Emma

by Jane Austen

Page 9

 

  He had frightened her a little about Mr. Elton; but when she considered that Mr. Knightley could not have observed him as she had done, neither with the interest, nor (she must be allowed to tell herself, in spite of Mr. Knightleys pretensions) with the skill of such an observer on such a question as herself, that he had spoken it hastily and in anger, she was able to believe, that he had rather said what he wished resentfully to be true, than what he knew any thing about. He certainly might have heard Mr. Elton speak with more unreserve than she had ever done, and Mr. Elton might not be of an imprudent, inconsiderate disposition as to money matters; he might naturally be rather attentive than otherwise to them; but then, Mr. Knightley did not make due allowance for the influence of a strong passion at war with all interested motives. Mr. Knightley saw no such passion, and of course thought nothing of its effects; but she saw too much of it to feel a doubt of its overcoming any hesitations that a reasonable prudence might originally suggest; and more than a reasonable, becoming degree of prudence, she was very sure did not belong to Mr. Elton.

  Harriets cheerful look and manner established hers: she came back, not to think of Mr. Martin, but to talk of Mr. Elton. Miss Nash had been telling her something, which she repeated immediately with great delight. Mr. Perry had been to Mrs. Goddards to attend a sick child, and Miss Nash had seen him, and he had told Miss Nash, that as he was coming back yesterday from Clayton Park, he had met Mr. Elton, and found to his great surprize, that Mr. Elton was actually on his road to London, and not meaning to return till the morrow, though it was the whist-club night, which he had been never known to miss before; and Mr. Perry had remonstrated with him about it, and told him how shabby it was in him, their best player, to absent himself, and tried very much to persuade him to put off his journey only one day; but it would not do; Mr. Elton had been determined to go on, and had said in a very particular way indeed, that he was going on business which he would not put off for any inducement in the world; and something about a very enviable commission, and being the bearer of something exceedingly precious. Mr. Perry could not quite understand him, but he was very sure there must be a lady in the case, and he told him so; and Mr. Elton only looked very conscious and smiling, and rode off in great spirits.

  Miss Nash had told her all this, and had talked a great deal more about Mr. Elton; and said, looking so very significantly at her,

  "that she did not pretend to understand what his business might be, but she only knew that any woman whom Mr. Elton could prefer, she should think the luckiest woman in the world; for, beyond a doubt, Mr. Elton had not his equal for beauty or agreeableness. "

  CHAPTER IX

  Mr. Knightley might quarrel with her, but Emma could not quarrel with herself. He was so much displeased, that it was longer than usual before he came to Hartfield again; and when they did meet, his grave looks shewed that she was not forgiven. She was sorry, but could not repent. On the contrary, her plans and proceedings were more and more justified and endeared to her by the general appearances of the next few days.

  The Picture, elegantly framed, came safely to hand soon after Mr. Eltons return, and being hung over the mantelpiece of the common sitting-room, he got up to look at it, and sighed out his half sentences of admiration just as he ought; and as for Harriets feelings, they were visibly forming themselves into as strong and steady an attachment as her youth and sort of mind admitted. Emma was soon perfectly satisfied of Mr. Martins being no otherwise remembered, than as he furnished a contrast with Mr. Elton, of the utmost advantage to the latter.

  Her views of improving her little friends mind, by a great deal of useful reading and conversation, had never yet led to more than a few first chapters, and the intention of going on to-morrow.

  It was much easier to chat than to study; much pleasanter to let her imagination range and work at Harriets fortune, than to be labouring to enlarge her comprehension or exercise it on sober facts; and the only literary pursuit which engaged Harriet at present, the only mental provision she was making for the evening of life, was the collecting and transcribing all the riddles of every sort that she could meet with, into a thin quarto of hot-pressed paper, made up by her friend, and ornamented with ciphers and trophies.

  In this age of literature, such collections on a very grand scale are not uncommon. Miss Nash, head-teacher at Mrs. Goddards, had written out at least three hundred; and Harriet, who had taken the first hint of it from her, hoped, with Miss Woodhouses help, to get a great many more. Emma assisted with her invention, memory and taste; and as Harriet wrote a very pretty hand, it was likely to be an arrangement of the first order, in form as well as quantity.

  Mr. Woodhouse was almost as much interested in the business as the girls, and tried very often to recollect something worth their putting in.

