I Have Been Here Before

"I suppose -- in the last resort -- you trust life -- or you dont. Well -- I dont. Theres something malicious . . . corrupt . . . cruel . . . at the heart of it. We dont belong. Were a mistake."

"I have lived longer than you. I have thought more, and I have suffered more. And I tell you there is more truth to the fundamental nature of things in the most foolish fairy tales than there is in any of your complaints against life."

"But now I see that we do not understand ourselves, the nature of our lives. What seems to happen continually just outside the edge of our attention -- the little fears and fancies, as you call them -- may be all-important because they belong to a profounder reality, like the vague sounds of the city outside that we hear sometimes inside a theatre."

"Ormund: But being rich isnt simply the opposite of being poor. Its not really worth much -- being rich. Half the time theres a thick glass between you and most of the fun and friendliness of the world. Theres something devilishly dull about most of the rich. Too much money seems to take the taste and colour out of things. It oughtnt to do, but it does -- damn it! Dr. Görtler: But power -- you have that, havent you? Ormund: Yes, and thats a very different thing. Dr. Görtler: Ah! -- you like power. Ormund: Well, you get some fun out of it. I dont mean bullying a lot of poor devils. but putting ideas into action. And not being at the end of somebody elses bit of string."

"A lot of use it is you or anybody else saying what theyd do if they had their time over again. A fat chance they have, havent they? Time moves on and it takes you with it, whatever you say -- as I know only too well."

"Nay, what tickled me was him saying he must ha come at wrong year. now thats as good as aught Ive heard o some time. If hes going around asking for people -- not friends of his, mind you -- and he doesnt know where they are nor what year theyll be here -- I reckon hes got his work cut out."