CHAPTER X

　　The appearance of the little sitting-room as they entered, was tranquillity itself; Mrs. Bates, deprived of her usual employment, slumbering on one side of the fire, Frank Churchill, at a table near her, most deedily occupied about her spectacles, and Jane Fairfax, standing with her back to them, intent on her pianoforte.

　　Busy as he was, however, the young man was yet able to shew a most happy countenance on seeing Emma again.

　　"This is a pleasure," said he, in rather a low voice, "coming at least ten minutes earlier than I had calculated. You find me trying to be useful; tell me if you think I shall succeed."

　　"What!" said Mrs. Weston, "have not you finished it yet? you would not earn a very good livelihood as a working silversmith at this rate."

　　Jane did not look round. She was not obliged to hear. Mrs. Weston had been speaking to her at the same moment.

　　"It is not fair," said Emma, in a whisper; "mine was a random guess. Do not distress her."
He shook his head with a smile, and looked as if he had very little doubt and very little mercy. Soon afterwards he began again,

　　"How much your friends in Ireland must be enjoying your pleasure on this occasion, Miss Fairfax. I dare say they often think of you, and wonder which will be the day, the precise day of the instrument’s coming to hand. Do you imagine Colonel Campbell knows the business to be going forward just at this time?——Do you imagine it to be the consequence of an immediate commission from him, or that he may have sent only a general direction, an order indefinite as to time, to depend upon contingencies and conveniences?"

　　He paused. She could not but hear; she could not avoid answering,

　　"Till I have a letter from Colonel Campbell," said she, in a voice of forced calmness, "I can imagine nothing with any confidence. It must be all conjecture."

He was very warmly thanked both by mother and daughter; to escape a little from the latter, he went to the pianoforte, and begged Miss Fairfax, who was still sitting at it, to play something more.
　"If you are very kind," said he, "it will be one of the waltzes we danced last night;——let me live them over again. You did not enjoy them as I did; you appeared tired the whole time. I believe you were glad we danced no longer; but I would have given worlds—— all the worlds one ever has to give——for another half-hour."

　　She played.

　　"What felicity it is to hear a tune again which has made one happy!—— If I mistake not that was danced at Weymouth."

　　She looked up at him for a moment, coloured deeply, and played something else. He took some music from a chair near the pianoforte, and turning to Emma, said,

Emma wished he would be less pointed, yet could not help being amused; and when on glancing her eye towards Jane Fairfax she caught the remains of a smile, when she saw that with all the deep blush of consciousness, there had been a smile of secret delight, she had less scruple in the amusement, and much less compunction with respect to her.——This amiable, upright, perfect Jane Fairfax was apparently cherishing very reprehensible feelings.
　He brought all the music to her, and they looked it over together.—— Emma took the opportunity of whispering,

　　"You speak too plain. She must understand you."

　　"I hope she does. I would have her understand me. I am not in the least ashamed of my meaning."

　　"But really, I am half ashamed, and wish I had never taken up the idea."

　　"I am very glad you did, and that you communicated it to me. I have now a key to all her odd looks and ways. Leave shame to her. If she does wrong, she ought to feel it."

　　"She is not entirely without it, I think."

　　"I do not see much sign of it. She is playing Robin Adair at this moment——his favourite."

　　Shortly afterwards Miss Bates, passing near the window, descried Mr. Knightley on horse-back not far off.

　　She was in the adjoining chamber while she still spoke, and opening the casement there, immediately called Mr. Knightley’s attention, and every syllable of their conversation was as distinctly heard by the others, as if it had passed within the same apartment.