 preserve her good manners. For her own sake she could
not be rude; and for Harriet's, in the hope that all would yet turn out right,
she was even positively civil; but it was an effort; especially as something was
going on amongst the others, in the most overpowering period of Mr. Elton's
nonsense, which she particularly wished to listen to. She heard enough to know
that Mr. Weston was giving some information about his son; she heard the words
my son, and Frank, and my son, repeated several times over; and from a few other
half-syllables very much suspected that he was announcing an early visit from
his son; but before she could quiet Mr. Elton, the subject was so completely
past that any reviving question from her would have been awkward.
    Now, it so happened that in spite of Emma's resolution of never marrying,
there was something in the name, in the idea of Mr. Frank Churchill, which
always interested her. She had frequently thought - especially since his
father's marriage with Miss Taylor - that if she were to marry, he was the very
person to suit her in age, character and condition. He seemed by this connection
between the families, quite to belong to her. She could not but suppose it to be
a match that every body who knew them must think of. That Mr. and Mrs. Weston
did think of it, she was very strongly persuaded; and though not meaning to be
induced by him, or by any body else, to give up a situation which she believed
more replete with good than any she could change it for, she had a great
curiosity to see him, a decided intention of finding him pleasant, of being
liked by him to a certain degree, and a sort of pleasure in the idea of their
being coupled in their friends' imaginations.
    With such sensations, Mr. Elton's civilities were dreadfully ill-timed; but
she had the comfort of appearing very polite, while feeling very cross - and of
thinking that the rest of the visit could not possibly pass without bringing
forward the same information again, or the substance of it, from the
open-hearted Mr. Weston. - So it proved; - for when happily released from Mr.
Elton, and seated by Mr. Weston, at dinner, he made use of the very first
interval in the cares of hospitality, the very first leisure from the saddle of
mutton, to say to her,
    »We want only two more to be just the
