“Killing is not so easy as the innocent believe.”

“Nobody can turn you into a slave unless you allow them. Nobody can make you afraid of anything, unless you allow them. Nobody can tell you to do something wrong, unless you allow them. God never created you to be a slave, man did. God never created division or set up any borders between brothers, man did. God never told you hurt or kill another, man did. So why is man your god, and not the Creator?”

“I have brought peace to this land, and security,” he began.”And what of your soul, when you use the cleverness of argument to cloak such acts? Do you think that the peace of a thousand cancels out the unjust death of one single person? It may be desirable, it may win you praise from those who have happily survived you and prospered from your deeds, but you have committed ignoble acts, and have been too proud to own them. I have waited patiently here, hoping that you would come to me, for if you understood, then some of your acts would be mitigated. But instead you send me this manuscript, proud, magisterial, and demonstrating only that you have understood nothing at all.””I returned to public life on your advice, madam,” he said stiffly.”Yes; I advised it. I said if learning must die it should do so with a friend by its bedside. Not an assassin.”

“She said, “You’re a warrior. So how do you kill without rage?””In compassion. Because of necessity.” Hrahima set the empty water bowl back in Samarkar’s hands. “The same way you carry water.”

“Believe me, It would be better if we didn’t meet again. Go back to school. Go back to your life. And next time they ask you, say no. Killing is for grown-ups and you’re still a child.”

“I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it’s such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her.”

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”

“There are many things worth living for, a few things worth dying for, and nothing worth killing for.”