`I have made a most wretched discovery,'
said he, after a short pause. - `I have been here a week to-morrow - half my
time. I never knew days fly so fast. A week to-morrow! - And I have hardly
begun to enjoy myself. But just got acquainted with Mrs. Weston, and others! -
I hate the recollection.'
`Perhaps you may now begin to regret that
you spent one whole day, out of so few, in having your hair cut.'
`No,' said he, smiling, `that is no subject
of regret at all. I have no pleasure in seeing my friends, unless I can believe
myself fit to be seen.'
The rest of the gentlemen being now in the
room, Emma found herself obliged to turn from him for a few minutes, and listen
to Mr. Cole. When Mr. Cole had moved away, and her attention could be restored
as before, she saw Frank Churchill looking intently across the room at Miss
Fairfax, who was sitting exactly opposite.
`What is the matter?' said she.
He started. `Thank you for rousing me,' he
replied. `I believe I have been very rude; but really Miss Fairfax has done her
hair in so odd a way - so very odd a way - that I cannot keep my eyes from her.
I never saw any thing so outree! - Those curls! - This must be a fancy of her
own. I see nobody else looking like her! - I must go and ask her whether it is an
Irish fashion. Shall I? - Yes, I will - I declare I will - and you shall see
how she takes it; - whether she colours.'
He was gone immediately; and Emma soon saw
him standing before Miss Fairfax, and talking to her; but as to its effect on
the young lady, as he had improvidently placed himself exactly between them,
exactly in front of Miss Fairfax, she could absolutely distinguish nothing.
Before he could return to his chair, it was
taken by Mrs. Weston.
`This is the luxury of a large party,' said
she: - `one can get near every body, and say every thing. My dear Emma, I am
longing to talk to you. I have been making discoveries and forming plans, just
like yourself, and I must tell them while the idea is fresh. Do you know how
Miss Bates and her niece came here?'
`How? - They were invited, were not they?'
`Oh! yes - but how they were conveyed
hither? - the manner of their coming?'
`They walked, I conclude. How else could
they come?'
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