Quick Excerpts, from a Library of 492 Titles

Generated 2022-07-28 13:26:13

Excerpt #1, from Nonsense Novels, by Stephen Leacock

…Sally_, lying in dock at Gravesend, to fill the berth of second mate. Let me first say a word about myself. I was a tall, handsome young fellow, squarely and powerfully built, bronzed by the sun and the moon (and even copper-coloured in spots from the effect of the stars), and with a face in which honesty, intelligence, and exceptional brain power were combined with Christianity, simplicity, and modesty. As I stepped on the deck I could not help a slight feeling of triumph, as I caught sight of my sailor-like features reflected in a tar-barrel that stood beside the mast, while a little later I could scarcely repress a sense of gratification as I noticed them reflected again in a bucket of bilge water. “Welcome on board, Mr. Blowhard,” called out Captain Bilge, stepping out of the binnacle and shaking hands across the taffrail. Illustration: “Welcome on board, Mr. Blowhard” I saw before me a fine sailor-like man of from thirty to sixty, clean-shaven, except for an enormous pair of whiskers, a heavy beard, and a thick moustache, powerful in build, and carrying his beam well aft, in a pair of broad duck trousers across the back of which there would have been room to write a history of the British Navy. Beside him were the first and third mates, both of them being quiet men…

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Excerpt #2, from You no longer count, by René Boylesve

…who knew my husband?" What was it that kept her from uttering it? She could not have told how it was, but she had not so much as pronounced her husband’s name. A weight had seemed to be crushing her during the whole time. She had felt overwhelmed by the new horror. The worst was that when at last she reached home she felt ashamed to weep for her own sorrow. The fact also that all that human flesh had been ravaged for the same cause; that of those unhappy ones who were groaning, not one thought of blaming the cause; and that other fact that one part of humanity, upright and able, was bending with help over the other, gasping part, forced her to gather up her disordered thoughts and in the midst of her confusion to exclaim: “Something is changed!” That evening, at six o’clock, instead of wandering about the streets in heavy sadness, she went, as Mme. de Calouas had begged her to do, to evening prayer at the Chapel of the Orphanage, in which the Red Cross was now installed. It was a convent chapel, reserved for nuns, the public being admitted only behind a sort of screen of carved wood, through which could be seen the orderly rows of Sisters and orphans, the altar and the lights. She found herself in the midst of valid soldiers; that is to say, such as by one means or another could move from place to…

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Excerpt #3, from The Terror: A Mystery, by Arthur Machen

…war. And that being so, it followed that the outrages which must be kept so secret were the work of the enemy, that is of concealed German agents. CHAPTER IV The Spread of the Terror It is time, I think, for me to make one point clear. I began this history with certain references to an extraordinary accident to an airman whose machine fell to the ground after collision with a huge flock of pigeons; and then to an explosion in a northern munition factory, an explosion, as I noted, of a very singular kind. Then I deserted the neighborhood of London, and the northern district, and dwelt on a mysterious and terrible series of events which occurred in the summer of 1915 in a Welsh county, which I have named, for convenience, Meirion. Well, let it be understood at once that all this detail that I have given about the occurrences in Meirion does not imply that the county in the far west was alone or especially afflicted by the terror that was over the land. They tell me that in the villages about Dartmoor the stout Devonshire hearts sank as men’s hearts used to sink in the time of plague and pestilence. There was horror, too, about the Norfolk Broads, and far up by Perth no one would venture on the path that leads by Scone…

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Excerpt #4, from The Fifth Ace, by Isabel Ostrander

…Parkway, or saw you there. Angie made a mistake. Someone did say something about it once, but I didn’t repeat it." He gave her a curious sidewise glance, but her face was inscrutable. “I believe you, of course, but it doesn’t matter anyway, Vernon. I’m sorry everyone was so worried about my absence last evening, but it was unavoidable. Don’t let’s discuss it any more.” “All right,” he sighed. “I only wish, though, that I’d learned to stand up to the family the way you can. You’re so different to the girls up here, but I suppose that is the result of the wonderful, free kind of a life you led in Mexico. You must have had some great experiences down there.” It was Willa’s turn to glance curiously at him, for Vernon’s tone was oddly constrained and hesitant as if he were endeavoring, awkwardly enough, to lead up to some point in his own mind. “Yes,” she assented quietly, and waited. “Starr Wiley was disappointed last night at not seeing you,” he pursued. “I never knew you had met him down there.” “You never asked.” Her tone was serenely noncommittal. “He was telling us of some of the queer characters he has run across in that part of the country.” Vernon paused, and then plunged in desperately. "He said you knew one old woman who was a wonder; a…

