Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:48

Excerpt #1, from Twenty Four Unusual Stories for Boys and Girls, by Anna Cogswell Tyler

…upon just such another, his great red robe fluttering out in the moonlight like huge red wings. “Great herring and little fishes!” roared the fisherman; “it is a billy-goat!” Instantly goats, old man, and all were gone like a flash. Down fell the fisherman through the empty sky, whirling over and over and around and around like a frog. He held tightly to his net, but away flew his fur cap, the golden money falling in a shower like sparks of yellow light. Down he fell and down he fell, until his head spun like a top. By good-luck his house was just below, with its thatch of soft rushes. Into the very middle of it he tumbled, and right through the thatch–bump!–into the room below. The good wife was in bed, snoring away for dear life; but such a noise as the fisherman made coming into the house was enough to wake the dead. Up she jumped, and there she sat, staring and winking with sleep, and with her brains as addled as a duck’s egg in a thunderstorm. “There!” said the fisherman, as he gathered himself up and rubbed his shoulder, “that is what comes of following a woman’s advice!” [Illustration: THE WINDS, THE BIRDS, AND THE TELEGRAPH WIRES] FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 3: Reprinted by special permission from Twilight Land, by…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #2, from Don Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

…said to him, “You are a dead man, knight, unless you confess that the peerless Dulcinea del Toboso excels your Casildea de Vandalia in beauty; and in addition to this you must promise, if you should survive this encounter and fall, to go to the city of El Toboso and present yourself before her on my behalf, that she deal with you according to her good pleasure; and if she leaves you free to do yours, you are in like manner to return and seek me out (for the trail of my mighty deeds will serve you as a guide to lead you to where I may be), and tell me what may have passed between you and her—conditions which, in accordance with what we stipulated before our combat, do not transgress the just limits of knight-errantry.” “I confess,” said the fallen knight, “that the dirty tattered shoe of the lady Dulcinea del Toboso is better than the ill-combed though clean beard of Casildea; and I promise to go and to return from her presence to yours, and to give you a full and particular account of all you demand of me.” “You must also confess and believe,” added Don Quixote, “that the knight you vanquished was not and could not be Don Quixote of La Mancha, but someone else in his likeness, just as I confess and believe that you, though you seem to be the bachelor Samson Carrasco, are not so, but some other resembling him, whom my enemies have here put before…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #3, from Dracula, by Bram Stoker

…that he will acquire some higher life. He dreads the consequence–the burden of a soul. Then it is a human life he looks to! And the assurance–? Merciful God! the Count has been to him, and there is some new scheme of terror afoot! * * * * * Later.–I went after my round to Van Helsing and told him my suspicion. He grew very grave; and, after thinking the matter over for a while asked me to take him to Renfield. I did so. As we came to the door we heard the lunatic within singing gaily, as he used to do in the time which now seems so long ago. When we entered we saw with amazement that he had spread out his sugar as of old; the flies, lethargic with the autumn, were beginning to buzz into the room. We tried to make him talk of the subject of our previous conversation, but he would not attend. He went on with his singing, just as though we had not been present. He had got a scrap of paper and was folding it into a note-book. We had to come away as ignorant as we went in. His is a curious case indeed; we must watch him to-night. Letter, Mitchell, Sons and Candy to Lord Godalming. _“1 October._”My Lord,…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #4, from The Reign of Greed, by José Rizal

…take the property away from him. But the local judges and those at the capital, warned by the experience of one of their number who had been summarily dismissed, dared not give him the decision, fearing their own dismissal. Yet they were not really bad men, those judges, they were upright and conscientious, good citizens, excellent fathers, dutiful sons–and they were able to appreciate poor Tales’ situation better than Tales himself could. Many of them were versed in the scientific and historical basis of property, they knew that the friars by their own statutes could not own property, but they also knew that to come from far across the sea with an appointment secured with great difficulty, to undertake the duties of the position with the best intentions, and now to lose it because an Indian fancied that justice had to be done on earth as in heaven–that surely was an idea! They had their families and greater needs surely than that Indian: one had a mother to provide for, and what duty is more sacred than that of caring for a mother? Another had sisters, all of marriageable age; that other there had many little children who expected their daily bread and who, like fledglings in a nest, would surely die of hunger the day he was out of a job; even the very least of them had there, far away, a wife who would be in distress if the monthly remittance…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #5, from Romeo and Juliet, by William Shakespeare

…Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live. PRINCE. Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio. Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? MONTAGUE. Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio’s friend; His fault concludes but what the law should end, The life of Tybalt. PRINCE. And for that offence Immediately we do exile him hence. I have an interest in your hate’s proceeding, My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding. But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine. I will be deaf to pleading and excuses; Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses. Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste, Else, when he is found, that hour is his last. Bear hence this body, and attend our will. Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill….

