Alan Bardos > Quotes

“The lead car in the motorcade was only a few yards away, but he didn’t know which car the tyrant was in. He saw a policeman watching the approaching procession and asked him. ‘The third car,’ the policeman answered, as excited by the scene as everyone else. Nedjo could see lime green feathers above the third car and knew it was the tyrant. He took the bomb from under his jacket and aimed for the feathers. Today he would prove that he was no traitor.”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“He’d read somewhere that Australian Aborigines used stories to find their way through the bewildering landscape of the outback, each tree and mountain becoming a signpost with its own story passed down from generation to generation, telling the way home. Johnny had developed a similar method to find his way through the bewildering landscape of women.”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“Oh, really, Johnny. You’ll be calling yourself a gentleman next.’ She finished putting on the cufflinks and began to struggle with his collar. Johnny grinned and attempted a West Country burr. He liked to play at being the humble servant to her corrupting mistress of the house. ‘I ain’t no gentleman, right and proper. Just a humble civil servant true enough, but I’m the best you’ll ever get.’ ‘That blatantly isn’t true, is it, Johnny?’ Libby smiled patiently.”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“Chotek, her lady in waiting, and not her daughter.”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“Much to Johnny’s disappointment, she fended him off as he fumbled with the fastenings of her dress. ‘Johnny, we haven’t got time for this nonsense. I’ve got so much to tell you. I’ve had an incredible week touring Sarajevo’s brothels and gambling dens.’ ‘So you haven’t actually been “scouring the streets” looking for me?’ he asked sarcastically. It didn’t surprise him. ‘Don’t be a bore. Where else was I going to look for you?”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“Her Highness has made a number of worthy visits in Sarajevo. The people can’t say we have forgotten them,’ the archduke added decisively, and that looked to be the end of the matter. He would not visit Sarajevo – in his own mind, Franz Ferdinand was already on holiday with his children. Breitner started to congratulate himself on a job well done. Then Lieutenant Colonel von Merizzi came to the fore. ‘If I may interject, Your Highness?”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins

“Anyway, I apologise. My name is Jonathan Swift, but you can call me Johnny.’ ‘Johnny,’ she repeated with a smile. He liked the way she said his name, full with the richness of European culture and sophistication. It was as if she was trying something new and foreign, and she liked it.”
― Alan Bardos, The Assassins