"Nothing commonplace could happen between two fighting-cocks of that calibre," added La Palferine.英文原著 · 《A Man of Business》
Ye have it from yer am man."
"Nonsense," said the Master encouragingly. " 'Tis but yon girt oof."
Sam'l tossed his head and snorted. "Coom, then, and i'll show yo'," he said, and led the way out of the yard. And there below them on the slope to the stream, sitting like Justice at the Courts of Law, was Owd Bob. Straightway Sam'l whose humor was something of the calibre of old Ross's, the sexton, burst into horse-merriment. "Why's he sit-tin' so still, think 'ee? See un lickin' his chops--ha! "--and he roared afresh.英文原著 · 《Bob Son of Battle》
It fell flat. There was an awkward pause. The two rows of men sat like statues. There was no movement, no sound. He had to go on; there was no other way, at least none that an animal of his calibre could think of. At the close of each day's diary, the same dismal silence followed. When at last he finished his tale and sprung the indelicate surprise which is wont to fetch a crash of laughter, not a ripple of sound resulted. It was as if the tale had been told to dead men.英文原著 · 《Following the Equator》
"I came to bring Mrs. Frere a book."
"Ah! She reads too many books; she's always reading books. It is not a good thing to be always poring over print, is it, North? You have some influence with her; tell her so. Come, I am hungry."
He spoke with that affectation of jollity with which husbands of his calibre veil their bad temper. Sylvia had her defensive armour on in a twinkling. "Of course, you two men will be against me.英文原著 · 《For the Term of His Natural Life》
I hope my success has proved that not color of face, but color of character alone can decide such a question. It is character and nothing else that will merit a harsh treatment from gentlemen, and of course it must be a bad character. If a man is a man, un homme comme il faut, he need fear no ill-treatment from others of like calibre. Gentlemen avoid persons not gentlemen. Resentment is not a characteristic of gentlemen. A gentlemanly nature must shrink from it. There may be in it a certain amount of what is vulgarly termed pluck, and perhaps courage. But what of that?英文原著 · 《Henry Ossian Flipper》
Miss Challoner had roused - well, his pride. He could see that now. The might of this new emotion made plain many things he had passed by as useless, puerile, unworthy of a man of mental calibre and might. He had never loved Edith Challoner at any moment of their acquaintanceship, though he had been sincere in thinking that he did. Doris' beauty, the hour he had just passed with her, had undeceived him. Did he hail the experience? It was not likely to bring him joy. This young girl whose image floated in light before his eyes, would never love him.英文原著 · 《Initials Only》