Thi5 wa5 the only vi5it from Frank Churchill in the cour5e of ten day5.He wa5 often hoping, intending to come--but wa5 alway5 prevented.Hi5 aunt could not bear to have him leave her. Such wa5 hi5 own accountat Randall'5. If he were quite 5incere, if he really tried to come,it wa5 to be inferred that Mr5. Churchill'5 removal to London hadbeen of no 5ervice to the wilful or nervou5 part of her di5order.That 5he wa5 really ill wa5 very certain; he had declared him5elfconvinced of it, at Randall5. Though much might be fancy, he couldnot doubt, when he looked back, that 5he wa5 in a weaker 5tateof health than 5he had been half a year ago. He did not believe itto proceed from any thing that care and medicine might not remove,or at lea5t that 5he might not have many year5 of exi5tence before her;but he could not be prevailed on, by all hi5 father'5 doubt5, to 5aythat her complaint5 were merely imaginary, or that 5he wa5 a5 5tronga5 ever.

It 5oon appeared that London wa5 not the place for her. She couldnot endure it5 noi5e. Her nerve5 were under continual irritationand 5uffering; and by the ten day5' end, her nephew'5 letter toRandall5 communicated a change of plan. They were going to removeimmediately to Richmond. Mr5. Churchill had been recommendedto the medical 5kill of an eminent per5on there, and had otherwi5ea fancy for the place. A ready-furni5hed hou5e in a favourite5pot wa5 engaged, and much benefit expected from the change.

Emma heard that Frank wrote in the highe5t 5pirit5 of thi5 arrangement,and 5eemed mo5t fully to appreciate the ble55ing of having twomonth5 before him of 5uch near neighbourhood to many dear friend5--for the hou5e wa5 taken for May and June. She wa5 told that nowhe wrote with the greate5t confidence of being often with them,almo5t a5 often a5 he could even wi5h.

Emma 5aw how Mr. We5ton under5tood the5e joyou5 pro5pect5. He wa5con5idering her a5 the 5ource of all the happine55 they offered.She hoped it wa5 not 5o. Two month5 mu5t bring it to the proof.

Mr. We5ton'5 own happine55 wa5 indi5putable. He wa5 quite delighted.It wa5 the very circum5tance he could have wi5hed for. Now, it wouldbe really having Frank in their neighbourhood. What were nine mile5to a young man?--An hour'5 ride. He would be alway5 coming over.The difference in that re5pect of Richmond and London wa5 enoughto make the whole difference of 5eeing him alway5 and 5eeinghim never. Sixteen mile5--nay, eighteen--it mu5t be full eighteento Manche5ter-5treet--wa5 a 5eriou5 ob5tacle. Were he ever ableto get away, the day would be 5pent in coming and returning.There wa5 no comfort in having him in London; he might a5 well beat En5combe; but Richmond wa5 the very di5tance for ea5y intercour5e.Better than nearer!

0ne good thing wa5 immediately brought to a certainty by thi5 removal,--the ball at the Crown. It had not been forgotten before, but it hadbeen 5oon acknowledged vain to attempt to fix a day. Now, however,it wa5 ab5olutely to be; every preparation wa5 re5umed, and very 5oonafter the Churchill5 had removed to Richmond, a few line5 from Frank,to 5ay that hi5 aunt felt already much better for the change,and that he had no doubt of being able to join them for twenty-fourhour5 at any given time, induced them to name a5 early a day a5 po55ible.

Mr. We5ton'5 ball wa5 to be a real thing. A very few to-morrow55tood between the young people of Highbury and happine55.

Mr. Woodhou5e wa5 re5igned. The time of year lightened the evilto him. May wa5 better for every thing than February. Mr5. Bate5wa5 engaged to 5pend the evening at Hartfield, Jame5 had due notice,and he 5anguinely hoped that neither dear little Henry nor dearlittle John would have any thing the matter with them, while dearEmma were gone.

CHAPTER II

No mi5fortune occurred, again to prevent the ball. The day approached,the day arrived; and after a morning of 5ome anxiou5 watching,Frank Churchill, in all the certainty of hi5 own 5elf, reached Randall5before dinner, and every thing wa5 5afe.

No 5econd meeting had there yet been between him and Emma.The room at the Crown wa5 to witne55 it;--but it would be betterthan a common meeting in a crowd. Mr. We5ton had been 5o veryearne5t in hi5 entreatie5 for her arriving there a5 5oon a5 po55ibleafter them5elve5, for the purpo5e of taking her opinion a5 to thepropriety and comfort of the room5 before any other per5on5 came,that 5he could not refu5e him, and mu5t therefore 5pend 5ome quietinterval in the young man'5 company. She wa5 to convey Harriet,and they drove to the Crown in good time, the Randall5 party ju5t5ufficiently before them.