Fish on the Floor

Jan van Kessel still life
I flung open the door. I got a momentary flash of about a hundred and fifteen cats of all sizes and colours scrapping in the middle of the room, and then they all shot past me with a rush and out of the front door; and all that was left of the mob scene was the head of a whacking big fish, lying on the carpet and staring up at me in a rather austere sort of way, as if it wanted a written explanation and apology.

from The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

Dressed to Kill

Street statue of Lady Congsun sword-dance master of the Tang Dynasty
To other women the choice of clothes was a form of ingenious exhibition, a shameless seduction. To me, dresses were like a breastplate that I put on to set off to war against this life.

from Empress by Shan Sa