,’ she said in a tremulous voice, after they had walked about a mile in silence, ‘do you think they are honest people at the house yonder?’
— from The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens

When Nero presided in the games instituted by himself, though he was extremely desirous to perform amongst the harpers, yet his modesty would not permit him, notwithstanding the people entreated much for it.
— from The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Complete by Suetonius

This took place about three hundred years after the foundation of the Khalifate; and for the second half of their existence the Khalifs were little more than ciphers to be played with by the great princes of the empire and to contribute a little pomp to their coronations.
— from The Moors in Spain by Stanley Lane-Poole

The skull of Cunimund was preserved above two hundred years among the Lombards; and Paul himself was one of the guests to whom Duke Ratchis exhibited this cup on a high festival, (l. ii. c. 28.)]
— 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

He twice escaped to the most venerable sanctuaries of Constantinople, the churches of St. Sophia, and of the Virgin: but his tyrants were insensible of religion as of pity; and the helpless youth, amidst the clamors of the clergy and people, was twice dragged from the altar to the dungeon.
— 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

And there were many who said that a want of firmness was shown, inasmuch as the fathers had given their approbation to the laws proposed; nor was there a doubt, but that in this troubled state of public affairs they had yielded to the times.
— from The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 by Livy

Mrs. Mirvan expressed her satisfaction at this conclusion, and thanked him for his polite attention to her young friend.
— from Evelina, Or, the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the World by Fanny Burney

The Indians who were bearing him to the old ramshackle sailing-boat he possessed (a thing half yawl and half lugger--a thing, too, which she supposed those men had been instructed to pierce and bore so that it would begin to fill from the first, and should, thereby, sink by the time it was in deep water) must necessarily go slowly, owing to the burden they had to carry, while she--well!
— from A Bitter Heritage: A Modern Story of Love and Adventure by John Bloundelle-Burton

The sandbank now showed as an isolated patch about two hundred yards wide and perhaps half a mile long, with what looked like a by-wash channel of about one hundred yards wide flowing between it and the mainland, the latter being a sandy beach backed by sand dunes clothed with a rank creeper-like vegetation, and a few stunted tree tops showing behind them.
— from A Middy in Command: A Tale of the Slave Squadron by Harry Collingwood

“Please excuse me, sir,” he uttered with a politeness very different from his usual manner, “and permit me to ask you if you know the reasons why M. de Thaller is so prodigiously anxious to have you for a son-in-law.”
— from Other People's Money by Emile Gaboriau

Choose thee one party, and thou hast yet one chance of safety.
— from Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 1 by John Roby

If it wasn’t raining, I’d run away.” Carmina assumed an air of severity, and entered a serious protest adapted to her young friend’s intelligence.
— from Heart and Science: A Story of the Present Time by Wilkie Collins

And although he had acted so noble a part toward his country, which under his government had been saved from the most profligate attempt that had yet been made upon its liberties; and enjoyed the highest rank in the senate, and the first consideration from all good men; corruption had now reached such a height, that pre-eminence in virtue, shining forth in so active a citizen as Cicero, who was constantly thwarting the designs of bad men, served but to unite their efforts against him.
— from The republic of Cicero Translated from the Latin; and Accompanied With a Critical and Historical Introduction. by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Scandinavian pre-eminence on the sea was even now passing away, as that of the Frisians had passed away two hundred years before.
— from The Old Irish World by Alice Stopford Green