VOLUME III
16. CHAPTER XVI
(continued)
Emma was gratified, and would soon have shewn no want of words,
if the sound of Mrs. Elton's voice from the sitting-room had not
checked her, and made it expedient to compress all her friendly
and all her congratulatory sensations into a very, very earnest
shake of the hand.
Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Elton were together. Miss Bates was out,
which accounted for the previous tranquillity. Emma could have
wished Mrs. Elton elsewhere; but she was in a humour to have patience
with every body; and as Mrs. Elton met her with unusual graciousness,
she hoped the rencontre would do them no harm.
She soon believed herself to penetrate Mrs. Elton's thoughts,
and understand why she was, like herself, in happy spirits;
it was being in Miss Fairfax's confidence, and fancying herself
acquainted with what was still a secret to other people.
Emma saw symptoms of it immediately in the expression of her face;
and while paying her own compliments to Mrs. Bates, and appearing
to attend to the good old lady's replies, she saw her with a sort
of anxious parade of mystery fold up a letter which she had apparently
been reading aloud to Miss Fairfax, and return it into the purple
and gold reticule by her side, saying, with significant nods,
"We can finish this some other time, you know. You and I shall
not want opportunities. And, in fact, you have heard all the
essential already. I only wanted to prove to you that Mrs. S. admits
our apology, and is not offended. You see how delightfully
she writes. Oh! she is a sweet creature! You would have doated
on her, had you gone.--But not a word more. Let us be discreet--
quite on our good behaviour.--Hush!--You remember those lines--
I forget the poem at this moment:
"For when a lady's in the case,
"You know all other things give place."
Now I say, my dear, in our case, for lady, read----mum! a word
to the wise.--I am in a fine flow of spirits, an't I? But I want
to set your heart at ease as to Mrs. S.--My representation, you see,
has quite appeased her."
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