I am a landowner, of respectable character, have an income of ten thousand a year.
— from Plays by Anton Chekhov, Second Series by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov

On the contrary, Kray, who, in 1800, was in the same position, expected no aid from Bohemia, but rather from the Tyrol and from the army of Mélas in Italy: hence the decisive point of attack upon him was not Donauwerth, but on the opposite side, by Schaffhausen, since this would take in reverse his front of operations, expose his line of retreat, cut him off from his supporting army as well as from his base, and force him upon the Main.
— from The Art of War by Jomini, Antoine Henri, baron de

Thus, the beautiful operations of Marengo, Ulm, and Jena could not [Pg 99] have produced the same results upon a theater of the magnitude of that of the Russian War in 1812, since the enemy, even if cut off from his line of retreat, could have found another by adopting a new zone of operations.
— from The Art of War by Jomini, Antoine Henri, baron de

Neither are picturesque lazzaroni or romantic criminals half so frequent as your common labourer, who gets his own bread and eats it vulgarly but creditably with his own pocket-knife.
— from Adam Bede by George Eliot

Higher up the gulch they found the body of its unlucky owner; but the pride, the hope, the joy, The Luck, of Roaring Camp had disappeared.
— from The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales With Condensed Novels, Spanish and American Legends, and Earlier Papers by Bret Harte

(4) "Accidentally" bruise the insulation on wire, loosen nuts on connections, make faulty splices and faulty connections in wiring, to waste electric current and reduce the power of electric motors, the power output or cause short circuiting in direct-current motors: Loosen or remove commutator holding rings.
— from Simple Sabotage Field Manual by United States. Office of Strategic Services

He had lost sight of the woman’s figure in its gleaming sheath of satin—no, there the prick of candle light, and there Aureole, [294] tempting enough as she swept the flame up and down the line of raspberry canes; hair tumbled duskily against her shining pallor of neck, eyes brilliant with the search; body swaying towards her companion each time she pattered the ripe crimson berries on to the plate.
— from Twos and Threes by G. B. (Gladys Bronwyn) Stern

Is it not deplorable that a mind so gifted could rely with fanatical zeal upon the verity of all those foul lies of Rome called "Holy" miracles; or that he could conceive how God would vouchsafe to make his saints ridiculous in the eyes of man, by such gross absurdities as tradition records, but which Rome deemed worthy of canonization; but it was then, as now, so difficult to conquer the prejudices of early teaching.
— from Bibliomania in the Middle Ages by F. Somner (Frederick Somner) Merryweather

He then gave Paul a strong letter of recommendation commending him for his courage and service to France, also presenting him with the arms he bore in the service.
— from The Story of Paul Boyton: Voyages on All the Great Rivers of the World by Paul Boyton

She read his meaning and a look of relief crossed her face.
— from The Poisoned Pen by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve

After opening the shutter, he approached the altar, and from an iron door in the top drew out a drawer, inside which was a box; from this he carefully lifted out, reverently crossing himself as he touched it, a doll of wax or painted wood, supposed to be an image of the Infant Jesus.
— from Fair Italy, the Riviera and Monte Carlo Comprising a Tour Through North and South Italy and Sicily with a Short Account of Malta by W. Cope Devereux

Yes, here was verily the land of Robinson Crusoe; here, in one of these secluded glens, stood his rustic castle; here he fed his goats and held converse with his faithful pets; here he found consolation in the devotion of a new friend, his true and honest man Friday; beneath the shade of these trees he unfolded the mysteries of Divine Providence 27 to the simple savage, and proved to the world that there is no position in life which may not be endured by a patient spirit and an abiding confidence in the goodness and mercy of God.
— from Crusoe's Island: A Ramble in the Footsteps of Alexander Selkirk With Sketches of Adventure in California and Washoe by J. Ross (John Ross) Browne

Then Dick led, or rather carried, Hugh from the brink of that awesome, common grave.
— from Red Eve by H. Rider (Henry Rider) Haggard

I suppose I must have had a most woebegone appearance, for a look of regret crossed his face.
— from The Agony Column by Earl Derr Biggers