The Great English Short-story Writers, Volume 1Harper and brothers, 1910 |
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Common terms and phrases
Æsop Ailie Apuleius asked Bargrave beautiful Birkendelly Birky Brow Boots called Casterbridge chimney-corner cinder-gray cried Daniel Defoe dark dead dear debbils Decameron devil Doctor Heidegger door Drack Duchess Dupin Edgar Allan Poe engaged eyes face felt gentleman Gesta Romanorum girl going gone hand head heard heart honor James James Hogg Julia knew lady Laird laughed Lawrence's Eve letter looked lordy M'Murdie Master Harry matter Medbourne mind Montigny morning Mother Shipton Murray Brush Nathaniel Hawthorne never night Oakhurst Piney Pitman poet Poker Flat poor Prefect prose purloined letter round says Cobbs seben seemed seen shepherd short-story side snow stood story strange stranger sure Tabary talk tell thing thought told Tom Walker took turned Uncle Billy Veal Villon walked Walker Walmers wife woman words young youth
Popular passages
Page 12 - For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
Page 9 - A compilation from earlier historical works made, in the form in which we have it, at the end of the thirteenth or the beginning of the fourteenth century and known by the name of WALTER OF COVENTRY (W.
Page 118 - ... square inches — what is it all but an exaggeration of the application of the one principle or set of principles of search, which are based upon the one set of notions regarding human ingenuity, to which the Prefect in the long routine of his duty has been accustomed ? Do you not see he has taken it for granted that all men proceed to conceal a letter — not exactly in a gimlet-hole bored in a chair-leg...
Page 115 - When he had gone, my friend entered into some explanations. "The Parisian police," he said, "are exceedingly able in their way. They are persevering, ingenious, cunning, and thoroughly versed in the knowledge which their duties seem chiefly to demand. Thus, when G — detailed to us his mode of searching the premises at the Hotel D — , I felt entire confidence in his having made a satisfactory investigation, so far as his labours extended." '"So far as his labours extended'? " said I. "Yes,
Page 143 - ... the stairs, and met me. It was less than three hours since he left, and he must have posted out — who knows how? — to Howgate, full nine miles off, yoked Jess, and driven her astonished into town. He had an armful of blankets, and was streaming with perspiration. He nodded to me, spread out on the floor two pairs of clean old blankets having at their corners, " AG, 1794," in large letters in red worsted.
Page 137 - The operating theatre is crowded; much talk and fun, and all the cordiality and stir of youth. The surgeon with his staff of assistants is there. In comes Ailie: one look at her quiets and abates the eager students. That beautiful old woman is too much for them; they sit down, and are dumb, and gaze at her. These rough boys feel the power of her presence. She walks in quickly, but without haste; dressed in her mutch, her neckerchief, her white dimity short-gown, her black bombazine petticoat, showing...
Page 15 - If his very initial sentence tend not to the outbringing of this effect, then he has failed in his first step. In the whole composition there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not to the one pre-established design.
Page 118 - ... presumable and presumed; and thus its discovery depends, not at all upon the acumen, but altogether upon the mere care, patience, and determination of the seekers; and where the case is of importance - or, what amounts to the same thing in the policial eyes, when the reward is of magnitude, - the qualities in question have never been known to fail.
Page 134 - ... and rising. Had Solomon, in all his glory, been handing down the Queen of Sheba at his palace g;ate he could not have done it more daintily, more tenderly, more like a gentleman, than did James the Howgate carrier, when he lifted down Ailie his wife. The contrast of his small, swarthy, weatherbeaten, keen, worldly face to hers — pale, subdued, and beautiful — was something wonderful. Rab looked on concerned and puzzled, but ready for anything that might turn up — were it to strangle the...
Page 97 - She thrust her face close to the glass, to see whether some long-remembered wrinkle or crow's foot had indeed vanished. She examined whether the snow had so entirely melted from her hair, that the venerable cap could be safely thrown aside. At last, turning briskly away, she came with a sort of dancing step to the table.