To be loved is sweet, he thought, whereas to love is full of sorrow and grief and pain.
-- Narrator (Part 1 Chapter 4 paragraph 6)

Importance: Asghar is used to being beloved by many people. He is mainly focused on marrying Bilqeece, but the marriage cannot take place as his parents have not approved of the match. This is causing Asghar a great deal of pain and depression, from which he does not feel that he can recover. Asghar goes on to threaten to commit suicide unless he is allowed to marry her.

For though women hold a subordinate position in Indian life yet in certain matters they can take the law into their own hands, and marriage is one of them.
-- Narrator (Part 1 Chapter 10 paragraph 15)

Importance: This quote shows that in most things Indian woman are to be subservient to their husbands and not make decisions of their own. Because of Asghar's threat to commit suicide, Begam Nihal has agreed to speak...