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1The next morning brought Mr. Frank Churchill again. He came with Mrs. Weston, to whom and to Highbury he seemed to take
2very cordially. He had been sitting with her, it appeared, most companionably at home, till her usual hour of exercise;
3and on being desired to chuse their walk, immediately fixed on Highbury.--"He did not doubt there being very pleasant
4walks in every direction, but if left to him, he should always chuse the same. Highbury, that airy, cheerful,
5happy-looking Highbury, would be his constant attraction."--Highbury, with Mrs. Weston, stood for Hartfield; and she
6trusted to its bearing the same construction with him. They walked thither directly. Emma had hardly expected them: for
7Mr. Weston, who had called in for half a minute, in order to hear that his son was very handsome, knew nothing of their
8plans; and it was an agreeable surprize to her, therefore, to perceive them walking up to the house together, arm in
9arm. She was wanting to see him again, and especially to see him in company with Mrs. Weston, upon his behaviour to whom
10her opinion of him was to depend. If he were deficient there, nothing should make amends for it. But on seeing them
11together, she became perfectly satisfied. It was not merely in fine words or hyperbolical compliment that he paid his
12duty; nothing could be more proper or pleasing than his whole manner to her--nothing could more agreeably denote his
13wish of considering her as a friend and securing her affection. And there was time enough for Emma to form a reasonable
14judgment, as their visit included all the rest of the morning. They were all three walking about together for an hour or
15two--first round the shrubberies of Hartfield, and afterwards in Highbury. He was delighted with every thing; admired
16Hartfield sufficiently for Mr. Woodhouse's ear; and when their going farther was resolved on, confessed his wish to be
17made acquainted with the whole village, and found matter of commendation and interest much oftener than Emma could have
18supposed. Some of the objects of his curiosity spoke very amiable feelings. He begged to be shewn the house which his
19father had lived in so long, and which had been the home of his father's father; and on recollecting that an old woman
20who had nursed him was still living, walked in quest of her cottage from one end of the street to the other; and though
21in some points of pursuit or observation there was no positive merit, they shewed, altogether, a good-will towards
22Highbury in general, which must be very like a merit to those he was with. Emma watched and decided, that with such
23feelings as were now shewn, it could not be fairly supposed that he had been ever voluntarily absenting himself; that he
24had not been acting a part, or making a parade of insincere professions; and that Mr. Knightley certainly had not done
25him justice. Their first pause was at the Crown Inn, an inconsiderable house, though the principal one of the sort,
26where a couple of pair of post-horses were kept, more for the convenience of the neighbourhood than from any run on the
27road; and his companions had not expected to be detained by any interest excited there; but in passing it they gave the
28history of the large room visibly added; it had been built many years ago for a ball-room, and while the neighbourhood
29had been in a particularly populous, dancing state, had been occasionally used as such;--but such brilliant days had
30long passed away, and now the highest purpose for which it was ever wanted was to accommodate a whist club established
31among the gentlemen and half-gentlemen of the place. He was immediately interested. Its character as a ball-room caught
32him; and instead of passing on, he stopt for several minutes at the two superior sashed windows which were open, to look
33in and contemplate its capabilities, and lament that its original purpose should have ceased. He saw no fault in the
34room, he would acknowledge none which they suggested. No, it was long enough, broad enough, handsome enough. It would
35hold the very number for comfort. They ought to have balls there at least every fortnight through the winter. Why had
36not Miss Woodhouse revived the former good old days of the room?--She who could do any thing in Highbury! The want of
37proper families in the place, and the conviction that none beyond the place and its immediate environs could be tempted
38to attend, were mentioned; but he was not satisfied. He could not be persuaded that so many good-looking houses as he
39saw around him, could not furnish numbers enough for such a meeting; and even when particulars were given and families
40described, he was still unwilling to admit that the inconvenience of such a mixture would be any thing, or that there
41would be the smallest difficulty in every body's returning into their proper place the next morning. He argued like a
42young man very much bent on dancing; and Emma was rather surprized to see the constitution of the Weston prevail so
43decidedly against the habits of the Churchills. He seemed to have all the life and spirit, cheerful feelings, and social
44inclinations of his father, and nothing of the pride or reserve of Enscombe. Of pride, indeed, there was, perhaps,
45scarcely enough; his indifference to a confusion of rank, bordered too much on inelegance of mind. He could be no judge,
46however, of the evil he was holding cheap. It was but an effusion of lively spirits. At last he was persuaded to move on
47from the front of the Crown; and being now almost facing the house where the Bateses lodged, Emma recollected his
48intended visit the day before, and asked him if he had paid it. "Yes, oh! yes"--he replied; "I was just going to mention
49it. A very successful visit:--I saw all the three ladies; and felt very much obliged to you for your preparatory hint.
50If the talking aunt had taken me quite by surprize, it must have been the death of me. As it was, I was only betrayed
51into paying a most unreasonable visit. Ten minutes would have been all that was necessary, perhaps all that was proper;
52and I had told my father I should certainly be at home before him--but there was no getting away, no pause; and, to my
53utter astonishment, I found, when he (finding me nowhere else) joined me there at last, that I had been actually sitting
54with them very nearly three-quarters of an hour. The good lady had not given me the possibility of escape before." "And
55how did you think Miss Fairfax looking?" "Ill, very ill--that is, if a young lady can ever be allowed to look ill. But
56the expression is hardly admissible, Mrs. Weston, is it? Ladies can never look ill. And, seriously, Miss Fairfax is
57naturally so pale, as almost always to give the appearance of ill health.--A most deplorable want of complexion." Emma
58would not agree to this, and began a warm defence of Miss Fairfax's complexion. "It was certainly never brilliant, but
59she would not allow it to have a sickly hue in general; and there was a softness and delicacy in her skin which gave
60peculiar elegance to the character of her face." He listened with all due deference; acknowledged that he had heard many
61people say the same--but yet he must confess, that to him nothing could make amends for the want of the fine glow of
62health. Where features were indifferent, a fine complexion gave beauty to them all; and where they were good, the effect
63was--fortunately he need not attempt to describe what the effect was. "Well," said Emma, "there is no disputing about
64taste.--At least you admire her except her complexion." He shook his head and laughed.--"I cannot separate Miss Fairfax
65and her complexion." "Did you see her often at Weymouth? Were you often in the same society?" At this moment they were
66approaching Ford's, and he hastily exclaimed, "Ha! this must be the very shop that every body attends every day of their
67lives, as my father informs me. He comes to Highbury himself, he says, six days out of the seven, and has always
68business at Ford's. If it be not inconvenient to you, pray let us go in, that I may prove myself to belong to the place,
69to be a true citizen of Highbury. I must buy something at Ford's. It will be taking out my freedom.--I dare say they
70sell gloves." "Oh! yes, gloves and every thing. I do admire your patriotism. You will be adored in Highbury. You were
71very popular before you came, because you were Mr. Weston's son--but lay out half a guinea at Ford's, and your
72popularity will stand upon your own virtues."
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