Oxford World’s Classics

by Jane Austen

  Finis

  Edgar and Emma

  a tale*

  Chapter the first

  ‘I cannot imagine,’ said Sir Godfrey* to his Lady, ‘why we continue’ ‘in such deplorable Lodgings as these, in a paltry Market-town,’* ‘while we have 3 good Houses of our own situated in some of the’ ‘finest parts of England, & perfectly ready to receive us!’

  ‘I’m sure Sir Godfrey,’ replied Lady Marlow, ‘it has been much’ ‘against my inclination that we have staid here so long; or why we’ ‘should ever have come at all indeed, has been to me a wonder as’ ‘none of our Houses have been in the least want of repair.’

  ‘Nay my dear,’ answered Sir Godfrey, ‘you are the last person who’ ‘ought to be displeased with what was always meant as a compliment’ ‘to you; for you cannot but be sensible of the very great inconvenience’ ‘your Daughters & I have been put to during the 2 years we have’ ‘remained crowded in these Lodgings in order to give you pleasure.’

  ‘My dear,’ replied Lady Marlow, ‘How can you stand & tell such’ ‘lies, when you very well know that it was merely to oblige the Girls &’ ‘you, that I left a most commodious House situated in a most delight-’ ‘full Country & surrounded by a most agreable Neighbourhood, to live’ ‘2 years cramped up in Lodgings three pair of Stairs high,* in’ ‘a smokey & unwholesome town, which has given me a continual’ ‘fever & almost thrown me into a Consumption.’*

  As, after a few more speeches on both sides, they could not determine which was the most to blame, they prudently laid aside the debate, & having packed up their Cloathes & paid their rent, they set out the next morning with their 2 Daughters for their seat in Sussex.

  Sir Godfrey & Lady Marlow were indeed very sensible people & tho’ (as in this instance) like many other sensible People, they sometimes did a foolish thing, yet in general their actions were guided by Prudence & regulated by discretion.

  After a Journey of two Days & a half they arrived at Marlhurst* in good health & high spirits; so overjoyed were they all to inhabit again a place, they had left with mutual regret for two years, that they ordered the bells to be rung & distributed ninepence among the Ringers.*

  Chapter the second

  The news of their arrival being quickly spread throughout the Country, brought them in a few Days visits of congratulation from every family in it.

  Amongst the rest came the inhabitants of Willmot Lodge a beautifull Villa* not far from Marlhurst. Mr Willmot was the representative of a very ancient Family & possessed besides his paternal Estate, a considerable share in a Lead mine & a ticket in the Lottery.* His Lady was an agreable Woman. Their Children were too numerous to be particularly described; it is sufficient to say that in general they were virtuously inclined & not given to any wicked ways. Their family being too large to accompany them in every visit, they took nine with them alternately. When their coach* stopped at Sir Godfrey’s door, the Miss Marlow’s Hearts throbbed in the eager expectation of once more beholding a family so dear to them. Emma* the youngest (who was more particularly interested in their arrival, being attached to their eldest Son) continued at her Dressing-room window in anxious Hopes of seeing young Edgar* descend from the Carriage.

  Mr & Mrs Willmot with their three eldest Daughters first appeared—Emma began to tremble—.* Robert, Richard, Ralph, & Rodolphus* followed—Emma turned pale—. Their two youngest Girls were lifted from the Coach—Emma sunk breathless on a Sopha.* A footman came to announce to her the arrival of Company; her heart was too full to contain its afflictions. A confidante* was necessary—In Thomas she hoped to experience a faithfull one—for one she must have & Thomas was the only one at Hand. To him she unbosomed herself without restraint & after owning her passion for young Willmot, requested his advice in what manner she should conduct herself in the melancholy Disappointment under which she laboured.

  Thomas, who would gladly have been excused from listening to her complaint, begged leave to decline giving any advice concerning it, which much against her will, she was obliged to comply with.

  Having dispatched him therefore with many injunctions of secrecy, she descended with a heavy heart into the Parlour, where she found the good Party seated in a social manner* round a blazing fire.

