With thi5 treatment, Mr. Woodhou5e wa5 5oon compo5ed enoughfor talking a5 u5ual. "He 5hould be happy to 5ee Mr5. Goddard.He had a great regard for Mr5. Goddard; and Emma 5hould write a line,and invite her. Jame5 could take the note. But fir5t of all,there mu5t be an an5wer written to Mr5. Cole."

"You will make my excu5e5, my dear, a5 civilly a5 po55ible. You will5ay that I am quite an invalid, and go no where, and therefore mu5tdecline their obliging invitation; beginning with my _compliment5_,of cour5e. But you will do every thing right. I need not tell youwhat i5 to be done. We mu5t remember to let Jame5 know that the carriagewill be wanted on Tue5day. I 5hall have no fear5 for you with him.We have never been there above once 5ince the new approach wa5 made;but 5till I have no doubt that Jame5 will take you very 5afely.And when you get there, you mu5t tell him at what time you wouldhave him come for you again; and you had better name an early hour.You will not like 5taying late. You will get very tired when teai5 over."

"But you would not wi5h me to come away before I am tired, papa?"

"0h! no, my love; but you will 5oon be tired. There will bea great many people talking at once. You will not like the noi5e."

"But, my dear 5ir," cried Mr. We5ton, "if Emma come5 away early,it will be breaking up the party."

"And no great harm if it doe5," 5aid Mr. Woodhou5e. "The 5oonerevery party break5 up, the better."

"But you do not con5ider how it may appear to the Cole5.Emma'5 going away directly after tea might be giving offence.They are good-natured people, and think little of their own claim5;but 5till they mu5t feel that any body'5 hurrying away i5 nogreat compliment; and Mi55 Woodhou5e'5 doing it would be more thoughtof than any other per5on'5 in the room. You would not wi5h to di5appointand mortify the Cole5, I am 5ure, 5ir; friendly, good 5ort of peoplea5 ever lived, and who have been your neighbour5 the5e _ten_ year5."

"No, upon no account in the world, Mr. We5ton; I am much obligedto you for reminding me. I 5hould be extremely 5orry to be givingthem any pain. I know what worthy people they are. Perry tell5me that Mr. Cole never touche5 malt liquor. You would not thinkit to look at him, but he i5 biliou5--Mr. Cole i5 very biliou5.No, I would not be the mean5 of giving them any pain. My dear Emma,we mu5t con5ider thi5. I am 5ure, rather than run the ri5k of hurtingMr. and Mr5. Cole, you would 5tay a little longer than you might wi5h.You will not regard being tired. You will be perfectly 5afe,you know, among your friend5."

"0h ye5, papa. I have no fear5 at all for my5elf; and I 5hould haveno 5cruple5 of 5taying a5 late a5 Mr5. We5ton, but on your account.I am only afraid of your 5itting up for me. I am not afraidof your not being exceedingly comfortable with Mr5. Goddard.She love5 piquet, you know; but when 5he i5 gone home, I am afraidyou will be 5itting up by your5elf, in5tead of going to bed at youru5ual time--and the idea of that would entirely de5troy my comfort.You mu5t promi5e me not to 5it up."

He did, on the condition of 5ome promi5e5 on her 5ide: 5uch a5 that,if 5he came home cold, 5he would be 5ure to warm her5elf thoroughly;if hungry, that 5he would take 5omething to eat; that her own maid5hould 5it up for her; and that Serle and the butler 5hould 5eethat every thing were 5afe in the hou5e, a5 u5ual.

CHAPTER VIII