October 31, 2025 • 22 mins
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Part two. At a little before eight, the Tomlinson's carriage
was had to go by, which was the constant signal
for Missus Edwards to order hers to the door, and
in a very few minutes the party were transported from
the quiet and warmth of a snug parlor to the bustle,
noise and drafts of the air of the broad entrance
passage of an inn. Missus Edwards, carefully guarding her own
(00:24):
dress while she attended with yet greater solicitude to the
proper security of her young charges, shoulders and throats led
the way up the wide staircase, while no sound of
a ball, but the first scrape of one violin blessed
the ears of her followers. At miss Edwards, on hazarding,
the anxious inquiry of whether there were many people come
(00:44):
yet was told by the waiter, as she knew she should,
that Missus Tomlinson's family were in the room. In Passing
along a short gallery to the assembly room, brilliant in
lights before them, they were accosted by a young man
in the morning dress and boots, who was standing in
the doorway of a bed chamber, apparently on purpose to
(01:05):
see them go by. Ah Missus Edwards, how do you do?
How do you do? Miss Edwards, he cried with an
easy air. You are determined to be in good time.
I see, as usual the candles are, but this moment lit,
I like to get a good seat by the fire,
you know, mister Musgrave replied Missus Edwards. I am this
(01:28):
moment going to dress, said he. I am waiting for
my stupid fellow. We shall have a famous ball. The
Osbornes are certainly coming. You may depend upon that, for
I was with Lord Osborne this morning. The party passed
on Missus Edwards's satin gown, swept along the clean floor
of the ball room to the fireplace at the upper end,
(01:49):
where one party only were formerly seated, while three or
four officers were lounging together passing in and out from
the adjoining card room. A very stiff meeting between these
near neighbors ensued, and as soon as they were all
duly placed again, Emma in a low whisper, which became
the solemn scene, said to miss Edwards. The gentleman we
(02:10):
passed in the passage was mister Musgraves. Then he has
reckoned remarkably agreeable. I understand Miss Edwards answered hesitatingly. Yes,
he is very much liked by many people, but we
are not very intimate. He is rich, is not he?
He has about eight or nine hundred pounds a year.
I believe he came into possession of it when he
(02:32):
was very young, and my father and mother think it
has given him rather an unsettled turn. He is no
favorite with them. The cold and empty appearance of the room,
and the demure air of the small cluster of females
at one end of it, began soon to give way.
The inspiriting sound of other carriages was heard, and continual
accessions of portly chaperons and strings of smartly dressed girls
(02:56):
were received. Was now and then a fresh gentleman's straggler, who,
if not enough in love to station himself near any
fair creature, seemed glad to escape into the card room.
Among the increasing number of military men, one now made
his way to Miss Edwards with an air of m pressement,
which decidedly said to her companion, I am Captain Hunter.
(03:20):
And Emma, who could not but watch her at such
a moment, saw her looking rather distressed, but by no
means displeased, and had an engagement formed for the first
two dances, which made her think her brother Sam's a
hopeless case. Emma, in the meanwhile, was not unobserved or
unadmired herself. A new face and a very pretty one,
(03:41):
could not be slighted. Her name was whispered from one
party to another, and no sooner had the signal been
given by the orchestras striking up a favorite air which
seemed to call the young to their duty and people
the center of the room, than she found herself engaged
to dance with a brother officer introduced by Captain Hunter.
Emma Watson was not more than of the middle height,
(04:03):
well made and plump, with an air of healthy vigor.
Her skin was very brown, but clear, smooth and glowing, which,
with a lively eye, a sweet smile, and an open
countenance gave beauty to attract and expression to make that
beauty improve an acquaintance. Having no reason to be dissatisfied
with her partner, the evening began very pleasantly to her,
(04:26):
and her feelings perfectly coincided with the reiterated observation of
others that it was an excellent ball. The two first
dances were not quite over when the returning sound of carriages.
After a long interruption called general notice, and the Osborns
are coming. The Osborns are coming, was repeated round the room.
After some minutes of extraordinary bustle, without and watchful curiosity within,
(04:50):
the important party, preceded by the attentive master of the
inn to open a door which was never shut, made
their appearance. They consisted of Lady Osborne, her son, Lord Osborne,
her daughter Miss Osborne, Miss Carr, her daughter's friend, Mister Howard,
formerly tutor to Lord Osborne, now clergyman in the parish
(05:12):
in which the castle stood, Missus Blake, a widow's sister
who lived with him, her son, a fine boy of
ten years old, and mister Tom Musgrave, who probably imprisoned
within his own room, had been listening in bitter impatience
to the sound of the music for the last half hour.
