Who said “A murderer is regarded by the conventional world as something almost monstrous, but a…”?

“It is a question whether, when we break a murderer on the wheel, we do not fall into the error a child makes when it hits the chair it has bumped into.”

“If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing; and from robbing he comes next to drinking and Sabbath-breaking, and from that to incivility and procrastination.”

“It's frightening how easy it is to commit murder in America. Just a drink too much. I can see myself doing it. In England, one feels all the social restraints holding one back. But here, anything can happen.”

“Murders are exciting and lift people into a heart-beating awe as religion is supposed to do, after seeing one in the street young couples will go back to bed and make love, people will cross themselves and thank God for the gift of their stuporous lives, old folks will talk to each other over cups of hot water with lemon because murders are enlivened sermons to be analyzed and considered and relished, they speak to the timid of the dangers of rebellion, murders are perceived as momentary descents of God and so provide joy and hope and righteous satisfaction to parishioners, who will talk about them for years afterward to anyone who will listen.”

“You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.”

“Reality in our century is not something to be faced.”

“Morality comes with the sad wisdom of age, when the sense of curiosity has withered.”

“Cynicism is cheap -- you can buy it at any Monoprix store -- it's built into all poor-quality goods.”

“It is impossible to go through life without trust: that is to be imprisoned in the worst cell of all, oneself.”

“God created a number of possibilities in case some of his prototypes failed -- that is the meaning of evolution.”

“It is the story-teller's task to elicit sympathy and a measure of understanding for those who lie outside the boundaries of State approval.”