CHAPTER VI

charmingatalentinfavourofyourfriend.Iknowwhatyourdrawingsare.Howcouldyousupposemeignorant?IsnotthisroomrichinspecimensofyourlandscapesandflowersandhasnotMrs.Westonsomeinimitablefigure-piecesinherdrawing-room,atRandalls?” Yes,goodman!—thoughtEmma—butwhathasallthattodowithtakinglikenesses?Youknownothingofdrawing.Don’tpretendtobeinrapturesaboutmine.KeepyourrapturesforHarriet’sface.“Well,ifyougivemesuchkindencouragement,Mr.Elton,IbelieveIshalltrywhatIcando.Harriet’sfeaturesareverydelicate,whichmakesalikenessdifficultandyetthereisapeculiarityintheshapeoftheeyeandthelinesaboutthemouthwhichoneoughttocatch.” “Exactlyso—Theshapeoftheeyeandthelinesaboutthemouth—Ihavenotadoubtofyoursuccess.Pray,prayattemptit.Asyouwilldoit,itwillindeed,touseyourownwords,beanexquisitepossession.” “ButIamafraid,Mr.Elton,Harrietwillnotliketosit.Shethinkssolittleofherownbeauty.Didnotyouobservehermannerofansweringme?Howcompletelyitmeant,‘whyshouldmypicturebedrawn?’” “Oh!yes,Iobservedit,Iassureyou.Itwasnotlostonme.ButstillIcannotimagineshewouldnotbepersuaded.” Harrietwassoonbackagain,andtheproposalalmostimmediatelymadeandshehadnoscrupleswhichcouldstandmanyminutesagainsttheearnestpressingofboththeothers.Emmawishedtogotoworkdirectly,andthereforeproducedtheportfoliocontaininghervariousattemptsatportraits,fornotoneofthemhadeverbeenfinished,thattheymightdecidetogetheronthebestsizeforHarriet.Hermanybeginningsweredisplayed.Miniatures,half-lengths,whole-lengths,pencil,crayon,andwater-colourshadbeenalltriedinturn.Shehadalwayswantedtodoeverything,andhadmademoreprogressbothindrawingandmusicthanmanymighthavedonewithsolittlelabourasshewouldeversubmitto.Sheplayedandsang—anddrewinalmosteverystylebutsteadinesshadalwaysbeenwantingandinnothinghadsheapproachedthedegreeofexcellencewhichshewouldhavebeengladtocommand,andoughtnottohavefailedof.Shewasnotmuchdeceivedastoherownskilleitherasanartistoramusician,butshewasnotunwillingtohaveothersdeceived,orsorrytoknowherreputationforaccomplishmentoftenhigherthanitdeserved. Therewasmeritineverydrawing—intheleastfinished,perhapsthemostherstylewasspiritedbuthadtherebeenmuchless,orhadtherebeententimesmore,thedelightandadmirationofhertwocompanionswouldhavebeenthesame.Theywerebothinecstasies.AlikenesspleaseseverybodyandMissWoodhouse’sperformancesmustbecapital. “Nogreatvarietyoffacesforyou,”saidEmma.“Ihadonlymyownfamilytostudyfrom.Thereismyfather—anotherofmyfather—buttheideaofsittingforhispicturemadehimsonervous,thatIcouldonlytakehimbystea