“Well, I must say, I cannot understand it!” said the general, shrugging his shoulders and dropping his hands.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

It was said that if his mind was troubled about a bad piece of river, he was pretty sure to get up and walk in his sleep and do strange things.
— from Life on the Mississippi by Mark Twain

That fleet had heard their signal-guns during the night, the weather being fine though thick and hazy; soon after daylight they were seen very much scattered, while the British ships were in a compact little body.
— from The Life of Horatio, Lord Nelson by Robert Southey

I never heard such a drawling, affecting rogue.
— from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

Such as are addicted to the pleasures of the field, have, I make no question, heard the story of the falconer, who having earnestly fixed his eyes upon a kite in the air; laid a wager that he would bring her down with the sole power of his sight, and did so, as it was said; for the tales I borrow I charge upon the consciences of those from whom I have them.
— from Essays of Michel de Montaigne — Complete by Michel de Montaigne

The following letter, written by a chaunter to a gentleman who took an interest in his welfare, will show his capabilities in this line:— Dear Friend, [63] Excuse the liberty, since i saw you last i have not earned a thick un, we have had such a Dowry of Parny that it completely Stumped Drory the Bossman’s Patter therefore i am broke up and not having another friend but you i wish to know if you would lend me the price of 2 Gross of Tops, Dies, or Croaks, which is 7 shillings, of the above-mentioned worthy and Sarah Chesham the Essex Burick for the Poisoning job, they are both to be topped at Springfield Sturaban on Tuesday next.
— from The Slang Dictionary: Etymological, Historical and Andecdotal by John Camden Hotten

Then he challenged Queen Guinevere concerning the death of his cousin, but she stood still, sore abashed, and anon with her sorrow and dread, she swooned.
— from The Legends of King Arthur and His Knights by Knowles, James, Sir

Brave Ráma, Daśaratha's heir, A glorious prince beyond compare, His sire and duty's law obeyed, And sought the depths of Daṇḍak' shade Sítá his well-beloved dame, And Lakshmaṇ, with the wanderer came.
— from The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Valmiki

He also states that in 1253 the Gascons hurled stones and darts of such wonderful size that many of them were carried into England to be exhibited as curiosities.
— from British and Foreign Arms & Armour by Charles Henry Ashdown

He went to his study, and dropped upon the seat before his desk.
— from One Man's View by Leonard Merrick

Natural hazards: sandstorms and dust storms in summer Environment - current issues: very limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate supplies of potable water; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: Nuclear Test Ban Geography - note: strategic location on Bab el Mandeb, the strait linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, one of world's most active shipping lanes People
— from The 2003 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency

He sketched a diagram of masts and sails in the sand, and the men crowded around and studied it.
— from Children of the Frost by Jack London

Her son and daughter were not like that.
— from Lister's Great Adventure by Harold Bindloss

Larry sent word he was ready, and Lord Colambre, having first eaten a slice of his own venison, ran down to the carriage, followed by the thanks and blessings of the widow, her son, and daughter, who could hardly make their way after him to the chaise-door, so great was the crowd which had gathered on the report of his lordship’s arrival.
— from Tales and Novels — Volume 06 by Maria Edgeworth

Thirty-seven years before, a British massacre had been followed by a temporary occupation of the city of Kabul, and just as the troops of Pollock and Nott, on that occasion, had sacked and destroyed the great bazaar and then retired, so in 1879 the people believed that some signal punishment would again be succeeded by the withdrawal of our troops.
— from Forty-one years in India: from subaltern to commander-in-chief by Roberts, Frederick Sleigh Roberts, Earl

You know that delightful little room at the back?—the one I said should be your own den, with the window all festooned with creepers and looking out on the garden—well——?' 'Take my advice,' he said, 'and don't make any plans till you see it.
— from The Talking Horse, and Other Tales by F. Anstey

Suddenly Lemminkainen came galloping up in his sledge and seized the fair Kyllikki as she was dancing with the rest, placed her in his sledge, and drove off like the whirlwind, and as he flew by the frightened maidens he cried out to them: 'Never tell that I have taken Kyllikki, or I will cast a magic spell over your lovers, so that they will all leave you and go off to the wars and will never come back to dance and make merry with you.'
— from Finnish Legends for English Children by R. Eivind