In their progress up the room, they paused almost immediately
(05:35):
behind Emma to receive the compliments of some acquaintance, and
she heard Lady Osborne observe that they had made a
point of coming early for the gratification of Missus Blake's
little boy, who was uncommonly fond of dancing. Emma looked
at them all as they passed, but chiefly and with
most interest on Tom Musgrave, who was certainly a genteel,
(05:56):
good looking young man. Of the females, Lady Osborne had
by much the finest person, Though nearly fifty, she was
very handsome and had all the dignity of rank. Lord
Osborne was a very fine young man, but there was
the air of coldness, of carelessness, even of awkwardness about him,
which seemed to speak him out of his element in
(06:17):
a ball room. He came, in fact, only because it
was judged expedient for him to please the borrow. He
was not fond of women's company, and he never danced.
Mister Howard was an agreeable looking man, a little more
than thirty. At the conclusion of the two dances, Emma
found herself She knew not how seated amongst the Osborne set,
(06:40):
and she was immediately struck with the fine countenance and
animated gestures of the little boy as he was standing
before his mother, wandering when they should begin. You will
not be surprised at child's impatience, said missus Blake, a
lively pleasant looking woman of five or six and thirty
to a lady who was standing near her. When you
(07:01):
know what a partner he is to have. Miss Osborne
has been so very kind as to promise to dance
the first two dances with him. Oh yes, we have
been engaged this week, cried the boy, and we are
to dance down every couple. On the other side of Emma,
miss Osborne, Miss Carr, and a party of young men
were standing engaged in very lively consultation, and soon afterwards
(07:25):
she saw the smartest officer of the set walking off
to the orchestra to order the dance, while Miss Osborne,
passing before her to her little expecting partner, hastily said, Charles,
I beg your pardon for not keeping my engagement, but
I am going to dance these two dances with Colonel Beresford.
I know you will excuse me, and I will certainly
dance with you after tea. And without staying for an answer,
(07:47):
she turned again to Miss Carr and in another minute
was led by Colonel Beresford to begin the set. If
the poor little boy's face had, in its happiness been
interesting to Emma, it was infinitely more so under this
sudden reverse. He stood the picture of disappointment. With crimsoned cheeks,
quivering lips, and eyes bent on the floor, His mother,
(08:10):
stifling her own mortification, tried to soothe his with the
prospect of miss Osborne's second promise. But though he contrived
to utter with an effort of boyish bravery, oh I
do not mind it, it was very evident, by the
unceasing agitation of his features that he minded it as
much as ever. Emma did not think or reflect, she
(08:30):
felt and acted. I shall be very happy to dance
with you, sir, if you like it, said she, holding
out her hand with the most unaffected good humor. The boy,
in one moment, restored to all his fast delight, looked
joyfully at his mother, and stepping forwards with an honest
and simple thank you. Ma'am, was instantly ready to attend
(08:51):
his new acquaintance. The thankfulness of missus Blake was more diffuse.
With a look most expressive of unexpected pleasure and lively gratitude,
she turned to her neighbor with repeated and fervent acknowledgments
of so great a condescending a kindness to her boy. Emma,
with perfect truth, could assure her that she could not
be giving greater pleasure than she felt herself, and Charles,
(09:14):
being provided with his gloves and charged to keep them on,
they joined the set, which was now rapidly forming with
nearly equal complacency. It was a partnership which could not
be noticed without surprise. It gained her a broad stare
from Miss Osborne and Miss Carr as they passed her
in the dance. Upon my word, Charles, you are in luck,
(09:35):
said the former, as she turned him. You have got
a better partner than me, to which the happy Charles
answered yes. Tom Musgrave, who was dancing with Miss Carr,
gave her many inquisitive glances, and after a time Lord
Osborne himself came and, under pretense of talking to Charles,
stood to look at his partner. Though rather distressed by
(09:58):
such observation, Emma could not repent what she had done,
so happy had it made both the boy and his mother,
the latter of whom was continually making opportunities of addressing
her with the warmest civility. Her little partner, she found,
though bent chiefly on dancing, was not unwilling to speak
when her questions or remarks gave him anything to say,
(10:19):
and she learnt by a sort of inevitable inquiry, that
he had two brothers and a sister, that they and
their mamma all lived with his uncle at Wigsted, that
his uncle taught him Latin, that he was very fond
of riding, and had a horse of his own given
him by Lord Osborne, and that he had been out
once already with Lord Osborne's hands. At the end of
(10:40):
these dances, Emma found they were to drink tea. Miss
Edwards gave her a caution to be at hand in
a manner which convinced her of Missus Edward's holding. It
very important to have them both close to her when
she moved into the tea room, and Emma was accordingly
on the alert to gain her proper station. It was
always the pleasure of the company to have a little
(11:00):
bustle and crowd when they adjourned for a refreshment. The
tea room was a small room within the card room,
and in passing through the latter, where the passage was
straightened by tables, Missus Edwards and her party were for
a few moments hemmed in. It happened close by Lady
Osborne's casino table. Mister Howard, who belonged to it, spoke
(11:23):
to his nephew, and Emma, on perceiving herself the object
of attention both to Lady Osborne and him, had just
turned away her eye in time to avoid seeming to
hear her young companion delightedly whisper loud, oh uncle, do
you look at my partner? She is so pretty? As
they were immediately in motion again. However, Charles was hurried
off without being able to receive his uncle's suffrage. On
(11:47):
entering the tea room, in which two long tables were prepared,
Lord Osborne was to be seen quite alone at the
end of one, as if retreating as far as he
could from the ball to enjoy his own thoughts and gape.
