(Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice ) In vain did Elizabeth endeavour to check the rapidity of her mother'swords, or persuade her to describe her felicity in a less audiblewhisper; for, to her inexpressible vexation, she could perceive that thechief of it was overheard by Mr. Darcy, who sat opposite to them.
Elizabeth had frequentlyunited with Jane in an endeavour to check the imprudence of Catherineand Lydia; but while they were supported by their mother's indulgence,what chance could there be of improvement? Catherine, weak-spirited,irritable, and completely under Lydia's guidance, had been alwaysaffronted by their advice; and Lydia, self-willed and careless, wouldscarcely give them a hearing.
Having never even fancied herselfin love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment,and, from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than most firstattachments often boast; and so fervently did she value his remembrance,and prefer him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all herattention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check theindulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her ownhealth and their tranquillity.
But I cansay that Tom had no sooner finished speaking, than she pricked up herears, and started forward at a speed which made the clay-coloured gigrattle until you would have supposed every one of the red spokes weregoing to fly out on the turf of Marlborough Downs; and even Tom, whipas he was, couldn't stop or check her pace, until she drew up of her ownaccord, before a roadside inn on the right-hand side of the way, abouthalf a quarter of a mile from the end of the Downs.
Mr.Snodgrass and Mr. Winkle listened with gloomy respect to the torrent ofeloquence which their leader poured forth from the sedan-chair, and therapid course of which not all Mr. Tupman's earnest entreaties to havethe lid of the vehicle closed, were able to check for an instant.
( Dickens The Pickwick papers ) The arrival of the two new visitors, and the consequent check upon Mr.Winkle and the young lady with the fur round her boots, would in allprobability have proved a very unpleasant interruption to the hilarityof the party, had not the cheerfulness of Mr. Pickwick, and the goodhumour of the host, been exerted to the very utmost for the common weal.
"(Chesterton The secret of father Brown ) Something in her tone seemed to check the younger man, who was bothsensitive and comprehending; but nothing of that sort daunted the manfrom Toronto.