 tiresome, because anxiety for her health was now
added to admiration of her powers; and they had to listen to the description of
exactly how little bread and butter she ate for breakfast, and how small a slice
of mutton for dinner, as well as to see exhibitions of new caps and new
work-bags for her mother and herself; and Jane's offences rose again. They had
music; Emma was obliged to play; and the thanks and praise which necessarily
followed appeared to her an affectation of candour, an air of greatness, meaning
only to shew off in higher style her own very superior performance. She was,
besides, which was the worst of all, so cold, so cautious! There was no getting
at her real opinion. Wrapt up in a cloak of politeness, she seemed determined to
hazard nothing. She was disgustingly, was suspiciously reserved.
    If any thing could be more, where all was most, she was more reserved on the
subject of Weymouth and the Dixons than any thing. She seemed bent on giving no
real insight into Mr. Dixon's character, or her own value for his company, or
opinion of the suitableness of the match. It was all general approbation and
smoothness; nothing delineated or distinguished. It did her no service however.
Her caution was thrown away. Emma saw its artifice, and returned to her first
surmises. There probably was something more to conceal than her own preference;
Mr. Dixon, perhaps, had been very near changing one friend for the other, or
been fixed only to Miss Campbell, for the sake of the future twelve thousand
pounds.
    The like reserve prevailed on other topics. She and Mr. Frank Churchill had
been at Weymouth at the same time. It was known that they were a little
acquainted; but not a syllable of real information could Emma procure as to what
he truly was. »Was he handsome?« - »She believed he was reckoned a very fine
young man.« »Was he agreeable?« - »He was generally thought so.« »Did he appear
a sensible young man; a young man of information?« - »At a watering-place, or in
a common London acquaintance, it was difficult to decide on such points. Manners
were all that could be safely judged of, under a much longer knowledge than they
had yet had of Mr. Churchill. She believed every body found his manners
pleasing.« Emma could not forgive her.
 

                                  Chapter III.

Emma could not forgive her; - but as neither provocation nor resentment were
discerned by
