How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"A scoundrel is no more clever than an honest man; he only works harder at it. He has not won all the stakes." (9.35)
This quotable comes from Dr. Torrens as he's about to leave the palace after Cabbarus convinces the king to banish him. Queen Caroline says Cabbarus has won the day, but Torrens is going to keep battling for the health of king and kingdom. Cabbarus might be a liar and a bad guy, but he hasn't triumphed over King Augustine just yet. Torrens defines morality in rigid terms, but encourages the queen to keep fighting for "good."
Quote #5
"No matter how you add it up," muttered Theo, "it still comes to a fraud." "Indeed it does, my boy," Las Bombas happily answered. "The best I've struck on. Credit where it's due, I have you to thank. You thought of it, you put me onto it. A brilliant notion, and it's all yours." Theo said nothing in reply. He was ashamed of himself, appalled that his scheme had worked so well. He also had to admit that he was not entirely displeased. (11.7-9)
Theo says that the Oracle Priestess scheme was all sorts of dishonest… but he was the one who suggested it. Hypocritical much? Theo's now conflicted about his very morals. What does he feel? What should he feel? He's proud that his idea worked, but he can't blame Las Bombas for being a fraud when it was his baby to begin with.
Quote #6
Convinced that he had acted honorably, he was proud of his strength of will. He also caught a cold. He limped into Freyborg around midday, bursting with lofty sentiments and a stopped-up nose. (12.5-6)
Being right isn't always all it's cracked up to be. Theo left his only real friends behind to do the right thing, but now he's alone, cold, hungry, lonely, and sick. All he's got for comfort are his principles, which don't exactly keep him warm at night.