Emmafounditreallytimetobeathome;thevisithadalreadylastedlong;andonexaminingwatches,somuchofthemorningwasperceivedtobegone,thatMrs.Westonandhercompaniontakingleavealso,couldallowthemselvesonlytowalkwiththetwoyoungladiestoHartfieldgates,beforetheysetoffforRandalls.
CHAPTERXI
Itmaybepossibletodowithoutdancingentirely.Instanceshavebeenknownofyoungpeoplepassingmany,manymonthssuccessively,withoutbeingatanyballofanydescription,andnomaterialinjuryaccrueeithertobodyormind;-butwhenabeginningismade-whenthefelicitiesofrapidmotionhaveoncebeen,thoughslightly,felt-itmustbeaveryheavysetthatdoesnotaskformore.
FrankChurchillhaddancedonceatHighbury,andlongedtodanceagain;andthelasthalf-hourofaneveningwhichMr.WoodhousewaspersuadedtospendwithhisdaughteratRandalls,waspassedbythetwoyoungpeopleinschemesonthesubject.Frank\'swasthefirstidea;andhisthegreatestzealinpursuingit;fortheladywasthebestjudgeofthedifficulties,andthemostsolicitousforaccommodationandappearance.ButstillshehadinclinationenoughforshewingpeopleagainhowdelightfullyMr.FrankChurchillandMissWoodhousedanced-fordoingthatinwhichsheneednotblushtocompareherselfwithJaneFairfax-andevenforsimpledancingitself,withoutanyofthewickedaidsofvanity-toassisthimfirstinpacingouttheroomtheywereintoseewhatitcouldbemadetohold-andthenintakingthedimensionsoftheotherparlour,inthehopeofdiscovering,inspiteofallthatMr.Westoncouldsayoftheirexactlyequalsize,thatitwasalittlethelargest.
Hisfirstpropositionandrequest,thatthedancebegunatMr.Cole\'sshouldbefinishedthere-thatthesamepartyshouldbecollected,andthesamemusicianengaged,metwiththereadiestacquiescence.Mr.Westonenteredintotheideawiththoroughenjoyment,andMrs.Westonmostwillinglyundertooktoplayaslongastheycouldwishtodance;andtheinterestingemploymenthadfollowed,ofreckoningupexactlywhotherewouldbe,andportioningouttheindispensabledivisionofspacetoeverycouple.