He was not a sociable man, and resented being dragged from his books to attend a dinner-party.

Like most people he was quite incapable of saying No to Mrs.Duff-Whalley when that lady desired an answer in the affirmative, but he had condemned himself roundly to himself as a fool as he drove down the glen from Laverlaw.
Mrs.Duff-Whalley always gave a long and pretentious meal, and expected everyone to pay for their invitation by being excessively bright and chatty.

It was not in the power of the present guests to be either the one thing or the other.

Mrs.Jowett was pensive and sweet, and inclined to be silent; her husband gave loud barks of disagreement at intervals; Mr.Jackson enjoyed his dinner and answered when spoken to, while Lewis Elliot was rendered almost speechless by the flood of talk his hostess poured over him.
"I'm very sorry, Mr.Elliot," she remarked in a pause, "that the people I wanted to meet you couldn't come.

I asked Sir John and Lady Tweedie, but they were engaged--so unfortunate, for they are such an acquisition.
Then I asked the Olivers, and they couldn't come.