"By and by the invitations to the musicale come sliding in by pairs and threes and spade flushes. Their color was of a diversity, running from a three-day's smoked meerschaum to a patent-leather polish. They were as polite as wax, being devastated with enjoyments to give Senor Mellinger the good evenings. I understood their Spanish talk --I ran a pumping engine two years in a Mexican silver mine, and had it pat--but I never let on.英文原著 · 《Cabbages and Kings》
It seemed likely that the whole of Vatnsdal would be devastated unless help could be found.英文原著 · 《Grettir the Strong》
For my part, had I a river, I would gladly let all honest anglers that use the fly cast line in it, but, where there is no protection, then nets, poison, dynamite, slaughter of fingerlings, and unholy baits devastate the fish, so that 'Free Fishing' spells no fishing at all. This presses most hardly on the artisan who fishes fair, a member of a large class with whose pastime only a churl would wish to interfere. We are now compelled, if we would catch fish, to seek Tarpon in Florida, Mahseer in India: it does not suffice to 'stretch our legs up Tottenham Hill.'英文原著 · 《Introduction to The Compleat Angler》
His fires will consume us." To which a ready debater on the other side replied, by "begging leave to ask the honourable gentleman,--with whom were the gods angry when these rocks were melted?"--pointing to the devastated plain around him. Taking advantage of so good a hit, the Treasury "whips" immediately called for a division; and the Christian religion was adopted by a large majority.英文原著 · 《Letters From High Latitudes》
A project for world disarmament promulgated by the Czar of Russia would naturally interest Mark Twain, and when William T. Stead, of the Review of Reviews, cabled him for an opinion on the matter, he sent at first a brief word and on the same day followed it with more extended comment. The great war which has since devastated the world gives to this incident an added interest. To Wm. Stead, in London:
No. VIENNA, Jan. DEAR MR. STEAD,-The Czar is ready to disarm: I am ready to disarm.英文原著 · 《Letters Vol. 4》