Vanity takes no more obnoxious form than the everlasting desire for approval.

Listen,” said T. X., grasping an ivory paperknife savagely in his hand and tapping his blotting-pad to emphasize his words, “you’re a pie!

Moreover, Ray prided himself upon that confusion of standards which is called “broad-mindedness.

I sent for you, Mansus, because I suffer from the illusion that you have more brains than most of the people in my department, and that’s not saying much.

His language was, as I say, under great provocation, violent and unusual. He had a trick of using words which never were on land or sea, and illustrating his instruction or his admonition with the quaintest phraseology.

He is very rich, has no relations, and has a passion for power.” “Then he’ll be hung,” said the Chief, rising. “I doubt it,” said the other, “people with lots of money seldom get hung. You only get hung for wanting money.

I should prefer being thrown to the demnition ducks and drakes,” he said moodily.

London waited, waited in patience, orderly, content to stare steadfastly at nothing, deriving no satisfaction for their weakness but the sense of being as near as it was humanly possible to be to the scene of a tragedy.

You see you left a little thumb print, and we are rather whales on thumb prints at Scotland Yard, Fisher.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake.