a match might afford her a world of comfort, if she only dared take a single one out of the bundle, draw it
against the wall, and warm her fingers by it.
The Persian and Raoul could retreat no farther and flattened themselves
against the wall, not knowing what was going to happen because of that incomprehensible head of fire, and especially now, because of the more intense, swarming, living, "numerous" sound, for the sound was certainly made up of hundreds of little sounds that moved in the darkness, under the fiery face.
He closed the door behind him, and stepping on one side, put his back
against the wall.
At last, being very angry, he took his image down from its pedestal and dashed it
against the wall. When its head was knocked off, out came a stream of gold, which the Carpenter quickly picked up and said, "Well, I think thou art altogether contradictory and unreasonable; for when I paid you honor, I reaped no benefits: but now that I maltreat you I am loaded with an abundance of riches."
Another person, who had not joined the group, or interchanged a word with any one of them, but who had been leaning
against the wall where its shadow was darkest, had silently strolled out after the rest, and had looked on until the coach drove away.
Something was moving to and fro there, very quietly; every now and then it tapped
against the wall, or started on its movements with a faint metallic ringing, like the movements of keys on a split-ring.
If it is a workman, I need but knock
against the wall, and he will cease to work, in order to find out who is knocking, and why he does so; but as his occupation is sanctioned by the governor, he will soon resume it.
We could make out a bed, and a table, and two old chairs, and lots of things around about on the floor, and there was clothes hanging
against the wall. There was something laying on the floor in the far corner that looked like a man.
On the right,
against the wall, was the free lunch counter.
All at once, he crushed his torch under his foot, and, without uttering a word, without giving vent to a sigh, he flung himself at full speed, head foremost
against the wall, and fell fainting on the floor.
A scent of pine-wood from a tentlike pile of planks outside the open door mingled itself with the scent of the elder-bushes which were spreading their summer snow close to the open window opposite; the slanting sunbeams shone through the transparent shavings that flew before the steady plane, and lit up the fine grain of the oak panelling which stood propped
against the wall. On a heap of those soft shavings a rough, grey shepherd dog had made himself a pleasant bed, and was lying with his nose between his fore-paws, occasionally wrinkling his brows to cast a glance at the tallest of the five workmen, who was carving a shield in the centre of a wooden mantelpiece.
They had set me with my back
against the wall, and I stood there, looking Silver in the face, pluckily enough, I hope, to all outward appearance, but with black despair in my heart.