Mr. Ben Allen, who had been slumbering behind the counter, with his head half a foot or so below his knees, no sooner heard this appalling communication, than he made a precipitate rush at Mr. Martin, and, twisting his hand in the neck-cloth of that taciturn servitor, expressed an obliging intention of choking him where he stood.
— from The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

“Sir,” replied Prince Ahmed, “I have no share in the compliment your Majesty is pleased to make me; all the honor is due to the Fairy my spouse, whose good advice I followed.”
— from The Blue Fairy Book by Andrew Lang

How many men at this hour are living in a state of bondage to the machines?
— from Erewhon; Or, Over the Range by Samuel Butler

One which was of great antiquity, being of that style which is commonly called Norman, short and very thick and square, did not mount much above the height of the western front; but the other tower was of a character very different, It was tall and light, and of a Gothic style most pure and graceful; the stone of which it was built, of a bright and even sparkling colour, and looking as if it were hewn but yesterday.
— from Sybil, Or, The Two Nations by Disraeli, Benjamin, Earl of Beaconsfield

Mr. Wickham's adieus were much more affectionate than his wife's.
— from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

His excuse is his apology—he is not to be blamed, as a rule, for some one decreed that it would be dangerous to cut loose from manuscript moorings and take his audience with him on a really delightful sail.
— from The Art of Public Speaking by J. Berg (Joseph Berg) Esenwein

I saw my guardian, who, after putting me through an examination, expressed himself much pleased with my progress, said the visit to the continent would expand my mind, and that he would furnish me with the means.
— from The Romance of Lust: A classic Victorian erotic novel by Anonymous

From his wife's account of him she could discern Mr Smith to have been a man of warm feelings, easy temper, careless habits, and not strong understanding, much more amiable than his friend, and very unlike him, led by him, and probably despised by him.
— from Persuasion by Jane Austen

And furthermore not the least attractive part of the pageant were Sosis and Moericus, moving at the head of the line.
— from A Latin Grammar for Schools and Colleges by George Martin Lane

A minute more, and the house door opened wide, and the visitors were made welcome.
— from Our Little Irish Cousin by Mary Hazelton Blanchard Wade

Yes, I expect to be pretty lonely till I get started, then my music and the hope of getting on will cheer me up,' answered Nat, who both longed and dreaded to leave all these friends behind him and make new ones.
— from Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott

Oh, so bad, and the doctor came and he had very much medicine, and then his chest began to bleed, and he coughed very much blood for days and days and weeks, and I nursed him all that time, Treevor, all night long.
— from Five Nights: A Novel by Victoria Cross

Here, surrounded by his maps, he could pace up and down in the little humble building where he had taken up his station, keep his finger on the pulse of the whole extended front, know accurately just how things were going, send hurry calls to this general or that, make any necessary changes in arrangements to offset some move on the part of the foe; and in fact manipulate the movements of half a million men as though he sat at a chess board with a comrade, under the soft rays of the evening lamp, to play a mock battle with bits of dumb ivory instead of living, breathing, suffering human beings.
— from The Boy Scouts Afoot in France; or, With the Red Cross Corps at the Marne by Carter, Herbert, active 1909-1917

By-and-by was heard a bugle-blast and the quick, regular tread of marching men, and the head of a company came in sight.
— from Romantic Spain: A Record of Personal Experiences (Vol. II) by John Augustus O'Shea

It makes me angry to hear him talk so, but he is soured by his troubles.
— from The Idiot by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The next day Deb told how he came and measured it and figured up how many cords of wood it might make, and then he guessed he might cut it next week.
— from The Pansy Magazine, June 1886 by Various

He had always regretted the friendship; it seemed to him that his servant's character was sure to be weakened by his alliance with a friend of Master More; and though he had said nothing—for Ralph's manner did not encourage questions—he had secretly congratulated both himself and his agent for so happy a termination to an unfortunate incident.
— from The King's Achievement by Robert Hugh Benson