These Old Shades quotes
The lines readers remember from These Old Shades, by Georgette Heyer.
33 quotes · About the book
Standout lines
There are many sins, ma belle, but only one that is unforgivable. That is vulgarity.
Show the passage
“I have not the slightest idea. It is a vulgarity.
There are many sins, ma belle, but only one that is unforgivable. That is vulgarity.
”
It seems that a lady may do many bad things and still be respectable, but if one speaks of such things as breeches then one is unladylike.
Show the passage
“No,” she agreed. “One does not always want to be respectable, I think. Me, I am a great trial to everybody, because I am not respectable at all.
It seems that a lady may do many bad things and still be respectable, but if one speaks of such things as breeches then one is unladylike.
I find it very hard.”
My opinion of your discretion is not so great as my opinion of your courage and resource.
Show the passage
“No, my children.
My opinion of your discretion is not so great as my opinion of your courage and resource.
By the way, what did you do with Mr. Manvers’ roan?”
According to you, my infant, the world is peopled by fools. I believe you have reason.
Show the passage
“
According to you, my infant, the world is peopled by fools. I believe you have reason.
To resume. It seemed probable that Léonie had escaped; further, it seemed probable that she had escaped towards Le Havre. But since neither of you had arrived at that port I guessed that you were concealed somewhere on the road to Le Havre.
Never was there such a united family, and all of us so amiable one to the other—God knows how long ’twill last!
Show the passage
“Well enough,” Rupert said. “We’re all of us reformed, as you see.
Never was there such a united family, and all of us so amiable one to the other—God knows how long ’twill last!
”
“A certain cynicism, born of the life she has led; a streak of strange wisdom; the wistfulness behind the gaiety; sometimes fear; and nearly always the memory of loneliness that hurts the soul.”
Show the passage
“Oh, I see beneath, my dear! But then, I have had experience of the sex, as you know.”
“A certain cynicism, born of the life she has led; a streak of strange wisdom; the wistfulness behind the gaiety; sometimes fear; and nearly always the memory of loneliness that hurts the soul.”
Merivale looked down at his snuffbox, and fell to tracing the pattern on it with one finger.
All quotes
Jump to a chapter
- I: His Grace of Avon Buys a Soul
- II: Introducing the Comte de Saint-Vire
- III: Which Tells of a Debt Unpaid
- IV: His Grace of Avon Becomes Further Acquainted with His Page
- VIII: Hugh Davenant Is Amazed
- XII: His Grace of Avon’s Ward
- XIII: The Education of Léonie
- XIV: The Appearance on the Scene of Lord Rupert Alastair
- XVI: The Coming of the Comte de Saint-Vire
- XVIII: The Indignation of Mr. Manvers
- XX: His Grace of Avon Takes Command of the Game
- XXI: The Discomfiture of the Comte de Saint-Vire
- XXII: The Arrival of Another Player in the Game
- XXIV: Hugh Davenant Is Agreeably Surprised
- XXV: Léonie Curtsies to the Polite World
- XXVI: The Presentation of Léonie
- XXVII: The Hand of Madame de Verchoureux
- XXIX: The Disappearance of Léonie
- XXXI: His Grace of Avon Wins All
I: His Grace of Avon Buys a Soul
“Where there is money there are also—friends.”
Show the passage
“Parfaitement.” Justin walked to the door.
“Where there is money there are also—friends.”
Davenant set down his glass.
“Apropos, Hugh, I have got a soul. It has just had a bath, and is now asleep.”
Show the passage
“So you have often told me. Good night, my dear.” He went out, but before he had shut the door bethought himself of something, and looked back, smiling.
“Apropos, Hugh, I have got a soul. It has just had a bath, and is now asleep.”
“God help it!” Hugh said gravely.
II: Introducing the Comte de Saint-Vire
“Pray do not be guileless. I dislike fools.”
Show the passage
Léon shot him a surprised glance.
“Pray do not be guileless. I dislike fools.”
“Yes, Monseigneur. I was only surprised that you knew. It was at the inn, you see.”
“Spare me a list of the places where you were not born, I beg of you.”
Show the passage
“That is of course interesting,” remarked the Duke.
“Spare me a list of the places where you were not born, I beg of you.”
“You do not understand, Monseigneur. My parents went to live in Anjou when I was a baby. We had a farm at Bassincourt, auprès de Saumur. And—and we lived there until my parents died.”
III: Which Tells of a Debt Unpaid
“Very cold, my dear, but none the less dangerous.”
Show the passage
“Has it not grown cold?” Hugh asked, disregarding.
“Very cold, my dear, but none the less dangerous.”
“And all this time not one opportunity has presented itself?”
