"Idle talk" Quotes from Famous Books
 ... a favourite amongst the children in that part, for he bought them toys and sweetmeats when he went to Greenock; but he preferred the society of his books to that of his neighbours, and he was impatient of idle talk. Indeed, what was the use of their conversing with a man who was far more interested in the first blossoming of the furze in spring than in a Cabinet crisis, and who would go away and search for birds' nests in the woods, for the mere pleasure of looking at them, when the whole ...
— The Beautiful Wretch; The Pupil of Aurelius; and The Four Macnicols • William Black
... of the army. They showed by their deeds the truth and honesty of their convictions. They had trusted the North until trusting had ceased to be a virtue. They wished peace, but feared not war. All this idle talk, so common since the war, of a "rich man's war and a poor man's fight" is the ...
— History of Kershaw's Brigade • D. Augustus Dickert
... a moment in unbelieving amazement, and then blushed to the eyes. "I beg your pardon," he stammered, "I never thought—I didn't dream—" He broke down completely, unable to grasp the statement that shed such a different light upon their idle talk. Boulton was not subject to fluctuation of emotion, and there was no visible manifestation of a change in his feelings. The match he struck while Edward was speaking went out. He reached for ...
— An Algonquin Maiden - A Romance of the Early Days of Upper Canada • G. Mercer Adam
... brings, But idle talk is needless, and most, to kings; Of hops, as well as honey, is mead compounded, Let sports on vigor, ...
— Fridthjof's Saga • Esaias Tegner
... "Tut, child, this is idle talk. By now the matter is all arranged for you, and very thankful ought you to be. If Master Manners is ...
— Heiress of Haddon • William E. Doubleday
... going backwards instead of forwards; ay, continually backwards the whole funeral would seem to go; and they would never set foot with the corpse in the church-yard. Now they say that it is the fairies do all this; but it is my opinion it is all idle talk, and people ...
— Tales and Novels, Vol. IV • Maria Edgeworth
... 'This is idle talk,' answered the cook. 'Thou canst not deliver thyself with this, O youth, for that in thy deliverance is my destruction.' Quoth Selim, 'I swear to thee and give thee the covenant of God (to whom belong might and majesty) and His bond, that ...
— Tales from the Arabic Volumes 1-3 • John Payne
... at home," she said, "and in their mother's nest, I fear for them—'tis when they are gone into the world, whither I shall not be able to follow them. Beatrix will begin her service next year. You may have heard a rumour about—about my Lord Blandford. They were both children; and it is but idle talk. I know my kinswoman would never let him make such a poor marriage as our Beatrix would be. There's scarce a princess in Europe that she thinks is good enough for him or for ...
— Henry Esmond; The English Humourists; The Four Georges • William Makepeace Thackeray
... some circles of demanding the resignation of the cabinet, but even the pessimistic Gourou admitted that it was idle talk and would come to nothing if the menacing shadow of Maud Applegate Blithers could be banished from the vicinity of the throne. Graustarkians would abide by the compact made by their leading men and would be content to regard Mr. Blithers as a bona fide creditor. ...
— The Prince of Graustark • George Barr McCutcheon
... and Fremont gripped the extended hand with glad cordiality. "It's like old times to see your face again. But this is no time for idle talk," and his fine face hardened. "So that is one of the witnesses against Thure and Bud," and his piercing eyes looked searchingly into the face of Skoonly. "What did he swear to?" and Fremont turned quickly to ...
— The Cave of Gold - A Tale of California in '49 • Everett McNeil
... for the very good reason that the man whom it concerned remained undiscovered. The end of July approached. The newspapers continued the excitement. They published repeated rumors. New clues were constantly being announced. But all this was mere idle talk. Telegrams reached the police bureau from every part of America, each contradicting and nullifying the others. The enormous rewards offered could not help but lead to accusations, errors, and blunders, made, many of them, in good faith. One time it would be a cloud ...
— The Master of the World • Jules Verne
... respect from Calendau. This realism descends to the merest details, and the poetic quality of the work suffers considerably in many passages. The poet does not shrink from minute enumeration of cargoes, or technical description of boats, or word-for-word reproduction of the idle talk of boatwomen, or the apparently inexhaustible profanity of the boatmen. The life on the river is vividly portrayed, and we put down the book with a sense of really having made the journey from Lyons to Beaucaire with the fleet of seven boats ...
— Frederic Mistral - Poet and Leader in Provence • Charles Alfred Downer
... the giant, "it is but idle talk to tell me of Zeus and the other gods. We Cyclopes take no account of gods, holding ourselves to be much better and stronger than they. But come, tell me where have you left ...
— Famous Tales of Fact and Fancy - Myths and Legends of the Nations of the World Retold for Boys and Girls • Various
... "Enough—cease your idle talk," cried Benedetto, stamping his foot nervously. "Tell me, where do the so-called patriots hold their meetings? Do not hesitate. Aslitta is a prisoner like yourself, and I desire ...
— The Son of Monte-Cristo, Volume I (of 2) • Alexandre Dumas pere
... no idle talk. She was fascinated and frightened. It seemed as if her father had his fingers on the rope that was strangling the ...
— Joyce of the North Woods • Harriet T. Comstock
... Rylance. 'I suppose, Bessie, you know that Miss Pew has especially forbidden us all to indulge in idle talk ...
— The Golden Calf • M. E. Braddon
... ours; and this wild nook, My EMMA, I will dedicate to thee." —Soon did the spot become my other home, 40 My dwelling, and my out-of-doors abode. And, of the Shepherds who have seen me there, To whom I sometimes in our idle talk Have told this fancy, two or three, perhaps, Years after we are gone and in our graves, 45 When they have cause to speak of this wild place, May call it by the name ...
— The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Vol. II. • William Wordsworth
... no time for much idle talk. Von Bloom and his party were in a very unpleasant situation. His flocks were all gone. The cow and horses alone remained; and for these not a blade of grass had been left by the antelopes. Upon what were they to ...
— Popular Adventure Tales • Mayne Reid
... unlettered spark, With curious touch examines me If I can feel as well as he; And when I bend, retire, and shrink, Says, 'Well—'tis more than one would think.' Thus life is spent! oh fie upon't, In being touched, and crying—'Don't'!" A poet, in his evening walk, Overheard and checked this idle talk. "And your fine sense," he said, "and yours, Whatever evil it endures, Deserves not, if so soon offended, Much to be pitied or commended. Disputes, though short, are far too long, Where both alike are in the wrong; Your feelings in their full amount Are all upon your own account." ...
— The Talking Beasts • Various
... comes out from the house, and seeing us standing there by the chopping-block wasting time in idle talk, she tells Grindhusen he'd better start ...
— Wanderers • Knut Hamsun |
