"Yes, sir, I did indeed; and I am very much obliged by your kind solicitude about me."
　"My dear Miss Fairfax, young ladies are very sure to be cared for.—— I hope your good grand-mama and aunt are well. They are some of my very old friends. I wish my health allowed me to be a better neighbour. You do us a great deal of honour to-day, I am sure. My daughter and I are both highly sensible of your goodness, and have the greatest satisfaction in seeing you at Hartfield."

　　The kind-hearted, polite old man might then sit down and feel that he had done his duty, and made every fair lady welcome and easy.

　　By this time, the walk in the rain had reached Mrs. Elton, and her remonstrances now opened upon Jane.

　　"My dear Jane, what is this I hear?——Going to the post-office in the rain!——This must not be, I assure you.——You sad girl, how could you do such a thing?——It is a sign I was not there to take care of you."

　　Jane very patiently assured her that she had not caught any cold.

　　"Oh! my dear; but so much as Patty has to do!——And it is a kindness to employ our men."
Jane looked as if she did not mean to be conquered; but instead of answering, she began speaking again to Mr. John Knightley.

　　"The post-office is a wonderful establishment!" said she.—— "The regularity and despatch of it! If one thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it does so well, it is really astonishing!"

　　"It is certainly very well regulated."

　　"So seldom that any negligence or blunder appears! So seldom that a letter, among the thousands that are constantly passing about the kingdom, is even carried wrong——and not one in a million, I suppose, actually lost! And when one considers the variety of hands, and of bad hands too, that are to be deciphered, it increases the wonder."

　　"The clerks grow expert from habit.——They must begin with some quickness of sight and hand, and exercise improves them. If you want any farther explanation," continued he, smiling, "they are paid for it. That is the key to a great deal of capacity. The public pays and must be served well."

　　The varieties of handwriting were farther talked of, and the usual observations made.
"I have heard it asserted," said John Knightley, "that the same sort of handwriting often prevails in a family; and where the same master teaches, it is natural enough. But for that reason, I should imagine the likeness must be chiefly confined to the females, for boys have very little teaching after an early age, and scramble into any hand they can get. Isabella and Emma, I think, do write very much alike. I have not always known their writing apart."

　　"Yes," said his brother hesitatingly, "there is a likeness. I know what you mean——but Emma’s hand is the strongest."

　　"Isabella and Emma both write beautifully," said Mr. Woodhouse; "and always did. And so does poor Mrs. Weston"——with half a sigh and half a smile at her.

　　Mrs. Weston was disengaged and Emma began again——"Mr. Frank Churchill writes one of the best gentleman’s hands I ever saw." "I do not admire it," said Mr. Knightley. "It is too small—— wants strength. It is like a woman’s writing."

　　"He chose to say he was employed"——
　"Well, well, I have that note; and can shew it after dinner to convince Mr. Knightley."

　　"Oh! when a gallant young man, like Mr. Frank Churchill," said Mr. Knightley dryly, "writes to a fair lady like Miss Woodhouse, he will, of course, put forth his best."

　　Dinner was on table.——Mrs. Elton, before she could be spoken to, was ready; and before Mr. Woodhouse had reached her with his request to be allowed to hand her into the dining-parlour, was saying——

　　"Must I go first? I really am ashamed of always leading the way."

　　Jane’s solicitude about fetching her own letters had not escaped Emma. She had heard and seen it all; and felt some curiosity to know whether the wet walk of this morning had produced any. She suspected that it had; that it would not have been so resolutely encountered but in full expectation of hearing from some one very dear, and that it had not been in vain. She thought there was an air of greater happiness than usual——a glow both of complexion and spirits.