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Excerpt #5, from The History of the Peloponnesian War, by Thucydides

…ditch rise, so that they could scarcely breast it as they crossed. However, it was mainly the violence of the storm that enabled them to effect their escape at all. Starting from the ditch, the Plataeans went all together along the road leading to Thebes, keeping the chapel of the hero Androcrates upon their right; considering that the last road which the Peloponnesians would suspect them of having taken would be that towards their enemies’ country. Indeed they could see them pursuing with torches upon the Athens road towards Cithaeron and Druoskephalai or Oakheads. After going for rather more than half a mile upon the road to Thebes, the Plataeans turned off and took that leading to the mountain, to Erythrae and Hysiae, and reaching the hills, made good their escape to Athens, two hundred and twelve men in all; some of their number having turned back into the town before getting over the wall, and one archer having been taken prisoner at the outer ditch. Meanwhile the Peloponnesians gave up the pursuit and returned to their posts; and the Plataeans in the town, knowing nothing of what had passed, and informed by those who had turned back that not a man had escaped, sent out a herald as soon as it was day to make a truce for the recovery of the dead bodies, and then, learning the truth, desisted. In this way the Plataean party got over and were saved….

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Excerpt #6, from Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramahansa Yogananda

…or make a person’s skin exude delightful fragrance." I looked directly at the saint; his quick gaze rested on mine. He was plump and bearded, with dark skin and large, gleaming eyes. “Son, I am glad to see you. Say what you want. Would you like some perfume?” “What for?” I thought his remark rather childish. “To experience the miraculous way of enjoying perfumes.” “Harnessing God to make odors?” “What of it? God makes perfume anyway.” “Yes, but He fashions frail bottles of petals for fresh use and discard. Can you materialize flowers?” “I materialize perfumes, little friend.” “Then scent factories will go out of business.” “I will permit them to keep their trade! My own purpose is to demonstrate the power of God.” “Sir, is it necessary to prove God? Isn’t He performing miracles in everything, everywhere?” “Yes, but we too should manifest some of His infinite creative variety.” “How long did it take to master your art?” “Twelve years.”…

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Excerpt #7, from Beowulf: An Anglo

…BARROW.–Mound, rounded hill, funeral-mound. BATTLE-SARK.–Armor. BEAKER.–Cup, drinking-vessel. BEGEAR.–Prepare. BIGHT.–Bay, sea. BILL.–Sword. BOSS.–Ornamental projection. BRACTEATE.–A round ornament on a necklace. BRAND.–Sword. BURN.–Stream. BURNIE.–Armor. CARLE.–Man, hero. EARL.–Nobleman, any brave man. EKE.–Also. EMPRISE.–Enterprise, undertaking. ERST.–Formerly. ERST-WORTHY.–Worthy for a long time past. FAIN.–Glad. FERRY.–Bear, carry. FEY.–Fated, doomed. FLOAT.–Vessel, ship….

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Excerpt #8, from Principles of Geology, by Sir Charles Lyell

…to all appearance motionless. In the regions of convulsion rocks have been rent asunder, the surface has been forced up into ridges, chasms have opened, or the ground throughout large spaces has been permanently lifted up above or let down below its former level. In the regions of tranquillity some areas have remained at rest, but others have been ascertained by a comparison of measurements, made at different periods, to have risen by an insensible motion, as in Sweden, or to have subsided very slowly, as in Greenland. That these same movements, whether ascending or descending, have continued for ages in the same direction has been established by geological evidence. Thus, we find both on the east and west coast of Sweden, that ground which formerly constituted the bottom of the Baltic and of the ocean has been lifted up to an elevation of several hundred feet above high-water mark. The rise within the historical period has not amounted to many yards, but the greater extent of antecedent upheaval is proved by the occurrence in inland spots, several hundred feet high, of deposits filled with fossil shells of species now living either in the ocean or the Baltic. To detect proofs of slow and gradual subsidence must in general be more difficult; but the theory which accounts for the form of circular coral reefs and lagoon islands, and which will be explained in the last chapter of the third book, will satisfy the reader that there are spaces…

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Excerpt #9, from Trouble on Titan, by Henry Kuttner