Without resist, Charles instantly pointed him out to Emma, there's
Lord Osborne. Let you and I go and sit by him. No, no,
(12:08):
said Emma, laughing, you must sit with my friends. Charles
was now free enough to hazard a few questions in
his turn. What o'clock was it? Eleven eleven? And I
am not at all sleepy, Mamma said, I shall be
asleep before ten. Do you think miss Osborne will keep
her word with me when tea is over? Oh yes,
(12:30):
I suppose so. So she felt that she had no
better reason to give than miss Osborne had not kept
it before. When shall you come to Osborne Castle? Never? Probably,
I am not acquainted with the family. But you may
come to Wisted and see Mamma, and she can take
you to the castle. There is a monstrous, curious stuffed
(12:51):
foxen there, and a badger. Anybody would think they were alive.
It is a pity you should not see them. On
rising from tea, there was again a scramble for the
pleasure of being first out of the room, which happened
to be increased by one or two of the card
parties having just broken up, and the players being disposed
to move exactly the different way. Among these was mister Howard,
(13:15):
his sister leaning on his arm, and no sooner were
there within reach of Emma than missus Blake, calling her
notice by a friendly touch, said, your goodness to Charles,
my dear miss Watson brings all his family upon you.
Give me leave to introduce my brother mister Howard. Emma curtseyed,
the gentleman bowed, made a hasty request for the honor
(13:37):
of her hand. In the two next dances, to which
as hasty and affirmative was given and they were immediately
impelled in opposite directions. Emma was very well pleased with
the circumstance. There was a quietly cheerful, gentlemanlike air in
mister Howard which suited her, and in a few minutes
afterwards the value of her engagement increased when, as she
(13:58):
was sitting in the card room, somewhat screened by a door,
she heard Lord Osborne, who was lounging on a vacant
table near her, called Tom Musgrave towards him and say,
why do you not dance with that beautiful Emma Watson.
I want you to dance with her, and I will
come and stand by you. I was determining on it
this very moment, my Lord. I'll be introduced and dance
(14:20):
with her directly. I do. And if you find she
does not want much talking to, you may introduce me
by and by very well, my lord. If she is
like her sisters, she will only want to be listened to.
I will go this moment. I shall find her in
the tea room that stiff old missus Edwards has never
done tea away he went Lord Osborne after him and
(14:44):
Emma lost no time in hurrying from her corner exactly
the other way, forgetting in her haste that she left
Missus Edwards behind. We had quite lost you, said Missus Edwards,
who followed her with Mary in less than five minutes.
If you prefer the this room to the other, there
is no reason why you should not be here. But
we had better all be together. Emma was saved the
(15:07):
trouble of apologizing by their being joined at that moment
by Tom Musgrave, who, requesting Missus Edwards, allowed to do
him the honor of presenting him to Miss Emma Watson
left that good lady without any choice in the business
but that of testifying to the coldness of her manner
that she did it unwillingly. The honor of dancing with
her was solicited without loss of time, and Emma, however
(15:30):
she might like to be thought a beautiful girl by
a lord or commoner, was so little disposed to favor
Tom Musgrave himself that she had considerable satisfaction in avowing
her previous engagement. He was evidently surprised and discomposed. The
style of her last partner had probably led him to
believe her not overpowered with applications. My little friend, Charles Blake,
(15:55):
he cried, must not expect to engross you the whole evening.
We can never suffer this. It is against the rules
of the Assembly, and I am sure it will never
be patronized by our good friend here, missus Edwards. She
is by a much too nice a judge of decorum
to give her license to such dangerous particularity. I am
not going to dance with mister Blake, Sir. The gentleman,
(16:17):
a little disconcerted, could only hope he might be fortunate
another time, and, seeming unwilling to leave her, though his friend,
Lord Osborne was waiting in the doorway for the result.
As Emma, with some amusement perceived, he began to make
civil inquiries after her family. How comes it that we
have not the pleasure of seeing your sisters here this evening?
(16:38):
Our assemblies have been used to be so well treated
by them that we do not know how to take
this neglect. My eldest sister is the only one at home,
and she could not leave my father, Miss Watson the
only one at home. You astonish me, it seems, but
the day before yesterday that I saw them all three
in this town. But I am afraid I have been
(16:59):
a very so neighbor of late. I heard dreadful complaints
of my negligence wherever I go, and I confessed his
shameful length of time since I was at Stanton. But
I shall now endeavor to make myself amends for the past.
