"If you'd only wait until the rally has passed!"

[Maybo]

Does the following mean "if you don't allow me to lead you, you will have to wait until the rally is over"?

"No, no, just let me sit," he said, still rubbing his eyes. "I'll fumble my way. It ain't far."
"I'lI lead you there myself, sir," Wally offered.
"If you'd only wait until the rally has passed!"

Source: The Tick-Tock Man: Gadgets and Gears by Kersten Hamilton

 

[emsr2d2]

It means "I'm prepared to lead you there myself but you'll have to wait until the rally has passed. I won't lead you there now".

 

[Maybo]

Is ‘if you'd only wait' a polite way to say 'you'll have to wait'?

 

[emsr2d2]

Is ‘if you'd only wait' a polite way to say 'you'll have to wait'?

It's more polite than "You'll have to wait" but it's also a bit old-fashioned. A polite way would be "If you don't mind waiting until ...".

 

[BobK]

it's also a bit old-fashioned

....and it implies a certain mild annoyance: "Oh you! - you're always so impatient."