第23章

`Hissufferings,\'repliedEmmadryly,`donotappeartohavedonehimmuchharm.Well,andhowdidMr.Churchilltakeit?\'

`Mostfavourablyforhisnephew-gavehisconsentwithscarcelyadifficulty.Conceivewhattheeventsofaweekhavedoneinthatfamily!WhilepoorMrs.Churchilllived,Isupposetherecouldnothavebeenahope,achance,apossibility;-butscarcelyareherremainsatrestinthefamilyvault,thanherhusbandispersuadedtoactexactlyoppositetowhatshewouldhaverequired.Whatablessingitis,whenundueinfluencedoesnotsurvivethegrave!-Hegavehisconsentwithverylittlepersuasion.\'

`Ah!\'thoughtEmma,`hewouldhavedoneasmuchforHarriet.\'

`Thiswassettledlastnight,andFrankwasoffwiththelightthismorning.HestoppedatHighbury,attheBates\'s,Ifancy,sometime-andthencameonhither;butwasinsuchahurrytogetbacktohisuncle,towhomheisjustnowmorenecessarythanever,that,asItellyou,hecouldstaywithusbutaquarterofanhour-Hewasverymuchagitated-verymuch,indeed-toadegreethatmadehimappearquiteadifferentcreaturefromanythingIhadeverseenhimbefore-Inadditiontoalltherest,therehadbeentheshockoffindinghersoveryunwell,whichhehadhadnoprevioussuspicionof-andtherewaseveryappearanceofhishavingbeenfeelingagreatdeal.\'

`Anddoyoureallybelievetheaffairtohavebeencarryingonwithsuchperfectsecresy?-TheCampbells,theDixons,didnoneofthemknowoftheengagement?\'

EmmacouldnotspeakthenameofDixonwithoutalittleblush.

`None;notone.Hepositivelysaidthatithadbeenknowntonobeingintheworldbuttheirtwoselves.\'

`Well,\'saidEmma,`Isupposeweshallgraduallygrowreconciledtotheidea,andIwishthemveryhappy.ButIshallalwaysthinkitaveryabominablesortofproceeding.Whathasitbeenbutasystemofhypocrisyanddeceit,-espionage,andtreachery?-Tocomeamonguswithprofessionsofopennessandsimplicity;andsuchaleagueinsecrettojudgeusall!-Herehavewebeen,thewholewinterandspring,completelyduped,fancyingourselvesallonanequalfootingoftruthandhonour,withtwopeopleinthemidstofuswhomayhavebeencarryinground,comparingandsittinginjudgmentonsentimentsandwordsthatwerenevermeantforbothtohear-Theymusttaketheconsequence,iftheyhaveheardeachotherspokenofinawaynotperfectlyagreeable!\'

`Iamquiteeasyonthathead,\'repliedMrs.Weston.`IamverysurethatIneversaidanythingofeithertotheother,whichbothmightnothaveheard.\'

`Youareinluck-Youronlyblunderwasconfinedtomyear,whenyouimaginedacertainfriendofoursinlovewiththelady.\'

`True.ButasIhavealwayshadathoroughlygoodopinionofMissFairfax,Inevercould,underanyblunder,havespokenillofher;andastospeakingillofhim,thereImusthavebeensafe.\'

AtthismomentMr.Westonappearedatalittledistancefromthewindow,evidentlyonthewatch.Hiswifegavehimalookwhichinvitedhimin;and,whilehewascominground,added,`Now,dearestEmma,letmeintreatyoutosayandlookeverythingthatmaysethisheartatease,andinclinehimtobesatisfiedwiththematch.Letusmakethebestofit-and,indeed,almosteverythingmaybefairlysaidinherfavour.Itisnotaconnexiontogratify;butifMr.Churchilldoesnotfeelthat,whyshouldwe?anditmaybeaveryfortunatecircumstanceforhim,forFrank,Imean,thatheshouldhaveattachedhimselftoagirlofsuchsteadinessofcharacterandgoodjudgmentasIhavealwaysgivenhercreditfor-andstillamdisposedtogivehercreditfor,inspiteofthisonegreatdeviationfromthestrictruleofright.Andhowmuchmaybesaidinhersituationforeventhaterror!\'