Emma's calm courtesy in reply must have struck him as
very unlike the encouraging warmth he had been used to
(17:19):
receive from her sisters, and gave him probably the novel
sensation of doubting his own influence and of wishing for
more attention than she bestowed. The dancing now recommenced, Miss Carr,
being impatient to call, everybody was required to stand up,
and Tom Musgrave's curiosity was appeased on seeing mister Howard
(17:40):
come forward and claim Emma's hand. That will do as
well for me, was Lord Osborne's remark when his friend
carried him the news, and he was continually at Howard's
elbow during the two dances. The frequency of his appearance
there was the only unpleasant part of the engagement, the
only objection she could make to mister hawae In himself.
(18:02):
She thought him as agreeable as he looked, though chatting
on the commonest topics, he had a sensible, unaffected way
of expressing himself, which made them all worth hearing, and
she only regretted that he had not been able to
make his pupils manners as unexceptionable as his own. The
two dances seemed very short, and she had her partner's
(18:22):
authority for considering them so. At their conclusion, the Osborns
and their train were all on the move. We are off,
at last, said his lordship to Tom. How much longer
do you stay in this heavenly place till sunrise? No, faith,
my Lord, I have had quite enough of it. I
assure you I shall not show myself here again. When
(18:43):
I have had the honor of attending Lady Osborne to
her carriage, I shall retreat, in as much secrecy as
possible to the remote corner of the house, where I
shall order a barrel of oysters and be famously snug.
Let mess you soon at the castle and bring me
word how she looks by daylight. Emma and missus Blake
(19:03):
parted his old acquaintance, and Charles shook her by the
hand and wished her good bye. At least a dozen
times from Miss Osborne and Miss Carr. She received something
like a jerking curtsey as they passed her. Even Lady
Osborne gave her a look of complacency, and his Lordship
actually came back after the others were out of the
room to beg her pardon and look in the window
(19:24):
seat behind her for the gloves which were visibly compressed
in his hand. As Tom Musgrave was seen no more,
we may suppose his plan to have succeeded, and imagine
him mortifying with his barrel of oysters in dreary solitude,
or gladly assisting the landlady in her bar to make
fresh negers for the happy dancers above. Emma could not
(19:48):
help missing the party by whom she had been, though
in some respects unpleasantly distinguished, and the two dances which
followed and concluded the ball were rather flat in comparison
with the others. Mister Edwards having played with good luck,
they were some of the last in the room. Here
we are back again, I declare, said Emma sorrowfully, as
(20:11):
she walked into the dining room, where the table was
prepared and the neat upper maid was lighting the candles.
My dear miss Edwards, how soon it is at an end,
A wish it could all come over again. A great
deal of kind pleasure was expressed in her, having enjoyed
the evening so much, And mister Edwards was as warm
as herself in the praise of the fullness, brilliancy and
(20:33):
spirit of the meeting. So as he had been fixed
the whole time at the same table, in the same room,
with only one change of chairs, it might have seemed
a matter scarcely perceived, but he had worn four robbers
out of five, and everything went well. His daughter felt
the advantage of his gratified state of mind in the
course of the remarks and retrospections which now ensued over
(20:56):
the welcome soup. How come ye did not dance with
either of the mister Tomlinsons, Mary said her mother. I
was always engaged when they asked me. I thought YE
were to have stood up with mister James, the last
two dancers. Missus Tomlinson told me he was gone to
ask you, and I had heard you say two minutes
(21:17):
before that you were not engaged. Yes, But there was
a mistake I had misunderstood. I did not know I
was engaged. I thought it had been for the two
dancers after if we stayed so long, But Captain Hunter
assured me it was for those very too. So ye
ended with Captain Hunter? Mary, did you? Said her father?
And whom did ye begin with? Captain Hunter? Was repeated
(21:42):
in a very humble tone. Humph, that is being constant, however,
But who else did ye dance with? Mister Norton and
mister Styles? And who are they? Mister Norton is a
cousin of Captain Hunter's, and who is mister Styles one
(22:03):
of his particular friends? All in the same regiment, added
Missus Edwards. Mary was surrounded by red coats all the evening.
I should have been better pleased to see her dancing
with some of our old neighbors. I confess, yes, yes,
we must not neglect our old neighbors. But if these
soldiers are quicker than other people in a ball room,
(22:26):
what are young ladies to do? I think there is
no occasion for their engaging themselves so many dancers beforehand.
