--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Where is he?” “Five miles due west of…" description: "\"“Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don smiled. “Or thereabouts.” “Alive one hour,” said Keller, quoting a Corsican proverb, “dead the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg" --- # Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don… ![“Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don smiled. “Or thereabouts.” “Alive one hour,” said Keller, quoting a Corsican proverb, “dead the next.” quote by Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg) > ““Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don smiled. “Or thereabouts.” “Alive one hour,” said Keller, quoting a Corsican proverb, “dead the next.”” [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A character uses a proverb to convey the fleeting nature of life and the uncertainty of fate. **In simple terms:** Life is brief and unpredictable. Key Takeaway Act with urgency. Themes mortality uncertainty proverbs Mood tense reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - travel - dangerous missions - decision making - risk assessment Key Concepts existentialism fatalism Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize actions when time is limited? - What does “alive one hour” mean to you? A Different Perspective Proverbs may oversimplify complex realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Don Smiled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-smiled-4986474/) [Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keller/) [Keller Quoting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keller-quoting-4986472/) [Quoting Corsican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quoting-corsican-4986473/) [Said Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-keller-4515425/) ## Related quotes > [“And your new employers?” asked the don. “Every bed has lice,” said Keller. “Only the spoon,” replied the don, “knows the pot’s sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/and-your-new-employers-asked-the-don-every-bed-has-lice-said-keller/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“To be honest with you, I’ve always felt a little Jewish.” “You have an aversion to shellfish and German opera?” “I was speaking in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/to-be-honest-with-you-i-ve-always-felt-a-little-jewish-you-have-an/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [Bo Derek turned down the role of Helen Keller because she couldn't remember the lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/bo-derek-turned-down-the-role-of-helen-keller-because-she-couldn-t/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [“Keller couldn't form any words for a moment. Then she said, "Galen? When you choose a form, choose something gentle." I thought you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/keller-couldn-t-form-any-words-for-a-moment-then-she-said-galen-when/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [Call me Helen Keller because Im a fucking miracle worker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-gold/call-me-helen-keller-because-im-a-fucking-miracle-worker/) [Ari Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-gold/) > [If my last supper was ever going to be cooked by a chef, it would have to be Thomas Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/if-my-last-supper-was-ever-going-to-be-cooked-by-a-chef-it-would-have/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [You know, Helen Keller was largely useless, but look how we remember her. Yep, first lady of the American stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-hill/you-know-helen-keller-was-largely-useless-but-look-how-we-remember/) [Hank Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-hill/) > [Does it strike you, Mr. Keller, that we live every day in the science fiction of our youth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/does-it-strike-you-mr-keller-that-we-live-every-day-in-the-science/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [When it comes to your perception of my shit I'm hellen keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator/when-it-comes-to-your-perception-of-my-shit-i-m-hellen-keller/) [Tyler The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator/) > [Way back in the day, I used to cook for Thomas Keller at Rakel in New York City. Keller is a down to earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-zimmern/way-back-in-the-day-i-used-to-cook-for-thomas-keller-at-rakel-in-new/) [Andrew Zimmern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-zimmern/) > [Hear no evil, see no evi. Helen Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/hear-no-evil-see-no-evi-helen-keller/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“Anyway, as soon as I got accepted to Grant this past summer my friend had doubtsabout Old Blue’s skills in the snow. She was rear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/anyway-as-soon-as-i-got-accepted-to-grant-this-past-summer-my-friend/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [Hear no evil see no evil, Helen Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/hear-no-evil-see-no-evil-helen-keller/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“Jesus Christ says, 'Kill me and in 3 days, not only this temple, but all temples in the whole world will be out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/jesus-christ-says-kill-me-and-in-3-days-not-only-this-temple-but-all/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“That was courage, Keller thought. Not doing something without being afraid, but doing something even though you were afraid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/that-was-courage-keller-thought-not-doing-something-without-being/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) ## More by Daniel Silva > [“Only the spoon,” replied the don, “knows the pot’s sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/only-the-spoon-replied-the-don-knows-the-pot-s-sorrows/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“To understand Russia today, you must understand the trauma of the nineties. Everything we had, everything we had been told, was swept away. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/to-understand-russia-today-you-must-understand-the-trauma-of-the/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“He looked older, harder, perhaps wiser. The Middle East was like that. It turned hope to despair, idealists into Machiavellians.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/he-looked-older-harder-perhaps-wiser-the-middle-east-was-like-that-it/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“After more than five years, some agents might be tempted to become complacent. Catherine would never become complacent. It was one of the reasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/after-more-than-five-years-some-agents-might-be-tempted-to-become/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“Only a man with a damaged canvas of his own can truly be a great restorer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/only-a-man-with-a-damaged-canvas-of-his-own-can-truly-be-a-great/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“I can be whoever you want me to be: CIA, FBI, DIA, an agency so fucking secret you've never heard of it before." -Gabriel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/i-can-be-whoever-you-want-me-to-be-cia-fbi-dia-an-agency-so-fucking/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [Erudite and entertaining, Max Anderson is the perfect tour guide to the world of art. The Quality Instinct is both educational and enlightening