  "So many clever riddles as there used to be when he was young– he wondered he could not remember them! but he hoped he should in time. "

  And it always ended in "Kitty, a fair but frozen maid. "

  His good friend Perry, too, whom he had spoken to on the subject, did not at present recollect any thing of the riddle kind; but he had desired Perry to be upon the watch, and as he went about so much, something, he thought, might come from that quarter.

  It was by no means his daughters wish that the intellects of Highbury in general should be put under requisition. Mr. Elton was the only one whose assistance she asked. He was invited to contribute any really good enigmas, charades, or conundrums that he might recollect; and she had the pleasure of seeing him most intently at work with his recollections; and at the same time, as she could perceive, most earnestly careful that nothing ungallant, nothing that did not breathe a compliment to the sex should pass his lips. They owed to him their two or three politest puzzles; and the joy and exultation with which at last he recalled, and rather sentimentally recited, that well-known charade, My first doth affliction denote, Which my second is destind to feel And my whole is the best antidote That affliction to soften and heal. -made her quite sorry to acknowledge that they had transcribed it some pages ago already.

  "Why will not you write one yourself for us, Mr. Elton?" said she;

  "that is the only security for its freshness; and nothing could be easier to you. "

  "Oh no! he had never written, hardly ever, any thing of the kind in his life. The stupidest fellow! He was afraid not even Miss Woodhouse"-he stopt a moment– "or Miss Smith could inspire him. "

  The very next day however produced some proof of inspiration.

  He called for a few moments, just to leave a piece of paper on the table containing, as he said, a charade, which a friend of his had addressed to a young lady, the object of his admiration, but which, from his manner, Emma was immediately convinced must be his own.

  "I do not offer it for Miss Smiths collection," said he.

  "Being my friends, I have no right to expose it in any degree to the public eye, but perhaps you may not dislike looking at it. "

  The speech was more to Emma than to Harriet, which Emma could understand. There was deep consciousness about him, and he found it easier to meet her eye than her friends.

  He was gone the next moment:-after another moments pause,

  "Take it," said Emma, smiling, and pushing the paper towards Harriet-"it is for you. Take your own. "

  But Harriet was in a tremor, and could not touch it; and Emma, never loth to be first, was obliged to examine it herself.

  To Miss– CHARADE.

  My first displays the wealth and pomp of kings, Lords of the earth! their luxury and ease.

  Another view of man, my second brings,

  Behold him there, the monarch of the seas!

  But ah! united, what reverse we have!

  Mans boasted power and freedom, all are flown;

  Lord of the earth and sea, he bends a slave, And woman, lovely woman, reigns alone.

  Thy ready wit the word will soon supply, May its approval beam in that soft
eye!

  She cast her eye over it, pondered, caught the meaning, read it through again to be quite certain, and quite mistress of the lines, and then passing it to Harriet, sat happily smiling, and saying to herself, while Harriet was puzzling over the paper in all the confusion of hope and dulness, "Very well, Mr. Elton, very well indeed.

  I have read worse charades. Courtship-a very good hint. I give you credit for it. This is feeling your way. This is saying very plainly– `Pray, Miss Smith, give me leave to pay my addresses to you.

  Approve my charade and my intentions in the same glance.

  May its approval beam in that soft eye!

  Harriet exactly. Soft is the very word for her eye-of all epithets, the justest that could be given.

  Thy ready wit the word will soon supply.

  Humph-Harriets ready wit! All the better. A man must be very much in love, indeed, to describe her so. Ah! Mr. Knightley, I wish you had the benefit of this; I think this would convince you.

  For once in your life you would be obliged to own yourself mistaken.

  An excellent charade indeed! and very much to the purpose.

  Things must come to a crisis soon now. "

  She was obliged to break off from these very pleasant observations, which were otherwise of a sort to run into great length, by the eagerness of Harriets wondering questions.

  "What can it be, Miss Woodhouse?-what can it be? I have not an idea-I cannot guess it in the least. What can it possibly be? Do try to find it out, Miss Woodhouse. Do help me. I never saw any thing so hard. Is it kingdom? I wonder who the friend was-and who could be the young lady. Do you think it is a good one? Can it be woman?

  And woman, lovely woman, reigns alone.

  Can it be Neptune?

