第22章

whenJanefirstheardofit,shewasquitedecidedagainstacceptingtheoffer,andforthereasonsyoumention;exactlyasyousay,shehadmadeuphermindtoclosewithnothingtillColonelCampbell\'sreturn,andnothingshouldinducehertoenterintoanyengagementatpresent-andsoshetoldMrs.Eltonoverandoveragain-andIamsureIhadnomoreideathatshewouldchangehermind!-butthatgoodMrs.Elton,whosejudgmentneverfailsher,sawfartherthanIdid.Itisnoteverybodythatwouldhavestoodoutinsuchakindwayasshedid,andrefusetotakeJane\'sanswer;butshepositivelydeclaredshewouldnotwriteanysuchdenialyesterday,asJanewishedher;shewouldwait-and,sureenough,yesterdayeveningitwasallsettledthatJaneshouldgo.Quiteasurprizetome!Ihadnottheleastidea!-JanetookMrs.Eltonaside,andtoldheratonce,thatuponthinkingovertheadvantagesofMrs.Smallridge\'ssituation,shehadcometotheresolutionofacceptingit-Ididnotknowawordofittillitwasallsettled.\'

`YouspenttheeveningwithMrs.Elton?\'

`Yes,allofus;Mrs.Eltonwouldhaveuscome.Itwassettledso,uponthehill,whilewewerewalkingaboutwithMr.Knightley.``Youmustallspendyoureveningwithus,\'\'saidshe-``Ipositivelymusthaveyouallcome.\'\'\'

`Mr.Knightleywastheretoo,washe?\'

`No,notMr.Knightley;hedeclineditfromthefirst;andthoughIthoughthewouldcome,becauseMrs.Eltondeclaredshewouldnotlethimoff,hedidnot;-butmymother,andJane,andI,wereallthere,andaveryagreeableeveningwehad.Suchkindfriends,youknow,MissWoodhouse,onemustalwaysfindagreeable,thougheverybodyseemedratherfaggedafterthemorning\'sparty.Evenpleasure,youknow,isfatiguing-andIcannotsaythatanyofthemseemedverymuchtohaveenjoyedit.However,Ishallalwaysthinkitaverypleasantparty,andfeelextremelyobligedtothekindfriendswhoincludedmeinit.\'

`MissFairfax,Isuppose,thoughyouwerenotawareofit,hadbeenmakinguphermindthewholeday?\'

`Idaresayshehad.\'

`Wheneverthetimemaycome,itmustbeunwelcometoherandallherfriends-butIhopeherengagementwillhaveeveryalleviationthatispossible-Imean,astothecharacterandmannersofthefamily.\'

`Thankyou,dearMissWoodhouse.Yes,indeed,thereiseverythingintheworldthatcanmakeherhappyinit.ExcepttheSucklingsandBragges,thereisnotsuchanothernurseryestablishment,soliberalandelegant,inallMrs.Elton\'sacquaintance.Mrs.Smallridge,amostdelightfulwoman!-AstyleoflivingalmostequaltoMapleGrove-andastothechildren,exceptthelittleSucklingsandlittleBragges,therearenotsuchelegantsweetchildrenanywhere.Janewillbetreatedwithsuchregardandkindness!-Itwillbenothingbutpleasure,alifeofpleasure-Andhersalary!-Ireallycannotventuretonamehersalarytoyou,MissWoodhouse.Evenyou,usedasyouaretogreatsums,wouldhardlybelievethatsomuchcouldbegiventoayoungpersonlikeJane.\'

`Ah!madam,\'criedEmma,`ifotherchildrenareatalllikewhatIremembertohavebeenmyself,IshouldthinkfivetimestheamountofwhatIhaveeveryetheardnamedasasalaryonsuchoccasions,dearlyearned.\'

`Youaresonobleinyourideas!\'

`AndwhenisMissFairfaxtoleaveyou?\'

`Verysoon,verysoon,indeed;that\'stheworstofit.Withinafortnight.Mrs.Smallridgeisinagreathurry.Mypoormotherdoesnotknowhowtobearit.Sothen,Itrytoputitoutofherthoughts,andsay,Comema\'am,donotletusthinkaboutitanymore.\'

