speaking to any body at length however his civility was so far awakened as to of elizabeth after the health of her family she answered him in the usual way and after a moment s pause added � my eldest sister has been in town these three is have you never happened to see her there she was perfectly sensible that he never had but she wished to see whether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the and jane and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet miss the subject was pursued no farther and the gentlemen soon afterwards went away chapter colonel s manners were very admired at the and the ladies all felt that he must add considerably to the pleasure of their engagements at it was some days however before they received any invitation thither for while there were in the house they could not be necessary and it was not till day almost a week after the gentlemen s arrival that they were honoured by such an attention and then they were merely asked on leaving church to come there in the evening for the last week they had seen very little of either lady or her daughter colonel william had called at the more than once during the time but mr they had only seen at church ride and the invitation was accepted of course and at a proper hour they joined the party in lady s her received them hut it was plain that their company was hy no means so as when she could get nobody else and she was in fact almost engrossed by her speaking to them especially to much more than to any other person in the room colonel seemed really glad to see them thing was a welcome relief to him at and mrs s pretty friend had moreover caught his fancy very much he now seated himself by her and talked so agreeably of and of travelling and staying at home of new books and music that elizabeth had never been half so well entertained in that room before and they conversed with so much spirit and flow as to draw the attention of lady herself as well as of mr his eyes had been soon and repeatedly turned towards them with a look of curiosity and that her after a while shared the feeling was more openly acknowledged for she did not scruple to call out � what is that you are saying what is it you are talking of what are you telling miss let me hear what it is we are speaking of music madam said he when no longer able to avoid a reply of music then pray speak aloud it is of all subjects my delight i must have my share in the con if you are speaking of music there are few people in england i suppose who have more true enjoyment of music than myself or a natural taste if i had ever learnt i should have been a great and so would anne if her health had allowed her to apply i am confident that she would have performed how does get on mr spoke praise of his sister s i am very glad to hear such a good account of her said lady ca and pray tell her from me that l pride and she cannot expect to if she does not practise a great deal i assure you madam he replied that she does not need such advice she yery constantly so much the it cannot he done too much and when i next write to her i shall her not to neglect it on any account i often tell young that no excellence in music is to he acquired without constant practice i have told miss several times that she will never play really well unless she more and though mrs has no instrument she is very welcome as i have often told her to come to every day and play on the piano in mrs s room she would he in nobody s way you know in that part of the house mr looked a little ashamed of his s ill breeding and made no answer when coffee was over colonel reminded elizabeth of having promised to play to him and she sat down directly to the instrument he drew a chair near her lady listened to half a song and then talked as before to her other nephew till the latter walked away from her and moving with his usual deliberation towards the piano stationed himself so as to command a full view of the fair s countenance elizabeth saw what he was doing and at the first convenient pause turned to him with an arch smile and said � you mean to frighten me mr by coming in all this state to hear me but i i ill not be alarmed though your sister does play so well there is a about me that never can bear to be frightened at the of others my courage always rises with every attempt to me i shall not say that you are mistaken he replied because you could not really believe me to entertain any design of alarming you and i have had the pleasure of your acquaintance long enough to know that you find � great enjoyment in occasionally opinions which in fact are not your own and heartily at this picture of herself and said to colonel your cousin will give you a very pretty notion of me and teach you not to believe a word i say i am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so well able to expose my real character in a part of the world where i had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credit indeed mr it 