(stopping parts of society, if not the whole thing)
[...] of a gigantic circulatory system that couldn’t be arrested without understanding all the forces operating on its totality.

(on fortunate misfortune)
It was obviously one of those millionaire’s sons who has turned out rather badly from the standpoint of his parents, whose life has gone enough lost so that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to follow anyone of this young man’s days without pain. And since he knew or suspected this, whenever he met others, there was in his lips and eyes an incessant smile at his good luck, so far as he could manage, which seemed to apply not only to the people across from him but also to the entire world

(very fast)
After a half-hour of this pleasure passing away like sleep [...]

(early beautiful capitalism)
No one said hello, helloes had been abolished, everyone attached himself to the steps of the person in front of him, walking ahead and looking at the floor on which he wanted to hurry along, or otherwise glancing at a few words or numbers on the paper which fluttered with his footsteps as he held it in his hand.

(on connections across society)
X and Y should try to get along by his own ability, that the necessary societal connection between them would be manufactured in time by the victory or destruction of one or both of them

Dark emptiness blew against him.

(on hasting to fit clothes in a trunk)
[...] threw them into the trunk with vigor, as if they were wild animals to be tamed

(on morning atmosphere)
[...] walked in the thick, yellow morning fog

(why going farther is sometimes better)
maybe it would be better for him to come to a place where the possibility of return wouldn’t be so easy. He would certainly make better progress there, because there wouldn’t be any useless thoughts to hold him back.

(on coke, 1938)
[...] a dark liquid that burned in the throat

(stubborn, Y, happens also in the 21st century)
“You are stubborn,” [..] “Someone tries to do a good thing for you, wants to be helpful to you and you resist with all your strength.

(on not having an own opinion)
Inside you know I’m right, but on the outside you have to stay with 'Delamarche'.

(on sentimental volatility, or another way told, not giving a scrapping ****as long as one claims that dearly expected fix)
[...] why he should be so happy about being sent away as a criminal. Joy beamed out of eyes, as if it were entirely indifferent to the whether he had done anything or not, whether he had been justly judged or not, so long as he was allowed to slip away, either in shame or with honor. [...] was behaving like she did, who in her own matters was so meticulous, turning over and investigating in her mind any unclear word from the head cook for weeks at a time

(on hangovers)
[...] but from the outrageous hangover he found himself in, since he had scarcely slept in heavy drunkenness when he woke up right away and  to his surprise was being boxed bloody and could no longer find his way in the waking world

(on spotlight)
[...] during his speech all of the automobile lights were directed on him, so that he found himself in the middle of a bright star.

(on police)
[...] the contempt of the police was better than their attention.

(on helping hands)
[...] seeming to smile over his doubts

(on questions from employer)
[...] but it had been too tempting to shout out no, because at his last job he had only had the great wish for some strange employer to walk up to him and ask that question- n.a. Are you happy here?