Rossamund Quotes

“Rossamund was a boy with a girl’s name. All the other children of Madam Opera’s Estimable Marine Society for Foundling Boyd and Girls teased and tormented him almost daily because of his name.”

“Side by side, end on end, was crammed a clutter of cots-- there was never enough room in Madam Opera’s.”

“No one stops me!”

“Rossamund had seen had seen them before. In them he knew women kept their rouges, blushes and balms: the tools of beauty ... even a young lad like himself could not help but be amazed by the simple yet profound transformation. He did not think a little rosying of the cheeks and lips and whitening of the nose could be so flattering.”

“Dazzled, his head ringing with pain, Rossamund thought the instructor was shouting at him, and so he stayed down. Indeed, he found that he much preferred to lie still while the world swam.”

“Verline told him to rest, that she would be back with a jar of water. She left again, and before she returned Rossamund was asleep.”

“He would lose himself in his favorite books and pamphlets, reading them avidly.”

“At last he could lie down, his head pounding, his cheek pounding—throb, throb—sharp, iron-tasting.”

“Rossamund smiled woozily at the thought. Now he wanted to sleep but his aching face would not let him.”

“Befuddled as he was, he still recognized the yellow steam and rank smell. Birchet was a torture masquerading as a cure.”

“The telltale sound of Verline’s rustling skirts arrived well before her. When she saw Rossamünd stricken within the chalk ring, she gave a startled cry.”