  Chapter the third

  Emma had continued in the Parlour some time before she could summon up sufficient courage to ask Mrs Willmot after the rest of her family; & when she did, it was in so low, so faltering a voice that no one knew she spoke. Dejected by the ill success of her first attempt she made no other, till on Mrs Willmots desiring one of the little Girls to ring the bell for their Carriage, she stepped across the room & seizing the string said in a resolute manner.

  ‘Mrs Willmot, you do not stir from this House till you let me know’ ‘how all the rest of your family do, particularly your eldest son.’

  They were all greatly surprised by such an unexpected address & the more so, on account of the manner in which it was spoken; but Emma, who would not be again disappointed, requesting an answer, Mrs Willmot made the following eloquent oration.

  ‘Our children are all extremely well but at present most of them’ ‘from home. Amy is with my sister Clayton. Sam at Eton.* David’ ‘with his Uncle John. Jem & Will at Winchester.* Kitty at Queen’s’ ‘Square.* Ned with his Grandmother. Hetty & Patty in a convent at’ ‘Brussells.* Edgar at college,* Peter at Nurse,* & all the rest (except’ ‘the nine here) at home.’

  It was with difficulty that Emma could refrain from tears on hearing of the absence of Edgar; she remained however tolerably composed till the Willmot’s were gone when having no check to the overflowings of her greif, she gave free vent to them, & retiring to her own room, continued in tears the remainder of her Life.

  Finis

  Henry and Eliza*

  a novel

  Is humbly dedicated to Miss Cooper* by her obedient Humble Servant

  The Author

  As Sir George and Lady Harcourt were superintending the Labours of their Haymakers, rewarding the industry of some by smiles of approbation,* & punishing the idleness of others, by a cudgel,* they perceived lying closely concealed beneath the thick foliage of a Haycock,* a beautifull little Girl not more than 3 months old.*

  Touched with the enchanting Graces of her face & delighted with the infantine tho’ sprightly answers she returned to their many questions, they resolved to take her home &, having no Children of their own, to educate her with care & cost.

  Being good People themselves, their first & principal care was to incite in her a Love of Virtue & a Hatred of Vice, in which they so well succeeded (Eliza having a natural turn that way herself ) that when she grew up, she was the delight of all who knew her.

  Beloved by Lady Harcourt, adored by Sir George & admired by all the world, she lived in a continued course of uninterrupted Happiness, till she had attained her eighteenth year, when happening one day to be detected in stealing a bank-note of 50£, she was turned out of doors by her inhuman Benefactors.* Such a transition to one who did not possess so noble & exalted a mind as Eliza, would have been Death, but she, happy in the conscious knowledge of her own Excellence, amused herself, as she sate beneath a tree with making & singing the following Lines.

  Song

  Though misfortunes my footsteps may ever attend

  I hope I shall never have need of a Freind

  as an innocent Heart I will ever preserve

  and will never from Virtue’s dear boundaries swerve.

  Having amused herself some hours, with this song & her own pleasing reflections, she arose & took the road to M.* a small market town of which place her most intimate freind kept the red Lion.*

  To this freind she immediately went, to whom having recounted her late misfortune, she communicated her wish of getting into some family in the capacity of Humble Companion.*

  Mrs Willson,* who was the most amiable creature on earth, was no sooner acquainted with her Desire, than she sate down in the Bar & wrote the followi
ng Letter to the Dutchess of F, the woman whom of all others, she most Esteemed.

  ‘To the Dutchess of F.’

  ‘Receive into your Family, at my request a young woman of’ ‘unexceptionable Character, who is so good as to choose your Society’ ‘in preference to going to Service. Hasten, & take her from the arms’ ‘of your’

  ‘Sarah Wilson.’

