she knew that even pain can be confessed, but to confess happiness is to stand naked,

“What do you want? Perfection?” “—or nothing. So, you see, I take the nothing.”

always be what people want you to be. Then you’ve got them where you want them.

A truly selfish man cannot be affected by the approval of others. He doesn’t need it.”

It worked out to everyone’s satisfaction: Keating did not care so long as his clients were impressed, the clients did not care so long as their guests were impressed, and the guests did not care anyway.

That’s the way everybody does it. You see?” “Yes.” “Then you agree?” “No.” “But, good Lord, man, you’ve lost your mind!

Those others are made by the need to impress. The determining motive of your house is in the house. The determining motive of the other is in the audience.”

The teacher had been elaborating upon the text: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Ellsworth asked: “Then, in order to be truly wealthy, a man should collect souls?”

I mean the one that claims the pig is the symbol of love for humanity—the creature that accepts anything. As a matter of fact, the person who loves everybody and feels at home everywhere is the true hater of mankind. He expects nothing of men, so no form of depravity can outrage him.”

“Howard—anything you ask. Anything. I’d sell my soul ...” “That’s the sort of thing I want you to understand. To sell your soul is the easiest thing in the world. That’s what everybody does every hour of his life. If I asked you to keep your soul—would you understand why that’s much harder?”