Quotes About Subtlety

- It doesn't do anything obvious. But it might be able to do something in here. - Then she touched her hand to her heart. - Beautiful things sometimes do.

Style like the human body is specially beautiful when the veins are not prominent and the bones cannot be counted.

When father uses the word 'politics' he's talking about relations between nations. When I use the word, though, I'm talking about the various subtle ways a woman can get men to do what she wants them to do.

The prince of darkness is a gentleman!

Lei chinò il capo per ascoltarlo. Jim notò che in qualunque ombra sedessero, c'era sempre una luce che cercava la pelle pallida e liscia della fronte di lei, la curva delle sue guance. Luce, c'era sempre luce per i suoi occhi.

Richard had embodied the virtues which men admire in the lion, but there is no animal in nature that combines the contradictory qualities of John. He united the ruthlessness of a hardened warrior with the craft and subtlety of a Machiavellian.

The best runner leaves no tracks. —Tao Te Ching

There's more than one way to fuck someone over. Do it hard so they never forget or do it quietly so they never know you were there.

Some false representations contravene the law; some do not. The law does not pretend to punish everything that is dishonest. That would seriously interfere with business, and, besides, could not be done. The line between honesty and dishonesty is a narrow, shifting one and usually lets those get by that are the most subtle and already have more than they can use.

If a perfect person from the planet Mars landed and discovered that Earthlings got tired and grew old, that person would feel pity and astonishment. Without ever understanding what was good about being human, in feeling tired, in giving out daily; only the initiated would comprehend this subtlety of defectiveness and this refinement of life.

a common political mistake in the West, the belief that it's always an advantage for ambassadors to have long experience in China. Governments forget that, in the process of getting to know China and some of its powerful players, many succumb to Beijing's subtle influence techniques, so that an ambassador may in practice serve as a conduit for Beijing's messaging back to the Western capital.

The safest road to hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

Le blanc bleuté de ses yeux, presque aussi bleu que sa claire robe d'été, l'arrangement parfait et superflu de sa joue, de sa bouche et de ses paupières, ne le touchèrent pas.

An uncommon prudence is habitual with the subtler depravity, for it has everything to hide.

When have I, when have I ever forced anyone to do anything, he starts to say: but Richard cuts in, "No, you don't, I agree, it's just that you are practiced at persuading, and sometimes it's quite difficult, sir, to distinguish being persuaded by you from being knocked down in the street and stamped on." -Richard (?) nee Cromwell to Thomas Cromwell,358

The fate of peoples is made like this, two men in small rooms. Forget the coronations, the conclaves of cardinals, the pomp and processions. This is how the world changes: a counter pushed across a table, a pen stroke that alters the force of a phrase, a woman's sigh as she passes and leaves on the air a trail of orange flower or rose water; her hand pulling close the bed curtain, the discreet sigh of flesh against flesh.

Lying gives him a deep and subtle pleasure, so deep and subtle he does not know he is lying; he thinks he is the most truthful of princes.

And Louis is weak. Let him give an inch, and some Cromwell will appear.

There are codes so subtle that they change their whole meaning in half a line, or in a syllable, or in a pause, a caesura.

There are codes so subtle that they change their whole meaning in half a line, or in a syllable, or in a pause. . .

She says that what you did was a cry for help." "It was," I say. "That's why I was yelling 'Heeeelp!' I don't really go in for subtlety.

Her skin is the bluish color of skim milk

Cardan is clever, but it's not a nice kind of cleverness.

Haz uso de tu poder sin que parezca que lo tienes.