Her enthusiasms did not ring true, her interest was obviously feigned, and she had that most destroying of social faults, she could not listen with patience, but let her attention wander to the conversation of her neighbours.

It seemed as if she could never talk at peace with anyone for fear of missing something more interesting in another quarter.
"You look very nice, Muriel! I'm glad I told you to put on that dress, and that new way of doing your hair is very becoming." One lovable thing about Mrs.Duff-Whalley was the way she sincerely and openly admired everything that was hers.

"Now, see and do your best to make the evening go.

Mr.Elliot takes a lot of amusing, and the Jowetts aren't very lively either." "Is that all that's coming ?" Muriel asked.
"I asked the new Episcopalian parson--what's his name ?--yes--Jackson--to fill up." "You don't often descend to the clergy, mother." "No, but Episcopalians are slightly better fitted for society than Presbyterians, and this young man seems quite a gentleman--such a blessing, too, when they haven't got wives.

Dear, dear, I told Dickie not to send in any more of that plant--what d'you call it ?" (It was a peculiarity of Mrs.Duff-Whalley that she never could remember the names of any but the simplest flowers.) "I don't like its perfume.