“The steward, according to custom, had stopped all the clocks. This, in the language of Narouz, said, “Your stay with us is so brief, let us not be reminded of the flight of the hours. God made eternity. Let us escape from the despotism of time altogether.” These ancient and hereditary politenesses filled Nessim with emotion.”

“I suppose the secret of his success is in his tremendous idleness which almost approaches the supernatural.”

“You see, nothing matters except pleasure – which is the opposite of happiness, its tragic part, I expect.”