--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Alison was relieved: she would have hated…" description: "\"“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary turned back momentaril..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg" --- # Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose… ![“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary turned back momentarily and took an ivory crucifix from its hook on the wall over the altar. With the cross pressed to her heavy bosom and the prayer book in her other…” quote by Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg) > ““Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary turned back momentarily and took an ivory crucifix from its hook on the wall over the altar. With the cross pressed to her heavy bosom and the prayer book in her other hand she walked behind the sheriff, and Alison followed.”” [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Alison’s relief stems from protecting Mary’s dignity; the scene blends religious symbolism with personal sacrifice. **In simple terms:** Protecting dignity through faith‑laden action. Key Takeaway Moral duty intertwines with spiritual symbols. Themes dignity faith sacrifice protection Mood solemn protective Type narrative dramatic When to use this quote - hospital care - ritual mourning - protective escort Key Concepts symbolic ritual ethical responsibility Practical Applications - use symbols to reinforce moral stakes - show characters’ inner conflict through actions Questions to Reflect On - What does the crucifix represent for Alison? - How does the act of protecting dignity shape character arcs? A Different Perspective Reliance on symbols may alienate readers unfamiliar with the faith context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Crucifix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucifix/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) ## Related quotes > [“A good horror is better than sex!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skarlett-horrors/a-good-horror-is-better-than-sex/) Skarlett Horrors > [“The crucifix of singleness to Genesis meant carrying and living an empty life that had been sapped and drained of all the lifeblood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-thrussell/the-crucifix-of-singleness-to-genesis-meant-carrying-and-living-an/) [Jill Thrussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-thrussell/) > [The life of each and every one of us has been written. The crucifix is my autobiography. The blood is the ink. The nails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-life-of-each-and-every-one-of-us-has-been-written-the-crucifix-is/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Sullivan had her Crucifix Soldier and now I have mine. No. I am the soldier. Teacup is the cross.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/sullivan-had-her-crucifix-soldier-and-now-i-have-mine-no-i-am-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [He’s not feeling well,” Clary said, catching at Simon’s wrist. “We’re going.” “No,” Simon said. “No, I — I need to talk to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-s-not-feeling-well-clary-said-catching-at-simon-s-wrist-we-re/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Behold the crucifix; what does it symbolize? Pallid incompetence hanging on a tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/behold-the-crucifix-what-does-it-symbolize-pallid-incompetence/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [“Our crucifixes exhibit the pain, but they veil, perhaps necessarily, the obscenity: but the death of the God-Man was both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/our-crucifixes-exhibit-the-pain-but-they-veil-perhaps-necessarily-the/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [We are not preaching the Gospel of a dead Christ, but of a living Christ who sits exalted at the Father's right hand, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/we-are-not-preaching-the-gospel-of-a-dead-christ-but-of-a-living/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [Can you burn me up with holy water? Poke me to death with your crucifix? Pelt me with communion wafers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryjanice-davidson/can-you-burn-me-up-with-holy-water-poke-me-to-death-with-your/) [MaryJanice Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryjanice-davidson/) > [“Nothing says ‘I Love Jesus’ like a plastic crucifix bought at Wal-Mart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ross/nothing-says-i-love-jesus-like-a-plastic-crucifix-bought-at-wal-mart/) Christina Ross > [“Lou's was like a tour through Crucifix World with a spontaneous stop in Jesus Country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-cassidy/lou-s-was-like-a-tour-through-crucifix-world-with-a-spontaneous-stop/) [Dakota Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-cassidy/) > [“You've never seen a crucifix with a Jesus who wasn't almost naked. You've never seen a fat Jesus. Or a Jesus with body hair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-ve-never-seen-a-crucifix-with-a-jesus-who-wasn-t-almost-naked-you/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Recently I was reading somewhere or other an Italian curio-dealer who attempted to sell a 17th century crucifix to J.P. Morgan. Inside it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/recently-i-was-reading-somewhere-or-other-an-italian-curio-dealer-who/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [He touched the rough crucifix that lay against his chest and whispered to the moving air, "Lord, that she might be safe, she and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/he-touched-the-rough-crucifix-that-lay-against-his-chest-and/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Because their bones are growing, they can only sleep in certain positions, obviously. The crucifix and the swastika tend to be the most popular.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/because-their-bones-are-growing-they-can-only-sleep-in-certain/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) ## More by Ken Follett > [“A child will always be what he is, she thought, and not what you want him to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-child-will-always-be-what-he-is-she-thought-and-not-what-you-want/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“The extra line or two around her eyes only made them more fascinating; the touch of silver in her hair enhanced the blackness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/the-extra-line-or-two-around-her-eyes-only-made-them-more-fascinating/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“You're the one who doesn't understand," Lev said. "In America, I have my own car. There's more food than you can eat, all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/you-re-the-one-who-doesn-t-understand-lev-said-in-america-i-have-my/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“They did not suspect her for a moment. It did not occur to them that a woman could be dangerous. How foolish they were.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/they-did-not-suspect-her-for-a-moment-it-did-not-occur-to-them-that-a/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Remember our story. You’re going to visit a cousin who has just started to farm in North Carolina. You’re taking gifts.” “Even though we’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/remember-our-story-you-re-going-to-visit-a-cousin-who-has-just/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“What don’t I know?