The Romance of a Shop

“Death, as a general statement, is so easy of utterance, of belief; it is only when we come face to face with it that we find the great mystery so cruelly hard to realise; for death, like love, is ever old and ever new.””

— Amy Levy

“For good or evil, these waifs on the great stream of London life had drifted together; how long the current should continue thus to bear them side by side- how long, indeed, they should float on the surface of the stream at all, was a question with which for the time being, they did not very much trouble themselves.””

— Amy Levy

“That she had been brought face to face with the sterner side of life, had lost some illusions, suffered some pain, she did not regret. It seemed to her that she had not paid too great a price for the increased reality of her present existence.””

— Amy Levy

“A curious, dreamlike sensation stole over Gertrude at finding herself once again in a roomful of people; and as an old war-horse is said to become excited at the sound of battle, so she felt the social instincts rise strongly within her as the familiar, forgotten pageant of nods and becks and wreathed smiles burst anew upon her.””

— Amy Levy

“Isn't it rather a strain on friendship,' answered Phyllis, shrewdly, 'when two sets of our friends become acquainted, and seem to prefer one another to us, the old and tried and trusty friend of each?””

— Amy Levy

“Only a plank---a plank between them and the pitiless, fathomless ocean on which they had set out with such unknowing fearlessness; into whose boiling depths hundreds sank daily and disappeared, never to rise again.””

— Amy Levy

“Yes, you will. You have no end of pluck. One day you are going to be very happy.""Never, Gerty. We rich girls always end up with sneaks- no decent person comes near us.""There are other things which make happiness besides- pleasant things happening to one.""What sort of things?"Gertrude paused a minute, then said bravely: "Our own self-respect, and the integrity of the people we care for.""That sounds very nice," replied Conny, without enthusiasm, "but I should like a little bit of the more obvious sort of happiness as well."Gertrude gave a laugh, which was also a sob."So should I, Conny, so should I.””

— Amy Levy

“Sapeva che spesso succedeva così nella vita degli uomini... una rapida successione di eventi; un'intensa concentrazione di ogni sorta di esperienza in un breve spazio; e poi lunghi, grigi periodi di calma priva di avvenimenti. Sapeva anche com'era quando gli eventi, nel bene o nel male, si riversavano in quel modo su un certo gruppo di persone… la maggior parte di loro veniva condotta a nuovi ambienti, e per loro lo scenario mutava completamente. Ma d’appresso restava sempre qualcuno, almeno, che, una volta passata la tempesta, si scopriva arenato e abbandonato, senza che avesse avanzato di un passo nel cammino rispetto a prima.Il fulmine non lo ha colpito, le acque non lo hanno travolto, né alcun vascello straniero lo ha condotto a nuovi lidi. È stato solo percosso e fatto a pezzi, ed è stanco di combattere; ha perduto, forse, tutto quello che per lui era importante e non è più capace di riprendere il viaggio.””

— Amy Levy