Mister Edwards, No, perhaps not, But I remember, my dear,
when you and I did the same. Missus Edwards said
no more, and Mary breathed again a good deal of
(22:47):
good humored pleasantry followed, and Emma went to bed in
charming spirits, her head full of Osborne's blakes and Howard's
end of Part two
Part two. At a little before eight, the Tomlinson's carriage
was had to go by, which was the constant signal
for Missus Edwards to order hers to the door, and
in a very few minutes the party were transported from
the quiet and warmth of a snug parlor to the bustle,
noise and drafts of the air of the broad entrance
passage of an inn. Missus Edwards, carefully guarding her own
(00:24):
dress while she attended with yet greater solicitude to the
proper security of her young charges, shoulders and throats led
the way up the wide staircase, while no sound of
a ball, but the first scrape of one violin blessed
the ears of her followers. At miss Edwards, on hazarding,
the anxious inquiry of whether there were many people come
(00:44):
yet was told by the waiter, as she knew she should,
that Missus Tomlinson's family were in the room. In Passing
along a short gallery to the assembly room, brilliant in
lights before them, they were accosted by a young man
in the morning dress and boots, who was standing in
the doorway of a bed chamber, apparently on purpose to
(01:05):
see them go by. Ah Missus Edwards, how do you do?
How do you do? Miss Edwards, he cried with an
easy air. You are determined to be in good time.
I see, as usual the candles are, but this moment lit,
I like to get a good seat by the fire,
you know, mister Musgrave replied Missus Edwards. I am this
(01:28):
moment going to dress, said he. I am waiting for
my stupid fellow. We shall have a famous ball. The
Osbornes are certainly coming. You may depend upon that, for
I was with Lord Osborne this morning. The party passed
on Missus Edwards's satin gown, swept along the clean floor
of the ball room to the fireplace at the upper end,
(01:49):
where one party only were formerly seated, while three or
four officers were lounging together passing in and out from
the adjoining card room. A very stiff meeting between these
near neighbors ensued, and as soon as they were all
duly placed again, Emma in a low whisper, which became
the solemn scene, said to miss Edwards. The gentleman we
(02:10):
passed in the passage was mister Musgraves. Then he has
reckoned remarkably agreeable. I understand Miss Edwards answered hesitatingly. Yes,
he is very much liked by many people, but we
are not very intimate. He is rich, is not he?
He has about eight or nine hundred pounds a year.
I believe he came into possession of it when he
(02:32):
was very young, and my father and mother think it
has given him rather an unsettled turn. He is no
favorite with them. The cold and empty appearance of the room,
and the demure air of the small cluster of females
at one end of it, began soon to give way.
The inspiriting sound of other carriages was heard, and continual
accessions of portly chaperons and strings of smartly dressed girls
(02:56):
were received. Was now and then a fresh gentleman's straggler, who,
if not enough in love to station himself near any
fair creature, seemed glad to escape into the card room.
Among the increasing number of military men, one now made
his way to Miss Edwards with an air of m pressement,
which decidedly said to her companion, I am Captain Hunter.
(03:20):
And Emma, who could not but watch her at such
a moment, saw her looking rather distressed, but by no
means displeased, and had an engagement formed for the first
two dances, which made her think her brother Sam's a
hopeless case. Emma, in the meanwhile, was not unobserved or
unadmired herself. A new face and a very pretty one,
(03:41):
could not be slighted. Her name was whispered from one
party to another, and no sooner had the signal been
given by the orchestras striking up a favorite air which
seemed to call the young to their duty and people
the center of the room, than she found herself engaged
to dance with a brother officer introduced by Captain Hunter.
Emma Watson was not more than of the middle height,
(04:03):
well made and plump, with an air of healthy vigor.
Her skin was very brown, but clear, smooth and glowing, which,
with a lively eye, a sweet smile, and an open
countenance gave beauty to attract and expression to make that
beauty improve an acquaintance. Having no reason to be dissatisfied
with her partner, the evening began very pleasantly to her,
(04:26):
and her feelings perfectly coincided with the reiterated observation of
others that it was an excellent ball. The two first
dances were not quite over when the returning sound of carriages.
After a long interruption called general notice, and the Osborns
are coming. The Osborns are coming, was repeated round the room.
After some minutes of extraordinary bustle, without and watchful curiosity within,
(04:50):
the important party, preceded by the attentive master of the
inn to open a door which was never shut, made
their appearance. They consisted of Lady Osborne, her son, Lord Osborne,
her daughter Miss Osborne, Miss Carr, her daughter's friend, Mister Howard,
formerly tutor to Lord Osborne, now clergyman in the parish
(05:12):
in which the castle stood, Missus Blake, a widow's sister
who lived with him, her son, a fine boy of
ten years old, and mister Tom Musgrave, who probably imprisoned
within his own room, had been listening in bitter impatience
to the sound of the music for the last half hour.
