twenty things without guessing exactly the right; but I am sure there must be a particular cause for her chusing to come to Highbury instead of going with the Campbells to Ireland.  Here, she must be leading a life of privation and penance; there it would have been all enjoyment.  As to the pretence of trying her native air, I look upon that as a mere excuse.—­In the summer it might have passed; but what can any body’s native air do for them in the months of January, February, and March?  Good fires and carriages would be much more to the purpose in most cases of delicate health, and I dare say in her’s.  I do not require you to adopt all my suspicions, though you make so noble a profession of doing it, but I honestly tell you what they are.”

“And, upon my word, they have an air of great probability.  Mr. Dixon’s preference of her music to her friend’s, I can answer for being very decided.”

“And then, he saved her life.  Did you ever hear of that?—­ A water party; and by some accident she was falling overboard.  He caught her.”

“He did.  I was there—­one of the party.”

“Were you really?—­Well!—­But you observed nothing of course, for it seems to be a new idea to you.—­If I had been there, I think I should have made some discoveries.”

“I dare say you would; but I, simple I, saw nothing but the fact, that Miss Fairfax was nearly dashed from the vessel and that Mr. Dixon caught her.—­It was the work of a moment.  And though the consequent shock and alarm was very great and much more durable—­indeed I believe it was half an hour before any of us were comfortable again—­ yet that was too general a sensation for any thing of peculiar anxiety to be observable.  I do not mean to say, however, that you might not have made discoveries.”

The conversation was here interrupted.  They were called on to share in the awkwardness of a rather long interval between the courses, and obliged to be as formal and as orderly as the others; but when the table was again safely covered, when every corner dish was placed exactly right, and occupation and ease were generally restored, Emma said,

“The arrival of this pianoforte is decisive with me.  I wanted to know a little more, and this tells me quite enough.  Depend upon it, we shall soon hear that it is a present from Mr. and Mrs. Dixon.”

“And if the Dixons should absolutely deny all knowledge of it we must conclude it to come from the Campbells.”

“No, I am sure it is not from the Campbells.  Miss Fairfax knows it is not from the Campbells, or they would have been guessed at first.  She would not have been puzzled, had she dared fix on them.  I may not have convinced you perhaps, but I am perfectly convinced myself that Mr. Dixon is a principal in the business.”

“Indeed you injure me if you suppose me unconvinced.  Your reasonings carry my judgment along with them entirely.  At first, while I supposed you satisfied that Colonel Campbell was the giver, I saw it only as paternal kindness, and thought it the most natural thing in the world.  But when you mentioned Mrs. Dixon, I felt how much more probable that it should be the tribute of warm female friendship.  And now I can see it in no other light than as an offering of love.”