--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Again I waited - oh, but for a brief…" description: "\"“Again I waited - oh, but for a brief interval: I presently distinguished an extraordinary shuffling and stamping of feet on the staircase, on the floo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/guy-de-maupassant-1364_furniture_again-i-waited-oh-but-for-a-brief-interv_900542.jpg" --- # Again I waited - oh, but for a brief interval: I presently… ![“Again I waited - oh, but for a brief interval: I presently distinguished an extraordinary shuffling and stamping of feet on the staircase, on the floors, on the carpets; a sound not only of boots and' human shoes, but tapping of crutches, of crutches of wood, and knocking of iron crutches which…” quote by Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/guy-de-maupassant-1364_furniture_again-i-waited-oh-but-for-a-brief-interv_900542.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/guy-de-maupassant-1364_furniture_again-i-waited-oh-but-for-a-brief-interv_900542.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/guy-de-maupassant-1364_furniture_again-i-waited-oh-but-for-a-brief-interv_900542.jpg) > ““Again I waited - oh, but for a brief interval: I presently distinguished an extraordinary shuffling and stamping of feet on the staircase, on the floors, on the carpets; a sound not only of boots and' human shoes, but tapping of crutches, of crutches of wood, and knocking of iron crutches which clanged like cymbals. And behold, I perceived, all at once, on the door sill, an armchair, my large reading chair, which came waddling out. Right into the garden it went, followed by others, the chairs of my drawing room, then the comfortable settee, crawling like crocodiles on their short legs; next, all my chairs bounding like goats,and the small footstools which followed like rabbits. Oh, what a hideous surprise! I stepped back behind the shrubs, where I stayed, crouched and watching this procession of my furniture; for out they all came, one behind the other, quickly or slowly according to their form and weight. My piano - my large grand piano - passed at a canter like a horse, with a faint murmur of music from within; the smallest objects crawled on the gravel like ants - brushes, glasses and cups glistening in the rays of the moon with phosphorescence like glowworms. The curtains, tablecloths and, draperies wriggled along, with their feelers in the puddles like the cuttle-fish in the sea. Suddenly I beheld my pet bureau, a rare specimen of the last century, and which contained all my correspondence, all my love letters, the whole history of my heart, an old history of how much I have suffered! And within, besides, were, above all, certain photographs! ("Who Knows?")”” [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator describes a surreal, nightmarish animation of household furniture moving like animals, reflecting chaos and fear of the unknown. **In simple terms:** Furniture comes alive in a strange, frightening parade. Key Takeaway Notice how ordinary objects can become sources of anxiety. Themes surrealism fear chaos imagination Mood uneasy curious Type literary surreal When to use this quote - late‑night insomnia - home renovation stress - creative brainstorming - overcoming fear of change Key Concepts animation personification nightmare symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What everyday item feels alive to you? - How do you confront sudden chaos? A Different Perspective The fantastical scene may exaggerate everyday anxieties, limiting literal relevance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Furniture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furniture/) [Love letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-letters/) ## Related quotes > [“Can I stand in your light just for a while? I’ve waited around and oh no, you are not around I made up more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-strokes/can-i-stand-in-your-light-just-for-a-while-i-ve-waited-around-and-oh/) The Strokes > [“anything like where the furniture came from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-kersey/anything-like-where-the-furniture-came-from/) Christine Kersey > [“Umm, Ren? We have something important we need to discuss. Meet me on the veranda at sundown, okay?” He froze with his sandwich halfway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/umm-ren-we-have-something-important-we-need-to-discuss-meet-me-on-the/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [Respect other people's relationships, there are a lot of fish in the sea.. why mess with one that has already been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashaba/respect-other-people-s-relationships-there-are-a-lot-of-fish-in-the/) [Ashaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashaba/) > [I've always told my son Scott the same thing: Don't rush into anything, because there's gonna be a lot of fish in the sea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-ve-always-told-my-son-scott-the-same-thing-don-t-rush-into-anything/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Just because there's plenty of fish in the sea doesn't mean u have the proper equipment 2 catch a keeper~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deangelo-stokes/just-because-there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-doesn-t-mean-u-have/) [DeAngelo Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deangelo-stokes/) > [“There are over a million types of fish in the sea as there are flowers in all of the world's gardens. There are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/there-are-over-a-million-types-of-fish-in-the-sea-as-there-are/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [“Like an undiscovered fish in the sea, we have a hidden potential somewhere within us, waiting to be found, nurtured and enjoyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/like-an-undiscovered-fish-in-the-sea-we-have-a-hidden-potential/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [They say there's plenty of fish in the sea. But I don't want