IV: His Grace of Avon Becomes Further Acquainted with His Page
“But if he is like the devil no doubt I should like the devil very much. My brother says I am a child of the devil.”
Show the passage
“I have never seen Satan,” answered Léon, from a large chair where he sat with his feet tucked under him. “But I do not think that Monseigneur is like him.” He reflected.
“But if he is like the devil no doubt I should like the devil very much. My brother says I am a child of the devil.”
“That is shame!” said fat Madame Dubois, the housekeeper, shocked.
VIII: Hugh Davenant Is Amazed
“When you become excited, my dear, you remind me of an agitated sheep. Quite irresistible, believe me.”
Show the passage
Avon went to a chair, and sat upon its arm.
“When you become excited, my dear, you remind me of an agitated sheep. Quite irresistible, believe me.”
Hugh controlled a quivering lip, and seated himself opposite the Duke. Avon stretched out his hand to where a small spindle-legged table stood and pulled it into place between himself and Davenant.
“I wonder if you yourself know your motives?”
Show the passage
“But then you do not know my motives.”
“I wonder if you yourself know your motives?”
Hugh said quietly.
XII: His Grace of Avon’s Ward
“It is always wise to believe the worst of me, Fanny.”
Show the passage
“Easily.” She curled her lip. “Justin, what is it you intend? You’ve some scheme, I know. I’ll believe you mean no ill by Léonie.”
“It is always wise to believe the worst of me, Fanny.”
“I confess I don’t understand you, Justin. ’Tis most provoking.”
But I do not always want to be a lady, Monseigneur! If I may learn to fight with a sword I will try very hard to learn the other silly things.
Show the passage
“
But I do not always want to be a lady, Monseigneur! If I may learn to fight with a sword I will try very hard to learn the other silly things.
”
XIII: The Education of Léonie
There are many sins, ma belle, but only one that is unforgivable. That is vulgarity.
Show the passage
“I have not the slightest idea. It is a vulgarity.
There are many sins, ma belle, but only one that is unforgivable. That is vulgarity.
”
XIV: The Appearance on the Scene of Lord Rupert Alastair
It seems that a lady may do many bad things and still be respectable, but if one speaks of such things as breeches then one is unladylike.
Show the passage
“No,” she agreed. “One does not always want to be respectable, I think. Me, I am a great trial to everybody, because I am not respectable at all.
It seems that a lady may do many bad things and still be respectable, but if one speaks of such things as breeches then one is unladylike.
I find it very hard.”
One does not always want to be respectable, I think.
Show the passage
“No,” she agreed. “
One does not always want to be respectable, I think.
Me, I am a great trial to everybody, because I am not respectable at all. It seems that a lady may do many bad things and still be respectable, but if one speaks of such things as breeches then one is unladylike.
XVI: The Coming of the Comte de Saint-Vire
All women are older than their husbands, Anthony.
Show the passage
“Or not old enough.
All women are older than their husbands, Anthony.
”
XVIII: The Indignation of Mr. Manvers
I believe I am the devil. So they say.
Show the passage
“Sir,” bowed his Grace. “
I believe I am the devil. So they say.
”
XX: His Grace of Avon Takes Command of the Game
My opinion of your discretion is not so great as my opinion of your courage and resource.
Show the passage
“No, my children.
My opinion of your discretion is not so great as my opinion of your courage and resource.
By the way, what did you do with Mr. Manvers’ roan?”
According to you, my infant, the world is peopled by fools. I believe you have reason.
Show the passage
“
According to you, my infant, the world is peopled by fools. I believe you have reason.
To resume. It seemed probable that Léonie had escaped; further, it seemed probable that she had escaped towards Le Havre. But since neither of you had arrived at that port I guessed that you were concealed somewhere on the road to Le Havre.
XXI: The Discomfiture of the Comte de Saint-Vire
I am past the age of dancing.
Show the passage
“You are really very exigeante,” he complained. “
I am past the age of dancing.
”
Me, I am too young to dance. Nous voilà!
Show the passage
“Eh bien!” Léonie tilted her chin. “
Me, I am too young to dance. Nous voilà!
”
I am a great believer in my luck.
Show the passage
“You forget the element of Chance, dear Comte.
I am a great believer in my luck.
”
XXII: The Arrival of Another Player in the Game
Monseigneur, I was a page then, and you would have punished me. Now I am a lady.
Show the passage
“
Monseigneur, I was a page then, and you would have punished me. Now I am a lady.
”
XXIV: Hugh Davenant Is Agreeably Surprised
Never was there such a united family, and all of us so amiable one to the other—God knows how long ’twill last!
Show the passage
“Well enough,” Rupert said. “We’re all of us reformed, as you see.
Never was there such a united family, and all of us so amiable one to the other—God knows how long ’twill last!
