Had not the Nile afforded a safe and ready conveyance to the sea, not an individual could have escaped, who by birth, or language, or office, or religion, was connected with their odious name.
— from The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes) by Edward Gibbon

'I am even a poorer man of business than I am a man, sir,' returned Twemlow, 'and I could hardly express my deficiency in a stronger way.
— from Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens

" She then related her whole history, and at its close Haiatelnefous embraced her warmly, and assured her of her entire sympathy and affection.
— from The Arabian Nights Entertainments by Andrew Lang

My dwelling was small, and I could hardly entertain an echo in it; but it seemed larger for being a single apartment and remote from neighbors.
— from Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau

Up, and to the office, where, by and by, by appointment, we met upon Sir W. Warren’s accounts, wherein I do appear in every thing as much as I can his enemy, though not so far but upon good conditions from him I may return to be his friend, but I do think it necessary to do what I do at present.
— from The Diary of Samuel Pepys — Complete by Samuel Pepys

The difference between these rivals was in the height of rancour, when I received the message of Crab, who received me as civilly as I could have expected from one of his disposition; and, after desiring me to sit, inquired into the particulars of my leaving the house of Potion; which when I had related, he said, with a malicious grin, “There's a sneaking dog!
— from The Adventures of Roderick Random by T. (Tobias) Smollett

Satis terroris tumultusque in aciem mediam intulerant, cum duabus circa portis P. Valerius Flaccus et C. Aurelius in cornua hostium erupere. . . .
— from Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce

I shall enumerate them to you, for nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person, and I can hardly expect your co-operation if I do not show you the position from which we start.”
— from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

Of course they wouldn’t have been wasted, for Charlotta the Fourth and I could have eaten them through time.
— from Anne of Avonlea by L. M. (Lucy Maud) Montgomery

He must take particular care in forming the features in faces, and in copying hands exactly.
— from American Historical and Literary Curiosities: Second Series, Complete by J. Jay (John Jay) Smith

” “That's Rebecca carrying the air, and I can hear Emma Jane's alto.” “Say to the North, Give up thy charge, And hold not back, O South, And hold not back, O South,” etc.
— from New Chronicles of Rebecca by Kate Douglas Smith Wiggin

I have been working hard at the birds from the Grand Menan, as well as John, who is overcoming his habit of sleeping late, as I call him every morning at four, and we have famous long days.
— from Audubon and His Journals, Volume 1 (of 2) by John James Audubon

Under these circumstances, I reflected, that my life in a great measure depended on the good opinion of an individual, who was daily hearing malicious stories concerning the Europeans; and I could hardly expect that he would always judge with impartiality between me and his countrymen.
— from Life and Travels of Mungo Park by Mungo Park

The voice was very mournful in which Eugene made this profession of vassalage, and at its conclusion his eyes were veiled by tears of burning humiliation.
— from Prince Eugene and His Times by L. (Luise) Mühlbach

And in conversation he expressed the feverish strength of his wishes so plaintively and affectingly, that everybody was drawn into powerful sympathy with him, and wished for some magical means of ante-dating the course of the seasons.
— from Narrative and Miscellaneous Papers — Volume 2 by Thomas De Quincey

As for Woot, being a Wanderer by profession, he was allowed to wander wherever he desired, and Ozma promised to keep watch over his future journeys and to protect the boy as well as she was able, in case he ever got into more trouble.
— from The Tin Woodman of Oz A Faithful Story of the Astonishing Adventure Undertaken by the Tin Woodman, assisted by Woot the Wanderer, the Scarecrow of Oz, and Polychrome, the Rainbow's Daughter by L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum

"Youth is so fond of mysteries, and all its castles have endless winding galleries, that lead to all sorts of curious nooks and corners.
— from Herb of Grace by Rosa Nouchette Carey

‘Yes,’ rejoined Mr. Folair, looking round for an instant, and immediately carrying his eyes back again to the ceiling.
— from Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens

Philip gave a cry and instinctively covered his eyes with his hands.
— from Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham