Austen Said:

"Oh! if I could but play as well as you and Miss Fairfax!"

"Oh! dear—I think you play the best of the two. I think you play quite as well as she does. I am sure I had much rather hear you. Every body last night said how well you played."

"Well, I always shall think that you play quite as well as she does, or that if there is any difference nobody would ever find it out.

Mr. Cole said

and

Mr. Frank Churchill

talked a great deal about your taste, and

that

"Are you sure? I saw she had execution, but I did not know she had any taste. Nobody talked about it. And I hate Italian singing.—There is no understanding a word of it. Besides, if she does play so very well, you know, it is no more than she is obliged to do, because she will have to teach.

The Coxes were wondering

last night

How did you think the Coxes looked?"

"They told me something,"

"but it is nothing of any consequence."

"They told me—that Mr. Martin dined with them last Saturday."

"He came to their father upon some business, and he asked him to stay to dinner."

"They talked a great deal about him, especially Anne Cox. I do not know what she meant,but

she asked me

"She said

Miss Nash thinks

"Yes —no —yes, to Mrs. Goddard's. Only my pattern gown is at Hartfield. No, you shall send it to Hartfield, if you please. But then, Mrs. Goddard will want to see it.—And I could take the pattern gown home any day. But I shall want the ribbon directly—so it had better go to Hartfield— at least the ribbon. You could make it into two parcels, Mrs. Ford, could not you?"

"No more it is."

"Oh! but indeed I would much rather have it only in one. Then, if you please, you shall send it all to Mrs. Goddard's— I do not know— No, I think, Miss Woodhouse, I may just as well have it sent to Hartfield, and take it home with me at night. What do you advise?"

"Aye, that will be much best,"

"I should not at all like to have it sent to Mrs. Goddard's."

"it was very true —it was just as Miss Woodhouse described— it was not worth while to think about them—and she would not think about them any longer"

"You, who have been the best friend I ever had in my life— Want gratitude to you!—Nobody is equal to you!—I care for nobody as I do for you!—Oh! Miss Woodhouse, how ungrateful I have been!"

"Well, Miss Woodhouse,"

"Well, Miss Woodhouse,

what do you think of her?—Is not she very charming?"

"I think her beautiful, quite beautiful."

"I am not at all surprized that he should have fallen in love."

"I dare say,"

"I dare say she was very much attached to him."

"Yes,"

"and well she might, nobody could ever have a better. Well, I wish them happy with all my heart. And now, Miss Woodhouse, I do not think I shall mind seeing them again. He is just as superior as ever;—but being married, you know, it is quite a different thing. No, indeed, Miss Woodhouse, you need not be afraid; I can sit and admire him now without any great misery. To know that he has not thrown himself away, is such a comfort!—She does seem a charming young woman, just what he deserves. Happy creature! He called her 'Augusta.' How delightful!"

"She would rather not be in his company more than she could help. She was not yet quite able to see him and his charming happy wife together, without feeling uncomfortable. If Miss Woodhouse would not be displeased, she would rather stay at home."

"Most readily, Mrs. Weston, if you will dance with me."

"If Mrs. Gilbert wishes to dance,"

"I shall have great pleasure, I am sure —for, though beginning to feel myself rather an old married man, and that my dancing days are over, it would give me very great pleasure at any time to stand up with an old friend like Mrs. Gilbert."

"Miss Smith!—oh!—I had not observed.—You are extremely obliging—and if I were not an old married man.— But my dancing days are over, Mrs. Weston. You will excuse me. Any thing else I should be most happy to do, at your command— but my dancing days are over."

"Miss Woodhouse— if you are at leisure— I have something that I should like to tell you— a sort of confession to make—and then, you know, it will be over."

"It is my duty, and I am sure it is my wish,"

"to have no reserves with you on this subject. As I am happily quite an altered creature in one respect, it is very fit that you should have the satisfaction of knowing it. I do not want to say more than is necessary— I am too much ashamed of having given way as I have done, and I dare say you understand me."

"How I could so long a time be fancying myself!..."

"It seems like madness! I can see nothing at all extraordinary in him now.—I do not care whether I meet him or not— except that of the two I had rather not see him—and indeed I would go any distance round to avoid him—but I do not envy his wife in the least; I neither admire her nor envy her, as I have done: she is very charming, I dare say, and all that, but I think her very ill-tempered and disagreeable —I shall never forget her look the other night!—However, I assure you, Miss Woodhouse, I wish her no evil.—No, let them be ever so happy together, it will not give me another moment's pang: and to convince you that I have been speaking truth, I am now going to destroy—what I ought to have destroyed long ago— what I ought never to have kept —I know that very well

However, now I will destroy it all—and it is my particular wish to do it in your presence, that you may see how rational I am grown. Cannot you guess what this parcel holds?"

"No —I cannot call them gifts; but they are things that I have valued very much."

"Now,"

"you must recollect."