As the parliament of 1886 was drawing to a close, the dissensions among the Irish members, and the loss of their great leader, were visibly sapping the strength of the Nationalists.
His smile reassured her, sapping the ire and replacing it with peace.
By this time the besiegers were sapping under the escarps of the northern forts, and it would have been better to delay.
Ismails exactions from the Egyptian peasantry reacted on the army, causing discontent; and when he was tottering on the throne he instigated military demonstrations against his own government, and, by thus sapping the foundations of discipline, assisted Arabis revolution; the result was the battle of Tell el-Kebir, the British occupation, and the disbandment of the army, which at that time in Egypt proper consisted of 18,000 men.
The demon's pacing was frantic, both distracting her and sapping her strength.
