CHAPTER IX

Mr.Knightleymightquarrelwithher,butEmmacouldnotquarrelwithherself.Hewassomuchdispleased,thatitwaslongerthanusualbeforehecametoHartfieldagainandwhentheydidmeet,hisgravelooksshewedthatshewasnotforgiven.Shewassorry,butcouldnotrepent.Onthecontrary,herplansandproceedingsweremoreandmorejustifiedandendearedtoherbythegeneralappearancesofthenextfewdays. ThePicture,elegantlyframed,camesafelytohandsoonafterMr.Elton’sreturn,andbeinghungoverthemantelpieceofthecommonsitting-room,hegotuptolookatit,andsighedouthishalfsentencesofadmirationjustasheoughtandasforHarriet’sfeelings,theywerevisiblyformingthemselvesintoasstrongandsteadyanattachmentasheryouthandsortofmindadmitted.EmmawassoonperfectlysatisfiedofMr.Martin’sbeingnootherwiseremembered,thanashefurnishedacontrastwithMr.Elton,oftheutmostadvantagetothelatter. Herviewsofimprovingherlittlefriend’smind,byagreatdealofusefulreadingandconversation,hadneveryetledtomorethanafewfirstchapters,andtheintentionofgoingonto-morrow.ItwasmucheasiertochatthantostudymuchpleasantertoletherimaginationrangeandworkatHarriet’sfortune,thantobelabouringtoenlargehercomprehensionorexerciseitonsoberfactsandtheonlyliterarypursuitwhichengagedHarrietatpresent,theonlymentalprovisionshewasmakingfortheeveningoflife,wasthecollectingandtranscribingalltheriddlesofeverysortthatshecouldmeetwith,intoathinquartoofhot-pressedpaper,madeupbyherfriend,andornamentedwithciphersandtrophies. Inthisageofliterature,suchcollectionsonaverygrandscalearenotuncommon.MissNash,head-teacheratMrs.Goddard’s,hadwrittenoutatleastthreehundredandHarriet,whohadtakenthefirsthintofitfromher,hoped,withMissWoodhouse’shelp,togetagreatmanymore.Emmaassistedwithherinvention,memoryandtasteandasHarrietwroteaveryprettyhand,itwaslikelytobeanarrangementofthefirstorder,informaswellasquantity. Mr.Woodhousewasalmostasmuchinterestedinthebusinessasthegirls,andtriedveryoftentorecollectsomethingworththeirputtingin.“Somanycleverriddlesasthereusedtobewhenhewasyoung—hewonderedhecouldnotrememberthem!buthehopedheshouldintime.”Anditalwaysendedin“Kitty,afairbutfrozenmaid.” HisgoodfriendPerry,too,whomhehadspokentoonthesubject,didnotatpresentrecollectanythingoftheriddlekindbuthehaddesiredPerrytobeuponthewatch,andashewentaboutsomuch,something,hethought,mightcomefromthatquarter. Itwasbynomeanshisdaughter’swishthattheintellectsofHighburyingeneralshouldbeputunderrequisition.Mr.Eltonwastheonlyonewhoseassistancesheasked.Hewasinvitedtocontributeanyreallygoodenigmas,charades,orconundrumsthathemightrecollectandshehadthepleasureofseeinghimmostintentlyatworkwithhisrecollectionsandatthesametime,asshecouldperceive,mostearnestlycarefulthatnothingungallant,nothingthatdidnotbreatheacomplimenttothesexshouldpasshislips.Theyowedtohimtheirtwoorthreepolitestpuzzlesandthejoyandexultationwithwhichatlastherecalled,andrathersentimentallyrecited,thatwell-knowncharade, Myfirstdothafflictiondenote, Whichmysecondisdestin’dtofeel Andmywholeisthebestantidote Thatafflictiontosoftenandheal.— madeherquitesorrytoacknowledgethattheyhadtranscribeditsomepagesagoalready. “Whywillnotyouwriteoneyourselfforus,Mr.Elton?”saidshe“thatistheonlysecurityforitsfreshnessandnothingcouldbeeasiertoyou.” “Ohno!hehadneverwritten,hardlyever,anythingofthekindinhislife.Thestupidestfellow!HewasafraidnotevenMissWoodhouse”—hestoptamoment—“orMissSmithcouldinspirehim.” Theverynextdayhoweverproducedsomeproofofinspiration.Hecalledforafewmoments,justtoleaveapieceofpaperonthetablecontaining,ashesaid,acharade,whichafriendofhishadaddressedtoayounglady,theobjectofhisadmiration,butwhich,fromhismanner,Emmawasimmediatelyconvincedmustbehisown. “IdonotofferitforMissSmith’scollection,”saidhe.“Beingmyfriend’s,Ihavenorighttoexposeitinanydegreetothepubliceye,butperhapsyoumaynotdislikelookingatit.” ThespeechwasmoretoEmmathantoHarriet,whichEmmacouldunderstand.Therewasdeepconsciousnessabouthim,andhefounditeasiertomeethereyethanherfriend’s.Hewasgonethenextmoment:—afteranothermoment’spause, “Takeit,”saidEmma,smiling,andpushingthepapertowardsHarriet—“itisforyou.Takeyourown.” ButHarrietwasinatremor,andcouldnottouchitandEmma,neverlothtobefirst,wasobligedtoexamineitherself. ToMiss—— CHARADE. Myfirstdisplaysthewealthandpompofkings, Lordsoftheearth!theirluxuryandease. An