Fortress Besieged Quotes

“忠厚老实人的恶毒，像饭里的沙砾或者出骨鱼片里未净的刺，会给人一种不期待的伤痛。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“THE RED SEA had long since been crossed, and the ship was now on its way over the Indian Ocean; but as always the sun mercilessly rose early and set late, encroaching upon the better part of the night. The night, like paper soaked in oil, had become translucent. Locked in the embrace of the sun, the night’s own form was indiscernible. Perhaps it had become intoxicated by the sun, which would explain why the night sky remained flushed long after the gradual fading of the rosy sunset. By the time the ruddiness dissipated and the night itself awoke from its stupor, the passengers in their cabins had awakened, glistening with sweat; after bathing, they hurried out on deck”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“天下只有两种人。比如一串葡萄到手，一种人挑最好的先吃，另一种人把最好的留到最后吃。照例第一种人应该乐观，因为他每吃一颗都是吃剩的葡萄里最好的；第二种人应该悲观，因为他每吃一颗都是吃剩的葡萄里最坏的。不过事实却适得其反，缘故是第二种人还有希望，第一种人只有回忆。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“(Marriage) it's a fortress under siege. The people outside the city want to break in and the people inside the city want to escape.”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“没有梦，没有感觉，人生最原始的睡，同时也是死的样品。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“他也看过爱情指南那一类的书，知道有什么肉的相爱、心的相爱种种分别。鲍小姐谈不上心和灵魂。她不是变心，因为她没有心；只能算日子久了，肉会变味。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“送给女人的东西，很少是真正自己的，拆穿了都是借花献佛。假如送礼的人是个做官的，那礼物更不用说是从旁人剥削下来的了。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“Hello! Doctor 方，好久不见！”张先生跟外国人来往惯了，说话有个特征––喜欢中国话里夹无谓的英文字。他并无中文难达的新意，需要借英文来讲；所以他说话里嵌的英文字，还比不得嘴里嵌的金牙，因为金牙不仅妆点，尚可使用，只好比牙缝里嵌的肉屑，表示饭菜吃得好，此外全无用处。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“鸿渐回信道，经详细调查，美国并无这个学校，文凭等于废纸，姑念初犯，不予追究，希望悔过自新，汇上十美金聊充改行的本钱。爱尔兰人气得咒骂个不停，喝醉了酒，红着眼要找中国人打架。这是也许是中国自有外交或订商约以来唯一的胜利。”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“Roasted sweet potatoes are like illicit sex in the old Chinese saying, "Having it isn't as good as not having it." The smell is better than the taste. When you smell it, you feel you must have one, but once you actually sink your teeth into it, you find it's not really anything special.”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“Others called her "Truth," since it is said that "the truth is naked." But Miss Pao wasn't exactly without a stitch on, so they revised her name to "Partial Truth.”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged

“Why do charming girls all have fathers? She can be hidden away all by herself in one's heart to cuddle, but when her father, uncle, and brother are dragged along with her, the girl stops being so cute and carefree and it's not so easy to conceal her away in your heart anymore. Her charm has been mixed in with the dregs. Some people talk about marriage as though it were homosexual love. It's not the girl they fancy, but her old man or her elder brother they admire.”
― Qian Zhongshu, Fortress Besieged