Emma

“Very pretty, sir, upon my word; to send me on here, to be an
encumbrance to my friends, so long before you vouchsafe to come!—But
you knew what a dutiful creature you had to deal with. You knew I
should not stir till my lord and master appeared.—Here have I been
sitting this hour, giving these young ladies a sample of true conjugal
obedience—for who can say, you know, how soon it may be wanted?”

Mr. Elton was so hot and tired, that all this wit seemed thrown away.
His civilities to the other ladies must be paid; but his subsequent
object was to lament over himself for the heat he was suffering, and
the walk he had had for nothing.

“When I got to Donwell,” said he, “Knightley could not be found. Very
odd! very unaccountable! after the note I sent him this morning, and
the message he returned, that he should certainly be at home till one.”

“Donwell!” cried his wife.—“My dear Mr. E., you have not been to
Donwell!—You mean the Crown; you come from the meeting at the Crown.”

“No, no, that’s to-morrow; and I particularly wanted to see Knightley
to-day on that very account.—Such a dreadful broiling morning!—I went
over the fields too—(speaking in a tone of great ill-usage,) which made