Austen Said:

Patterns of Diction in Jane Austen's Major Novels

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"Well, mother, I have done something for you that you will like. I have been to the theatre, and secured a box for to-morrow night. A'n't I a good boy? I know you love a play; and there is room for us all. It holds nine. I have engaged Captain Wentworth. Anne will not be sorry to join us, I am sure. We all like a play. Have not I done well, mother?"
"Phoo! phoo!"
"what's an evening party? Never worth remembering. Your father might have asked us to dinner, I think, if he had wanted to see us. You may do as you like, but I shall go to the play."
"No, I did not promise. I only smirked and bowed, and said the word 'happy.' There was no promise."
"Don't talk to me about heirs and representatives,"
"I am not one of those who neglect the reigning power to bow to the rising sun. If I would not go for the sake of your father, I should think it scandalous to go for the sake of his heir. What is Mr Elliot to me?"
We had better put it off. Charles, you had much better go back and change the box for Tuesday. It would be a pity to be divided, and we should be losing Miss Anne, too, if there is a party at her father's; and I am sure neither Henrietta nor I should care at all for the play, if Miss Anne could not be with us."
"how Mr Musgrove and my brother Hayter had met again and again to talk it over; what my brother Hayter had said one day, and what Mr Musgrove had proposed the next, and what had occurred to my sister Hayter, and what the young people had wished, and what I said at first I never could consent to, but was afterwards persuaded to think might do very well,"
"And so, ma'am, all these thing considered,"
"though we could have wished it different, yet, altogether, we did not think it fair to stand out any longer, for Charles Hayter was quite wild about it, and Henrietta was pretty near as bad; and so we thought they had better marry at once, and make the best of it, as many others have done before them. At any rate, said I, it will be better than a long engagement."
"Oh! dear Mrs Croft,"
"there is nothing I so abominate for young people as a long engagement. It is what I always protested against for my children. It is all very well, I used to say, for young people to be engaged, if there is a certainty of their being able to marry in six months, or even in twelve; but a long engagement --"
"By all means, my dear,"
"go home directly, and take care of yourself, that you may be fit for the evening. I wish Sarah was here to doctor you, but I am no doctor myself. Charles, ring and order a chair. She must not walk."
"Oh! my dear, it is quite understood, I give you my word. Captain Harville has no thought but of going."
"To be sure I will, if you wish it. Charles, if you see Captain Harville anywhere, remember to give Miss Anne's message. But indeed, my dear, you need not be uneasy. Captain Harville holds himself quite engaged, I'll answer for it; and Captain Wentworth the same, I dare say."
"Captain Wentworth, which way are you going? Only to Gay Street, or farther up the town?"
"Are you going as high as Belmont? Are you going near Camden Place? Because, if you are, I shall have no scruple in asking you to take my place, and give Anne your arm to her father's door. She is rather done for this morning, and must not go so far without help, and I ought to be at that fellow's in the Market Place.
He promised me
said he
and if I do not turn back now, I have no chance. By his description, a good deal like the second size double-barrel of mine, which you shot with one day round Winthrop."
“I wish you could dance, my dear — I wish you could get a partner.”
“It would have been very shocking to have it torn,”
“would not it? It is such a delicate muslin. For my part I have not seen anything I like so well in the whole room, I assure you.”
“Yes, my dear,”
“it is very uncomfortable indeed.”
“Aye, so we do. That is very disagreeable. I wish we had a large acquaintance here.”
“Very true, my dear; and if we knew anybody we would join them directly. The Skinners were here last year — I wish they were here now.”
“No more there are, indeed. How very provoking! But I think we had better sit still, for one gets so tumbled in such a crowd! How is my head, my dear? Somebody gave me a push that has hurt it, I am afraid.”
“I don’t, upon my word — I wish I did. I wish I had a large acquaintance here with all my heart, and then I should get you a partner. I should be so glad to have you dance. There goes a strange-looking woman! What an odd gown she has got on! How old-fashioned it is! Look at the back.”
“Well, Miss Morland,”
“I hope you have had an agreeable ball.”
“I wish she had been able to dance,”
“I wish we could have got a partner for her. I have been saying how glad I should be if the Skinners were here this winter instead of last; or if the Parrys had come, as they talked of once, she might have danced with George Parry. I am so sorry she has not had a partner!”
“We shall do better another evening I hope,”
“My dear Catherine,”
“do take this pin out of my sleeve; I am afraid it has torn a hole already; I shall be quite sorry if it has, for this is a favourite gown, though it cost but nine shillings a yard.”
“Do you understand muslins, sir?”
“Men commonly take so little notice of those things,”
“I can never get Mr. Allen to know one of my gowns from another. You must be a great comfort to your sister, sir.”
“And pray, sir, what do you think of Miss Morland’s gown?”
“I am quite of your opinion, sir,”
“and so I told Miss Morland when she bought it.”
“Bath is a charming place, sir; there are so many good shops here. We are sadly off in the country; not but what we have very good shops in Salisbury, but it is so far to go — eight miles is a long way;
Mr. Allen says
but I am sure it cannot be more than eight; and it is such a fag — I come back tired to death. Now, here one can step out of doors and get a thing in five minutes.”
“What a delightful place Bath is,”
“and how pleasant it would be if we had any acquaintance here.”
“I wish we had some acquaintance in Bath!”
“How glad I am we have met with Mrs. Thorpe!”