dinner-bell

• “The Chancellor D'Aguesseau, finding that his wife always kept him waiting a quarter of an hour after the dinner-bell had rung, resolved to devote the time to writing a book on jurisprudence, and, putting the project in execution, in course of time produced a work in four quarto volumes.”

  The Huffington Post: New York Review: The Collected Stories Of Lydia Davis

• “She was roused by the sound of the first dinner-bell, and hurried back to the hall, that she might prepare to appear below with some degree of composure.”

  The Curate and His Daughter, a Cornish Tale

• “Alarmed and ashamed, even to herself, she resolved to dissipate her ideas by a long walk; and not to come out of the park, till the first dinner-bell summoned her to dress.”

  Camilla

• “Aloud he muttered some apologies, and was heartily glad that the dinner-bell, sounding at the moment, afforded him an apology for shuffling off in a different direction.”

  Saint Ronan's Well

• “THE sound of the dinner-bell, which rang in the ears of Edgar before he reached his intended retreat, would have been unnoticed, if not seconded by a message from Sir Hugh, who had seen him from his window.”

  Camilla

• “Work until the afternoon thundersqualls put an end to it or Sonny rang the big brass dinner-bell, strokes that came across the hot, fleeting day like sounds heard in a vivid dream.”

  Blaze

• “But when Prince Bulbo got to his bedroom, his luggage was there and unpacked; and the hairdresser coming in, cut and curled him entirely to his own satisfaction; and when the dinner-bell rang, the Royal company had not to wait above five-and-twenty minutes until Bulbo appeared, during which time the King, who could not bear to wait, grew as sulky as possible.”

  The Rose and the Ring

• “At the end of thirty minutes, dinner-bell number two pealed from the adjacent turret.”

  The Book of Snobs

• “Well, the great dinner-bell rang, and we all assembled in the little drawing-room where my Lady Crawley sits.”

  Vanity Fair

• “Then the great dinner-bell having rung, the family assembled at dinner, at which meal Rawdon Junior was placed by his aunt, the good-natured lady of the house, Sir Pitt being uncommonly attentive to his sister-in-law at his own right hand.”

  Vanity Fair

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