Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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"I believe I have been very rude; but really Miss Fairfax has done her hair in so odd a way— so very odd a way —that I cannot keep my eyes from her. I never saw any thing so outree!—Those curls!—This must be a fancy of her own. I see nobody else looking like her!—I must go and ask her whether it is an Irish fashion. Shall I?—Yes, I will —I declare I will —and you shall see how she takes it;—whether she colours."
"I think you could manage this without effort; the first part is so very trifling. The strength of the song falls on the second."
"Perhaps it is as well,"
"I must have asked Miss Fairfax, and her languid dancing would not have agreed with me, after yours."
"And while Mrs. Weston pays her visit, I may be allowed, I hope,"
"to join your party and wait for her at Hartfield —if you are going home."
"Me! I should be quite in the way. But, perhaps —I may be equally in the way here. Miss Woodhouse looks as if she did not want me. My aunt always sends me off when she is shopping. She says I fidget her to death; and Miss Woodhouse looks as if she could almost say the same. What am I to do?"
"Well —if you advise it.—But
if Colonel Campbell should have employed a careless friend, and if it should prove to have an indifferent tone— what shall I say? I shall be no support to Mrs. Weston. She might do very well by herself. A disagreeable truth would be palatable through her lips, but I am the wretchedest being in the world at a civil falsehood."
'Aye, pray do,'
'Miss Woodhouse's opinion of the instrument will be worth having.'—
'Oh,'
'wait half a minute, till I have finished my job;'—
'Oh!'
'I do think I can fasten the rivet; I like a job of this kind excessively.'—
'Oh!'
'I can fasten the rivet. I like a job of that sort excessively.'
'Oh!'
'there is nothing in the way of fruit half so good, and these are the finest-looking home-baked apples I ever saw in my life.'
"This is a pleasure,"
"coming at least ten minutes earlier than I had calculated. You find me trying to be useful; tell me if you think I shall succeed."
"I have not been working uninterruptedly,"
"I have been assisting Miss Fairfax in trying to make her instrument stand steadily, it was not quite firm; an unevenness in the floor, I believe. You see we have been wedging one leg with paper. This was very kind of you to be persuaded to come. I was almost afraid you would be hurrying home."
"Whoever Colonel Campbell might employ,"
"the person has not chosen ill. I heard a good deal of Colonel Campbell's taste at Weymouth; and the softness of the upper notes I am sure is exactly what he and all that party would particularly prize. I dare say, Miss Fairfax, that he either gave his friend very minute directions, or wrote to Broadwood himself. Do not you think so?"
"How much your friends in Ireland must be enjoying your pleasure on this occasion, Miss Fairfax. I dare say they often think of you, and wonder which will be the day, the precise day of the instrument's coming to hand. Do you imagine Colonel Campbell knows the business to be going forward just at this time?—Do you imagine it to be the consequence of an immediate commission from him, or that he may have sent only a general direction, an order indefinite as to time, to depend upon contingencies and conveniences?"
"Conjecture —aye, sometimes one conjectures right, and sometimes one conjectures wrong. I wish I could conjecture how soon I shall make this rivet quite firm. What nonsense one talks, Miss Woodhouse, when hard at work, if one talks at all;—your real workmen, I suppose, hold their tongues; but we gentlemen labourers if we get hold of a word— Miss Fairfax said something about conjecturing. There, it is done. I have the pleasure, madam,
of restoring your spectacles, healed for the present."
"If you are very kind,"
"it will be one of the waltzes we danced last night;—let me live them over again. You did not enjoy them as I did; you appeared tired the whole time. I believe you were glad we danced no longer; but I would have given worlds —all the worlds one ever has to give —for another half-hour."
"What felicity it is to hear a tune again which has made one happy!—If I mistake not that was danced at Weymouth."
"Here is something quite new to me. Do you know it?—Cramer.—And here are a new set of Irish melodies. That, from such a quarter, one might expect. This was all sent with the instrument. Very thoughtful of Colonel Campbell, was not it?—He knew Miss Fairfax could have no music here. I honour that part of the attention particularly; it shews it to have been so thoroughly from the heart. Nothing hastily done; nothing incomplete. True affection only could have prompted it."
"I hope she does. I would have her understand me. I am not in the least ashamed of my meaning."
"I am very glad you did, and that you communicated it to me. I have now a key to all her odd looks and ways. Leave shame to her. If she does wrong, she ought to feel it."
"I do not see much sign of it. She is playing Robin Adair at this moment— his favourite."
"You and Miss Smith, and Miss Fairfax, will be three, and the two Miss Coxes five,"
"And there will be the two Gilberts, young Cox, my father, and myself, besides Mr. Knightley. Yes, that will be quite enough for pleasure. You and Miss Smith, and Miss Fairfax, will be three, and the two Miss Coxes five; and for five couple there will be plenty of room."
"Might not they use both rooms, and dance across the passage?"
"We were too magnificent,"
"We allowed unnecessary room. Ten couple may stand here very well."
"Very true,"
"it was very bad."
"I think there will be very tolerable room for ten couple."
"There is no denying it,"
"I agree with you exactly. A crowd in a little room— Miss Woodhouse, you have the art of giving pictures in a few words. Exquisite, quite exquisite!—Still, however, having proceeded so far, one is unwilling to give the matter up. It would be a disappointment to my father—and altogether— I do not know that— I am rather of opinion that ten couple might stand here very well."
"Well, Miss Woodhouse,"
"your inclination for dancing has not been quite frightened away, I hope, by the terrors of my father's little rooms. I bring a new proposal on the subject:—a thought of my father's, which waits only your approbation to be acted upon. May I hope for the honour of your hand for the two first dances of this little projected ball, to be given, not at Randalls, but at the Crown Inn?"
"Yes; if you and Mr. Woodhouse see no objection, and I trust you cannot,
my father hopes
It is his own idea.