- Nick Cochran: You know, you remind me of an old Egyptian girlfriend of mine. The Sphinx.
- Margie: Are you partial to females made of stone?
- Vincent Halloran: You don't want that junk. Diamonds would only cheapen you.
- Margie: Yeah. But what a way to be cheapened.
- Vincent Halloran: How 'bout two weeks salary in advance?
- Julie Benson: This is one time I won't say no.
- Nick Cochran: Why don't you take that chip off your shoulder?
- Julie Benson: Every time I do, somebody hits me over the head with it.
- Julie Benson: Not just you, everybody. Everybody's lonely and worried and sorry. Everybody's looking for something.
- Lawrence C. Trumble: By the way, ever think of going home?
- Nick Cochran: I can't go home any more than you can even if I wanted to.
- Lawrence C. Trumble: Why not?
- Nick Cochran: Oh, a little hassle over a redhead, somebody fired a shot, turned out to be me.
- Lawrence C. Trumble: Other guy get killed?
- Nick Cochran: No, but I got all the way to China before I found that out. Then I just, kept on going...
- Lawrence C. Trumble: I'll go back one of these days, or my name isn't Lawrence C. Trumble.
- Nick Cochran: What does the "C." stand for?
- Lawrence C. Trumble: Cicero - but keep it under your hat.
- Nick Cochran: What else would I do with it?
- Julie Benson: Enjoy the view?
- Nick Cochran: Well, it's not the Taj Mahal or the Hanging Gardens of Babylon but, uh, it's not bad.
- Julie Benson: Did anyone ever tell you what big blue eyes you have, grandma?
- Nick Cochran: Ah, the lady of the loaded dice.
- Margie: You're up early for a loser.
- Nick Cochran: Can't make a dishonest dollar lying in bed.
- Nick Cochran: [at the Customs checkpoint shortly after docking at Macao, explaining why he has no passport] My wallet was in my pocket when I boarded that tub in Hong Kong but, uh, somebody lifted it.
- Lt. Sebastian: That is most unfortunate, señor.
- Nick Cochran: Well, what happens now? Do I get deported, or thrown in the klink?
- Lt. Sebastian: Oh, neither, señor. This is a Portuguese colony - always friendly and hospitable. Have you any other means of identification?
- Nick Cochran: Yeah. This took me, uh, three years, five months and twenty-six days to get.
- [Nick pulls out a document from his coat pocket and hands it to Lt. Sebastien, who looks it over]
- Lt. Sebastian: You served as a lieutenant in the Signal Corps of the United States... Unfortunately, Senor Cochran, this finely engraved document does not grant you the privilege of traveling free as a bird throughout the Orient.
- Nick Cochran: Yeah, I was afraid of that.
- Lt. Sebastian: I suggest you contact your consulate in Hong Kong. How long did you intend to remain in our city?
- Nick Cochran: That depends.
- Lt. Sebastian: On what?
- Nick Cochran: On a certain female... Lady Luck.
- Lt. Sebastian: I wish you well. It is our fond hope that all visitors to Macao should feel as untroubled here as Adam in the Garden of Eden.
- Nick Cochran: "Untroubled"? That ain't the way *I* heard it.
- Nick Cochran: [in Halloran's office, at his casino] I'd like to work on the other side of the table. I don't suppose you'd have a job for me?
- Vincent Halloran: What kind of training have you had for a job around here?
- Nick Cochran: Well, I worked in a gambling house in Singapore.
- Vincent Halloran: Why'd you quit?
- Nick Cochran: Broke a house rule. I let a heavy bettor win.
- Vincent Halloran: Same house rule applies here. After Singapore?
- Nick Cochran: After Singapore I nursemaided a shipment of machine guns to Iraq, then I went on to Cairo, got rid of a handful of stones for a couple of refugees who wanted visas. That dough I blew on slow horses. Worked my way back to China on a freighter, here I am. Broke, ready to go on the payroll.
- Vincent Halloran: Doing what?
- Nick Cochran: Well, maybe you could use a skipper on your trips to Hong Kong? I can sail anything that floats.
- Vincent Halloran: You must've heard I never go beyond the three mile limit. Didn't they tell you in New York?
- Nick Cochran: I left New York five years ago.
- Vincent Halloran: [in Halloran's office, at his casino] We'll get along better if you take that chip off your shoulder. It won't do you any good here.
- Julie Benson: Never did me any good any place.
- Vincent Halloran: Where've you been singing?
- Julie Benson: Everywhere.
- Vincent Halloran: I mean recently.
- Julie Benson: Hong Kong... 'til the boss got ideas.
- Vincent Halloran: I can easily see why. Shall we say a hundred a week?
- Julie Benson: I could sing better for a hundred fifty.
- Vincent Halloran: My patrons come here to gamble. I'll pay you $100. Think it over.
- Julie Benson: I just did. When do I start?
- Julie Benson: [after he's given her the job at his casino] Thanks, Mr. Halloran.
- Vincent Halloran: Try calling me Vince.
- Julie Benson: [snidely] Okay... boss.