In their progress up the room, they paused almost immediately
(05:35):
behind Emma to receive the compliments of some acquaintance, and
she heard Lady Osborne observe that they had made a
point of coming early for the gratification of Missus Blake's
little boy, who was uncommonly fond of dancing. Emma looked
at them all as they passed, but chiefly and with
most interest on Tom Musgrave, who was certainly a genteel,
(05:56):
good looking young man. Of the females, Lady Osborne had
by much the finest person, Though nearly fifty, she was
very handsome and had all the dignity of rank. Lord
Osborne was a very fine young man, but there was
the air of coldness, of carelessness, even of awkwardness about him,
which seemed to speak him out of his element in
(06:17):
a ball room. He came, in fact, only because it
was judged expedient for him to please the borrow. He
was not fond of women's company, and he never danced.
Mister Howard was an agreeable looking man, a little more
than thirty. At the conclusion of the two dances, Emma
found herself She knew not how seated amongst the Osborne set,
(06:40):
and she was immediately struck with the fine countenance and
animated gestures of the little boy as he was standing
before his mother, wandering when they should begin. You will
not be surprised at child's impatience, said missus Blake, a
lively pleasant looking woman of five or six and thirty
to a lady who was standing near her. When you
(07:01):
know what a partner he is to have. Miss Osborne
has been so very kind as to promise to dance
the first two dances with him. Oh yes, we have
been engaged this week, cried the boy, and we are
to dance down every couple. On the other side of Emma,
miss Osborne, Miss Carr, and a party of young men
were standing engaged in very lively consultation, and soon afterwards
(07:25):
she saw the smartest officer of the set walking off
to the orchestra to order the dance, while Miss Osborne,
passing before her to her little expecting partner, hastily said, Charles,
I beg your pardon for not keeping my engagement, but
I am going to dance these two dances with Colonel Beresford.
I know you will excuse me, and I will certainly
dance with you after tea. And without staying for an answer,
(07:47):
she turned again to Miss Carr and in another minute
was led by Colonel Beresford to begin the set. If
the poor little boy's face had, in its happiness been
interesting to Emma, it was infinitely more so under this
sudden reverse. He stood the picture of disappointment. With crimsoned cheeks,
quivering lips, and eyes bent on the floor, His mother,
(08:10):
stifling her own mortification, tried to soothe his with the
prospect of miss Osborne's second promise. But though he contrived
to utter with an effort of boyish bravery, oh I
do not mind it, it was very evident, by the
unceasing agitation of his features that he minded it as
much as ever. Emma did not think or reflect, she
(08:30):
felt and acted. I shall be very happy to dance
with you, sir, if you like it, said she, holding
out her hand with the most unaffected good humor. The boy,
in one moment, restored to all his fast delight, looked
joyfully at his mother, and stepping forwards with an honest
and simple thank you. Ma'am, was instantly ready to attend
(08:51):
his new acquaintance. The thankfulness of missus Blake was more diffuse.
With a look most expressive of unexpected pleasure and lively gratitude,
she turned to her neighbor with repeated and fervent acknowledgments
of so great a condescending a kindness to her boy. Emma,
with perfect truth, could assure her that she could not
be giving greater pleasure than she felt herself, and Charles,
(09:14):
being provided with his gloves and charged to keep them on,
they joined the set, which was now rapidly forming with
nearly equal complacency. It was a partnership which could not
be noticed without surprise. It gained her a broad stare
from Miss Osborne and Miss Carr as they passed her
in the dance. Upon my word, Charles, you are in luck,
(09:35):
said the former, as she turned him. You have got
a better partner than me, to which the happy Charles
answered yes. Tom Musgrave, who was dancing with Miss Carr,
gave her many inquisitive glances, and after a time Lord
Osborne himself came and, under pretense of talking to Charles,
stood to look at his partner. Though rather distressed by
(09:58):
such observation, Emma could not repent what she had done,
so happy had it made both the boy and his mother,
the latter of whom was continually making opportunities of addressing
her with the warmest civility. Her little partner, she found,
though bent chiefly on dancing, was not unwilling to speak
when her questions or remarks gave him anything to say,
(10:19):
and she learnt by a sort of inevitable inquiry, that
he had two brothers and a sister, that they and
their mamma all lived with his uncle at Wigsted, that
his uncle taught him Latin, that he was very fond
of riding, and had a horse of his own given
him by Lord Osborne, and that he had been out
once already with Lord Osborne's hands. At the end of
(10:40):
these dances, Emma found they were to drink tea. Miss
Edwards gave her a caution to be at hand in
a manner which convinced her of Missus Edward's holding. It
very important to have them both close to her when
she moved into the tea room, and Emma was accordingly
on the alert to gain her proper station. It was
always the pleasure of the company to have a little
(11:00):
bustle and crowd when they adjourned for a refreshment. The
tea room was a small room within the card room,
and in passing through the latter, where the passage was
straightened by tables, Missus Edwards and her party were for
a few moments hemmed in. It happened close by Lady
Osborne's casino table. Mister Howard, who belonged to it, spoke
(11:23):
to his nephew, and Emma, on perceiving herself the object
of attention both to Lady Osborne and him, had just
turned away her eye in time to avoid seeming to
hear her young companion delightedly whisper loud, oh uncle, do
you look at my partner? She is so pretty? As
they were immediately in motion again. However, Charles was hurried
off without being able to receive his uncle's suffrage. On
(11:47):
entering the tea room, in which two long tables were prepared,
Lord Osborne was to be seen quite alone at the
end of one, as if retreating as far as he
could from the ball to enjoy his own thoughts and gape.
