[Clare] “If you could stop, now… if you could not time travel any more, and there would be no consequences, would you?”
[Henry:] “If I could stop now and still meet you?”
[Clare:] “You’ve already met me.”
[Henry:] “Yes. I would stop.”
“Henry sang slowly and with great sincerity and conviction...
‘Lord lift me up, and let me stand
By faith on Heaven’s tableland
A higher plane, that I have found
Lord, plant my feet on Higher Ground.’
I sat down, completely stunned. Henry’s voice was filled with desire. I experienced his song as a precious gift.”
“Not today, O Lord,
O, not today, think not upon the fault
My father made in compassing the crown.
I Richard’s body have interrèd new
And on it have bestowed more contrite tears
Than from it issued forcèd drops of blood.
Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay
Who twice a day their withered hands hold up
Toward heaven, to pardon blood.”
“Henry’s a perfectionist, I mean, really-really kind of inhuman — very brilliant, very erratic and enigmatic. He’s a stiff, cold person, Machiavellian, ascetic and he’s made himself what he is by sheer strength of will.”
“His aspiration is to be this Platonic creature of pure rationality and that’s why he’s attracted to the Classics, and particularly to the Greeks — all those high, cold ideas of beauty and perfection. I think it’s what in the end that gets him into trouble.”