"People all over the country ... felt a little spurt of anger mingled with what was almost satisfaction, as if some belief had been confirmed ... when natives steal, murder or rape, that is the feeling white people have." Chapter 1, p. 1.

"... [in the old society] everyone knew what they could or could not do. If someone did an unforgiveable thing, like touching one of the King's women, he would submit fatalistically to punishment, which was likely to be impalement over an ant heap on a stake, or something equally unpleasant. 'I have done wrong, and I know it,' he might say, 'therefore let me be punished.'" Chapter 1, p. 6.

"...looking back over the last few days [Marston] could see that something like this was bound to happen ... some kind of violence or ugliness. Anger, violence, death, seemed natural to this vast, harsh country ..." Chapter 1, p.13

"If [Mary] had been...