unearths some literary gems.
From Simon Said, by Sarah R. Shaber:
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Alex Andrus was pacing in front of the windows, carefully balancing a well-worn chip on his shoulder.
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From Charlotte Stein:
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She wasn’t even sure how serious he was. Twenty percent seemed like a lot, but one eyebrow was lower than the other and his eyes seemed kind of big. Thirty percent concerned didn’t look out of the question.
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From Michael Innes's Hamlet, Revenge!
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[Professor Bunney is doing field work for his linguistics studies, using a "black box" that records people saying test phrases like "bunchy cushiony" and analyzes the accents.]
"It was Bunney, was it? Has he black-boxed you?"
"Yes. Bunchy cushiony Bunney. How did he get here?"
"Mother picked him up at a party. He black-boxed her and she was thrilled."
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"How morbidly Edwardian-Clever Mother is! Don't you think?"
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The Duchess gave a commanding nod at the ugly publisher, who instantly entered on a subject about which he knew nothing at all.... "And what," asked Tucker gravely, "do you think of this younger German school?" The question was ninety-nine per cent safe.
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"Often," replied Gott, unwarily stepping into the position of a fellow-author, "I get a new start from brandy and muffins."
"Really...and muffins? I never heard of that." Piper eyed Gott as one might eye a suddenly perceived object of minor but authentic interest in the Victoria and Albert Museum.
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But at Question Fifteen, although Noel considered it particularly adroitly introduced, Mrs. Terborg halted.
"Mind your own business," said Mrs. Terborg.
Noel was overwhelmed. "Oh, I say, I'm most frightfully--"
But Mrs. Terborg had stooped down to the border. "This one with the tiny flat leaves," she said. "Such a quaint name: mind your own business!"