Ruthven Quotes

Grisaille let go of Ruthven and flopped face downward onto the duvet, with a creak of springs.

'I am never leaving this bed again,' he said, muffled by the covers. 'I am amalgamated with this bed. This bed and I have achieved spiritual oneness. I am it and it is me. ~ Vivian Shaw

Really", Ruthven had said when the question of his nature had first (awkwardly) arisen, early in their acquaintance, "the easiest thing is to think of me as a large well-dressed mosquito, only with more developed social graces and without the disease-vector aspect. ~ Vivian Shaw

Ruthven surmised that he had hit upon some of the central deceptions which had wrecked him and reduced him and so many of his colleagues to this condition. To surmise was not to conquer, of course; he was as helpless as ever but there was a dim liberation in seeing how he had been lied to, and he felt that at least he could take one thing from the terrible years through which he had come: he was free of self-delusion. ~ Barry N. Malzberg

You can't possibly adopt stray French monsters; wherever would you put it?"

"I have no idea," she said. "It doesn't appear to be in bad shape; honestly, I think someone's been taking at least basic care of it - no mats or snarls, it's a decent weight for its size, completely tame. It's not a thoroughbred, though, which means either it's an adopted stray or it's been summoned, which is a little odd. God knows why anyone would bother doing that kind of magic, but whatever - I suppose Parisian monster fanciers have to get their jollies somehow. I think it's come to visit, not to stow away in my suitcase."

"If this keeps up, you are going to be the most absurd Disney princess of all time," Ruthven told her. "Instead of happy little bluebirds perching on your finger to sing duets, you will be hung about with monsters like a tree with monkeys, and it will thoroughly complicate your personal life. ~ Vivian Shaw