societal expectations

“Watch over Sibyl, Mother,” he cried, “watch over her.” “My son, you distress me very much. Of course, if this gentleman is wealthy, there is no reason why she should not contract an alliance with him. His good looks are really quite remarkable; everybody noti...

Beaufort had taken effectual measures to conceal himself, and it was ten months before my father discovered his abode. Overjoyed at this discovery, he hastened to the house, which was situated in a mean street near the Reuss.

The fair girl shook her head coquettishly, and the other two urged her on. You are first, and we shall follow; yours is the right to begin.” The other added:-- “He is young and strong; there are kisses for us all.” I lay quiet, looking out under my eyelashes i...

“Well, that’s enough,” said the Honourable William Batulcar. He was engaged to act in the celebrated Japanese troupe. It was not a very dignified position, but within a week he would be on his way to San Francisco. The performance, so noisily announced by the ...

Rucastle came down just after breakfast and whispered something to her husband. “‘Oh, yes,’ said he, turning to me, ‘we are very much obliged to you, Miss Hunter, for falling in with our whims so far as to cut your hair. I assure you that it has not detracted ...

You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends, and make him the contempt of the world.” “Neither duty, nor honour, nor gratitude,” replied Elizabeth, “has any possible claim on me, in the present instance. No principle of either would be vio...

John Seward, the lunatic-asylum man, with the strong jaw and the good forehead. He was very cool outwardly, but was nervous all the same.

Being proposed to is all very nice and all that sort of thing, but it isn’t at all a happy thing when you have to see a poor fellow, whom you know loves you honestly, going away and looking all broken-hearted, and to know that, no matter what he may say at the...

Fogg observed that his watch was two hours too fast. Admitting that he was at this moment taking an express train, he could reach London and the Reform Club by a quarter before nine, p.m. At thirty-three minutes past two he heard a singular noise outside, then...

You will tell him, because I would, if I were in your place, certainly tell Arthur. A woman ought to tell her husband everything--don’t you think so, dear?--and I must be fair. Men like women, certainly their wives, to be quite as fair as they are; and women, ...

All these—the sort of people that lived in these houses, and all those damn little clerks that used to live down _that_ way—they’d be no good. They haven’t any spirit in them—no proud dreams and no proud lusts; and a man who hasn’t one or the other—Lord! They ...

Or should you rather that I sent James off to bed?” “Oh, no, no! I am so frightened about him!” It was not the first time that she had spoken to us of her husband’s trouble, to me as a doctor, to my wife as an old friend and school companion. We soothed and co...

Collins’s offer was now nearly at an end, and Elizabeth had only to suffer from the uncomfortable feelings necessarily attending it, and occasionally from some peevish allusion of her mother. As for the gentleman himself, _his_ feelings were chiefly expressed,...

Men and women are so different in manifestations of nervous strength or weakness! Then when his face grew grave and stern again I asked him why his mirth, and why at such a time. His reply was in a way characteristic of him, for it was logical and forceful and...

This conversation they are apt to run into with the same temper that boys discover in delighting to hear terrible stories of spirits and hobgoblins, which they greedily listen to, and dare not go to bed for fear. The women of the island have abundance of vivac...