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The hearts of small children are delicate organs. A cruel beginning in this world can twist them into curious shapes. The heart of a hurt child can shrink so that forever afterward it is hard and pitted as the seed of a peach. Or again, the heart of such a child may fester and swell until it is a misery to carry within the body, easily chafed and hurt by the most ordinary things.

"All we can do is go around telling the truth."

"It is far better for the profits of our purse to be taken from us than to be robbed of the riches of our minds and souls."

Maybe when people longed for a thing that bad the longing made them trust in anything that might give it to them.

And how can the dead be truly dead when they still live in the souls of those who are left behind?

Like many wealthy people, it was Miss Crawley’s habit to accept as much service as she could get from her inferiors; and good-naturedly to take leave of them when she no longer found them useful. Gratitude among certain rich folks is scarcely natural or to be thought of. They take needy people’s services as their due. Nor have you, O poor parasite and humble hanger-on, much reason to complain! Your friendship for Dives is about as sincere as the return which it usually gets. It is money you love, and not the man; and were Croesus and his footman to change places, you know, you poor rogue, who would have the benefit of your allegiance.

Whenever he met a great man he grovelled before him, and my-lorded him as only a free-born Briton can do.

When a traveller talks to you perpetually about the splendour of his luggage, which he does not happen to have with him, my son, beware of that traveller! He is, ten to one, an impostor.

“How can you—how dare you have such wicked, revengeful thoughts?”

“Revenge may be wicked, but it’s natural,” answered Miss Rebecca. “I’m no angel.” And, to say the truth, she certainly was not.

Pity the fallen gentleman: you to whom money and fair repute are the chiefest good; and so, surely, are they in Vanity Fair.

If mere parsimony could have made a man rich, Sir Pitt Crawley might have become very wealthy.

Yes, if a man’s character is to be abused, say what you will, there’s nobody like a relation to do the business.