’t the same as winning?"

"Nobody admires anyone else without qualification. If they do they’re after an image, not a person."

"“Let’s be obvious. Me brute, you weasel.” “Agreed. You brute, me charming mastermind.”"

"I’m not without my sympathies, Lamora. They just don’t necessarily reside with you."

"“I never would’ve thought—“ “Don’t think,” said Locke. “I’m paid to do that for you.”"

"“That’s not worth worrying about. If pressed I’ll use the never-fail universal apology.” “What’s the n-never-fail universal apology?” “‘I was badly misinformed, I deeply regret the error, go fuck yourself with this bag of money.’”"

"Refusal noted and cordially declined."

"I’m losing my taste for subtlety as fast as I’m depleting my supply."

"Only gods-damned fools die for lines drawn on maps."

"”Oh, gods,” he cried. ”Oh, gods protect me! It’s you!” “Of course it’s me,“ said Locke. “You just don’t know who the hell I am yet.“"

"I’m going to give you a thorough examination. This may cause some discomfort, but don’t complain. I won’t be listening."

"“I never even liked cats all that much.” “Surely you realize,” said Patience, “that cats are no great respecters of human opinion.”"

"Push your luck, gorgeous, and eventually luck pushes back."

"As for history, we are living in its ruins. And as for biographies, we are living with the consequences of all the decisions ever made in them. I tend not to read them for pleasure. It‘s not unlike carefully scrutinizing the map when one has already reached the destination."

"Master Kosta...What a pleasure! Selendri tells me you’ve expressed an interest in getting killed."

"“We met five years ago.“ Jean scratched his beard. “On a sea voyage. We became business partners out of sheer boredom. Since then we‘ve been inseparable.“ “Except that my plan calls for me to be plotting your death.“ “Yes, but I don‘t know that, do I? Boon companion! I suspect nothing.“ “Chump! I can hardly wait to see you get yours!“"

"The trouble with creating military dictators, Locke reflected, was getting rid of them after the immediate crisis was past."

"“Here's to charming losers, I suppose.“ “If only we knew where to find some.“"

"“You needed a bath,“ Jean interrupted. “You were covered in self-pity.“"

"Time went by with all the speed of a sleepless night."

"In time, you’ll come to understand that a state like ours cannot afford to offer up a show of weakness for honesty’s sake; Duke Nicovante charges me with vouchsafing his security, not his conscience."

"I’m sure we can communicate. I speak fluent hatchet."

"I can’t live forever. Each time something like this affair lands in my lap, I suddenly recall that I don’t want to live forever."

"“This entire situation is insane.” Jean slammed his book shut in disgust. “It was insane before; now it’s become malicious.”"

"There’s no freedom quite like the freedom of being constantly underestimated."

"Time’s a river, Locke, and we’ve always drifted farther down it than we think."

"“Advice,” chuckled Doña Vorchenza. “The years play a sort of alchemical trick, transmuting one’s mutterings to a state of respectability. Give advice at forty and you’re a nag. Give it at seventy and you’re a sage.”"

"“‘Commonly thought,’ you say? Many things are commonly thought, but perhaps not commonly thought all the way through.”"

"It was strange, how readily authority could be conjured with nothing but a bit of strutting jackassery."

"I have always found the presumptions of others to be the best possible disguise—haven’t you?"

"I make it a point never to trust men with weapons to my windpipe."

"“What’s your hand [of cards] look like?“ “A parched desert...How’s yours?“ “A wasteland of bitter frustration.“"

"“What do you have to say to that?“ “Oh, very little, to be sure, Master Kosta. It’s so hard to think, overawed as I am with the sublime genius of your plan.“ “That bears some vague resemblance to sarcasm.“ “God forfend,“ said Jean. “You wound me! Your inexpressible criminal virtues have triumphed again, as inevitably as the tides come and go. I cast myself at your feet and beg for absolution. Yours is the genius that nourishes the heart of the world.“ “And now you’re—“ “If only there was a leper handy,“ interrupted Jean, "so you could lay your hands on and magically heal him.“"

"“I suspect that drink has made you impulsive.“ “Drink makes me see funny; the gods made me impulsive.“"

"“When I get this door open, you’re dead, Jean!“ “When you get that door open? I look forward to many long years of life, then.“"

"“That’s a sweet piece,“ said Jean, briefly forgetting to be aggravated. “You didn’t snatch that off a street.“ “No,“ said Locke, before taking another deep draught of the warm water in the decanter. “I got it from the neck of the governor’s mistress.“ “You can’t be serious.“ “In the governor’s manor.“ “Of all the—“ “In the governor’s bed.“ “Damned lunatic!“ “With the governor sleeping next to her...It is possible,“ said Locke with a sheepish grin, “that I have been slightly too bold.“"

"“I say again, impossible.” “And I correct you again. Difficult. ‘Difficult’ and ‘impossible’ are cousins often mistaken for one another, with very little in common.”"

"Some mysteries are better off with their throats slit."

"“We already know how too—” “I don’t care what you think you know, Kosta. Until further notice, we’re gonna presume that you’re too dumb to count to one.”"

"You’re ten pints of crazy in a one-pint glass."

"It had the expression common to all kittens, that of a tyrant in the becoming."

"I find it best to make corpses of complications."

"”Is this man, ah, senile?” ”He’s absolutely competent,” she answered coldly. ”I assure you I am,” roared Cordo. Anger changed his countenance utterly. ”And I will not be put off from business by assassins in my own bedroom! Now, you will either kill me immediately or negotiate the price of my release!”"

"Our patron has always sort of danced upon the notion that austerity and piety go hand in hand; down here, we show our appreciation for things by appreciating, if you get me."