fish. I just want you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-but-i-don-t-want-fish-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-are-killing-me-fish-the-old-man-thought-but-you-have-a-right-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Out of the choked Devonian waters emerged sight and sound and the music that rolls invisible through the composer's brain. They are there still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/out-of-the-choked-devonian-waters-emerged-sight-and-sound-and-the/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [“It doesn't matter if there are a lot of fish in the sea. Finding the ONE FISH to love for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-tuccillo/it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-are-a-lot-of-fish-in-the-sea-finding-the/) [Liz Tuccillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-tuccillo/) > [Why do we say there are plenty of fish in the sea...My life is not a sea. I don't want to date a fish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-we-say-there-are-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-my-life-is-not-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's plenty of fish in the sea, but until I catch one, I'm just stuck here holding my rod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-but-until-i-catch-one-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It's a familiar, if not exactly inspiring, message: in the face of slim pickings, lower your standards. It also makes clear the converse: with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/it-s-a-familiar-if-not-exactly-inspiring-message-in-the-face-of-slim/) [Brian Christian, Tom Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/) ## More by Guy de Maupassant > [“Because it is useless, and I tell them so at once. If you had confessed your fears to me sooner, I would have reassured…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/because-it-is-useless-and-i-tell-them-so-at-once-if-you-had-confessed/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [A legal kiss is never as good as stolen one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/a-legal-kiss-is-never-as-good-as-stolen-one/) [Guy De Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“Killing is decreed by law but nature loves eternal youth. Whatever she does, however unconscious and unfeeling the act, she seems to cry out:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/killing-is-decreed-by-law-but-nature-loves-eternal-youth-whatever-she/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [There are some delightful places in this world which have a sensual charm for the eyes. One loves them with a physical love. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/there-are-some-delightful-places-in-this-world-which-have-a-sensual/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [A lawful kiss is never worth as much as a stolen one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/a-lawful-kiss-is-never-worth-as-much-as-a-stolen-one/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“There were some children round him playing in the dust on the paths. They had long fair hair, and with very earnest faces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/there-were-some-children-round-him-playing-in-the-dust-on-the-paths/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“When we are young, our mornings are triumphant!” Then”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/when-we-are-young-our-mornings-are-triumphant-then/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“She was simple, not being able to adorn herself, but she was unhappy, as one out of her class; for women belong to no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/she-was-simple-not-being-able-to-adorn-herself-but-she-was-unhappy-as/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [Whatever you want to say, there is only one word to express it, only one verb to give it movement, only one adjective to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/whatever-you-want-to-say-there-is-only-one-word-to-express-it-only/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [The great artists are those who impose their personal vision upon humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/the-great-artists-are-those-who-impose-their-personal-vision-upon/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“How fathomless the mystery of the Unseen is! We cannot plumb its depths with our feeble senses - with eyes which cannot see the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/how-fathomless-the-mystery-of-the-unseen-is-we-cannot-plumb-its/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“‟Whatever we may do or attempt, despite the embrace and transports of love, the hunger of the lips, we are always alone. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/whatever-we-may-do-or-attempt-despite-the-embrace-and-transports-of/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [She was the temptress who had ensnared the first man, and who still continued her work at damnation; she was the being who is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/she-was-the-temptress-who-had-ensnared-the-first-man-and-who-still/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [Since governments take the right of death over their people, it is not astonishing if the people should sometimes take the right of death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/since-governments-take-the-right-of-death-over-their-people-it-is-not/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [“For some years he had felt weighing on him the burden of loneliness which sometimes overwhelms old bachelors. He had been strong, active and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/for-some-years-he-had-felt-weighing-on-him-the-burden-of-loneliness/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) [Explore all 189 Guy de Maupassant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) ## More Fish in the sea quotes > [“It's a familiar, if not exactly inspiring, message: in the face of slim pickings, lower your standards. It also makes clear the converse: with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/it-s-a-familiar-if-not-exactly-inspiring-message-in-the-face-of-slim/) [Brian Christian, Tom Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-christian-tom-griffiths/) > [There's plenty of fish in the sea, but until I catch one, I'm just stuck here holding my rod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-but-until-i-catch-one-i-m-just/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Why do we say there are plenty of fish in the sea...My life is not a sea. I don't want to date a fish.