”
My memory fails me when I try to disentangle your suitors, my dear.
Show the passage
“
My memory fails me when I try to disentangle your suitors, my dear.
Was he the one who demanded you of me with a pistol to my head, as it were? No, I believe that was Fonteroy. Colehatch, I think, wrote me a correct application for your hand which I still cherish.
XXV: Léonie Curtsies to the Polite World
Condé, accustomed to débutantes who were properly bored, was enchanted with this frank enjoyment.
Show the passage
“Yes, please, m’sieur. It is my very own ball! Is it not exciting?”
Condé, accustomed to débutantes who were properly bored, was enchanted with this frank enjoyment.
The fiddlers struck up, the couples took their places behind him and Léonie.
XXVI: The Presentation of Léonie
“Of course you are, child!” said my lady. “All young ladies must be cruel. It is de rigueur!”
Show the passage
“It was M. de Tanqueville, Monseigneur. He says I am cruel. And I am not, am I?”
“Of course you are, child!” said my lady. “All young ladies must be cruel. It is de rigueur!”
“Ah, bah!” said Léonie. “Monseigneur, where is the King?”
“My dear, the game is more intricate than you think. You are better out of it, believe me.”
Show the passage
“Henri won’t like it,” pondered Armand. “But I do not see that it can harm him. So why do you—”
“My dear, the game is more intricate than you think. You are better out of it, believe me.”
“Well!” Armand bit his finger. “I can trust you to deal with Henri, I suppose. You love him as much as I do, hein?”
XXVII: The Hand of Madame de Verchoureux
Paris shook its head, and thought that the ways of Avon were inscrutable and probably fiendish.
Show the passage
Paris thought that it must irk Saint-Vire considerably to see his offspring in the hands of his greatest enemy. Then Paris wondered what the English Duc meant to do with Mademoiselle de Bonnard, and found no solution to the riddle.
Paris shook its head, and thought that the ways of Avon were inscrutable and probably fiendish.
Meanwhile Lady Fanny swept through the town with Léonie, and saw to it that her social activities this season should not easily be forgotten. Léonie enjoyed herself very much, and Paris enjoyed her even more.
Léonie enjoyed herself very much, and Paris enjoyed her even more.
Show the passage
Meanwhile Lady Fanny swept through the town with Léonie, and saw to it that her social activities this season should not easily be forgotten.
Léonie enjoyed herself very much, and Paris enjoyed her even more.
In the mornings she rode out with Avon, and two factions sprang up thereafter amongst her admirers. One faction held that the divine Léonie was seen at her best in the saddle; the other faction was firm that in the ballroom she was incomparable.
She could be dignified when she chose, and her admirers were speedily abashed.
Show the passage
Others tried to make love to Léonie, whereat she was angry, and turned a cold shoulder on their enthusiasms.
She could be dignified when she chose, and her admirers were speedily abashed.
Learning of their discomfiture one evening when she was helping Léonie to dress, Lady Fanny forgot herself, and exclaimed:
“A certain cynicism, born of the life she has led; a streak of strange wisdom; the wistfulness behind the gaiety; sometimes fear; and nearly always the memory of loneliness that hurts the soul.”
Show the passage
“Oh, I see beneath, my dear! But then, I have had experience of the sex, as you know.”
“A certain cynicism, born of the life she has led; a streak of strange wisdom; the wistfulness behind the gaiety; sometimes fear; and nearly always the memory of loneliness that hurts the soul.”
Merivale looked down at his snuffbox, and fell to tracing the pattern on it with one finger.
Madame stared down at Youth, and knew the pangs of jealousy.
Show the passage
“Insolent!” Madame’s hand clenched on her fan.
Madame stared down at Youth, and knew the pangs of jealousy.
“Brazen it out!” she said shrilly. “You hope to marry in all honour, little fool, but be advised by me, and leave him, for Avon will wed no baseborn girl!”
XXIX: The Disappearance of Léonie
“Too quick, and too clumsy. There is more poetry in the vengeance I take.”
Show the passage
“Swords!” Merivale exclaimed. “It’s too quick. You or I, Justin, could kill him in less than three minutes.”
“Too quick, and too clumsy. There is more poetry in the vengeance I take.”
“But explain?” he begged. “Where is the child? What are you talking about? You have found a way to pay your debt in full, I suppose, but how have you found it?”
XXXI: His Grace of Avon Wins All
“She has seen fit to place me upon a pedestal. I do not sit well there.”
Show the passage
“My father, I advise you not to credit all that my infant says of me,” said Avon dryly.
“She has seen fit to place me upon a pedestal. I do not sit well there.”
De Beaupré opened the door.
Read These Old Shades free
The whole book is free in Doomreader, as short posts you scroll like a feed, with your place kept. Or download the EPUB.