Still holding my hand, she played with the fingers unconsciously, dressed them, now in her own rings, and now circled them with a twine of her beautiful hair; she patted the palm against her hot cheek, and at last, having cleared a voice that was naturally liquid as a lark's, she said:— "You must think it rather strange that I should talk so much about Dr. Bretton, ask so many questions, take such an interest, but—".
— from Villette by Charlotte Brontë

For my part, I confess I must complain however small the ache may be; unless this rule about not complaining extends to the squires of knights-errant also.” Don Quixote could not help laughing at his squire’s simplicity, and he assured him he might complain whenever
— from The History of Don Quixote, Volume 1, Complete by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

Note 76 ( return ) [ Ad nefandos cibos erupit esurientium rabies, et sua invicem membra laniarunt, dum mater non parcit lactenti infantiae; et recipit utero, quem paullo ante effuderat.
— 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

A peace had been concluded between the two nations on these terms, that the river Albula, now called Tiber, should be the common boundary between the Etrurians and Latins.
— from The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 by Livy

Here is night coming on; by daybreak we shall have reached our retreat, and nobody can guess where we are.
— from The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

"It is so," he said, "but in this respect reasonings do not resemble men, for I was just now following you as my leader, but in this they do resemble them, when any one believes in any argument as true without being skilled in the art of reasoning, and then shortly afterward it appears to him to be false, at one time being so and at another time not, and so on with one after another, 34 and especially they who devote themselves to controversial arguments, you are aware, at length think they have become very wise and have alone discovered that there is nothing sound and stable either in things or reasonings but that all things that exist, as is the case with the Euripus, are in a constant state of flux and reflux, and never continue in any one condition for any length of time."
— from Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates by Plato

Quarterings signifying nothing beyond mere representation are not compulsory, and their use or disuse is quite optional.
— from A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies

"I suppose because we have no ruins and no curiosities," said Virginia, satirically.
— from The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde

Shortly after our return to England my mother died—she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe.
— from Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Illustrated by Arthur Conan Doyle

Her employees are better and more efficient than any she ever had under the old régime, and nothing could persuade her to return to her former methods of housekeeping.
— from Wanted, a Young Woman to Do Housework: Business principles applied to housework by C. Hélène Barker

Thou know’st my praise of Nature most sincere, And that my raptures are not conjured up To serve occasions of poetic pomp, But genuine, and art partner of them all.
— from The Task, and Other Poems by William Cowper

The whole was gilded during the reigns of Rafael and Nicolas Cotoner, as appears from an inscription over the entrance on the west side of the building.
— from The Overland Guide-book A complete vade-mecum for the overland traveller, to India viâ Egypt. by Barber, James, active 1837-1839

"Let me telephone for you, Mabel," she said with rather a nice concern in her voice.
— from The Story Book Girls by Christina Gowans Whyte

Dr. Welstead seems quite at a loss how to treat you: indeed, country practitioners, as a rule, are not competent to deal with anything beyond a simple case of measles; so on Saturday afternoon I will myself drive you to see Sir Knox Timpany, and wait for you while you consult that eminent authority, who, I doubt not, will make you as well as ever you were, in the course of a very few days."
— from A Secret of the Sea: A Novel. Vol. 3 (of 3) by T. W. (Thomas Wilkinson) Speight

This frank statement and the clear, unembarrassed light in Patty's eyes seemed to please Miss Daggett, and she kissed the pretty face upturned to hers, but she only said: "Run along now, child, go home, I don't want company now."
— from Patty at Home by Carolyn Wells

The duty of neutral states to receive with cordiality and recognize with respect any new confederation that independent states may think proper to form, was too clear to admit of denial, but its postponement was equally beneficial to the United States and detrimental to the Confederacy.
— from The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government, Volume 2 by Jefferson Davis

Recommends a National Convention.
— from Abraham Lincoln, a History — Volume 02 by John G. (John George) Nicolay