“And here is Mrs. Weston and Mr. Frank Churchill
too!—Quite delightful; so many friends!”
“No, not now, I thank you. I could not
stay two minutes.
I must get on to Kingston as fast as I can.”
“Oh! do come in. They will be so very
happy to see you.”
“No, no; your room is full enough. I will
call another day, and hear the pianoforte.”
“Well, I am so sorry!—Oh! Mr.
Knightley, what a delightful party last night; how
extremely pleasant.—Did you ever see such
dancing?— Was not it delightful?—Miss
Woodhouse and Mr. Frank Churchill; I never saw any
thing equal to it.”
“Oh! very delightful indeed; I can say nothing
less, for I suppose Miss Woodhouse and Mr. Frank Churchill
are hearing every thing that passes. And (raising
his voice still more) I do not see why Miss Fairfax
should not be mentioned too. I think Miss Fairfax
dances very well; and Mrs. Weston is the very best
country-dance player, without exception, in England.
Now, if your friends have any gratitude, they will
say something pretty loud about you and me in return;
but I cannot stay to hear it.”
“Oh! Mr. Knightley, one moment more; something
of consequence— so shocked!—Jane
and I are both so shocked about the apples!”
“What is the matter now?”
“To think of your sending us all your store
apples. You said you had a great many, and now
you have not one left. We really are so shocked!
Mrs. Hodges may well be angry. William Larkins
mentioned it here. You should not have done it,
indeed you should not. Ah! he is off. He
never can bear to be thanked. But I thought he
would have staid now, and it would have been a pity
not to have mentioned. . . . Well, (returning
to the room,) I have not been able to succeed.
Mr. Knightley cannot stop. He is going to Kingston.
He asked me if he could do any thing. . . .”
“Yes,” said Jane, “we heard his
kind offers, we heard every thing.”
“Oh! yes, my dear, I dare say you might, because
you know, the door was open, and the window was open,
and Mr. Knightley spoke loud. You must have heard
every thing to be sure. `Can I do any thing for you
at Kingston?’ said he; so I just mentioned. .
. . Oh! Miss Woodhouse, must you be going?—You
seem but just come—so very obliging of
you.”
Emma found it really time to be at home; the visit
had already lasted long; and on examining watches,
so much of the morning was perceived to be gone, that
Mrs. Weston and her companion taking leave also, could
allow themselves only to walk with the two young ladies
to Hartfield gates, before they set off for Randalls.
It may be possible to do without dancing entirely.
Instances have been known of young people passing
many, many months successively, without being at any
ball of any description, and no material injury accrue
either to body or mind;—but when a beginning
is made— when the felicities of rapid motion
have once been, though slightly, felt—it
must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.