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #6, from A Humorous History of England, by Charles Harrison

…Another National Debt we owe To Iron Jelloids which the foe Depression’s worries keep at bay And drive our nervous fears away. Bill of Rights The ‘Bill of Rights,’ a Charter grand, 1689 In sixteen-eight-nine frees this land From all encroachments of the Crown Hoi Polloi are no longer down. Queen Anne Good Queen Anne we know is dead; 1702-1714 She reigned twelve years but it is said ‘Mrs. Morley,’ Marlborough’s wife Ruled her more than half her life. Marlborough This was the Duke of Marlborough’s day, Who beat the French in every fray; Known for his famous victories At Blenheim and at Ramillies. In seventeen-seven by statute passed English and Scotch unite at last; ‘One coinage and one Parliament’ Both Nations ever since content. About this time, so runs the story,…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #7, from The Story of King Arthur and his Knights, by Howard Pyle

…saintliness had reached even unto the place where she dwelt. For that lady had a favorite page who was very sick of a fever, and she trusted that the holy man might give her some charm or amulet by the virtue of which he might haply be cured. Wherefore she had come to that place with her entire Court so that all that part of the forest was made gay with fine raiment and the silence thereof was made merry with the sound of talk and laughter and the singing of songs and the chattering of many voices and the neighing of horses. And the Lady Guinevere rode in the midst of her damsels and her Court, and her beauty outshone the beauty of her damsels as the splendor of the morning star outshines that of all the lesser stars that surround it. For then and afterward she was held by all the Courts of Chivalry to be the most beautiful lady in the world. Now when the Lady Guinevere had come to that place, she perceived the milk-white war-horse of King Arthur where it stood cropping the green grass of the open glade nigh to the hermitage. And likewise she perceived Merlin, where he stood beside the door of the cell. So of him she demanded whose was that noble war-horse that stood browsing upon the grass at that lonely place, and who was it that lay within that cell. And unto her Merlin made answer, “Lady, he who lieth within is a knight, very sorely wounded, so that he is sick nigh unto death!”…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #8, from R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), by Karel Čapek

…gave the Robots firearms against the rebels. And then when the governments turned the Robots into soldiers, and there were so many wars. DOMIN. (Getting up and walking about) We foresaw that, Helena. (Around table to R.C.) You see, these are only passing troubles which are bound to happen before the new conditions are established. (Walking up and down, standing at Center.) HELENA. You were all so powerful, so overwhelming. The whole world bowed down before you. (Rising) Oh, Harry! (Crosses to him.) DOMIN. What is it? HELENA. Close the factory and let’s go away. All of us. DOMIN. I say, what’s the meaning of this? HELENA. I don’t know. But can’t we go away? DOMIN. Impossible, Helena! That is, at this particular moment– HELENA. At once, Harry. I’m so frightened. DOMIN. (Takes her) About what, Helena? HELENA. It’s as if something was falling on top of us, and couldn’t be stopped. Oh, take us all away from here. We’ll find a place in the world where there’s no one else. Alquist will build us a house, and then we’ll begin life all over again. (The TELEPHONE rings.) DOMIN. (Crosses to telephone on desk up L.) Excuse me. Hello–yes,…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #9, from History for ready reference, Volume 1 (of 6), A

…COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION, The World’s. See CHICAGO: A. D. 1892-1893. also C. D. Arnold, Author H. D. Higinbotham, Official Views Of The World’s Columbian Exposition, http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/22847 COLUMBIAN ORDER, The. See TAMMANY SOCIETY. COLUMBUS, Voyages of. See AMERICA: A. D.1484-1492; 1492; 1493-1496; 1498-1505. COMANA. Comana, an ancient city of Cappadocia, on the river Sarus (Sihoon) was the seat of a priesthood, in the temple of Enyo, or Bellona, so venerated, so wealthy and so powerful that the chief priest of Comana counted among the great Asiatic dignitaries in the time of Cæsar. G. Long, Decline of the Roman Rep., ’volume 5, chapter 22. COMANCHES, The. See AMERICAN ABORIGINES: SNOSHONEAN FAMILY, and KIOWAN FAMILY, and APACHE GROUP. COMANS, The….