  The Dutchess, whose freindship for Mrs Wilson would have carried her any lengths, was overjoyed at such an opportunity of obliging her & accordingly sate out immediately on the receipt of her letter for the red Lion, which she reached the same Evening.* The Dutchess of F. was about 45 & a half; Her passions were strong, her freindships firm & her Enmities, unconquerable. She was a widow & had only one Daughter who was on the point of marriage with a young Man of considerable fortune.

  The Dutchess no sooner beheld our Heroine than throwing her arms around her neck, she declared herself so much pleased with her, that she was resolved they never more should part. Eliza was delighted with such a protestation of freindship, & after taking a most affecting leave of her dear Mrs Wilson, accompanied her grace the next morning to her seat in Surry.

  With every expression of regard did the Dutchess introduce her to Lady Hariet, who was so much pleased with her appearance that she besought her, to consider her as her Sister, which Eliza with the greatest Condescension promised to do.

  Mr Cecil, the Lover of Lady Harriet, being often with the family was often with Eliza. A mutual Love took place & Cecil having declared his first, prevailed on Eliza to consent to a private union,* which was easy to be effected, as the dutchess’s chaplain* being very much in love with Eliza himself, would they were certain do anything to oblige her.

  The Dutchess & Lady Hariet being engaged one evening to an assembly, they took the opportunity of their absence & were united by the enamoured Chaplain.

  When the Ladies returned, their amazement was great at finding instead of Eliza the following Note.

  ‘Madam’

  ‘We are married & gone.’

  ‘Henry & Eliza Cecil.’

  Her Grace as soon as she had read the letter, which sufficiently explained the whole affair, flew into the most violent passion & after having spent an agreable half hour, in calling them by all the shocking Names her rage could suggest to her, sent out after them 300 armed Men, with orders not to return without their Bodies, dead or alive; intending that if they should be brought to her in the latter condition to have them put to Death in some torturelike manner, after a few years Confinement.

  In the mean time Cecil & Eliza continued their flight to the Continent,* which they judged to be more secure than their native Land, from the dreadfull effects of the Dutchess’s vengeance, which they had so much reason to apprehend.

  In France they remained 3 years, during which time they became the parents of two Boys, & at the end of it Eliza became a widow without any thing to support either her or her Children. They had lived since their Marriage at the rate of 18,000£ a year,* of which Mr Cecil’s estate being rather less than the twentieth part,* they had been able to save but a trifle, having lived to the utmost extent of their Income.

  Eliza, being perfectly conscious of the derangement in their affairs, immediately on her Husband’s death set sail for England, in a man of War of 55 Guns,* which they had built in their more prosperous Days. But no sooner had she stepped on Shore at Dover, with a Child in each hand, than she was seized by the officers of the Dutchess, & conducted by them to a snug little Newgate* of their Lady’s, which she had erected for the reception of her own private Prisoners.

  No sooner had Eliza entered her Dungeon than the first thought which occurred to her, was how to get out of it again.

  She went to the Door; but it was locked. She looked at the Window; but it was barred with iron; disappointed in both her expectations, she dispaired of effecting her Escape; when she fortunately perceived in a Corner of her Cell, a small saw & a Ladder of ropes. With the saw she instantly went to work & in a few weeks had displaced every Bar but one to which she fastened the Ladder.

  A difficulty then occurred which for sometime, she knew not how to obviate. Her Children were too small to get down the Ladder by themselves. nor would it be possible for her to take them in her arms, when she did. At last she determined to fling down all her Cloathes, of which she had a large Quantity, & then having given them strict Charge not to hurt themselves, threw her Children after them.* She herself with ease descended by the Ladder, at the bottom of which she had the pleasure of finding Her little boys in perfect Health & fast asleep.

  Her wardrobe she now saw a fatal necessity of selling, both for the preservation of her Children & herself. With tears in her eyes, she parted with these last reliques of her former Glory, & with the money she got for them, bought others more usefull, some play things for her Boys and a gold Watch for herself.*

  But scarcely was she provided with the above-mentioned necessaries, than she began to find herself rather hungry, & had reason to think, by their biting off two of her fingers, that her Children were much in the same situation.

