Vile Bodies quotes

It was clearly going to be a bad crossing.

With Asiatic resignation Father Rothschild S.J. put down his suitcase in the corner of the bar and went on deck. (It was a small suitcase of imitation crocodile hide.

“Well, girls,” she said, “I must be getting along. They say it’s going to be rough, but don’t you believe it.

If you have peace in your hearts your stomach will look after itself, and remember if you do feel queer⁠—sing.

There’s nothing like it.”

“

Nothing is too much trouble, darling, you know that.

But now I come to think of it, I remember, quite clearly, for a fact, that you did not pack the sal volatile.”

Then Mrs. Ape, as was her invariable rule, took round the hat and collected nearly two pounds, not counting her own five shillings which she got back from the bar steward.

“Salvation doesn’t do them the same good if they think it’s free,” was her favourite axiom.

“I say, I am sorry.

Nothing so beastly as a beastly crossing, is there?

Why don’t you come round to dinner at Wimpole Street tonight? I’ve got some rather nice Americans coming. Where are you staying?”

“

Oh, Adam, you are a bore. Why not?

”

“There, do you hear what the gentleman says? He doesn’t want two breakfasts.

Don’t stand there wiggling your behind at me.

Take it away quick or I’ll catch you such a smack. … That’s just the way—once you get the police in everyone gets all upset.

I have a guest coming on very intimate family business. You understand, don’t you? … To tell you the truth, it’s some young rascal who wants to marry my daughter. I must see him alone to discuss settlements.”

“Well, I want to marry your daughter, too,” said Adam.

“What an extraordinary coincidence. Are you sure you do?”

“Well, I want to marry your daughter, too,” said Adam.

“What an extraordinary coincidence. Are you sure you do?”

“Perhaps the telegram may be about me. What does it say?”

In the train Nina said: “

It’s awful to think that I shall probably never, as long as I live, see you dancing like that again all by yourself.

”

Simon Balcairn looked about him gloomily, occasionally adding a new name to his list. (

It is so depressing to be in a profession in which literally all conversation is “shop.”

)

Then Nina said, “

Do be amusing, Adam. I can’t bear you when you’re not amusing.

”

They were very late for the film Nina wanted to see, and that set them back again. They didn’t speak for a long time. Then Nina said apropos of the film, “All this fuss about sleeping together.

For physical pleasure I’d sooner go to my dentist any day.

”

But suddenly on that silence vibrant with self-accusation broke the organ voice of England, the hunting-cry of the ancien régime.

Lady Circumference gave a resounding snort of disapproval:

“What a damned impudent woman,” she said.

“Never heard of him.

I don’t believe there is such a person.

… Chatterbox, indeed … you make us hide behind a curtain and then you tell us that some young man in a false beard is called Chatterbox. Really, Rothschild …”

The Metropolitan Museum at New York, Mr. Chatterbox learned, had been negotiating for some time to purchase a specimen, but so far had been unable to outbid the collectors.

Such is the power of the Press, that soon after this a steady output of early Provnas began to travel from Warsaw to Bond Street and from Bond Street to California

, while Mrs. Hoop announced to her friends that Provna was at the moment at work on a bust of Johnny, which she intended to present to the nation (a statement which Adam was unable to record owing to the presence of Mrs.

(…

Masked parties, Savage parties, Victorian parties, Greek parties, Wild West parties, Russian parties, Circus parties, parties where one had to dress as somebody else

, almost naked parties in St.

“And yet, my dear, I doubt very much whether they really appreciate it all as much as we should … young people take things so much for granted. Si la jeunesse savait.”

“Si la vieillesse pouvait, Kitty.”

Later that evening Mr. Outrage stood almost alone in the supper-room drinking a glass of champagne. Another episode in his life was closed, another of those tantalizing glimpses of felicity capriciously withdrawn. Poor Mr. Outrage, thought Mr. Outrage;

Later that evening Mr. Outrage stood almost alone in the supper-room drinking a glass of champagne. Another episode in his life was closed, another of those tantalizing glimpses of felicity capriciously withdrawn.

Poor Mr. Outrage, thought Mr. Outrage; poor, poor old Outrage, always just on the verge of revelation, of some sublime and transfiguring experience; always frustrated.

… Just Prime Minister, nothing more, bullied by his colleagues, a source of income to low caricaturists. Was Mr. Outrage an immortal soul, thought Mr. Outrage; had he wings, was he free and unconfined, was he born for eternity?

My Church has taught that in different words for several centuries. But these young people have got hold of another end of the stick, and for all we know it may be the right one.

They say, ‘If a thing’s not worth doing well, it’s not worth doing at all.’ It makes everything very difficult for them.

”

“Good heavens, I should think it did. What a darned silly principle. I mean to say if one didn’t do anything that wasn’t worth doing well—why, what would one do?

I’ve always maintained that success in this world depends on knowing exactly how little effort each job is worth

… distribution of energy. … And, I suppose, most people would admit that I was a pretty successful man.”

