 must be very like a merit to those he was with.
    Emma watched and decided, that with such feelings as were now shewn, it
could not be fairly supposed that he had been ever voluntarily absenting
himself; that he had not been acting a part, or making a parade of insincere
professions; and that Mr. Knightley certainly had not done him justice.
    Their first pause was at the Crown Inn, an inconsiderable house, though the
principal one of the sort, where a couple of pair of post-horses were kept, more
for the convenience of the neighbourhood than from any run on the road; and his
companions had not expected to be detained by any interest excited there; but in
passing it they gave the history of the large room visibly added; it had been
built many years ago for a ball-room, and while the neighbourhood had been in a
particularly populous, dancing state, had been occasionally used as such; - but
such brilliant days had long passed away, and now the highest purpose for which
it was ever wanted was to accommodate a whist club established among the
gentlemen and half-gentlemen of the place. He was immediately interested. Its
character as a ball-room caught him; and instead of passing on, he stopt for
several minutes at the two superior sashed windows which were open, to look in
and contemplate its capabilities, and lament that its original purpose should
have ceased. He saw no fault in the room, he would acknowledge none which they
suggested. No, it was long enough, broad enough, handsome enough. It would hold
the very number for comfort. They ought to have balls there at least every
fortnight through the winter. Why had not Miss Woodhouse revived the former good
old days of the room? - She who could do any thing in Highbury! The want of
proper families in the place, and the conviction that none beyond the place and
its immediate environs could be tempted to attend, were mentioned; but he was
not satisfied. He could not be persuaded that so many good-looking houses as he
saw around him, could not furnish numbers enough for such a meeting; and even
when particulars were given and families described, he was still unwilling to
admit that the inconvenience of such a mixture would be any thing, or that there
would be the smallest difficulty in every body's returning into their proper
place the next morning. He argued like a young man very much bent on dancing;
and Emma was rather surprized to see the constitution of the Weston prevail so
decidedly against the habits of the Churchills.
