--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was nearly eight before he returned to…" description: "\"“It was nearly eight before he returned to the office. This was the hour when he found London most lovable; the working day over, her pub windows were ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d10/robert-galbraith-3411_life_it-was-nearly-eight-before-he-returned-t_903532.jpg" --- # It was nearly eight before he returned to the office. This… ![“It was nearly eight before he returned to the office. This was the hour when he found London most lovable; the working day over, her pub windows were warm and jewel-like, her streets thrummed with life, and the indefatigable permanence of her aged buildings, softened by the street lights, became…” quote by Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d10/robert-galbraith-3411_life_it-was-nearly-eight-before-he-returned-t_903532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d10/robert-galbraith-3411_life_it-was-nearly-eight-before-he-returned-t_903532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d10/robert-galbraith-3411_life_it-was-nearly-eight-before-he-returned-t_903532.jpg) > ““It was nearly eight before he returned to the office. This was the hour when he found London most lovable; the working day over, her pub windows were warm and jewel-like, her streets thrummed with life, and the indefatigable permanence of her aged buildings, softened by the street lights, became strangely reassuring. We have seen plenty like you, they seemed to murmur soothingly, as he limped along Oxford Street carrying a boxed-up camp bed. Seven and a half million hearts were beating in close proximity in this heaving old city, and many, after all, would be aching far worse than his. Walking wearily past closing shops, while the heavens turned indigo above him, Strike found solace in vastness and anonymity.”” [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) ## 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 finds comfort in the bustling, familiar cityscape of London after a long, lonely day, feeling anonymity and the city's timeless presence soothe his pain. **In simple terms:** City life offers solace and anonymity after hardship. Key Takeaway Seek comfort in familiar surroundings. Themes solace city anonymity comfort Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - walking home after work - finding quiet in a busy city - reflecting on personal struggles Key Concepts urban loneliness nighttime reflection human connection Questions to Reflect On - How does city life affect your mood? - What comforts you in anonymity? 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This was the hour when he found London most lovable; the working day over, her pub windows were warm and jewel-like, her streets thrummed with life, and the indefatigable permanence of her aged buildings, softened by the street lights, became strangely reassuring. We have seen plenty like you, they seemed to murmur soothingly, as he limped along Oxford Street carrying a boxed-up camp bed. Seven and a half million hearts were beating in close proximity in this heaving old city, and many, after all, would be aching far worse than his. 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