"It was as if they held a basin of water balanced between them and waited to see in which direction it would spill." Chap. 1, p. 4

"He preferred to live quietly, unobtrusively, casting no dishonor on his ancestors, a member of the leisure class—a marginal member perhaps, but still a member—with the capital, somewhat diminished, that his father had left, and with at least the nominal title of director of his father's company." Chap. 2, p.13

"She was in many ways timid and indecisive, but she had a hard core that made her resist he demands of custom, duty, friendship, more strongly than Kaname himself could." Chap. 2, p. 14

"The reason for their decision to separate, after all, was that they did not want to grow old, that they wanted to be free to live their youth again." Chap. 2, p. 26

"It was not enough that something should...