CHAPTER VI

milingandblushing,andafraidofnotkeepingherattitudeandcountenance,presentedaverysweetmixtureofyouthfulexpressiontothesteadyeyesoftheartist.Buttherewasnodoinganything,withMr.Eltonfidgetingbehindherandwatchingeverytouch.Shegavehimcreditforstationinghimselfwherehemightgazeandgazeagainwithoutoffencebutwasreallyobligedtoputanendtoit,andrequesthimtoplacehimselfelsewhere.Itthenoccurredtohertoemployhiminreading. “Ifhewouldbesogoodastoreadtothem,itwouldbeakindnessindeed!Itwouldamuseawaythedifficultiesofherpart,andlessentheirksomenessofMissSmith’s.” Mr.Eltonwasonlytoohappy.Harrietlistened,andEmmadrewinpeace.Shemustallowhimtobestillfrequentlycomingtolookanythinglesswouldcertainlyhavebeentoolittleinaloverandhewasreadyatthesmallestintermissionofthepencil,tojumpupandseetheprogress,andbecharmed.—Therewasnobeingdispleasedwithsuchanencourager,forhisadmirationmadehimdiscernalikenessalmostbeforeitwaspossible.Shecouldnotrespecthiseye,buthisloveandhiscomplaisancewereunexceptionable. Thesittingwasaltogetherverysatisfactoryshewasquiteenoughpleasedwiththefirstday’ssketchtowishtogoon.Therewasnowantoflikeness,shehadbeenfortunateintheattitude,andasshemeanttothrowinalittleimprovementtothefigure,togivealittlemoreheight,andconsiderablymoreelegance,shehadgreatconfidenceofitsbeingineverywayaprettydrawingatlast,andofitsfillingitsdestinedplacewithcredittothemboth—astandingmemorialofthebeautyofone,theskilloftheother,andthefriendshipofbothwithasmanyotheragreeableassociationsasMr.Elton’sverypromisingattachmentwaslikelytoadd. HarrietwastositagainthenextdayandMr.Elton,justasheought,entreatedforthepermissionofattendingandreadingtothemagain. “Byallmeans.Weshallbemosthappytoconsideryouasoneoftheparty.” Thesamecivilitiesandcourtesies,thesamesuccessandsatisfaction,tookplaceonthemorrow,andaccompaniedthewholeprogressofthepicture,whichwasrapidandhappy.Everybodywhosawitwaspleased,butMr.Eltonwasincontinualraptures,anddefendeditthrougheverycriticism. “MissWoodhousehasgivenherfriendtheonlybeautyshewanted,”—observedMrs.Westontohim—notintheleastsuspectingthatshewasaddressingalover.—“Theexpressionoftheeyeismostcorrect,butMissSmithhasnotthoseeyebrowsandeyelashes.Itisthefaultofherfacethatshehasthemnot.” “Doyouthinkso?”repliedhe.“Icannotagreewithyou.Itappearstomeamostperfectresemblanceineveryfeature.Ineversawsuchalikenessinmylife.Wemustallowfortheeffectofshade,youknow.” “Youhavemadehertootall,Emma,”saidMr.Knightley. Emmaknewthatshehad,butwouldnotownitandMr.Eltonwarml