Simon the Coldheart quotes
The lines readers remember from Simon the Coldheart, by Georgette Heyer.
45 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
When a woman guards her own she is more dangerous than a man.
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“This woman,” Gilbert corrected. “Alan is right.
When a woman guards her own she is more dangerous than a man.
Yet this lady knows not Simon.”
Even the glow of the torchlight faded; it was as though the earth had swallowed one and all.
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It was handed to him and he bent, entering the mine, sword in hand. One by one his men crept in behind him, and presently were hidden from Alan’s sight in the gloomy tunnel.
Even the glow of the torchlight faded; it was as though the earth had swallowed one and all.
Treading softly, and bent almost double, the line of men went steadily along the dank, earth-smelling passage, following the torch, and trusting implicitly to their leader. And so at length they came to the end of the mine, where they could stand upright.
I fight clean, sir, when I may, but I choose my foe’s weapons, and when the foe seeks to fight me foully, why, then, the time for chivalry is past.
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Those were her words. But once within these portals it pleased the Countess, and ye all, to forget the laws of truce. Ye did threaten me with violence, who had come to treat.
I fight clean, sir, when I may, but I choose my foe’s weapons, and when the foe seeks to fight me foully, why, then, the time for chivalry is past.
Lead on, Sir Chevalier.”
Thou wilt never do it now, lady. The time is past, and thy courage forsook thee.
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“
Thou wilt never do it now, lady. The time is past, and thy courage forsook thee.
”
See thou dost always set about thine affairs thoroughly, and do not the half only of a thing.
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“It might be safer,” she reflected. “I cannot wear my cap always, and perhaps it might give rise to suspicion. What was it my father said?—‘
See thou dost always set about thine affairs thoroughly, and do not the half only of a thing.
’ Give me the scissors!”
Love there is, sir, but also pride.
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“
Love there is, sir, but also pride.
She loves him, but she will not admit it, even to herself. They woo with daggers, Simon and his lady.”
All quotes
Jump to a chapter
- I: How He Came to Fulk of Montlice
- II: How He Grew to Manhood
- III: How He Went with Fulk to Shrewsbury
- IV: How He Was Knighted, and How He Had Speech with His Father
- VI: How He Rode Hotfoot to London
- VII: How King Henry Thanked Him
- IX: How He Took Possession of His Estates
- XI: How He Won His Gilded Armour
- I: How He Came to Normandy
- II: How He Encamped Before Belrémy
- III: How He Took Belrémy
- IV: How He Saw the Lady Margaret
- VI: How the Lady Margaret Could Not Stab Him
- VII: How He Found Geoffrey and Jeanne on the Terrace
- VIII: How the Lady Margaret Plotted
- X: How the Lady Margaret Came to Turincel
- XIV: How He Received the Lady Margaret’s Submission
- XV: How He Came Upon the Lady Margaret in the Gallery
- XVII: How He Left Belrémy, and How the Lady Margaret Dealt with Her Cousin
- XVIII: How He Came to Bayeux, to the King
- XIX: How They Fared at Belrémy During His Absence
I: How He Came to Fulk of Montlice
He was never one to waste words.
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“To my goal, fellow,” Simon retorted, and passed on. The pedlar called after him for his haughtiness, but he paid no heed.
He was never one to waste words.
So at length he came to Montlice, which was his goal, and stood for a moment before the drawbridge, surveying the rugged castle. A man-at-arms, lounging on the bridge, hailed him good-naturedly.
“I seek the lion,” he said, and walked forward across the bridge.
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The glimmer of a smile came to light the darkness of Simon’s eyes.
“I seek the lion,” he said, and walked forward across the bridge.
The man laughed at him, barring his passage.
“There does not live the beast I will not tame, my lord.”
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At that Simon curled his lip in disdain.
“There does not live the beast I will not tame, my lord.”
My lord’s eyes were now a-twinkle. He clapped the table jovially.
“I have never approached my goal through the back door, my lord, nor ever will. I march straight.”
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“Impudence! Why camest thou to the great door? Know ye not the scullions’ entrance at the back?”
“I have never approached my goal through the back door, my lord, nor ever will. I march straight.”
“It seems so indeed,” said my lord. “Well, what dost thou want of me?”
“What I become will be of mine own making, sir. I ask no favours.”
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“Ye think to earn knighthood with me?”
“What I become will be of mine own making, sir. I ask no favours.”
