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Osbornes are coming； he will wait in the Passage； and come in
with them。—I should like to look in upon you Emma。 If it was but
a good day with my Father； I would wrap myself up； and James
should drive me over； as soon as I had made Tea for him； and I
should be with you by the time the Dancing began。’ ‘What！ would
you come late at night in this Chair？’—‘To be sure I would。—
There； I said you were very refined；—and that’s an instance of
it。’—Emma for a moment made no answer—at last she said—‘I
wish Elizabeth； you had not made a point of my going to this Ball；
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I wish you were going instead of me。 Your pleasure would be
greater than mine。 I am a stranger here； and know nobody but the
Edwardes； my Enjoyment therefore must be very doubtful。 Yours
among all your acquaintance would be certain。—It is not too late
to change。 Very little apology could be requisite to the Edwardes；
who must be more glad of your company than of mine； and I
should most readily return to my Father； and should not be at all
afraid to drive this quiet old Creature； home。 Your Cloathes I
would undertake to find means of sending to you。’—‘My dearest
Emma’ cried Elizabeth warmly—‘do you think I would do such a
thing？ Not for the Universe—but I shall never forget your
goodnature in proposing it。 You must have a sweet temper
indeed；—I never met with any thing like it！—And would you really
give up the Ball； that I might be able to go to it！—Believe me
Emma； I am not so selfish as that comes to。 No； tho’ I am nine
years older than you are； I would not be the means of keeping you
from being seen。—You are very pretty； and it would be very hard
that you should not have as fair a chance as we have all had； to
make your fortune。—No Emma； whoever stays at home this
winter； it shan’t be you。 I am sure I should never have forgiven the
person who kept me from a Ball at nineteen。’ Emma expressed her
gratitude； and for a few minutes they jogged on in silence。—
Elizabeth first spoke。—‘You will take notice who Mary Edwardes
dances with。’—‘I will remember her partners if I can—but you
know they will be all strangers to me。’ ‘Only observe whether she
dances with Captain Hunter； more than once； I have my fears in
that quarter。 Not that her Father or Mother like officers； but if she
does you know； it is all over with poor Sam。—And I have promised
to write him word who she dances with。’ ‘Is Sam attached to Miss
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Edwardes？’—‘Did not you know that？’—‘How should I know it？
How should I know in Shropshire； what is passing of that nature
in Surry？ It is not likely that circumstances of such delicacy
should make any part of the scanty communication which passed
between you and me for the last fourteen years。’ ‘I wonder I never
mentioned it when I wrote。 Since you have been at home； I have
been so busy with my poor Father and our great wash that I have
had no leisure to tell you anything—but indeed I concluded you
knew it all。—He has been very much in love with her these two
years； and it is a great disappointment to him that he cannot
always get away to our Balls—but Mr。 Curtis won’t often spare
him； and just now it is a sickly time at Guilford—’ ‘Do you suppose
Miss Edwardes inclined to like him？’ ‘I am afraid not： You know
she is an only Child； and will have at least ten thousand pounds。’—
‘But still she may like our Brother。’ ‘Oh！ no —。 The Edwardes look
much higher。 Her Father and Mother would never consent to it。
Sam is only a Surgeon you know。—Sometimes I think she does
like him。 But Mary Edwardes is rather prim and reserved； I do not
always know what she would be at。’—‘Unless Sam feels on sure
grounds with the Lady herself； it seems a pity to me that he should
be encouraged to think of her at all。’—‘A young Man must think of
somebody；’ said Elizabeth—‘and why should not he be as lucky as
Robert； who has got a good wife and six thousand pounds？’ ‘We
must not all expect to be individually lucky’ replied Emma。 ‘The
Luck of one member of a Family is Luck to all。’ ‘Mine is all to
come I am sure’—said Elizabeth giving another sigh to the
remembrance of Purvis。—‘I have been unlucky enough； and I
cannot say much for you； as my Aunt married again so foolishly。—
Well—you will have a good Ball I dare say。 The next turning will
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bring us to the Turnpike。 You may see the Church Tower over the
hedge； and the White Hart is close by it。—I shall long to know
what you think of Tom Musgrave。’ Such were the last audible
sounds of Miss Watson’s voice； before they passed thro’ the
Turnpike gate and entered on the pitching of the Town—the
jumbling and noise of which made farther Conversation most
thoroughly undesirable。—The old Mare trotted heavily on；
wanting no direction of the reins to take the right Turning； and
making only one Blunder； in proposing to stop at the Milleners；
before she drew up towards Mr。 Edwardes’ door。—Mr。 E。 lived in
the best house in the Street； and the best in the place； if Mr。
Tomlinson the Banker might be indulged in calling his newly
erected House at the end of the Town with a Shrubbery and sweep
in the Country。—Mr。 E。’s House was higher than most of its
neighbours with two windows on each side the door； the windows
guarded by posts and chain； the door app