The Angry Tide Quotes

“The past is over, gone. What is to come doesn't exist yet. That's tomorrow! It's only now that can ever be, at any moment. And at this moment, now, we are alive--and together. We can't ask more. There isn't any more to ask.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“You must not face it. Because it is a – certainty it has to be forgotten. One cannot – must not – fear a certainty. All we know is this moment, and this moment, Ross, we are alive! We are. We are. The past is over, gone. What is to come doesn’t exist yet. That’s tomorrow! It’s only now that can ever be, at any one moment. And at this moment, now, we are alive – and together. We can’t ask more. There isn’t any more to ask.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Of course there has to be an end,’ she said. ‘Of course. For that is what everyone has faced since the world began. And that is – what do you call it? – intolerable. It’s intolerable! So you must not think of it. You must not face it. Because it is a – certainty it has to be forgotten. One cannot – must not – fear a certainty.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Ross said: “I’ll tell you what is best for the other man, always, and that’s work. Work is a challenge. I’ve told you – I tried to drink myself out of my misery once. It didn’t succeed. Only work did. It’s the solvent to so much. Build yourself a wall, even if there’s hell in your heart, and when it’s done – even at the end of the first day – you feel better.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Of course he'll bring no money. Nor never will. He's not the type to--accumulate. But it's a good name to have. And he's becoming a personality in the county. One never knows quite why this happens, eh? Not so much what a man does. More a matter of character.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Seeking perfection, Ross . . . in life it’s dangerous, for it makes the less than perfect seem less than enough. Time is not indefinite.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Life is like--like one of those hobby-horses you ride at a fair--round and round you go enjoying every moment and then the--then the music stops...”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“At times I have discovered a new lowness of spirit, a new need to revolt, to kick against the constraints that a civilized life tries to impose.” He stopped and regarded her. “Because what is civilized life but an imposition of unreal standards upon flawed and defective human beings by other human beings no less flawed and defective?”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“So do I. But I am a good friend of hers now. We are deeply attached to each other. Perhaps in time she would forgive me.’ ‘What are you trying to say?’ ‘I’m trying to say that if I told her what had happened between us she would be hurt. But no more so, I believe, than you hurt her in London.’ Ross put down his knife. ‘I don’t understand that at all.’ ‘You killed a man because of her. Oh, I know it was his challenge. And I know the quarrel was about some seat in the House. And I know you disliked each other from the start. But it was really because of her that you killed him, wasn’t it?’ ‘Partly, yes. But I don’t see—’ ‘Ross, when you fought Monk Adderley, it was not really him you were killing, was it.’ ‘Wasn’t it?’ ‘No . . . it was Hugh Armitage.’ He took a gulp of wine this time. ‘Damn you, Caroline, it was a plain straightforward duel—’ ‘It was nothing of the sort, and you know it! You killed him because you couldn’t kill Hugh Armitage,”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“usury”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“They have insisted so much on Equality, that there is no room left for Liberty and little for Fraternity.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“appointment – or at least permitting him to. And she allowed him to paw her—”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Demelza did give him encouragement, of a sort. She was always exchanging asides with him, making another”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Because what is civilized life but an imposition of unreal standards upon flawed and defective human beings by other human beings no less flawed and defective? It has seemed to me that there is a rottenness to it that I have constantly wanted to kick against and to overset.’ He stopped again, breathing slowly, trying to marshal the complexities of his own feelings.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“But Hugh was a gentle, virile, sensitive man – the only sort Demelza would ever have, could ever have felt deeply drawn to. You must have known from the beginning that she wouldn’t have spared so much as a thought for a wild worthless rake like Monk Adderley.’ ‘Sometimes one doesn’t think these things out.’ ‘Of course one doesn’t think them out – that’s the trouble! Yours was a totally emotional act. But you were fighting the wrong man just the same.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Do I?’ They looked at each other. ‘I think so. I believe you could take me as few other men could take me – matching my arrogance with your own.’ There was a silence between them. ‘But . . .’ she said. ‘But?’ ‘But it could not be. Even if you were willing. I have the instinct of a wanton but the emotions of a wife. I have too much love for Dwight. And too much love for Demelza. And perhaps even too much love for you.’ He raised his eyes and smiled at her. ‘That’s the nicest compliment of all.’ The colour in her face came and went. ‘I am not here to pay you compliments, Ross, but only – I’m only trying to say some things that I think you should hear. If we got rid of Ellen – as we easily could – and spent all night making love, and if then the first time I went to Nampara I told Demelza about it, do you think she would be hurt?”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Caroline took a long draught of wine, half a glass as against Ross’s sip. She leaned back against the red plush. ‘For instance, Ross, I could lie happily with you tonight.’ His eyes went quickly up to hers. ‘Could you?’ ‘Yes. In fact I’ve always wanted to – as perhaps you know.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Ross said quietly: ‘Yes, I could sleep with you.’ She smiled at him. He said: ‘And for the same reasons will not.’ ‘Thank you, Captain.’ He said: ‘You’ve always been my firm friend – from so long ago. Almost before we knew each other well at all.’ ‘I believe I fancied you from the beginning.’ ‘I believe it was something more important than that, even then.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Mr Whitworth’s nose was a different shape”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Because what is civilized life but an imposition of unreal standards upon flawed and defective human beings by other human beings no less flawed and defective?”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide

“Perhaps one aspect of arrogance lies in not being willing to accept what life sometimes expects one to accept.”
― Winston Graham, The Angry Tide