CHAPTER VI

lthneitherofthemveryliketherefore.Mrs.Westonagain,andagain,andagain,yousee.DearMrs.Weston!alwaysmykindestfriendoneveryoccasion.ShewouldsitwheneverIaskedher.Thereismysisterandreallyquiteherownlittleelegantfigure!—andthefacenotunlike.Ishouldhavemadeagoodlikenessofher,ifshewouldhavesatlonger,butshewasinsuchahurrytohavemedrawherfourchildrenthatshewouldnotbequiet.Then,herecomeallmyattemptsatthreeofthosefourchildren—theretheyare,HenryandJohnandBella,fromoneendofthesheettotheother,andanyoneofthemmightdoforanyoneoftherest.ShewassoeagertohavethemdrawnthatIcouldnotrefusebutthereisnomakingchildrenofthreeorfouryearsoldstandstillyouknownorcanitbeveryeasytotakeanylikenessofthem,beyondtheairandcomplexion,unlesstheyarecoarserfeaturedthananyofmama’schildreneverwere.Hereismysketchofthefourth,whowasababy.Itookhimashewassleepingonthesofa,anditisasstrongalikenessofhiscockadeasyouwouldwishtosee.Hehadnestleddownhisheadmostconveniently.That’sverylike.IamratherproudoflittleGeorge.Thecornerofthesofaisverygood.Thenhereismylast,”—unclosingaprettysketchofagentlemaninsmallsize,whole-length—“mylastandmybest—mybrother,Mr.JohnKnightley.—Thisdidnotwantmuchofbeingfinished,whenIputitawayinapet,andvowedIwouldnevertakeanotherlikeness.Icouldnothelpbeingprovokedforafterallmypains,andwhenIhadreallymadeaverygoodlikenessofit—(Mrs.WestonandIwerequiteagreedinthinkingitverylike)—onlytoohandsome—tooflattering—butthatwasafaultontherightside”—afterallthis,camepoordearIsabella’scoldapprobationof—“Yes,itwasalittlelike—buttobesureitdidnotdohimjustice.Wehadhadagreatdealoftroubleinpersuadinghimtositatall.ItwasmadeagreatfavourofandaltogetheritwasmorethanIcouldbearandsoIneverwouldfinishit,tohaveitapologisedoverasanunfavourablelikeness,toeverymorningvisitorinBrunswickSquare—and,asIsaid,Ididthenforsweareverdrawinganybodyagain.ButforHarriet’ssake,orratherformyown,andastherearenohusbandsandwivesinthecaseatpresent,Iwillbreakmyresolutionnow.” Mr.Eltonseemedveryproperlystruckanddelightedbytheidea,andwasrepeating,“Nohusbandsandwivesinthecaseatpresentindeed,asyouobserve.Exactlyso.Nohusbandsandwives,”withsointerestingaconsciousness,thatEmmabegantoconsiderwhethershehadnotbetterleavethemtogetheratonce.Butasshewantedtobedrawing,thedeclarationmustwaitalittlelonger. Shehadsoonfixedonthesizeandsortofportrait.Itwastobeawhole-lengthinwater-colours,likeMr.JohnKnightley’s,andwasdestined,ifshecouldpleaseherself,toholdaveryhonourablestationoverthemantelpiece. ThesittingbeganandHarriet,s