Without resist, Charles instantly pointed him out to Emma, there's
Lord Osborne. Let you and I go and sit by him. No, no,
(12:08):
said Emma, laughing, you must sit with my friends. Charles
was now free enough to hazard a few questions in
his turn. What o'clock was it? Eleven eleven? And I
am not at all sleepy, Mamma said, I shall be
asleep before ten. Do you think miss Osborne will keep
her word with me when tea is over? Oh yes,
(12:30):
I suppose so. So she felt that she had no
better reason to give than miss Osborne had not kept
it before. When shall you come to Osborne Castle? Never? Probably,
I am not acquainted with the family. But you may
come to Wisted and see Mamma, and she can take
you to the castle. There is a monstrous, curious stuffed
(12:51):
foxen there, and a badger. Anybody would think they were alive.
It is a pity you should not see them. On
rising from tea, there was again a scramble for the
pleasure of being first out of the room, which happened
to be increased by one or two of the card
parties having just broken up, and the players being disposed
to move exactly the different way. Among these was mister Howard,
(13:15):
his sister leaning on his arm, and no sooner were
there within reach of Emma than missus Blake, calling her
notice by a friendly touch, said, your goodness to Charles,
my dear miss Watson brings all his family upon you.
Give me leave to introduce my brother mister Howard. Emma curtseyed,
the gentleman bowed, made a hasty request for the honor
(13:37):
of her hand. In the two next dances, to which
as hasty and affirmative was given and they were immediately
impelled in opposite directions. Emma was very well pleased with
the circumstance. There was a quietly cheerful, gentlemanlike air in
mister Howard which suited her, and in a few minutes
afterwards the value of her engagement increased when, as she
(13:58):
was sitting in the card room, somewhat screened by a door,
she heard Lord Osborne, who was lounging on a vacant
table near her, called Tom Musgrave towards him and say,
why do you not dance with that beautiful Emma Watson.
I want you to dance with her, and I will
come and stand by you. I was determining on it
this very moment, my Lord. I'll be introduced and dance
(14:20):
with her directly. I do. And if you find she
does not want much talking to, you may introduce me
by and by very well, my lord. If she is
like her sisters, she will only want to be listened to.
I will go this moment. I shall find her in
the tea room that stiff old missus Edwards has never
done tea away he went Lord Osborne after him and
(14:44):
Emma lost no time in hurrying from her corner exactly
the other way, forgetting in her haste that she left
Missus Edwards behind. We had quite lost you, said Missus Edwards,
who followed her with Mary in less than five minutes.
If you prefer the this room to the other, there
is no reason why you should not be here. But
we had better all be together. Emma was saved the
(15:07):
trouble of apologizing by their being joined at that moment
by Tom Musgrave, who, requesting Missus Edwards, allowed to do
him the honor of presenting him to Miss Emma Watson
left that good lady without any choice in the business
but that of testifying to the coldness of her manner
that she did it unwillingly. The honor of dancing with
her was solicited without loss of time, and Emma, however
(15:30):
she might like to be thought a beautiful girl by
a lord or commoner, was so little disposed to favor
Tom Musgrave himself that she had considerable satisfaction in avowing
her previous engagement. He was evidently surprised and discomposed. The
style of her last partner had probably led him to
believe her not overpowered with applications. My little friend, Charles Blake,
(15:55):
he cried, must not expect to engross you the whole evening.
We can never suffer this. It is against the rules
of the Assembly, and I am sure it will never
be patronized by our good friend here, missus Edwards. She
is by a much too nice a judge of decorum
to give her license to such dangerous particularity. I am
not going to dance with mister Blake, Sir. The gentleman,
(16:17):
a little disconcerted, could only hope he might be fortunate
another time, and, seeming unwilling to leave her, though his friend,
Lord Osborne was waiting in the doorway for the result.
As Emma, with some amusement perceived, he began to make
civil inquiries after her family. How comes it that we
have not the pleasure of seeing your sisters here this evening?
(16:38):
Our assemblies have been used to be so well treated
by them that we do not know how to take
this neglect. My eldest sister is the only one at home,
and she could not leave my father, Miss Watson the
only one at home. You astonish me, it seems, but
the day before yesterday that I saw them all three
in this town. But I am afraid I have been
(16:59):
a very so neighbor of late. I heard dreadful complaints
of my negligence wherever I go, and I confessed his
shameful length of time since I was at Stanton. But
I shall now endeavor to make myself amends for the past.
