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1"Miss Woodhouse," said Frank Churchill, after examining a table behind him, which he could reach as he sat, "have your
2nephews taken away their alphabets--their box of letters? It used to stand here. Where is it? This is a sort of
3dull-looking evening, that ought to be treated rather as winter than summer. We had great amusement with those letters
4one morning. I want to puzzle you again." Emma was pleased with the thought; and producing the box, the table was
5quickly scattered over with alphabets, which no one seemed so much disposed to employ as their two selves. They were
6rapidly forming words for each other, or for any body else who would be puzzled. The quietness of the game made it
7particularly eligible for Mr. Woodhouse, who had often been distressed by the more animated sort, which Mr. Weston had
8occasionally introduced, and who now sat happily occupied in lamenting, with tender melancholy, over the departure of
9the "poor little boys," or in fondly pointing out, as he took up any stray letter near him, how beautifully Emma had
10written it. Frank Churchill placed a word before Miss Fairfax. She gave a slight glance round the table, and applied
11herself to it. Frank was next to Emma, Jane opposite to them--and Mr. Knightley so placed as to see them all; and it was
12his object to see as much as he could, with as little apparent observation. The word was discovered, and with a faint
13smile pushed away. If meant to be immediately mixed with the others, and buried from sight, she should have looked on
14the table instead of looking just across, for it was not mixed; and Harriet, eager after every fresh word, and finding
15out none, directly took it up, and fell to work. She was sitting by Mr. Knightley, and turned to him for help. The word
16was blunder; and as Harriet exultingly proclaimed it, there was a blush on Jane's cheek which gave it a meaning not
17otherwise ostensible. Mr. Knightley connected it with the dream; but how it could all be, was beyond his comprehension.
18How the delicacy, the discretion of his favourite could have been so lain asleep! He feared there must be some decided
19involvement. Disingenuousness and double dealing seemed to meet him at every turn. These letters were but the vehicle
20for gallantry and trick. It was a child's play, chosen to conceal a deeper game on Frank Churchill's part. With great
21indignation did he continue to observe him; with great alarm and distrust, to observe also his two blinded companions.
22He saw a short word prepared for Emma, and given to her with a look sly and demure. He saw that Emma had soon made it
23out, and found it highly entertaining, though it was something which she judged it proper to appear to censure; for she
24said, "Nonsense! for shame!" He heard Frank Churchill next say, with a glance towards Jane, "I will give it to
25her--shall I?"--and as clearly heard Emma opposing it with eager laughing warmth. "No, no, you must not; you shall not,
26indeed." It was done however. This gallant young man, who seemed to love without feeling, and to recommend himself
27without complaisance, directly handed over the word to Miss Fairfax, and with a particular degree of sedate civility
28entreated her to study it. Mr. Knightley's excessive curiosity to know what this word might be, made him seize every
29possible moment for darting his eye towards it, and it was not long before he saw it to be Dixon. Jane Fairfax's
30perception seemed to accompany his; her comprehension was certainly more equal to the covert meaning, the superior
31intelligence, of those five letters so arranged. She was evidently displeased; looked up, and seeing herself watched,
32blushed more deeply than he had ever perceived her, and saying only, "I did not know that proper names were allowed,"
33pushed away the letters with even an angry spirit, and looked resolved to be engaged by no other word that could be
34offered. Her face was averted from those who had made the attack, and turned towards her aunt. "Aye, very true, my
35dear," cried the latter, though Jane had not spoken a word--"I was just going to say the same thing. It is time for us
36to be going indeed. The evening is closing in, and grandmama will be looking for us. My dear sir, you are too obliging.
37We really must wish you good night." Jane's alertness in moving, proved her as ready as her aunt had preconceived. She
38was immediately up, and wanting to quit the table; but so many were also moving, that she could not get away; and Mr.
39Knightley thought he saw another collection of letters anxiously pushed towards her, and resolutely swept away by her
40unexamined. She was afterwards looking for her shawl--Frank Churchill was looking also--it was growing dusk, and the
41room was in confusion; and how they parted, Mr. Knightley could not tell. He remained at Hartfield after all the rest,
42his thoughts full of what he had seen; so full, that when the candles came to assist his observations, he must--yes, he
43certainly must, as a friend--an anxious friend--give Emma some hint, ask her some question. He could not see her in a
44situation of such danger, without trying to preserve her. It was his duty. "Pray, Emma," said he, "may I ask in what lay
45the great amusement, the poignant sting of the last word given to you and Miss Fairfax? I saw the word, and am curious
46to know how it could be so very entertaining to the one, and so very distressing to the other." Emma was extremely
47confused. She could not endure to give him the true explanation; for though her suspicions were by no means removed, she
48was really ashamed of having ever imparted them. "Oh!" she cried in evident embarrassment, "it all meant nothing; a mere
49joke among ourselves." "The joke," he replied gravely, "seemed confined to you and Mr. Churchill." He had hoped she
50would speak again, but she did not. She would rather busy herself about any thing than speak. He sat a little while in
51doubt. A variety of evils crossed his mind. Interference--fruitless interference. Emma's confusion, and the acknowledged
52intimacy, seemed to declare her affection engaged. Yet he would speak. He owed it to her, to risk any thing that might
53be involved in an unwelcome interference, rather than her welfare; to encounter any thing, rather than the remembrance
54of neglect in such a cause. "My dear Emma," said he at last, with earnest kindness, "do you think you perfectly
55understand the degree of acquaintance between the gentleman and lady we have been speaking of?" "Between Mr. Frank
56Churchill and Miss Fairfax? Oh! yes, perfectly.--Why do you make a doubt of it?" "Have you never at any time had reason
57to think that he admired her, or that she admired him?" "Never, never!" she cried with a most open eagerness--"Never,
58for the twentieth part of a moment, did such an idea occur to me. And how could it possibly come into your head?" "I
59have lately imagined that I saw symptoms of attachment between them--certain expressive looks, which I did not believe
60meant to be public." "Oh! you amuse me excessively. I am delighted to find that you can vouchsafe to let your
61imagination wander--but it will not do--very sorry to check you in your first essay--but indeed it will not do. There is
62no admiration between them, I do assure you; and the appearances which have caught you, have arisen from some peculiar
63circumstances--feelings rather of a totally different nature--it is impossible exactly to explain:--there is a good deal
64of nonsense in it--but the part which is capable of being communicated, which is sense, is, that they are as far from
65any attachment or admiration for one another, as any two beings in the world can be. That is, I presume it to be so on
66her side, and I can answer for its being so on his. I will answer for the gentleman's indifference." She spoke with a
67confidence which staggered, with a satisfaction which silenced, Mr. Knightley. She was in gay spirits, and would have
68prolonged the conversation, wanting to hear the particulars of his suspicions, every look described, and all the wheres
69and hows of a circumstance which highly entertained her: but his gaiety did not meet hers. He found he could not be
70useful, and his feelings were too much irritated for talking. That he might not be irritated into an absolute fever, by
71the fire which Mr. Woodhouse's tender habits required almost every evening throughout the year, he soon afterwards took
72a hasty leave, and walked home to the coolness and solitude of Donwell Abbey.
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