`Herfriendsmustallbesorrytoloseher;andwillnotColonelandMrs.Campbellbesorrytofindthatshehasengagedherselfbeforetheirreturn?\'

`Yes;Janesayssheissuretheywill;butyet,thisissuchasituationasshecannotfeelherselfjustifiedindeclining.IwassoastonishedwhenshefirsttoldmewhatshehadbeensayingtoMrs.Elton,andwhenMrs.Eltonatthesamemomentcamecongratulatingmeuponit!Itwasbeforetea-stay-no,itcouldnotbebeforetea,becausewewerejustgoingtocards-andyetitwasbeforetea,becauseIrememberthinking-Oh!no,nowIrecollect,nowIhaveit;somethinghappenedbeforetea,butnotthat.Mr.Eltonwascalledoutoftheroombeforetea,oldJohnAbdy\'ssonwantedtospeakwithhim.PooroldJohn,Ihaveagreatregardforhim;hewasclerktomypoorfathertwenty-sevenyears;andnow,pooroldman,heisbed-ridden,andverypoorlywiththerheumaticgoutinhisjoints-Imustgoandseehimto-day;andsowillJane,Iamsure,ifshegetsoutatall.AndpoorJohn\'ssoncametotalktoMr.Eltonaboutrelieffromtheparish;heisverywelltodohimself,youknow,beingheadmanattheCrown,ostler,andeverythingofthatsort,butstillhecannotkeephisfatherwithoutsomehelp;andso,whenMr.Eltoncameback,hetolduswhatJohnostlerhadbeentellinghim,andthenitcameoutaboutthechaisehavingbeensenttoRandallstotakeMr.FrankChurchilltoRichmond.Thatwaswhathappenedbeforetea.ItwasafterteathatJanespoketoMrs.Elton.\'

MissBateswouldhardlygiveEmmatimetosayhowperfectlynewthiscircumstancewastoher;butaswithoutsupposingitpossiblethatshecouldbeignorantofanyoftheparticularsofMr.FrankChurchill\'sgoing,sheproceededtogivethemall,itwasofnoconsequence.

WhatMr.Eltonhadlearnedfromtheostleronthesubject,beingtheaccumulationoftheostler\'sownknowledge,andtheknowledgeoftheservantsatRandalls,was,thatamessengerhadcomeoverfromRichmondsoonafterthereturnofthepartyfromBoxHill-whichmessenger,however,hadbeennomorethanwasexpected;andthatMr.Churchillhadsenthisnephewafewlines,containing,uponthewhole,atolerableaccountofMrs.Churchill,andonlywishinghimnottodelaycomingbackbeyondthenextmorningearly;butthatMr.FrankChurchillhavingresolvedtogohomedirectly,withoutwaitingatall,andhishorseseemingtohavegotacold,TomhadbeensentoffimmediatelyfortheCrownchaise,andtheostlerhadstoodoutandseenitpassby,theboygoingagoodpace,anddrivingverysteady.

Therewasnothinginallthiseithertoastonishorinterest,anditcaughtEmma\'sattentiononlyasitunitedwiththesubjectwhichalreadyengagedhermind.ThecontrastbetweenMrs.Churchill\'simportanceintheworld,andJaneFairfax\'s,struckher;onewaseverything,theothernothing-andshesatmusingonthedifferenceofwoman\'sdestiny,andquiteunconsciousonwhathereyeswerefixed,tillrousedbyMissBates\'ssaying,

`Aye,Iseewhatyouarethinkingof,thepianoforte.Whatistobecomeofthat?-Verytrue.PoordearJanewastalkingofitjustnow-``Youmustgo,\'\'saidshe.``YouandImustpart.Youwillhavenobusinesshere-Letitstay,however,\'\'saidshe;``giveithouseroomtillColonelCampbellcomesback.Ishalltalkaboutittohim;hewillsettleforme;hewillhelpmeoutofallmydifficulties.\'\'-Andtothisday,Idobelieve,sheknowsnotwhetheritwashispresentorhisdaughter\'s.\'

NowEmmawasobligedtothinkofthepianoforte;andtheremembranceofallherformerfancifulandunfairconjectureswassolittlepleasing,thatshesoonallowedherselftobelievehervisithadbeenlongenough;and,witharepetitionofeverythingthatshecouldventuretosayofthegoodwisheswhichshereallyfelt,tookleave.

