I am not worried today over what I do not know. I used to be worried. I used to say, "I have not time to answer you now!" But today it is such a relief to look people in the face and say, "I do not know."
And I have to say that to many questions, "I do not know." I often think if people in an audience only knew how little I know, they would not stay to hear me. But some day I shall know! I patiently wait for the answer. Every day brings the answer to something I could not answer yesterday. It will take an eternity to know an infinity! What a wonderful happiness to go on south to it!英文原著 · 《The University of Hard Knocks》
Toward evening this restlessness increased, and his old housekeeper, on pressing him to take some nourishment, was astonished to hear him answer her sharply and irritably, for the first time since she had been in his service. A little later her surprise was increased by his sending her with a note to the Ascoli Palace, and by the quick return of an answer, brought ceremoniously by one of Fabio's servants. "It is long since he has had any communication with that quarter. Are they going to be friends again?" thought the housekeeper as she took the answer upstairs to her master.英文原著 · 《AFTER DARK》
"Where did you lie last night? asked the Shining One with the whip. With the Shepherds on the Delectable Mountains, they answered. He asked them then if they had not of those shepherds a note of direction for the way? They answered, Yes. But did you not, said he, when you were at a stand pluck out and read your note? They answered, No. He asked them why?英文原著 · 《Bunyan Characters-2》
Yes, indeed, and if you like, Chaerephon, you may make trial of me too, for I think that Gorgias, who has been talking a long time, is tired. Chaer. And do you, Polus, think that you can answer better than Gorgias? What does that matter if I answer well enough for you? Chaer. Not at all:-and you shall answer if you like. Ask:- Chaer. My question is this: If Gorgias had the skill of his brother Herodicus, what ought we to call him?英文原著 · 《Gorgias》
And now, which will you do, ask or answer? I will ask; and do you answer me, Socrates, the same question which Gorgias, as you suppose, is unable to answer: What is rhetoric? Do you mean what sort of an art? To say the truth, Polus, it is not an art at all, in my opinion. Then what, in your opinion, is rhetoric? A thing which, as I was lately reading in a book of yours, you say that you have made an art. What thing? I should say a sort of experience.英文原著 · 《Gorgias》
"I replied, 'That, since I could not be allowed the honor of an audience at that time, I thought myself obliged to acquaint him I had received an Order from Berlin to apply to the Ministry of this place, in the name of the Ministers of Prussia, and make the most pressing instances for a speedy Answer to a Letter lately delivered to them by Herr Hofrath Reichenbath [my worthy Assistant here; Answer to his Letter in the first place]; and to desire that the Answer might be lodged in my hands, in order to remit it with safety.'英文原著 · 《History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 6》
- I need an answer now! - You want an answer? The answer is...美剧 · 《Friends》
But either way, the answer is official and the answer is no.美剧 · 《Billions》