... that she's perpetually lost! Does she ever complete a sentence, much less a thought? isn't she constantly hopping from one idea to another, occasionally returning to a previous one?

...ok, so I exaggerate a very little...

Ch. 21

"But where could you hear it?" cried Miss Bates. "Where could you possibly hear it, Mr. Knightley? For it is not five minutes since I received Mrs. Cole's note -- no, it cannot be more than five -- or at least ten -- for I had got my bonnet and spencer on, just ready to come out -- I was only gone down to speak to Patty again about the pork -- Jane was standing in the passage -- were not you, Jane? for my mother was so afraid that we had not any salting-pan large enough. So I said I would go down and see, and Jane said, 'Shall I go down instead? for I think you have a little cold, and Patty has been washing the kitchen.' 'Oh! my dear,' said I -- well, and just then came the note. A Miss Hawkins -- that's all I know. A Miss Hawkins of Bath. But, Mr. Knightley, how could you possibly have heard it? for the very moment Mr. Cole told Mrs. Cole of it, she sat down and wrote to me. A Miss Hawkins" --

... and there are dozens of such passages just in what we've read so far.

And to think that in these maelstroms of words there are delicious nuggets -- accidental, of course? -- constantly lurking, waiting to be snatched out of the air by the lucky listener (reader, rather, I suppose) who's diligent enough to actually pay attention!