CHAPTERIX

Emma\'spensivemeditations,asshewalkedhome,werenotinterrupted;butonenteringtheparlour,shefoundthosewhomustrouseher.Mr.KnightleyandHarriethadarrivedduringherabsence,andweresittingwithherfather-Mr.Knightleyimmediatelygotup,andinamannerdecidedlygraverthanusual,said,

`Iwouldnotgoawaywithoutseeingyou,butIhavenotimetospare,andthereforemustnowbegonedirectly.IamgoingtoLondon,tospendafewdayswithJohnandIsabella.Haveyouanythingtosendorsay,besidesthe``love,\'\'whichnobodycarries?\'

`Nothingatall.Butisnotthisasuddenscheme?\'

`Yes-rather-Ihavebeenthinkingofitsomelittletime.\'

Emmawassurehehadnotforgivenher;helookedunlikehimself.Time,however,shethought,wouldtellhimthattheyoughttobefriendsagain.Whilehestood,asifmeaningtogo,butnotgoing-herfatherbeganhisinquiries.

`Well,mydear,anddidyougettheresafely?-Andhowdidyoufindmyworthyoldfriendandherdaughter?-Idaresaytheymusthavebeenverymuchobligedtoyouforcoming.DearEmmahasbeentocallonMrs.andMissBates,Mr.Knightley,asItoldyoubefore.Sheisalwayssoattentivetothem!\'

Emma\'scolourwasheightenedbythisunjustpraise;andwithasmile,andshakeofthehead,whichspokemuch,shelookedatMr.Knightley-Itseemedasiftherewereaninstantaneousimpressioninherfavour,asifhiseyesreceivedthetruthfromher\'s,andallthathadpassedofgoodinherfeelingswereatoncecaughtandhonoured-Helookedatherwithaglowofregard.Shewaswarmlygratified-andinanothermomentstillmoreso,byalittlemovementofmorethancommonfriendlinessonhispart-Hetookherhand;-whethershehadnotherselfmadethefirstmotion,shecouldnotsay-shemight,perhaps,haveratherofferedit-buthetookherhand,pressedit,andcertainlywasonthepointofcarryingittohislips-when,fromsomefancyorother,hesuddenlyletitgo-Whyheshouldfeelsuchascruple,whyheshouldchangehismindwhenitwasallbutdone,shecouldnotperceive-Hewouldhavejudgedbetter,shethought,ifhehadnotstopped-Theintention,however,wasindubitable;andwhetheritwasthathismannershadingeneralsolittlegallantry,orhoweverelseithappened,butshethoughtnothingbecamehimmore-Itwaswithhim,ofsosimple,yetsodignifiedanature-Shecouldnotbutrecalltheattemptwithgreatsatisfaction.Itspokesuchperfectamity-Heleftthemimmediatelyafterwards-goneinamoment.Healwaysmovedwiththealertnessofamindwhichcouldneitherbeundecidednordilatory,butnowheseemedmoresuddenthanusualinhisdisappearance.

EmmacouldnotregretherhavinggonetoMissBates,butshewishedshehadlefthertenminutesearlier;-itwouldhavebeenagreatpleasuretotalkoverJaneFairfax\'ssituationwithMr.Knightley-NeitherwouldsheregretthatheshouldbegoingtoBrunswickSquare,forsheknewhowmuchhisvisitwouldbeenjoyed-butitmighthavehappenedatabettertime-andtohavehadlongernoticeofit,wouldhavebeenpleasanter-Theypartedthoroughfriends,however;shecouldnotbedeceivedastothemeaningofhiscountenance,andhisunfinishedgallantry;-itwasalldonetoassureherthatshehadfullyrecoveredhisgoodopinion-Hehadbeensittingwiththemhalfanhour,shefound.Itwasapitythatshehadnotcomebackearlier!

Inthehopeofdivertingherfather\'sthoughtsfromthedisagreeablenessofMr.Knightley\'sgoingtoLondon;andgo