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EXAMPLES FROM FICTION

Bernard Shaw (ShWH)
1
Widowers’ Houses. Mrs Warren’s Profession (99). – Moscow: Foreign Languages
Publishing House, 1950.

1. Sartorius: In fact I thank you for refraining from explaining the nature of your screeples
to Blanche (ShWH, 73)
2. Blanche (in dismay): Then he (Trench) will be here in a few minutes. What shall I do?
Sartorius: I advise you to receive him as if nothing had happened, and then go out
and leave us to our business (ShWH, 87).
3. Trench: Well, people who live in glass houses have no right to throw stones. But on
my honour, I never knew that my house was a glass one until you pointed it out. I beg
your pardon (ShWH,72).
4. Trench (pleadingly): My dear: it’s no laughing matter. Do you know that I have a bare
seven hundred a year to live on?
Blanche: How dreadful!
Trench. It’s very serious indeed: I assure you (ShWH, 64).
5. Blance: I’ve broken my promise for your sake. I suppose I am not so conscientious as
you. And if the matter is not to be regarded as settled, family or no faminy, promise or
no promise, let us break it off here and now.
Trench (intoxicated with affection): Blanch, on my most sacred honour, family or no
family, promise or no promise (ShWH, 51).
6. Trench (protesting): Oh, I say. Come. It was you who spoke to me. Of course I was
only too glas of the chance; but on my word I shouldn’t have moved an eyelid if you
hadn’t given me a lead (ShWH, 39).
7. Sartorius: A strange name to give a church. Very continental, I must say (ShWH, 37).
8. Cokane: My dear sir, excuse my addressing you: but I can not help feeling that you
prefer this table and that we are in the wrong way.
Sartorius: Thank you. Blanch: this gentleman very kindly offers us his table, if you
would prefer it.
Blanch: Oh, thanks: it makes no difference (ShWH, 35).
9. Cokane: Don’t mention it, my dear sir: don’t mention it. Retain the place, I beg (ShWH,
34).
10. Lickcheese: I have my children looking to me.
Cokane: True: I admit it (ShWH, 61).
11. Sartorius: You are trifling with me, sir. You say you did not know your own mind
before.
Trench: I say nothing of the kind. I say that I did not know where your money came
from before (ShWH, 69).
12. Sartorius: And now, Dr Trench, may I ask you what your income is derived from?
(ShWH, 71).
13. Cokane: I insist on the withdrawal of that expression. I have been called a fool
(ShWH, 89).

1
B. Shaw. Widowers’ Houses. Mrs Warren’s Profession (99). – Moscow: Foreign Languages Publishing House,
1950.