Having one foot already in the grave, sir, the fewer lies you expect me to tell, the more I shall be indebted to you, when my conscience pricks me and my time comes.”
— from The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins

Martin found himself shaking hands with a cranky-eyed, bald-headed man, whose face looked youthful enough from what little could be seen of it, for most of it was covered by a snow-white beard, carefully trimmed—by his wife, who did it on Sundays, at which times she also shaved the back of his neck.
— from Martin Eden by Jack London

But first let yawning earth a passage rend, And let me thro’ the dark abyss descend; First let avenging Jove, with flames from high, Drive down this body to the nether sky, Condemn’d with ghosts in endless night to lie, Before I break the plighted faith I gave!
— from The Aeneid by Virgil

Then Nisus thus: “Ye fathers, lend your ears; Nor judge our bold attempt beyond our years.
— from The Aeneid by Virgil

Then, Frederic, let your escort lion-hearted Be summoned to receive a gen'ral's blessing, Ere they depart upon their dread adventure.
— from The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan by Arthur Sullivan

“In conclusion, be assured that I shall defend you to my utmost, and am for life, “Yours, etc.”
— from Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XV by Lamothe-Langon, Etienne-Léon, baron de

Now, great Salvini, rise And thunder through your tears, Aha! friends, let your eyes Interpret to your ears.
— from Shapes of Clay by Ambrose Bierce

"Thank God for letting you escape the lot of others just as young and unsuspecting as you ever were.
— from Ann Boyd: A Novel by Will N. (Will Nathaniel) Harben

Hazlemere, I took the liberty of ordering it for two, for look you, ever since the days of my childhood I could never bear to eat alone.
— from The Martyrdom of Madeline by Robert Williams Buchanan

“It was as a punishment for letting you escape.
— from The Bungalow Boys in the Great Northwest by John Henry Goldfrap

Not a sign o' Pequinky Crik will you find at this day—an' w'at I should like ter know is w'ere on yeth a young feller like you ever
— from Our Pirate Hoard 1891 by Thomas A. (Thomas Allibone) Janvier

Though she was only twenty-eight, the grey in Barbara's hair was plentiful, but her small face looked youthful enough, and had none of the hard lines and shadows that Alex knew to lie round her own eyes and lips.
— from Consequences by E. M. Delafield

Marie Antoinette, his queen, was fond of pleasure, and for four long years, ever since their marriage, they had been obliged to fill the difficult position of heirs apparent, hampered by all the restraints of royalty while enjoying precious few of its privileges.
— from The Boys' Life of Lafayette by Helen Nicolay

Hasdrubal will say, if he should come to know about you, that he wanted you alive, not dead, and will be as furious with me for letting you kill yourself as for letting you escape.
— from Lords of the World: A story of the fall of Carthage and Corinth by Alfred John Church