`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.'

`Conjecture - aye, sometimes one conjectures right, and sometimes one conjectures wrong. I wish I could conjecture how soon I shall make this rivet quite firm. What nonsense one talks, Miss Woodhouse, when hard at work, if one talks at all; - your real workmen, I suppose, hold their tongues; but we gentlemen labourers if we get hold of a word - Miss Fairfax said something about conjecturing. There, it is done. I have the pleasure, madam, (to Mrs. Bates,) of restoring your spectacles, healed for the present.'

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,

`Here is something quite new to me. Do you know it? - Cramer. - And here are a new set of Irish melodies. That, from such a quarter, one might expect. This was all sent with the instrument. Very thoughtful of Colonel Campbell, was not it? - He knew Miss Fairfax could have no music here. I honour that part of the attention particularly; it shews it to have been so thoroughly from the heart. Nothing hastily done; nothing incomplete. True affection only could have prompted it.'

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.