Ben Hubbard: Then, too, one loses today and wins tomorrow.

Alexandra Giddens: [Referring to David, appearing in his nightclothes] Ooh... Just getting up at 11 o'clock in the morning.
Mrs. Lucy Hewitt: Mornin', Zan. He's not just getting up, he's just going to bed. He's been writing all night.
Alexandra Giddens: Writin' things to put in the newspaper?
Mrs. Lucy Hewitt: No... He said he's writing things they WON'T put in the newspaper.

Leo Hubbard: [Arriving for work at the bank] Good morning, Mr. Manders... Well, what can I do for you today?
Sam Manders: You can do one thing, Leo.
Leo Hubbard: Yes, sir? What's that?
Sam Manders: You can try keeping awake... ALL day.

Regina Giddens: [Final lines] Would you like to talk to me, Alexandra? Would you... like to sleep in my room tonight?
Alexandra Giddens: Why, mama?... Are you afraid?

Regina Giddens: [laughing: just having learned what her brothers and cousin Leo have been up to] Well, this'll make a fine little scandal.
Horace Giddens: Couldn't it?
Regina Giddens: A fine little scandal to hold over their heads. Ha ha ho! How could they be such fools?
[Giggles]

Regina Giddens: [Referring to marrying Horace] It didn't take me long to find out my mistake. Then it was just as if I couldn't stand the sight of you. I couldn't bear to have you touch me. I thought you were such a soft weak fool, you were so understanding when I didn't want you near me. The lies and excuses I used to make to you, and you believed them. That was when I began to despise you.
Horace Giddens: [starts looking agitated] Why didn't you leave me?
Regina Giddens: Where was I to go? What money did I have? I didn't think about it much, if I had, I'd have known you'd die before I did. But I couldn't have guessed you'd get heart trouble so early and so bad. I'm lucky Horace. I've always been lucky. I'll be lucky again.
[Horace drops his emergency medicine]
Horace Giddens: The other bottle. Please, upstairs in my room, in the draw.
[Regina does nothing. Horace stumbles upstairs himself, collapses and dies]

Regina Giddens: [Regarding a possible marriage between Alexandra and Leo] There are a lot of things to consider, after all they are first cousins.
Oscar Hubbard: Well that isn't unusual, our grandfather and grandmother were first cousins!
Regina Giddens: Yes, and look at us.
[laughs]

Regina Giddens: Alexandra, I've come to the end of my rope, somewhere there's got to be what I want too. Life goes too fast. You can go where you want, do what you want, think what you want. I'd like to keep you with me but I won't make you stay. No, I won't make you stay.
Alexandra Giddens: [Thoughtful] You couldn't Mama. Because I don't want to stay with you. Because I'm beginning to understand about things. Addie said there were people who ate the earth and those that stood around and watched them do it. And just then Uncle Ben said the same thing. Really the same thing. Tell him from me Mama, I'm not going to watch you do it.

Regina Giddens: How much more time can you give me?
Ben Hubbard: Horace has refused.
Regina Giddens: He'll change his mind. I'll find a way to make him. How much longer can you wait?
Ben Hubbard: Well, I could wait a few days, but I can't wait a few days. I could, but I can't. Could and can't.
[laughs]

Regina Giddens: I hope you die!, I hope you die soon!, I'll be waiting for you to die!