The tone implied some old acquaintance--and how could she possibly guess?
"Knightley!" continued Mrs.Elton; "Knightley himself!--Was not it lucky ?--for, not being within when he called the other day, I had never seen him before; and of course, as so particular a friend of Mr.E.'s, I had a great curiosity.

'My friend Knightley' had been so often mentioned, that I was really impatient to see him; and I must do my caro sposo the justice to say that he need not be ashamed of his friend.
Knightley is quite the gentleman.

I like him very much.

Decidedly, I think, a very gentleman-like man." Happily, it was now time to be gone.

They were off; and Emma could breathe.
"Insufferable woman!" was her immediate exclamation.