*what people’s hearts are made of

- I admire your willpower, my lady. But I am puzzled by your actions.
(…)
- Tell me, An-te-hai, is the saying generally true that if one keeps grinding an iron bar, the bar will be turned into a needle?
- I don’t know what people’s hearts are made of, my lady, so I would say that I’m not sure.
- I am trying to convince myself that there are interesting things in the world to live for besides… trying to obtain the impossible.- The result will be like chasing death.
- Yes, like a moth that can’t resist the flame. The question is, can it do otherwise?
- Love is poisonous in this sense. But one can’t do without love.. It is an involuntary devotion.
- I am afraid that this is not my only glance into the endlessly changing river of suffering.
- Yet your heart refuses to protect itself.
- Can one be protected from love?
- The truth is that you can’t stop caring for Yung Lu.
- There must be different ways to love.
- He has you in his heart as well, my lady.
- Heaven pity him.
(…)
- What about your heart, my lady? Do you want to bleed to death? If I could get rich by collecting your tears from the floor, my wealth would surpass Tseng Kuo-fan’s!
- My desire will quit once he’s taken. I’ll force myself. By helping him I shall help myself.

- Anchee Min "Empress Orchid"


Fragment z mojej ulubionej książki, fantastycznej pod każdym względem. Czytałam ją tylko po angielsku i urzekł mnie jej elegancki język, mam nadzieję, że w polskim tłumaczeniu tego nie stracono. Moje ulubione zdanie to "If I could get rich by collecting your tears from the floor..."