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #10, from The Heroes; Or, Greek Fairy Tales for My Children, by Charles Kingsley

…the crew—and pitched her with coal-black pitch, and painted her bows with vermilion; and they named her Argo after Argus, and worked at her all day long. And at night Pelias feasted them like a king, and they slept in his palace-porch. But Jason went away to the northward, and into the land of Thrace, till he found Orpheus, the prince of minstrels, where he dwelt in his cave under Rhodope, among the savage Cicon tribes. And he asked him, ‘Will you leave your mountains, Orpheus, my fellow-scholar in old times, and cross Strymon once more with me, to sail with the heroes of the Minuai, and bring home the golden fleece, and charm for us all men and all monsters with your magic harp and song?’ Then Orpheus sighed, ‘Have I not had enough of toil and of weary wandering, far and wide since I lived in Cheiron’s cave, above Iolcos by the sea? In vain is the skill and the voice which my goddess mother gave me; in vain have I sung and laboured; in vain I went down to the dead, and charmed all the kings of Hades, to win back Eurydice my bride. For I won her, my beloved, and lost her again the same day, and wandered away in my madness, even to Egypt and the Libyan sands, and the isles of all the seas, driven on by the terrible gadfly, while I charmed in vain the hearts of men, and the savage forest beasts, and the trees, and the lifeless stones, with my magic harp and song, giving rest, but finding…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #11, from The Submarine Hunters: A Story of the Naval Patrol Work in the Great War

…thing for which the crew were thankful was the fact that it was still September, and the gale was not one of those wintry varieties which are so trying to the hardy patrollers of the North Sea. Everything had to be battened down. ’Tween-decks the air was stifling, and reeked of fumes from the motors. It was impossible for a man to stand unsupported. Anything that had not been securely lashed would be sure to be flung across the deck by the erratic motion. No hot meals were obtainable. Officers and crew had to eat as best they might, without the use of articles of civilization such as plates and similar things. Ross and Vernon saw very little of each other during the gale, except for a brief interval during the changes of the watch on deck. Each enjoyed his “trick” on deck, as he crouched behind the bulging storm-dodgers and faced the howling wind and the stinging spray. It was greatly to be preferred to being below, cooped up in an atmosphere which resembled that of an underground scullery on washing-day, with the odours of petrol and lubricating oil thrown in as extras. “One thing we’ve to be thankful for,” remarked Barry, “and that is that it’s a sou’wester. It minimizes the chance of being blown up by a derelict mine.” “How is that?” asked Ross….

More: Read or Listen on IA →

Excerpt #12, from The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas

…with a ring, and gave the billet to Kitty. “And now, my dear girl,” said D’Artagnan, “you know that it is not good for any of us to be here. Therefore let us separate. We shall meet again in better days.” “And whenever we find each other, in whatever place it may be,” said Kitty, “you will find me loving you as I love you today.” “Dicers’ oaths!” said Athos, while D’Artagnan went to conduct Kitty downstairs. An instant afterward the three young men separated, agreeing to meet again at four o’clock with Athos, and leaving Planchet to guard the house. Aramis returned home, and Athos and D’Artagnan busied themselves about pledging the sapphire. As the Gascon had foreseen, they easily obtained three hundred pistoles on the ring. Still further, the Jew told them that if they would sell it to him, as it would make a magnificent pendant for earrings, he would give five hundred pistoles for it. Athos and D’Artagnan, with the activity of two soldiers and the knowledge of two connoisseurs, hardly required three hours to purchase the entire equipment of the Musketeer. Besides, Athos was very easy, and a noble to his fingers’ ends. When a thing suited him he paid the…

More: Read or Listen on IA →

A production of Friendlyskies.net