The Garnet Bracelet and other stories Quotes

“А где же любовь-то? Любовь бескорыстная, самоотверженная, не ждущая награды? Та, про которую сказано — «сильна, как смерть»? Понимаешь, такая любовь, для которой совершить любой подвиг, отдать жизнь, пойти на мучение — вовсе не труд, а одна радость. […] Но ты пойми, о какой любви я говорю. Любовь должна быть трагедией. Величайшей тайной в мире! Никакие жизненные удобства, расчеты и компромиссы не должны ее касаться.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, Гранатовый браслет: сборник произведений

“There are three things in the world that are unclear to me, and a fourth one I do not comprehend: the path of an eagle in the sky, a snake on a rock, a ship at sea, and the path of a man to the heart of a woman.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“— Смешная эта Людмила Львовна, — вдруг заговорил генерал, точно продолжая вслух течение своих мыслей. — Сколько раз я в жизни наблюдал: как только стукнет даме под пятьдесят, а в особенности если она вдова или старая девка, то так и тянет ее около чужой любви покрутиться. Либо шпионит, злорадствует и сплетничает, либо лезет устраивать чужое счастье, либо разводит словесный гуммиарабик насчет возвышенной любви. А я хочу сказать, что люди в наше время разучились любить. Не вижу настоящей любви. Да и в мое время не видел!”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, Гранатовый браслет: сборник произведений

“Everyone is afraid. But one person falls to pieces from fear, and another person keeps it together. You see: fear remains the same for everyone, but the ability to bear it increases with practice; that is where brave men and heroes come from.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“As so many deaf people, he passionately loved opera,”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“— Как это странно, Анночка: боялся — не боялся. Понятное дело — боялся. Ты не верь, пожалуйста, тому, кто тебе скажет, что не боялся и что свист пуль для него самая сладкая музыка. Это или псих, или хвастун. Все одинаково боятся. Только один весь от страха раскисает, а другой себя держит в руках. И видишь: страх-то остается всегда один и тот же, а уменье держать себя от практики все возрастает; отсюда и герои и храбрецы.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, Гранатовый браслет: сборник произведений

“My dear papa! I much prefer a smart man of small height than a big dumb idiot!”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“The wish of a beautiful woman is a law for the rest of the world.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“It is a well-known fact that kings and clowns frequently call each other cousin.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Each woman who loves is a queen, because love is beautiful!”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“A rock is heavy and sand is weighty too, but the anger of a fool is heavier than both.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“in great wisdom there was great sadness, and that he who multiplied knowledge also multiplied grief.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“He always clothed his thoughts in elegant expressions, for a word said well was akin to a gold apple in a goblet of transparent sardonyx, and that was why the words of the wise were as sharp as needles, and as strong as nails, and their creators were all from the same stock.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“A word is a spark in the movement of the heart,”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Intentions are deep waters in a human heart,”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“I’d like to know, who is more stupid and stubborn in this case – the donkey or the man?”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Remember, that on the contrary a donkey is not only an intelligent animal, but also an obedient, polite and hard-working one. But if it’s overloaded beyond its capacity or expected to be a race horse, it will stop and say, “I cannot do this. Do whatever you want.” And you can beat it all you want – it won’t move.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“People say: a donkey is stupid. When a man is told that he is not very intelligent, stubborn and lazy he is politely called an ass.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“And never believe those who say bad things about animals.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Love is the best language tutor.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“If we are to dream of things impossible, let's dream big.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“People, these strange animals who walk on their rear paws and are naturally naked, so they have to wear other animal's skins to keep warm, are ridiculously clumsy and helpless.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“I am endlessly grateful to you for the mere fact of your existence. I tested myself – this is not an illness, not an obsessive idea – this is love, with which God rewarded me for some reason.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“It is not her fault that among other people love has taken on such shallow form and has been reduced to some basic convenience, to a mere entertainment.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Makeup peeled off her like plaster from an old Moscow building.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Love must be like a great tragedy. … Like the greatest mystery in the world! None of mundane comforts, calculations and compromises must touch it.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“You transferred your own unfortunate experience onto the entire humankind.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“All I have to say is, people no longer know how to love nowadays. I do not see true love. I didn’t see it in my time either!”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“All I have to say is, people no longer know how to love nowadays.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas

“Do not ever believe anyone who tells you that he is not afraid of anything, and that whistling bullets is the sweetest music for him. That man is either a madman or a liar.”
― Aleksandr Kuprin, The Garnet Bracelet, other stories and novellas