`Much,indeed!\'criedEmmafeelingly.`Ifawomancaneverbeexcusedforthinkingonlyofherself,itisinasituationlikeJaneFairfax\'s-Ofsuch,onemayalmostsay,that``theworldisnottheir\'s,northeworld\'slaw.\'\'\'

ShemetMr.Westononhisentrance,withasmilingcountenance,exclaiming,

`Averyprettytrickyouhavebeenplayingme,uponmyword!Thiswasadevice,Isuppose,tosportwithmycuriosity,andexercisemytalentofguessing.Butyoureallyfrightenedme.Ithoughtyouhadlosthalfyourproperty,atleast.Andhere,insteadofitsbeingamatterofcondolence,itturnsouttobeoneofcongratulation-Icongratulateyou,Mr.Weston,withallmyheart,ontheprospectofhavingoneofthemostlovelyandaccomplishedyoungwomeninEnglandforyourdaughter.\'

Aglanceortwobetweenhimandhiswife,convincedhimthatallwasasrightasthisspeechproclaimed;anditshappyeffectonhisspiritswasimmediate.Hisairandvoicerecoveredtheirusualbriskness:heshookherheartilyandgratefullybythehand,andenteredonthesubjectinamannertoprove,thathenowonlywantedtimeandpersuasiontothinktheengagementnoverybadthing.Hiscompanionssuggestedonlywhatcouldpalliateimprudence,orsmoothobjections;andbythetimetheyhadtalkeditallovertogether,andhehadtalkeditalloveragainwithEmma,intheirwalkbacktoHartfield,hewasbecomeperfectlyreconciled,andnotfarfromthinkingittheverybestthingthatFrankcouldpossiblyhavedone.

CHAPTERXI

`Harriet,poorHarriet!\'-Thosewerethewords;inthemlaythetormentingideaswhichEmmacouldnotgetridof,andwhichconstitutedtherealmiseryofthebusinesstoher.FrankChurchillhadbehavedveryillbyherself-veryillinmanyways,-butitwasnotsomuchhisbehaviourasherown,whichmadehersoangrywithhim.ItwasthescrapewhichhehaddrawnherintoonHarriet\'saccount,thatgavethedeepesthuetohisoffence-PoorHarriet!tobeasecondtimethedupeofhermisconceptionsandflattery.Mr.Knightleyhadspokenprophetically,whenheoncesaid,`Emma,youhavebeennofriendtoHarrietSmith.\'-Shewasafraidshehaddonehernothingbutdisservice-Itwastruethatshehadnottochargeherself,inthisinstanceasintheformer,withbeingthesoleandoriginalauthorofthemischief;withhavingsuggestedsuchfeelingsasmightotherwiseneverhaveenteredHarriet\'simagination;forHarriethadacknowledgedheradmirationandpreferenceofFrankChurchillbeforeshehadevergivenherahintonthesubject;butshefeltcompletelyguiltyofhavingencouragedwhatshemighthaverepressed.Shemighthavepreventedtheindulgenceandincreaseofsuchsentiments.Herinfluencewouldhavebeenenough.Andnowshewasveryconsciousthatsheoughttohavepreventedthem-Shefeltthatshehadbeenriskingherfriend\'shappinessonmostinsufficientgrounds.CommonsensewouldhavedirectedhertotellHarriet,thatshemustnotallowherselftothinkofhim,andthattherewerefivehundredchancestooneagainsthisevercaringforher-`But,withcommonsense,\'sheadded,`IamafraidIhavehadlittletodo.\'