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/why-do-we-say-there-are-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-my-life-is-not-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It doesn't matter if there are a lot of fish in the sea. Finding the ONE FISH to love for the rest of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-tuccillo/it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-are-a-lot-of-fish-in-the-sea-finding-the/) [Liz Tuccillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-tuccillo/) > [Out of the choked Devonian waters emerged sight and sound and the music that rolls invisible through the composer's brain. They are there still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-eiseley/out-of-the-choked-devonian-waters-emerged-sight-and-sound-and-the/) [Loren Eiseley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-eiseley/) > [You are killing me, fish, the old man thought. But you have a right to. Never have I seen a greater, or more beautiful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/you-are-killing-me-fish-the-old-man-thought-but-you-have-a-right-to/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [They say there's plenty of fish in the sea. But I don't want fish. I just want you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-say-there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-but-i-don-t-want-fish-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Like an undiscovered fish in the sea, we have a hidden potential somewhere within us, waiting to be found, nurtured and enjoyed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/like-an-undiscovered-fish-in-the-sea-we-have-a-hidden-potential/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“There are over a million types of fish in the sea as there are flowers in all of the world's gardens. There are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/there-are-over-a-million-types-of-fish-in-the-sea-as-there-are/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Just because there's plenty of fish in the sea doesn't mean u have the proper equipment 2 catch a keeper~](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deangelo-stokes/just-because-there-s-plenty-of-fish-in-the-sea-doesn-t-mean-u-have/) [DeAngelo Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deangelo-stokes/) > [I've always told my son Scott the same thing: Don't rush into anything, because there's gonna be a lot of fish in the sea.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-eastwood/i-ve-always-told-my-son-scott-the-same-thing-don-t-rush-into-anything/) [Clint Eastwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-eastwood/) > [Respect other people's relationships, there are a lot of fish in the sea.. why mess with one that has already been caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashaba/respect-other-people-s-relationships-there-are-a-lot-of-fish-in-the/) [Ashaba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashaba/) > [“Umm, Ren? We have something important we need to discuss. Meet me on the veranda at sundown, okay?” He froze with his sandwich halfway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-houck/umm-ren-we-have-something-important-we-need-to-discuss-meet-me-on-the/) [Colleen Houck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-houck/) > [“I know you’ve lost someone and it hurts. You may have lost them suddenly, unexpectedly. Or perhaps you began losing pieces of them until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lang-leav/i-know-you-ve-lost-someone-and-it-hurts-you-may-have-lost-them/) [Lang Leav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lang-leav/) > [“Chase? He actually said that to you?” She frowned. “Yes.” “When?” “When we were in bed.” “Great timing,” Dee muttered. “Just like a man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-brookes/chase-he-actually-said-that-to-you-she-frowned-yes-when-when-we-were/) [Lindsey Brookes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-brookes/) Browse all 109 Fish in the sea quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Again I waited - oh, but for a brief interval: I presently distinguished an extraordinary shuffling and stamping of feet on the staircase, on the floors, on the carpets; a sound not only of boots and' human shoes, but tapping of crutches, of crutches of wood, and knocking of iron crutches which clanged like cymbals. And behold, I perceived, all at once, on the door sill, an armchair, my large reading chair, which came waddling out. Right into the garden it went, followed by others, the chairs of my drawing room, then the comfortable settee, crawling like crocodiles on their short legs; next, all my chairs bounding like goats,and the small footstools which followed like rabbits. Oh, what a hideous surprise! I stepped back behind the shrubs, where I stayed, crouched and watching this procession of my furniture; for out they all came, one behind the other, quickly or slowly according to their form and weight. My piano - my large grand piano - passed at a canter like a horse, with a faint murmur of music from within; the smallest objects crawled on the gravel like ants - brushes, glasses and cups glistening in the rays of the moon with phosphorescence like glowworms. The curtains, tablecloths and, draperies wriggled along, with their feelers in the puddles like the cuttle-fish in the sea. 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