…flight and then to panic. In a minute or less the room was empty except for the three humans. Sherman got up, rocking unsteadily. “Lucky I didn’t use the gun much,” he said. “They’re plenty afraid of it. But we’re out of ammunition now.” “A fine thing to wake up to,” Quade said, sitting down and turning a pale green. “What’s been going on? Kathleen—” She told him. CHAPTER VI Poisoned Javelins It was indeed alarming news. “Unarmed, eh?” Quade said when she had finished. Sherman had gone out of the room, but now he came back in time to hear the words. He was carrying a bundle of sharpened metal rods. “Only these,” he said. “I ground ’em a long time ago.” “Javelins? Mm-m.” Quade dug into a pocket of his spacesuit. “Neo-curare,” he said, bringing out the bottle. “Lucky I brought it along. If we smear some of this stuff on the points, it ought to account for a few Zonals. It’s a fast-acting poison. Anything going on outside?” There was nothing. They stood in the castle’s door-sphincter. As it automatically widened, the barren wilderness of the valley became…

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Excerpt #10, from Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy, by Anonymous

…expected to carry thence to the West Indies a load of slaves–if not, to abandon the ship entirely, taking with them the specie, and whatever light articles of value they conveniently could. They anticipated no difficulty in introducing themselves into some of the settlements on the coast as shipwrecked mariners; and, as vessels frequently left the settlements for the United States, they supposed they might procure a passage without exciting any suspicion. Kelly was a man of such imperturbable self-command, that he found no difficulty in repressing every symptom which could indicate his knowledge of the diabolical conspiracy. It was no part of his intention, however, to conceal any thing from Capt. Newton; to the captain, therefore, he made an unreserved disclosure of all that had come to his knowledge. At first they were at a loss what measures to take: one thing they thought of the greatest importance, which was to keep Miss Kelly in entire ignorance of what was transpiring on board. Some uncurbed outbreaking of alarm would be almost certain, such was the excitability of her temperament. This, in their present situation, might be attended with the most disastrous consequences. The captain determined to eye with particular vigilance the motions of Harmon, who, from the part he took in the conversation alluded to above, appeared to be the ring-leader. Here, in order that the reader…

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Excerpt #11, from Emma, by Jane Austen

…warmth. “No, no, you must not; you shall not, indeed.” It was done however. This gallant young man, who seemed to love without feeling, and to recommend himself without complaisance, directly handed over the word to Miss Fairfax, and with a particular degree of sedate civility entreated her to study it. Mr. Knightley’s excessive curiosity to know what this word might be, made him seize every possible moment for darting his eye towards it, and it was not long before he saw it to be Dixon. Jane Fairfax’s perception seemed to accompany his; her comprehension was certainly more equal to the covert meaning, the superior intelligence, of those five letters so arranged. She was evidently displeased; looked up, and seeing herself watched, blushed more deeply than he had ever perceived her, and saying only, “I did not know that proper names were allowed,” pushed away the letters with even an angry spirit, and looked resolved to be engaged by no other word that could be offered. Her face was averted from those who had made the attack, and turned towards her aunt. “Aye, very true, my dear,” cried the latter, though Jane had not spoken a word—“I was just going to say the same thing. It is time for us to be going indeed. The evening is closing in, and grandmama will be looking for us. My dear sir, you are too obliging. We really must wish you good night.”…

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Excerpt #12, from Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell

…month after month, and no doubt year after year, I must stand up in a stable night and day except when I am wanted, and then I must be just as steady and quiet as any old horse who has worked twenty years. Straps here and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and blinkers over my eyes. Now, I am not complaining, for I know it must be so. I only mean to say that for a young horse full of strength and spirits, who has been used to some large field or plain where he can fling up his head and toss up his tail and gallop away at full speed, then round and back again with a snort to his companions–I say it is hard never to have a bit more liberty to do as you like. Sometimes, when I have had less exercise than usual, I have felt so full of life and spring that when John has taken me out to exercise I really could not keep quiet; do what I would, it seemed as if I must jump, or dance, or prance, and many a good shake I know I must have given him, especially at the first; but he was always good and patient. “Steady, steady, my boy,” he would say; “wait a bit, and we will have a good swing, and soon get the tickle out of your feet.” Then as soon as we were out of the village, he would give me a few miles at a spanking trot, and then bring me back as fresh as before, only clear of the fidgets, as he called them. Spirited horses, when not enough exercised, are often called skittish, when it is only play; and some grooms will…

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