He decided in favor of life out of sheer spite and malice. — Patrick Süskind

Even knowing that to possess that scent he must pay the terrible price of losing it again, the very possession and the loss seemed to him more desirable than a prosaic renunciation of both. For he had renounced things all his life. But never once had he possessed and lost.

People could close their eyes to greatness, to horrors, to beauty, and their ears to melodies or deceiving words. But they couldn't escape scent. For scent was a brother of breath.

People are stupid and use their noses only for blowing, but believe absolutely anything they see with their eyes.