produce perfection. - Not that I presume to insinuate, however, that some people may not think you perfection already. - But hush! - not a word, if you please.'

It seemed an unnecessary caution; Jane was wanting to give her words, not to Mrs. Elton, but to Miss Woodhouse, as the latter plainly saw. The wish of distinguishing her, as far as civility permitted, was very evident, though it could not often proceed beyond a look.

Mr. Elton made his appearance. His lady greeted him with some of her sparkling vivacity.

`Very pretty, sir, upon my word; to send me on here, to be an encumbrance to my friends, so long before you vouchsafe to come! - But you knew what a dutiful creature you had to deal with. You knew I should not stir till my lord and master appeared. - Here have I been sitting this hour, giving these young ladies a sample of true conjugal obedience - for who can say, you know, how soon it may be wanted?'

Mr. Elton was so hot and tired, that all this wit seemed thrown away. His civilities to the other ladies must be paid; but his subsequent object was to lament over himself for the heat he was suffering, and the walk he had had for nothing.

`When I got to Donwell,' said he, `Knightley could not be found. Very odd! very unaccountable! after the note I sent him this morning, and the message he returned, that he should certainly be at home till one.'

`Donwell!' cried his wife. - `My dear Mr. E., you have not been to Donwell! - You mean the Crown; you come from the meeting at the Crown.'

`No, no, that's to-morrow; and I particularly wanted to see Knightley to-day on that very account. - Such a dreadful broiling morning! - I went over the fields too - (speaking in a tone of great ill-usage,) which made it so much the worse. And then not to find him at home! I assure you I am not at all pleased. And no apology left, no message for me. The housekeeper declared she knew nothing of my being expected. - Very extraordinary! - And nobody knew at all which way he was gone. Perhaps to Hartfield, perhaps to the Abbey Mill, perhaps into his woods. - Miss Woodhouse, this is not like our friend Knightley! - Can you explain it?'

Emma amused herself by protesting that it was very extraordinary, indeed, and that she had not a syllable to say for him.

`I cannot imagine,' said Mrs. Elton, (feeling the indignity as a wife ought to do,) `I cannot imagine how he could do such a thing by you, of all people in the world! The very last person whom one should expect to be forgotten! - My dear Mr. E., he must have left a message for you, I am sure he must. - Not even Knightley could be so very eccentric; - and his servants forgot it. Depend upon it, that was the case: and very likely to happen with the Donwell servants, who are all, I have often observed, extremely awkward and remiss. - I am sure I would not have such a creature as his Harry stand at our sideboard for any consideration. And as for Mrs. Hodges, Wright holds her very cheap indeed. - She promised Wright a receipt, and never sent it.'

`I met William Larkins,' continued Mr. Elton, `as I got near the house, and he told me I should not find his master at home, but I did not believe him. - William seemed rather out of humour. He did not know what was come to his master lately, he said, but he could hardly ever get the speech of him. I have nothing to do with William's wants, but it really is of very great importance that I should see Knightley to-day; and it becomes a matter, therefore, of very serious inconvenience that I should have had this hot walk to no purpose.'

Emma felt that she could not do better than go home directly. In all probability she was at this very time waited for there; and Mr. Knightley might be preserved from sinking deeper in aggression towards Mr. Elton, if not towards William Larkins.