Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day Quotes

“Odd, said Miss Pettigrew conversationally, 'the undermining effect of flowers on a woman's common sense.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“All the men send you orchids because they're expensive and they know that you know they are. But I always kind of think they're cheap, don't you, just because they're expensive. Like telling someone how much you paid for something to show off.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“All these years she had never had the wicked thrill of powdering her nose. Others had experienced that joy. Never she. And all because she lacked courage.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“The psychology of silk underclothes has not yet been fully considered," mused Miss Pettigrew happily.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“But there’s one thing I found fatal: pitying myself”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“It’s my last chance. You know it. I know it.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“You've gone all red. It's cooking over a hot stove. That's why I've never cultivated the art. It simply ruins the complexion. I'm terribly sorry."
"It's all right," said miss Pettigrew with resignation. "I've reached the age when... when complexions don't matter."
"Not matter!" said miss LaFosse, shocked. "Complexions always matter.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“Oh well! They say virtue is its own reward.’
‘I’d rather have the fun, if the reward is to be the same in any case.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“If you act “ marriage or nothing” they generally give you marriage. I was very lucky. I went to his head, but he couldn’t stand the pace. He got a nice tombstone and I got the parlour.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“her destination. It was a very exclusive, very opulent, very intimidating block of flats. Miss Pettigrew was conscious of her shabby clothes, her faded gentility, her courage lost through weeks of facing the workhouse. She stood a moment.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“[A]rt can never beat nature.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“Beside him, very close beside him, was a gorgeous woman. She had masses of deep auburn hair and great violet eyes. She was not plump, yet she gave the impression of soft, rounded curves and comfortable hollows. She had an air of Mona Lisa, the Lady of Shalott. All her movements were slow with a lazy, languid indolence”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“One is young for so little a time”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“There you are. He's never even taken the trouble to find out your favourite flowers. Now, if he'd done that…! Well! There's something to it. But just to walk in a shop and order some flowers sent round like a pound of butter…no!" said Miss Pettigrew. "I'm sorry. But I can't get excited over that.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“How lovely!' she thought sentimentally. 'Is there anything more beautiful? Woman to woman. And they say we don't trust each other!”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“Miss Pettigrew smiled radiantly at her reflection. "For the first time in my life I am quite enjoying being with myself.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“My goodness, I daren't think how late we are!" She suddenly developed another craze for speed.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“Miss Dubarry swung round. She gazed at Miss Pettigrew with what is technically known as a starry look”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“צריך להזהר מגברים כאלה", אמרה מיס לאפוס בקדרות, "אחרת בלי לשים לב את עוד עלולה למצוא את עצמך מול מזבח הכנסיה, ואז לאן תגיעי?”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“There’s nothing like another woman when you’re in trouble”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“As long as he is kind, that is all that matters.
I have known,’ said Miss Pettigrew, in my life a lot of good people, but few were ever kind.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“Hoity-toity! She wouldn't wickedly flatter a silly old man whom she would never see again. She looked at him severely.

'Middle-aged you are,' said Miss Pettigrew with spirit, 'and middle-aged you can't escape being.”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

“If you act “ marriage or nothing” they generally give you marriage. I”
― Winifred Watson, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day