“Then I like thee the better for it. Shalt be page to my son till I find thee fitter occupation. And that to spite Malvallet, look you. Art satisfied?”
II: How He Grew to Manhood
“A pulse-leap,” he said slowly. “What folly! My pulse leaps when I have sent an arrow home, or when I have thrown my man, or when a hawk has swooped upon its prey.”
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Simon stretched his new string experimentally.
“A pulse-leap,” he said slowly. “What folly! My pulse leaps when I have sent an arrow home, or when I have thrown my man, or when a hawk has swooped upon its prey.”
“Simon, Simon, is there no softness in thee at all? Dost love no one?”
“My life will be”—he paused—“what I choose to make it.”
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Then at last a gleam shone in Simon’s eyes, cold yet eager.
“My life will be”—he paused—“what I choose to make it.”
“I will tell thee one day,” Simon said, with a rare touch of humour. Then he gathered up his arrows and went away, treading heavily yet noiselessly, like some great animal.
Strength was the straight road to his heart, and fearlessness: Simon had both.
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Thus, bit by bit, grew up between the two an odd understanding and affection, never spoken of, but there at the root of their attitude towards each other. Fulk wanted not servility nor maudlin love, and from Simon he got neither.
Strength was the straight road to his heart, and fearlessness: Simon had both.
They were not always at one, and sometimes a quarrel would crop up when neither would give way an inch, when Fulk stormed and raged like a wounded buffalo, and when Simon stood rocklike, unshaken by anything Fulk might do to him, icy anger in …
“I dare all,” he said.
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Simon shot him that upward, rapier-glance.
“I dare all,” he said.
The grip on his shoulder tightened until little rivulets of pain ran down from it across his chest. He did not so much as wince, but held Fulk’s look steadily. Slowly the grip relaxed.
“Naught,” Simon answered curtly. “Fight thine own battle.”
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One of his companions had a spite against him and plagued away his life. On this day the man had slyly tripped him up with his spear, so that he was burning to be avenged. What would Simon do for him?
“Naught,” Simon answered curtly. “Fight thine own battle.”
“Yet, sir, if I strike this man as he deserves, you will come upon us and have us shut up for brawling, or maybe whipped.”
III: How He Went with Fulk to Shrewsbury
“There will be more done, and that expeditiously, if a head is kept firm upon one’s shoulders.”
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“Holy Virgin, why?” demanded Fulk.
“There will be more done, and that expeditiously, if a head is kept firm upon one’s shoulders.”
“Wise boy!” Fulk shook with laughter. “Eh, but one would think thou hadst been in a dozen campaigns! Sit thee down, my Simon, that I may confer with thee. See our Alan there. The lad’s in a ferment!
“Not I!” Simon laughed shortly. “Might and generalship will win. What else?”
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“And—and so thou dost not believe that—that right must win?”
“Not I!” Simon laughed shortly. “Might and generalship will win. What else?”
“Simon, I fear me ’tis as Father Peter says,” he remarked gravely.
IV: How He Was Knighted, and How He Had Speech with His Father
“No name is mine save the one I have chosen.”
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“Then return with me to Malvallet, and bear thine own name.”
“No name is mine save the one I have chosen.”
“An insult to me, that name!”
“If I cause thee pain, I do crave thy pardon. What else but indifference can I feel for one with whom I have never exchanged a word until today?”
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“I had rather that than thine indifference!”
“If I cause thee pain, I do crave thy pardon. What else but indifference can I feel for one with whom I have never exchanged a word until today?”
Malvallet went nearer to him.
VI: How He Rode Hotfoot to London
“Oh, I find that the nobles believe in most empty tales, if they are like to bring them greater wealth, or greater rank!” Henry said tranquilly.
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“No man of culture, of education, could believe so empty a tale,” the Duke said hotly.
“Oh, I find that the nobles believe in most empty tales, if they are like to bring them greater wealth, or greater rank!” Henry said tranquilly.
“Have you, Sir Simon, heard talk of the late King?”
VII: How King Henry Thanked Him
“Because he doth know me, my lord. What I set out to do, I do.”
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“My good boy, how can he know?”
“Because he doth know me, my lord. What I set out to do, I do.”
“One cannot always be sure of success, Simon.”
“Nay, I think not, sir. Yet I believe that there is a very little that is impossible. There is always a way.”
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“Nor I!” Granmere laughed again. “Thou wouldst never set out to do the impossible?”
“Nay, I think not, sir. Yet I believe that there is a very little that is impossible. There is always a way.”
