The Sunday of Life Quotes

“The days that pass, which turn into the time that passes, are neither lovely nor hideous, but always the same. Perhaps it rains for a few seconds sometimes, or the four-o'clock sun holds time back for a few minutes like rearing horses. Perhaps the past doesn't always preserve the beautiful order that clocks give to the present, and perhaps the future is rushing up in disorder, each moment tripping over itself, to be the first to slice itself up. And perhaps there is a charm or horror, grace or abjection, in the convulsive movements of what is going to be and of what has been. But Valentin had never taken any pleasure in these suppositions. He still didn't know enough about the subject. He wanted to be content with an identity nicely chopped into pieces of varying lengths, but whose character was always similar, without dyeing it in autumnal colours, drenching it in April showers or mottling it with the instability of clouds.”
― Raymond Queneau, The Sunday of Life

“   "I still can't manage to watch the big hand for more than four minutes," said Valentin, indicating Poucier's clock with a look.
   The other, following the movement of Valentin's eyes, remained open-mouthed; but he turned smartly back to Valentin when the latter continued:
   "After that time, either it's as if I was falling asleep, I don't know what I'm thinking any more and time passes and escapes my control, or else I'm invaded by images, my attention wanders, and it comes to the same thing; time has run out without my feeling it melt away through my fingers."
   Jean-Lockwit nodded understandingly.
   "Pra, pra, pra, pra," said he, "pra, pra, pra, pra, pra, pra, pra, pra, pra."
   Dreaming, he repeated this phrase once again.
   "I watch time," said Valentin, "but sometimes I kill it. That isn't what I want."
   The other raised his arms into the air, and let them fall again with lassitude and compassion.”
― Raymond Queneau, The Sunday of Life