  Behold him there, the monarch of the seas!

  Or a trident? or a mermaid? or a shark? Oh, no! shark is only one syllable. It must be very clever, or he would not have brought it.

  Oh! Miss Woodhouse, do you think we shall ever find it out?"

  "Mermaids and sharks! Nonsense! My dear Harriet, what are you thinking of? Where would be the use of his bringing us a charade made by a friend upon a mermaid or a shark? Give me the paper and listen.

  For Miss , read Miss Smith.

  My first displays the wealth and pomp of kings, Lords of the earth! their luxury and ease.

  That is court.

  Another view of man, my second brings;

  Behold him there, the monarch of the seas!

  That is ship;-plain as it can be. -Now for the cream.

  But ah! united, (courtship, you know,) what reverse we have!

  Mans boasted power and freedom, all are flown.

  Lord of the earth and sea, he bends a slave, And woman, lovely woman, reigns alone.

  A very proper compliment!-and then follows the application, which I think, my dear Harriet, you cannot find much difficulty in comprehending. Read it in comfort to yourself. There can be no doubt of its being written for you and to you. "

  Harriet could not long resist so delightful a persuasion.

  She read the concluding lines, and was all flutter and happiness.

  She could not speak. But she was not wanted to speak. It was enough for her to feel. Emma spoke for her.

  "There is so pointed, and so particular a meaning in this compliment," said she, "that I cannot have a doubt as to Mr. Eltons intentions.

  You are his object– and you will soon receive the completest proof of it. I thought it must be so. I thought I could not be so deceived; but now, it is clear; the state of his mind is as clear and decided, as my wishes on the subject have been ever since I knew you.

  Yes, Harriet, just so long have I been wanting the very circumstance to happen what has happened. I could never tell whether an attachment between you and Mr. Elton were most desirable or most natural.

  Its probability and its eligibility have really so equalled each other! I am very happy. I congratulate you, my dear Harriet, with all my heart. This is an attachment which a woman may well feel pride in creating. This is a connexion which offers nothing but good.

  It will give you every thing that you want-consideration, independence, a proper home-it will fix you in the centre of all your real friends, close to Hartfield and to me, and confirm our intimacy for ever.

  This, Harriet, is an alliance which can never raise a blush in either of us. "

  "Dear Miss Woodhouse!"-and "Dear Miss Woodhouse," was all that Harriet, with many tender embraces could articulate at first; but when they did arrive at something more like conversation, it was sufficiently clear to her friend that she saw, felt, anticipated, and remembered just as she ought. Mr. Eltons superiority had very ample acknowledgment.

  "Whatever you say is always right," cried Harriet, "and therefore I suppose, and believe, and hope it must be so; but otherwise I could not have imagined it. It is so much beyond any thing I deserve.

  Mr. Elton, who might marry any body! There cannot be two opinions about him. He is so very superior. Only think of those sweet verses-"To Miss . " Dear me, how clever!-Could it really be meant for me?"

  "I cannot make a question, or listen to a question about that.

  It is a certainty. Receive it on my judgment. It is a sort of prologue to the play, a motto to the chapter; and will be soon followed by matter-of-fact prose. "

  "It is a sort of thing which nobody could have expected. I am sure, a month ago, I had no more idea myself!-The strangest things do take place!"

  "When Miss Smiths and Mr. Eltons get acquainted-they do indeed-and really it is strange; it is out of the common course that what is so evidently, so palpably desirable-what courts the pre-arrangement of other people, should so immediately shape itself into the proper form.

  You and Mr. Elton are by situation called together; you belong to one another by every circumstance of your respective homes.

  Your marrying will be equal to the match at Randalls. There does seem to be a something in the air of Hartfield which gives love exactly the right direction, and sends it into the very channel where it ought to flow.

  The course of true love never did run smooth-A Hartfield edition of Shakespeare would have a long note on that passage. "

  "That Mr. Elton should really be in love with me,-me, of all people, who did not know him, to speak to him, at Michaelmas! And he, the very handsomest man that ever was, and a man that every body looks up to, quite like Mr. Knightley! His company so sought after, that every body says he need not eat a single meal by himself if he does not chuse it; that he has more invitations than there are days in the week. And so excellent in the Church! Miss Nash has put down all the texts he has ever preached from since he came to Highbury.