Vane, Miss Harriet Vane

by thisismypicture

Gaudy Night

“Detachment is a rare virtue, and very few people find it loveable, either in themselves or in others. If you ever find a person who likes you in spite of it – still more, because of it – that liking has very great value, because it is perfectly sincere, and because, with that person, you will never need to be anything but sincere yourself.”

“That is probably very true,” said Harriet, “but what makes you say it?”

“Not any desire to offend you, believe me. But I imagine you come across a number of people who are disconcerted by the difference between what you do feel and what they fancy you ought to feel. It is fatal to pay the smallest attention to them.”

“Yes,” said Harriet, “but I am one of them. I disconcert myself very much. I never know what I do feel.”

“I don’t think it matters, provided one doesn’t try to persuade one’s self into appropriate feelings.” (GN, 34-35 by Dorothy Sayers)