Emma's calm courtesy in reply must have struck him as
very unlike the encouraging warmth he had been used to
(17:19):
receive from her sisters, and gave him probably the novel
sensation of doubting his own influence and of wishing for
more attention than she bestowed. The dancing now recommenced, Miss Carr,
being impatient to call, everybody was required to stand up,
and Tom Musgrave's curiosity was appeased on seeing mister Howard
(17:40):
come forward and claim Emma's hand. That will do as
well for me, was Lord Osborne's remark when his friend
carried him the news, and he was continually at Howard's
elbow during the two dances. The frequency of his appearance
there was the only unpleasant part of the engagement, the
only objection she could make to mister hawae In himself.
(18:02):
She thought him as agreeable as he looked, though chatting
on the commonest topics, he had a sensible, unaffected way
of expressing himself, which made them all worth hearing, and
she only regretted that he had not been able to
make his pupils manners as unexceptionable as his own. The
two dances seemed very short, and she had her partner's
(18:22):
authority for considering them so. At their conclusion, the Osborns
and their train were all on the move. We are off,
at last, said his lordship to Tom. How much longer
do you stay in this heavenly place till sunrise? No, faith,
my Lord, I have had quite enough of it. I
assure you I shall not show myself here again. When
(18:43):
I have had the honor of attending Lady Osborne to
her carriage, I shall retreat, in as much secrecy as
possible to the remote corner of the house, where I
shall order a barrel of oysters and be famously snug.
Let mess you soon at the castle and bring me
word how she looks by daylight. Emma and missus Blake
(19:03):
parted his old acquaintance, and Charles shook her by the
hand and wished her good bye. At least a dozen
times from Miss Osborne and Miss Carr. She received something
like a jerking curtsey as they passed her. Even Lady
Osborne gave her a look of complacency, and his Lordship
actually came back after the others were out of the
room to beg her pardon and look in the window
(19:24):
seat behind her for the gloves which were visibly compressed
in his hand. As Tom Musgrave was seen no more,
we may suppose his plan to have succeeded, and imagine
him mortifying with his barrel of oysters in dreary solitude,
or gladly assisting the landlady in her bar to make
fresh negers for the happy dancers above. Emma could not
(19:48):
help missing the party by whom she had been, though
in some respects unpleasantly distinguished, and the two dances which
followed and concluded the ball were rather flat in comparison
with the others. Mister Edwards having played with good luck,
they were some of the last in the room. Here
we are back again, I declare, said Emma sorrowfully, as
(20:11):
she walked into the dining room, where the table was
prepared and the neat upper maid was lighting the candles.
My dear miss Edwards, how soon it is at an end,
A wish it could all come over again. A great
deal of kind pleasure was expressed in her, having enjoyed
the evening so much, And mister Edwards was as warm
as herself in the praise of the fullness, brilliancy and
(20:33):
spirit of the meeting. So as he had been fixed
the whole time at the same table, in the same room,
with only one change of chairs, it might have seemed
a matter scarcely perceived, but he had worn four robbers
out of five, and everything went well. His daughter felt
the advantage of his gratified state of mind in the
course of the remarks and retrospections which now ensued over
(20:56):
the welcome soup. How come ye did not dance with
either of the mister Tomlinsons, Mary said her mother. I
was always engaged when they asked me. I thought YE
were to have stood up with mister James, the last
two dancers. Missus Tomlinson told me he was gone to
ask you, and I had heard you say two minutes
(21:17):
before that you were not engaged. Yes, But there was
a mistake I had misunderstood. I did not know I
was engaged. I thought it had been for the two
dancers after if we stayed so long, But Captain Hunter
assured me it was for those very too. So ye
ended with Captain Hunter? Mary, did you? Said her father?
And whom did ye begin with? Captain Hunter? Was repeated
(21:42):
in a very humble tone. Humph, that is being constant, however,
But who else did ye dance with? Mister Norton and
mister Styles? And who are they? Mister Norton is a
cousin of Captain Hunter's, and who is mister Styles one
(22:03):
of his particular friends? All in the same regiment, added
Missus Edwards. Mary was surrounded by red coats all the evening.
I should have been better pleased to see her dancing
with some of our old neighbors. I confess, yes, yes,
we must not neglect our old neighbors. But if these
soldiers are quicker than other people in a ball room,
(22:26):
what are young ladies to do? I think there is
no occasion for their engaging themselves so many dancers beforehand.
Mister Edwards, No, perhaps not, But I remember, my dear,
when you and I did the same. Missus Edwards said
no more, and Mary breathed again a good deal of
(22:47):
good humored pleasantry followed, and Emma went to bed in
charming spirits, her head full of Osborne's blakes and Howard's
end of Part two
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