ready attendant on the suffering female host performed his liveliest
throughout the evening, to Emma's amusement, and to the culprit ex-
dragoon's astonishment; in whom, to tell the truth of him, her sparkle
and fun kindled the sense of his being less criminal than he had
supposed, with a dim vision of himself as the real proven donkey for not
having been a harmless dash more so. But, to be just as well as
penetrating, this was only the effect of her personal charm on his
nature. So it spurred him a moment, when it struck this doleful man that
to have secured one kiss of those fresh and witty sparkling lips he would
endure forfeits, pangs, anything save the hanging of his culprit's head
before his Emma. Reflection washed him clean. Secresy is not a medical
restorative, by no means a good thing for the baffled amorously-
adventurous cavalier, unless the lady's character shall have been firmly
established in or over his hazy wagging noddle. Reflection informed him
that the honourable, generous, proud girl spared him for the sake of the
house she loved. After a night of tossing, he rose right heartily
repentant. He showed it in the best manner, not dramatically. On her
accepting his offer to drive her down to the valley to meet the coach,
a genuine illumination of pure gratitude made a better man of him, both
to look at and in feeling. She did not hesitate to consent; and he had
half expected a refusal. She talked on the way quite as usual,
cheerfully, if not altogether so spiritedly. A flash of her matchless
wit now and then reduced him to that abject state of man beside the fair
person he has treated high cavalierly, which one craves permission to
describe as pulp. He was utterly beaten.

The sight of Redworth on the valley road was a relief to them both. He
had slept in one of the houses of the valley, and spoke of having had the
intention to mount to Copsley. Sir Lukin proposed to drive him back.
He glanced at Diana, still with that calculating abstract air of his; and