But that self-accusing voice in the Prime Minister’s heart was silent.

There was nothing like a little argument for settling the mind. Everything became so simple as soon as it was put into words.

“And anyway, what do you mean by ‘historical’?”

“

Wars don’t start nowadays because people want them.

We long for peace, and fill our newspapers with conferences about disarmament and arbitration, but there is a radical instability in our whole world-order, and soon we shall all be walking into the jaws of destruction again, protesting our pacific intentions.”

“

It’s a real joy to see the dear children so happy.

”

“

I’m sorry, Effie, you do not and it’s no good taking on.

We only got four horses and you know that, and you saw what it was like when we tried to move the coach with two. So you’ve just got to face it. You comes across the fields on foot.”

Now why leave money idle bringing in four and a half or five percent when you might be doubling it in six months?”

“I’m afraid it’s no use coming to me for capital,” said Adam.

“Do you think I could possibly see Colonel Blount?”

The little man took his boots from the landlady, looked at Miss Runcible with a searching glance, and threw them into the canal.

“Lady,” he said with feeling. “Trousers,” and then he paddled off in his socks into the darkness.

“There ain’t no ’arm in ’im really,” said the landlady, “only he do get a bit wild when he’s ’ad the drink. Wasting good boots like that. … I expect he’ll spend the night in the lockup.”

“Adam Symes,” he shouted desperately, but the Major threw up his hands in despair and he disappeared in the crowd.

“The way you pick people up⁠ ⁠…” said Miles, startled into admiration.

“The pits” turned out to be a line of booths, built of wood and corrugated iron immediately opposite the Grand Stand. Many of the cars had already arrived and stood at their “pits,” surrounded by a knot of mechanics and spectators;

“I think it’s very heartless of him,” said Adam. “He ought to be worried about Agatha. It only shows …”

“Motor men are heartless,” said Miles, with a sigh.

Presently Captain Marino was borne in on a stretcher. He turned on his side with a deep groan and spat at Miles’ friend as he went past him. He also spat at the doctor who came to bandage him and bit one of the V.A.D.’s.

Presently Captain Marino was borne in on a stretcher. He turned on his side with a deep groan and spat at Miles’ friend as he went past him. He also spat at the doctor who came to bandage him and bit one of the V.A.D.’s.

They said Captain Marino was no gentleman in the hospital tent.

There was no chance of leaving the course before the end of the race, Archie was told, and the race would not be over for at least two hours. Round and round went the stream of cars.

The hall porter remembered him going out quite clearly. He had pressed a pound into his hand, saying, “Met-a-mutt-today,” and taken a taxi to the station.

“D’you know,” said Adam. “I don’t believe that I’m ever going to get that fortune.”

“Well, I don’t see that you’ve very much to complain of,” said Archie. “You’re no worse off than you were. I’ve lost a fiver and five bottles of champagne.”

“Well, what about me? Surely I have first claim?”

“Darling, don’t bully. Besides, I used to play with Ginger as a child. His hair was a very pretty colour then.”

“ … Mr. ‘Johnny’ Hoop, whose memoirs are to be published next month, told me that he intends to devote his time to painting in future, and is going to Paris to study in the spring.

“ … Miss Nina Blount, whose engagement to Mr. ‘Ginger’ Littlejohn, the well-known polo player. … Mr. Schwert …”

“If only you were as rich as Ginger, Adam, or only half as rich. Or if only you had any money at all.”

“Well,” said the Matron, appearing suddenly. “Whoever heard of cocktails and a gramophone in a concussion case? Sister Briggs, pull down those curtains at once. Out you go, the whole lot of you. Why, I’ve known cases die with less.”

“All friends here,” said Miss Runcible, smiling radiantly.

“Faster.⁠ ⁠… Faster⁠ ⁠… it’ll stop all right when the time comes⁠ ⁠…”

That evening Miss Runcible’s temperature went rocketing up the chart in a way which aroused great interest throughout the nursing home. Sister Briggs, over her evening cup of cocoa, said she would be sorry to lose that case. Such a nice bright girl—but terribly excitable.

“No, why, look here, good God, damn it, I mean …”

“I’ll sell my share in her for a hundred pounds.”

“You pretend to be fond of Nina and you talk about her like that! Why, hang it, it’s not decent. Besides, a hundred pounds is the deuce of a lot. I mean, getting married is a damned expensive business, don’t you know.

“I’m damned if I’ll pay more than seventy-five.”

“I’ll take seventy-eight pounds sixteen and twopence. I can’t go lower than that.”

“All right, I’ll pay that. You really will go away?”

Later they put some crumbs of their bread and butter on the windowsill and a robin redbreast came to eat them.

The whole day was like that.

Adam and Nina breakfasted alone in the dining-room. There was a row of silver plates kept hot by spirit lamps which held an omelette and devilled partridges and kedgeree and kidneys and sole and some rolls;