  To remedy these unavoidable misfortunes, she determined to return to her old freinds, Sir George & Lady Harcourt, whose generosity she had so often experienced & hoped to experience as often again.

  She had about 40 miles to travel before she could reach their hospitable Mansion, of which having walked 30 without stopping,* she found herself at the Entrance of a Town, where often in happier times, she had accompanied Sir George & Lady Harcourt to regale themselves with a cold collation* at one of the Inns.

  The reflections that her adventures since the last time she had partaken of these happy Junkettings,* afforded her, occupied her mind, for some time, as she sate on the steps at the door of a Gentleman’s house. As soon as these reflections were ended, she arose & determined to take her station at the very inn, she remembered with so much delight, from the Company of which, as they went in & out, she hoped to receive some Charitable Gratuity.*

  She had but just taken her post at the Inn yard, before a Carriage drove out of it, & on turning the Corner at which she was stationed, stopped to give the Postilion an opportunity of admiring the beauty of the prospect. Eliza then advanced to the carriage & was going to request their Charity, when on fixing her Eyes on the Lady, within it, she exclaimed,

  ‘Lady Harcourt!’

  To which the lady replied,

  ‘Eliza!’

  ‘Yes Madam it is the wretched Eliza herself.’

  Sir George, who was also in the Carriage, but too much amazed to speek, was proceeding to demand an explanation from Eliza of the Situation she was then in, when lady Harcourt in transports of Joy, exclaimed.

  ‘Sir George, Sir George, she is not only Eliza our adopted Daughter,’ ‘but our real Child.’*

  ‘Our real Child! What Lady Harcourt, do you mean? You know you’ ‘never even was with child. Explain yourself, I beseech you.’

  ‘You must remember Sir George that when you sailed for America,’ ‘you left me breeding.’

  ‘I do, I do, go on dear Polly.’*

  ‘Four months after you were gone, I was delivered of this Girl, but’ ‘dreading your just resentment at her not proving the Boy you wished’ ‘I took her to a Haycock & laid her down. A few weeks afterwards, you’ ‘returned, & fortunately for me, made no enquiries on the subject.’ ‘Satisfied within myself of the wellfare of my Child,* I soon forgot’ ‘I had one, insomuch that when, we shortly after found her in the’ ‘very Haycock, I had placed her, I had no more idea of her being my’ ‘own, than you had, & nothing I will venture to say would have recalled’ ‘the circumstance to my remembrance, but my thus accidentally’ ‘hearing her voice, which now strikes me as being the very counterpart’ ‘of my own Child’s.’

  ‘The rational & convincing Account you have given of the whole’ ‘affair, said Sir George, leaves no doubt of her being our Daughter &’ ‘as such I freely forgive the robbery she was guilty of.’
/>
  A mutual Reconciliation then took place, & Eliza, ascending the Carriage with her two Children returned to that home from which she had been absent nearly four years.

  No sooner was she reinstated in her accustomed power at Harcourt Hall, than she raised an Army, with which she entirely demolished the Dutchess’s Newgate, snug as it was, and by that act, gained the Blessings of thousands, & the Applause of her own Heart.

  Finis

  The adventures of Mr Harley

  a short, but interesting Tale, is with all imaginable Respect inscribed To Mr Francis Willm Austen Midshipman on board his Magestys Ship the Perseverance* by his Obedient Servant

  The Author

  Mr Harley* was one of many Children. Destined by his father for the Church & by his Mother for the Sea,* desirous of pleasing both, he prevailed on Sir John to obtain for him a Chaplaincy on board a Man of War. He accordingly, cut his Hair & sailed.

  In half a year* he returned & sat-off* in the Stage Coach* for Hogsworth Green,* the seat of Emma. His fellow travellers were, A man without a Hat, Another with two, An old maid & a young Wife.

  This last appeared about 17 with fine dark Eyes & an elegant Shape; inshort Mr Harley soon found out, that she was his Emma & recollected he had married her a few weeks before he left England.

  Finis

  Sir William Mountague*