from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/erudite-and-entertaining-max-anderson-is-the-perfect-tour-guide-to/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“the word assassin is derived from the Arabic hashashin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/the-word-assassin-is-derived-from-the-arabic-hashashin/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“Wasting the valuable time of others, thought Rousseau, was a bureaucrat’s ultimate revenge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/wasting-the-valuable-time-of-others-thought-rousseau-was-a-bureaucrat/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“But I’ve come to realize that this continent is dying a slow death. Europe is receding quietly into history. It’s old and tired, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/but-i-ve-come-to-realize-that-this-continent-is-dying-a-slow-death/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“And your new employers?” asked the don. “Every bed has lice,” said Keller. “Only the spoon,” replied the don, “knows the pot’s sorrows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/and-your-new-employers-asked-the-don-every-bed-has-lice-said-keller/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“one needed to be careful what one wished for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/one-needed-to-be-careful-what-one-wished-for/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. —HONORÉ DE BALZAC”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/behind-every-great-fortune-lies-a-great-crime-honor-de-balzac/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“We don’t always get to choose our assets, he reminded himself. Sometimes they choose us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/we-don-t-always-get-to-choose-our-assets-he-reminded-himself/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [“The sky was a dome of pale blue streaked with alabaster. Crossing the Stephansplatz, he was nearly toppled by the wind. It was an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/the-sky-was-a-dome-of-pale-blue-streaked-with-alabaster-crossing-the/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) [Explore all 74 Daniel Silva quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) ## More Keller quotes > [Bo Derek turned down the role of Helen Keller because she couldn't remember the lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/bo-derek-turned-down-the-role-of-helen-keller-because-she-couldn-t/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [“Jesus Christ says, 'Kill me and in 3 days, not only this temple, but all temples in the whole world will be out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/jesus-christ-says-kill-me-and-in-3-days-not-only-this-temple-but-all/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Hear no evil see no evil, Helen Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/hear-no-evil-see-no-evil-helen-keller/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“Anyway, as soon as I got accepted to Grant this past summer my friend had doubtsabout Old Blue’s skills in the snow. She was rear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-holden/anyway-as-soon-as-i-got-accepted-to-grant-this-past-summer-my-friend/) [Kim Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-holden/) > [Hear no evil, see no evi. Helen Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/hear-no-evil-see-no-evi-helen-keller/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [Way back in the day, I used to cook for Thomas Keller at Rakel in New York City. Keller is a down to earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-zimmern/way-back-in-the-day-i-used-to-cook-for-thomas-keller-at-rakel-in-new/) [Andrew Zimmern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-zimmern/) > [When it comes to your perception of my shit I'm hellen keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator/when-it-comes-to-your-perception-of-my-shit-i-m-hellen-keller/) [Tyler The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator/) > [Does it strike you, Mr. Keller, that we live every day in the science fiction of our youth?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/does-it-strike-you-mr-keller-that-we-live-every-day-in-the-science/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [“To be honest with you, I’ve always felt a little Jewish.” “You have an aversion to shellfish and German opera?” “I was speaking in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/to-be-honest-with-you-i-ve-always-felt-a-little-jewish-you-have-an/) [Daniel Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/) > [You know, Helen Keller was largely useless, but look how we remember her. Yep, first lady of the American stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-hill/you-know-helen-keller-was-largely-useless-but-look-how-we-remember/) [Hank Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-hill/) > [If my last supper was ever going to be cooked by a chef, it would have to be Thomas Keller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-ramsay/if-my-last-supper-was-ever-going-to-be-cooked-by-a-chef-it-would-have/) [Gordon Ramsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-ramsay/) > [Call me Helen Keller because Im a fucking miracle worker!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-gold/call-me-helen-keller-because-im-a-fucking-miracle-worker/) [Ari Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ari-gold/) > [“Keller couldn't form any words for a moment. Then she said, "Galen? When you choose a form, choose something gentle." I thought you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/keller-couldn-t-form-any-words-for-a-moment-then-she-said-galen-when/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“That was courage, Keller thought. Not doing something without being afraid, but doing something even though you were afraid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-j-smith/that-was-courage-keller-thought-not-doing-something-without-being/) [L.J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-j-smith/) > [“In the deserted men's restroom at the back of Middleton Community College, Sam Keller knelt on the tile, braced his hands against Keith Jameson's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/in-the-deserted-men-s-restroom-at-the-back-of-middleton-community/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) [Browse all 16 Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keller/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don smiled. “Or thereabouts.” “Alive one hour,” said Keller, quoting a Corsican proverb, “dead the next.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Silva" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajaccio-the-don-smiled-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Keller" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajaccio-the-don-smiled-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/969/daniel-silva-8476_keller_where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajacc_3036744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Where is he?” “Five miles due west of Ajaccio.” The don smiled. “Or thereabouts.” “Alive one hour,” said…” — Daniel Silva", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Daniel Silva", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-silva/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Where is he?” “Five miles due...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajaccio-the-don-smiled-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-silva/where-is-he-five-miles-due-west-of-ajaccio-the-don-smiled-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```