wer to _me_. I am no young lady on her
preferment. Married women, you know, may be safely authorized. It is
my party. Leave it all to me. I will invite your guests."

"No," he calmly replied, "there is but one married woman in the world
whom I can ever allow to invite what guests she pleases to Donwell, and
that one is----"

"Mrs Weston, I suppose," interrupted Mrs Elton, rather mortified.

"No,--Mrs Knightley; and till she is in being, I will manage such
matters myself."

"Ah, you are an odd creature!" she cried, satisfied to have no one
preferred to herself. "You are a humourist, and may say what you like.
Quite a humourist. Well, I shall bring Jane with me--Jane and her
aunt. The rest I leave to you. I have no objections at all to meeting
the Hartfield family. Don't scruple, I know you are attached to them."

"You certainly will meet them, if I can prevail; and I shall call on
Miss Bates in my way home."

"That's quite unnecessary; I see Jane every day;--but {116} as you
like. It is to be a morning scheme, you know, Knightley; quite a
simple thing. I shall wear a large bonnet, and bring one of my little
baskets hanging on my arm. Here,--probably this basket with pink
ribbon. Nothing can be more simple, you see. And Jane will have such
another. There is to be no form or parade--a sort of gipsy party. We
are to walk about your gardens, and gather the strawberries ourselves,
and sit under trees; and whatever else you may like to provide, it is
to be all out of doors; a table spread in the shade, you know.
Everything as natural and simple as possible. Is not that your idea?"

"Not quite. My idea of the simple and the natural will be to have the
table spread in the dining-room. The nature and the simplicity of
gentlemen and ladies, with their servants and furniture, I think is
best observed by meals within doors. When you are tired of eating
strawberries in the garden, there shall be cold meat in the house."

"Well, as you please; only don't have a great set-out. And, by the
bye, can I or my housekeeper be of any use to you with our opinion?
Pray be sincere, Knightley. If you wish me to talk to Mrs Hodges, or
to inspect anything----"

"I have not the least wish for it, I thank you.'"

"Well,--but if any difficulties should arise, my housekeeper is
extremely clever."

"I will answer for it that mine thinks herself full as clever, and
would spurn anybody's assistance."

"I wish we had a