“So if ye find not that way, ye will let be? Suppose that thy greatest friend lay imprisoned, and it was seemingly impossible to rescue him, because thou hadst discovered no way? Would ye then let be?”
IX: How He Took Possession of His Estates
“A jaw like a mastiff’s, a frame like a giant’s, eyes like two daggers, a smile like a tiger’s snarl,” Bernard murmured.
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What but a mountain of a fellow with a damned flaxen head crammed full of haughty tyranny? A springald with not a hair to his lips, but great brows that ’most hid his wicked eyes, and a nose like to my hawk’s beak yonder.”
“A jaw like a mastiff’s, a frame like a giant’s, eyes like two daggers, a smile like a tiger’s snarl,” Bernard murmured.
“Ay, he is all that!” Master Hubert said. “A murrain be on him! And when I came to him, what did I do? I did bow in all politeness, yet stiffly withal, to show him that I’d not brook his surliness.”
“All men were not born to fight,” he said.
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Simon glanced at him enigmatically.
“All men were not born to fight,” he said.
“Why didst thou stay here?”
“I never threaten,” Simon answered composedly.
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“I care not for your threats!” Gountray cried.
“I never threaten,” Simon answered composedly.
He went to the table and lifted two wine bottles from it. These he flung out of the window with unerring aim.
XI: How He Won His Gilded Armour
“Thank me not for pleasing myself,” Simon answered.
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“My lord, I—I thank you! And for all that you have done for me, upholding mine authority, and permitting my son to tease you, I thank you.”
“Thank me not for pleasing myself,” Simon answered.
He rose, and Maurice with him, and as Gountray would have left the room, he spoke again, more lightly. “Thou wilt think me careless, Maurice. Before I went to supper I walked out to cast a look on my lands, and Cedric followed me.
I: How He Came to Normandy
“What manner of woman will it be before whom Simon will fall? How many fair maids hath he passed by? And now he is past thirty. He is not like to love. It is too late.”
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“There is icy rage, sir,” Geoffrey answered, smiling.
“What manner of woman will it be before whom Simon will fall? How many fair maids hath he passed by? And now he is past thirty. He is not like to love. It is too late.”
Henry smiled, laying his hand on Malvallet’s arm.
When a woman guards her own she is more dangerous than a man.
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“This woman,” Gilbert corrected. “Alan is right.
When a woman guards her own she is more dangerous than a man.
Yet this lady knows not Simon.”
II: How He Encamped Before Belrémy
Quell thine own complaining, Geoffrey, and thou mayst then rebuke thy men.
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“Ay, but thou canst; none better.” Simon spoke slowly, not looking at Malvallet. “
Quell thine own complaining, Geoffrey, and thou mayst then rebuke thy men.
”
There is peace in the air, and an ode in my head.
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“Geoffrey must always fight,” Alan nodded. “I think I would we might remain here forever.
There is peace in the air, and an ode in my head.
”
I war not with babes.
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“Fool! Were I to hold this town till starvation came, I should enter it over children’s bodies.
I war not with babes.
”
If he told me he would march into Hell by Christmas and enslave the Devil, I would follow him.
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“He speaks not until he is sure,” Alan said. “
If he told me he would march into Hell by Christmas and enslave the Devil, I would follow him.
”
III: How He Took Belrémy
Even the glow of the torchlight faded; it was as though the earth had swallowed one and all.
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It was handed to him and he bent, entering the mine, sword in hand. One by one his men crept in behind him, and presently were hidden from Alan’s sight in the gloomy tunnel.
Even the glow of the torchlight faded; it was as though the earth had swallowed one and all.
Treading softly, and bent almost double, the line of men went steadily along the dank, earth-smelling passage, following the torch, and trusting implicitly to their leader. And so at length they came to the end of the mine, where they could stand upright.
IV: How He Saw the Lady Margaret
On her bosom a great ruby glowed, the only living thing about her.
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Her white hands lay along the arms of her chair, the nervous fingers gripping the carved wood tensely.
On her bosom a great ruby glowed, the only living thing about her.
Beside her stood a dark gentleman, foppishly clad, who regarded Simon with a faint sneer upon his full lips. He twirled a rose between his fingers, and raised it to his nose now and again.
I fight clean, sir, when I may, but I choose my foe’s weapons, and when the foe seeks to fight me foully, why, then, the time for chivalry is past.