Shewasextremelyangrywithherself.IfshecouldnothavebeenangrywithFrankChurchilltoo,itwouldhavebeendreadful-AsforJaneFairfax,shemightatleastrelieveherfeelingsfromanypresentsolicitudeonheraccount.Harrietwouldbeanxietyenough;sheneednolongerbeunhappyaboutJane,whosetroublesandwhoseill-healthhaving,ofcourse,thesameorigin,mustbeequallyundercure-Herdaysofinsignificanceandevilwereover-Shewouldsoonbewell,andhappy,andprosperous-Emmacouldnowimaginewhyherownattentionshadbeenslighted.Thisdiscoverylaidmanysmallermattersopen.Nodoubtithadbeenfromjealousy-InJane\'seyesshehadbeenarival;andwellmightanythingshecouldofferofassistanceorregardberepulsed.AnairingintheHartfieldcarriagewouldhavebeentherack,andarrowrootfromtheHartfieldstoreroommusthavebeenpoison.Sheunderstooditall;andasfarashermindcoulddisengageitselffromtheinjusticeandselfishnessofangryfeelings,sheacknowledgedthatJaneFairfaxwouldhaveneitherelevationnorhappinessbeyondherdesert.ButpoorHarrietwassuchanengrossingcharge!Therewaslittlesympathytobesparedforanybodyelse.Emmawassadlyfearfulthatthisseconddisappointmentwouldbemoreseverethanthefirst.Consideringtheverysuperiorclaimsoftheobject,itought;andjudgingbyitsapparentlystrongereffectonHarriet\'smind,producingreserveandself-command,itwould-Shemustcommunicatethepainfultruth,however,andassoonaspossible.AninjunctionofsecresyhadbeenamongMr.Weston\'spartingwords.`Forthepresent,thewholeaffairwastobecompletelyasecret.Mr.Churchillhadmadeapointofit,asatokenofrespecttothewifehehadsoveryrecentlylost;andeverybodyadmittedittobenomorethanduedecorum.\'-Emmahadpromised;butstillHarrietmustbeexcepted.Itwashersuperiorduty.

Inspiteofhervexation,shecouldnothelpfeelingitalmostridiculous,thatsheshouldhavetheverysamedistressinganddelicateofficetoperformbyHarriet,whichMrs.Westonhadjustgonethroughbyherself.Theintelligence,whichhadbeensoanxiouslyannouncedtoher,shewasnowtobeanxiouslyannouncingtoanother.HerheartbeatquickonhearingHarriet\'sfootstepandvoice;so,shesupposed,hadpoorMrs.WestonfeltwhenshewasapproachingRandalls.Couldtheeventofthedisclosurebearanequalresemblance!-Butofthat,unfortunately,therecouldbenochance.

`Well,MissWoodhouse!\'criedHarriet,comingeagerlyintotheroom-`isnotthistheoddestnewsthateverwas?\'

`Whatnewsdoyoumean?\'repliedEmma,unabletoguess,bylookorvoice,whetherHarrietcouldindeedhavereceivedanyhint.

`AboutJaneFairfax.Didyoueverhearanythingsostrange?Oh!-youneednotbeafraidofowningittome,forMr.Westonhastoldmehimself.Imethimjustnow.Hetoldmeitwastobeagreatsecret;and,therefore,Ishouldnotthinkofmentioningittoanybodybutyou,buthesaidyouknewit.\'

`WhatdidMr.Westontellyou?\'-saidEmma,stillperplexed.

`Oh!hetoldmeallaboutit;thatJaneFairfaxandMr.FrankChurchillaretobemarried,andthattheyhavebeenprivatelyengagedtooneanotherthislongwhile.Howveryodd!\'

Itwas,indeed,soodd;Harriet\'sbehaviourwassoextremelyodd,thatEmmadidnotknowhowtounderstandit.Hercharacterappearedabsolutelychanged.Sheseemedtoproposeshewingnoagitation,ordisappointment,orpeculiarconcerninthediscovery.Emmalookedather,quiteunabletospeak.

`Hadyouanyidea,\'criedHarriet,`ofhisbeinginlovewithher?-You,perhaps,might-You(blushingasshespoke)whocanseeintoeverybody\'sheart;butnobodyelse-\'

`Uponmyword,\'saidEmma,`Ibegintodoubtmyhavinganysuchtalent.Canyouseriouslyaskme,Harriet,whetherIimaginedhimattachedtoanotherwomanattheverytimethatIwas-tacitly,ifnotopenly-encouragingyoutogivewaytoyourownfeelings?-Ineverhadtheslightestsuspicion,tillwithinthelasthour,ofMr.FrankChurchill\'shavingtheleastregardforJaneFairfax.YoumaybeverysurethatifIhad,Ishouldhavecautionedyouaccordingly.\'

`Me!\'criedHarriet,colouring,andastonished.`