1,162 Quotes by Iris Murdoch

Clement held her hand for a moment; knowing that after that moment the darkness would begin.

Over the bed hung the picture of her beloved, the Polish Rider. He was looking, with his authoritative pensive mouth and his calm wide-apart eyes, past Moy, over her left shoulder and away into some vast distance. He was a knight upon a quest. He was brave, innocent, chaste, good.

Louise was a jewel locked away; and after the first 'if only' period had passed and Clement had got used to 'Mrs Anderson', he felt that his love for her had not faded, but had suffered a sea change into something special and unique, causing a special and unique and much valued, pain.

The problems were too evident, they sat together eyeing them in silence. The stage now belonged to the young people, there would be happenings. Yet nothing happened; and Clement felt as if a magic spell had paralysed them all.

Nothing happened; yet there were disturbing signs and portents.

But now he was dreaming, he was wildly imagining things.

There's only one thing the matter and that's everything.

I told you I was going to retire from the world. That's still on. You remember that.

There's little enough love in the world. Why do you want to kill mine?