Show the passage
Those were her words. But once within these portals it pleased the Countess, and ye all, to forget the laws of truce. Ye did threaten me with violence, who had come to treat.
I fight clean, sir, when I may, but I choose my foe’s weapons, and when the foe seeks to fight me foully, why, then, the time for chivalry is past.
Lead on, Sir Chevalier.”
VI: How the Lady Margaret Could Not Stab Him
“Strike where the neck joins the shoulder, my lady,” he said, and went on writing.
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Simon’s hand travelled to and fro across the parchment. He did not lift his head. The silence seemed to grow, and still the Lady Margaret crept on. Then Simon spoke, his voice deep and calm.
“Strike where the neck joins the shoulder, my lady,” he said, and went on writing.
The Lady Margaret started back, letting fall her skirts. Her hand flew to her cheek, and now it was trembling. Her face went white, and her eyes dilated. Of a sudden she had grown cold, and her knees threatened to give way.
Thou wilt never do it now, lady. The time is past, and thy courage forsook thee.
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“
Thou wilt never do it now, lady. The time is past, and thy courage forsook thee.
”
VII: How He Found Geoffrey and Jeanne on the Terrace
The soldier turned popinjay, i’ faith. He shames the sun.
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“Oh, fie!” she murmured and turned her head to gaze pensively at a robin. “
The soldier turned popinjay, i’ faith. He shames the sun.
” She picked up her needle again.
VIII: How the Lady Margaret Plotted
“At a distance I might like you better,” she said.
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“But one day, fairest, you will change? Shall I never find the way to thy heart?”
“At a distance I might like you better,” she said.
“Cruel, cruel! Ah, Margot, if ye would but smile upon me, what might not we do to oust this English boor?”
See thou dost always set about thine affairs thoroughly, and do not the half only of a thing.
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“It might be safer,” she reflected. “I cannot wear my cap always, and perhaps it might give rise to suspicion. What was it my father said?—‘
See thou dost always set about thine affairs thoroughly, and do not the half only of a thing.
’ Give me the scissors!”
X: How the Lady Margaret Came to Turincel
There is a boulder in my path, and I lose heart! Body o’ me, I will go on!
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“Shall I be unfaithful to the name I bear? What says my motto?—‘Conquest or death’—well, I will conquer. Would my father turn back? Nay, nay! Why, what ails me?
There is a boulder in my path, and I lose heart! Body o’ me, I will go on!
”
What thou canst do, I will do.
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“
What thou canst do, I will do.
”
Ye have given me adventure, and I am ever one for that.
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“A murrain on what ye can give me!” growled Ranaud. “
Ye have given me adventure, and I am ever one for that.
” He chuckled, and slapped his thigh.
XIV: How He Received the Lady Margaret’s Submission
No milk-and-water maid could touch his heart.
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“Bold, sir, and tigerish, but so is Simon.
No milk-and-water maid could touch his heart.
He must take a fitting mate unto himself. The Countess is such an one, and not soft speech will move her, but rugged strength, and maybe rough usage.”
XV: How He Came Upon the Lady Margaret in the Gallery
That debt is paid, and the past is dead.
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“I want not thy gratitude.
That debt is paid, and the past is dead.
If thou dost indeed hate me—”
I have ears that hear that which makes no sound, and eyes that see in the dark.
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“I doubt that same rogue will find his task hard indeed,” he remarked. “
I have ears that hear that which makes no sound, and eyes that see in the dark.
”
XVII: How He Left Belrémy, and How the Lady Margaret Dealt with Her Cousin
I can punish him best by ignoring him.
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“God knows. The Chevalier is too little for my vengeance, I think.
I can punish him best by ignoring him.
But when I am gone, do thou have a care, Geoffrey.”
XVIII: How He Came to Bayeux, to the King
Love there is, sir, but also pride.
Show the passage
“
Love there is, sir, but also pride.
She loves him, but she will not admit it, even to herself. They woo with daggers, Simon and his lady.”
They woo with daggers, Simon and his lady.
Show the passage
“Love there is, sir, but also pride. She loves him, but she will not admit it, even to herself.
They woo with daggers, Simon and his lady.
”
XIX: How They Fared at Belrémy During His Absence
I shall warn all maids ’gainst marriage. Husbands are very ungallant persons.
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“I am not at all,” Jeanne said with dignity. “
I shall warn all maids ’gainst marriage. Husbands are very ungallant persons.
” She looked up at Fulk. “Once I did think Geoffrey courtly and kind,” she said plaintively.
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