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"Oh! no, no"--cried E as carelessly as she could-- "Upon no account in the world It is the very last thing I would stand the brunt of just now Letof I will not say quite all There are one or two, perhaps, (glancing at Mr Weston and Harriet,) whose thoughts I ," cried Mrs Elton eed to inquire into Though, perhaps, as the Chaperon of the party-- I never was in any circle--exploring parties--young ladies--s were chiefly to her husband; and he murmured, in reply, "Very true, my love, very true Exactly so, indeed--quite unheard of-but so Better pass it off as a joke Every body knohat is due to you"

"It will not do," whispered Frank to Emma; "they are most of them affronted I will attack theentlemen--I aht of knowing exactly what youvery entertaining froeneral way Here are seven of you, besidesalready,) and she only de very clever, be it prose or verse, original or repeated--or two things s very dull indeed, and she engages to laugh heartily at them all"

"Oh! very well," exclais very dull indeed' That will just do for s as soon as ever I open ood-humoured dependence on every body's assent)--Do not you all think I shall?"

Emma could not resist

"Ah! ma'am, but there may be a difficulty Pardon me--but you will be limited as to number--only three at once"

Miss Bates, deceived by the mock cere; but, when it burst on her, it could not anger, though a slight blush shewed that it could pain her

"Ah!--well--to be sure Yes, I see what she htley,) and I will try to hold reeable, or she would not have said such a thing to an old friend"