9 [ p.6 ]

to take people by surprise, with sudden visits at extraordinary seasons; & in the present in::stance he had had the additional motive of be::ing able to tell the Miſs Watsons, whom he de::pended on finding sitting quietly employedafter tea, that he was going home to an 8o’clock dinner. — As it happenedhowever, he did not givecreate more surprise than he received, when in::stead of being shewn into the usual little sitting room,the door of the best parloura foot larger each way than the other was thrown open,& he beheld a circle of smart people whom he cd .couldnot immediately recognise sillin1 arranged withall the honours of visiting round the fire, & Miſs Watson sitting at the best PembrokeTable, with making the best Tea things before her.He stoodstopt, for a few seconds, in silent amaze::ment. — "Musgrave!" — ejaculated Margaret ina tender voice. — He recollected himself, & cameforward, delighted to find suchhimself a circle ofFriends, & bleſsing his good fortune for theunlooked-for Indulgence. — He shook handswith Robert, bowed & smiled to the Ladies, &did every thing very prettily; but as to anyparticularity of addreſs or Emotion towardsMargaret, Emma who closed2 observed him, perceived nothing that diddiscerned no more thannot justify Eliz.’sElizabeth's opinionsshe had expected, tho’thoughtho’though Margaret’s modest

Footnotes

1.
Intended to be 'sitting', but erased before the 'g' was completed and the 't's crossed.Back to context...
2.
RWC reads ‘closely’, which is presumably what JA intended to write.Back to context...
Image for page: b9-6 of manuscript: qmwats