The instant she saw the letter she squinted her eyes and bent her lips in a tough tiny smile that advanced her age immeasurably. “Darling” she instructed me, “would you reach in the drawer there and give me my purse. A girl doesn’t read this sort of thing without her lipstick.” – Holly Golightly Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

This Capote novel is full of gems, but few compare to the splendor of this noir quote. He has possibly the most elegant prose I’ve ever read.