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/what-don-t-i-know/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“And here's my advice to you. If you get the chance of the mad kind of love, grab it with both hands, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/and-here-s-my-advice-to-you-if-you-get-the-chance-of-the-mad-kind-of/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Two blades clashed, ringing like a bell. Like all small boys, Philip thought his father was invincible; and this was the moment when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/two-blades-clashed-ringing-like-a-bell-like-all-small-boys-philip/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“It had been a morning of vivid images: the man-made streams, the rats in the butchers’ shops, the stacks of new-minted silver pennies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/it-had-been-a-morning-of-vivid-images-the-man-made-streams-the-rats/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“tickets and lifts begged on carts, but Grigori was mesmerized by her face as she talked. Once again Lev listened with rapt attention, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/tickets-and-lifts-begged-on-carts-but-grigori-was-mesmerized-by-her/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“A man who has no fear can do anything he wants, Feliks thought. He had learned that lesson eleven years ago, in a railway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-man-who-has-no-fear-can-do-anything-he-wants-feliks-thought-he-had/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Jack was too absorbed in his work to hear the bell. He was mesmerized by the challenge of making soft, round shapes of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/jack-was-too-absorbed-in-his-work-to-hear-the-bell-he-was-mesmerized/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“might spook Harald and cause him to flee. She had to visit in person. This would be even more risky. Morlunde was a town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/might-spook-harald-and-cause-him-to-flee-she-had-to-visit-in-person/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“I bambini vennero presto per assistere all'impiccagione.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-bambini-vennero-presto-per-assistere-all-impiccagione/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/your-integrity-is-like-a-sword-he-would-say-you-shouldn-t-wave-it/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) [Explore all 291 Ken Follett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## More Crucifix quotes > [“A good horror is better than sex!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skarlett-horrors/a-good-horror-is-better-than-sex/) Skarlett Horrors > [He touched the rough crucifix that lay against his chest and whispered to the moving air, "Lord, that she might be safe, she and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/he-touched-the-rough-crucifix-that-lay-against-his-chest-and/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Recently I was reading somewhere or other an Italian curio-dealer who attempted to sell a 17th century crucifix to J.P. Morgan. Inside it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/recently-i-was-reading-somewhere-or-other-an-italian-curio-dealer-who/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“You've never seen a crucifix with a Jesus who wasn't almost naked. You've never seen a fat Jesus. Or a Jesus with body hair.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/you-ve-never-seen-a-crucifix-with-a-jesus-who-wasn-t-almost-naked-you/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Lou's was like a tour through Crucifix World with a spontaneous stop in Jesus Country.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dakota-cassidy/lou-s-was-like-a-tour-through-crucifix-world-with-a-spontaneous-stop/) [Dakota Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dakota-cassidy/) > [“Nothing says ‘I Love Jesus’ like a plastic crucifix bought at Wal-Mart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-ross/nothing-says-i-love-jesus-like-a-plastic-crucifix-bought-at-wal-mart/) Christina Ross > [Can you burn me up with holy water? Poke me to death with your crucifix? Pelt me with communion wafers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryjanice-davidson/can-you-burn-me-up-with-holy-water-poke-me-to-death-with-your/) [MaryJanice Davidson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryjanice-davidson/) > [We are not preaching the Gospel of a dead Christ, but of a living Christ who sits exalted at the Father's right hand, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/we-are-not-preaching-the-gospel-of-a-dead-christ-but-of-a-living/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [“Our crucifixes exhibit the pain, but they veil, perhaps necessarily, the obscenity: but the death of the God-Man was both.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-williams/our-crucifixes-exhibit-the-pain-but-they-veil-perhaps-necessarily-the/) [Charles Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-williams/) > [Behold the crucifix; what does it symbolize? Pallid incompetence hanging on a tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/behold-the-crucifix-what-does-it-symbolize-pallid-incompetence/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [He’s not feeling well,” Clary said, catching at Simon’s wrist. “We’re going.” “No,” Simon said. “No, I — I need to talk to him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/he-s-not-feeling-well-clary-said-catching-at-simon-s-wrist-we-re/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“Sullivan had her Crucifix Soldier and now I have mine. No. I am the soldier. Teacup is the cross.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/sullivan-had-her-crucifix-soldier-and-now-i-have-mine-no-i-am-the/) [Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/) > [The life of each and every one of us has been written. The crucifix is my autobiography. The blood is the ink. The nails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-life-of-each-and-every-one-of-us-has-been-written-the-crucifix-is/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“The crucifix of singleness to Genesis meant carrying and living an empty life that had been sapped and drained of all the lifeblood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-thrussell/the-crucifix-of-singleness-to-genesis-meant-carrying-and-living-an/) [Jill Thrussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-thrussell/) > [Because their bones are growing, they can only sleep in certain positions, obviously. The crucifix and the swastika tend to be the most popular.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/because-their-bones-are-growing-they-can-only-sleep-in-certain/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) [Browse all 42 Crucifix quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crucifix/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary turned back momentarily and took an ivory crucifix from its hook on the wall over the altar. With the cross pressed to her heavy bosom and the prayer book in her other hand she walked behind the sheriff, and Alison followed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ken Follett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Crucifix" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d69/ken-follett-941_crucifix_alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated_124744.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,”…” — Ken Follett", "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": "Ken Follett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Alison was relieved: she would have...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/#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 } } ] } ```