“Oh! no,” said he; “it would be the extreme of imprudence.  I could not bear it for Emma!—­Emma is not strong.  She would catch a dreadful cold.  So would poor little Harriet.  So you would all.  Mrs. Weston, you would be quite laid up; do not let them talk of such a wild thing.  Pray do not let them talk of it.  That young man (speaking lower) is very thoughtless.  Do not tell his father, but that young man is not quite the thing.  He has been opening the doors very often this evening, and keeping them open very inconsiderately.  He does not think of the draught.  I do not mean to set you against him, but indeed he is not quite the thing!”

Mrs. Weston was sorry for such a charge.  She knew the importance of it, and said every thing in her power to do it away.  Every door was now closed, the passage plan given up, and the first scheme of dancing only in the room they were in resorted to again; and with such good-will on Frank Churchill’s part, that the space which a quarter of an hour before had been deemed barely sufficient for five couple, was now endeavoured to be made out quite enough for ten.

“We were too magnificent,” said he.  “We allowed unnecessary room.  Ten couple may stand here very well.”

Emma demurred.  “It would be a crowd—­a sad crowd; and what could be worse than dancing without space to turn in?”

“Very true,” he gravely replied; “it was very bad.”  But still he went on measuring, and still he ended with,

“I think there will be very tolerable room for ten couple.”

“No, no,” said she, “you are quite unreasonable.  It would be dreadful to be standing so close!  Nothing can be farther from pleasure than to be dancing in a crowd—­and a crowd in a little room!”

“There is no denying it,” he replied.  “I agree with you exactly.  A crowd in a little room—­Miss Woodhouse, you have the art of giving pictures in a few words.  Exquisite, quite exquisite!—­Still, however, having proceeded so far, one is unwilling to give the matter up.  It would be a disappointment to my father—­and altogether—­I do not know that—­I am rather of opinion that ten couple might stand here very well.”

Emma perceived that the nature of his gallantry was a little self-willed, and that he would rather oppose than lose the pleasure of dancing with her; but she took the compliment, and forgave the rest.  Had she intended ever to marry him, it might have been worth while to pause and consider, and try to understand the value of his preference, and the character of his temper; but for all the purposes of their acquaintance, he was quite amiable enough.

Before the middle of the next day, he was at Hartfield; and he entered the room with such an agreeable smile as certified the continuance of the scheme.  It soon appeared that he came to announce an improvement.

“Well, Miss Woodhouse,” he almost immediately began, “your inclination for dancing has not been quite frightened away, I hope, by the terrors of my father’s little rooms.  I bring a new proposal on the subject:—­a thought of my father’s, which waits only your approbation to be acted upon.  May I hope for the honour of your hand for the two first dances of this little projected ball, to be given, not at Randalls, but at the Crown Inn?”