But a man will only make you happy for a while, while a skill, an occupation – learning something – will always satisfy you.

Is that all I have to look forward to? Comfort? I think I should prefer to be happy.” “As you grow older, there is a lot to be said for being comfortable, ma’am. But I don’t expect you to believe me. When I was your age I too wanted to be happy.

Happiness is a talent.

In the end to add to the sum of human knowledge is the only thing a man can be truly proud of.

Sisi knew that it was hopeless to live up to the fairy-tale princess with stars in her hair of the Winterhalter portrait, an image that sold everything from chocolates to liver salts in Vienna, but she found it impossible not to try. Beauty was her gift, her weapon and her power, and she dreaded its passing.

I was waiting at table tonight, on account of it being such a big party, and just as I was coming round with the savoury, one of the ladies went and broke her necklace by fidgeting with it at the ta ble. She thought she picked 'em all up but this one rolled under my foot and I stood on it tight until all the ladies went upstairs. I wanted to give it to you. You're a black pearl, Bertha, that's what you are and it's only right that you should have it.

But you must remember that they are Viennese and nobody is good enough for the Viennese.

She knew that people generally behaved only as well as they had to.

Perhaps she would never really know him. A year and a half ago that though would have been unbearable to her, but now she had learnt to live with uncertainty, even to love it.

And English society was was not exactly welcoming to these rich newcomers: Imagine Kim Kardashian marrying Prince Henry today and you get the general idea of the suspicion and disdain that the Americans encountered.