August 8, 2025 • 18 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Volume one, chapter fifteen. Mister Woodhouse was soon ready for
his tea, and when he had drank his tea, he
was quite ready to go home. And it was as
much as his three companions could do to entertain away
his notice of the lateness of the hour before the
other gentleman appeared. Mister Weston was chatty and convivial, and
no friend to early separations of any sort. But at
(00:23):
last the drawing room party did receive an augmentation. Mister Elton,
in very good spirits, was one of the first to
walk in. Missus Weston and Emma were sitting together on
a sofa. He joined them immediately, and with scarcely an invitation,
seated himself between them. Emma, in good spirits too, from
the amusement afforded her mind by the expectation of mister
(00:45):
Frank Churchill, was willing to forget his late improprieties and
be as well satisfied with him as before. And on
his making Harriet his first subject, was ready to listen
with most friendly smiles. He professed himself extremely angrynxious about
her fair friend, her fair, lovely, amiable friend. Did she
(01:05):
know had she had anything about us? Since that being
at Randall's he felt much anxiety. He must confess that
the nature of her complaint alarmed him considerably, And in
this style he talked on for some time, very properly,
not much attending to any answer, but altogether sufficiently awake
to the terror of a bad sore throat. And Emma
(01:26):
was quite in charity with him. But at last there
seemed a perverse turn. It seemed all at once as
if he were more afraid of its being a bad
sore throat on her account than on Harriet's, more anxious
that she should escape the infection than that there should
be no infection in the complaint. He began with great
earnestness to entreat her to refrain from visiting the sick
(01:47):
chamber again for the present, to entreat her to promise
him not to venture into any such hazard till he
had seen mister Perry and learned his opinion. And though
she tried to laugh it off and bring the subject
back into its proper course, there was no putting an
end to his extreme solicitude about her. She was vexed.
It did appear, there was no concealing it, exactly like
(02:09):
the pretense of being in love with her instead of Harriet,
and inconstancy, if real, the most contemptible and abominable, and
she had difficulty in behaving with temper. He turned to
Missus Weston to implore her assistance. Would not she give
him her support? Would not she add her persuasions to
his to induce Miss Woodhouse not to go to Missus
(02:30):
Goddard's till it was certain that Miss Smith's disorder had
no infection. He could not be satisfied without a promise.
Would not she give him her influence in procuring it?
So scrupulous for others, he continued, and yet so careless
for herself. She wanted me to nurse my cold by
staying at home to day, and yet will not promise
(02:50):
to avoid the danger of catching an ulcerated sore throat herself.
Is this fair, Missus Weston? Judge? Between us, have not
I some right to complain? I am sure of your
kind support and aid. Emma saw Missus Weston's surprise and
felt that it must be great at an address which,
in words and manner was assuming to himself the right
(03:12):
of first interest in her. And as for herself, she
was too much provoked and offended to have the power
of directly saying anything to the purpose. She could only
give him a look, But it was such a look
as she thought, must restore him to his senses, and
then left the sofa, removing to a seat by her
sister and giving her all her attention. She had not
(03:33):
time to know how mister Elton took the reproof so
rapidly did another subject succeed for mister John Knightley now
came into the room from examining the weather, and open
on them all with the information of the ground being
covered with snow, and of its still snowing fast with
a strong drifting wind, concluding with these words to mister Woodhouse,
this will prove a spirited beginning of your winter engagements, sir,
(03:56):
something new for your coachmen and horses to be making
their way through a store of snow. Poor mister Woodhouse
was silent from consternation, but everybody else had something to say.
Everybody was either surprised or not surprised, and had some
question to ask or some comfort to offer. Missus Weston
and Emma tried earnestly to cheer him and turn his
(04:17):
attention from his son in law, who was pursuing his
triumph rather unfeelingly. I admired your resolution very much, sir,
said he in venturing out in such weather. For of
course you saw there would be snow very soon. Everybody
must have seen the snow coming on. I admired your spirit,
and I dare say we shall get home very well
another hour or two. Snow can hardly make the road impossible.
(04:40):
And we are two carriages. If one is blown over
in the bleak part of the common field, there will
be the other at hand. I dare say we shall
all be safe at Hartfield before midnight. Mister Weston, with
triumph of a different sort, was confessing that he had
known it to be snowing some time, but had not
said a word lest it should make mister wolod House
(05:00):
uncomfortable and be an excuse for his hurrying away. As
to there being any quantity of snow fallen or likely
to fall to impede their return, that was a mere joke.
He was afraid they would find no difficulty. He wished
the road might be impassable, that he might be able
to keep them all at Randall's, and with the utmost
good will, was sure that accommodation might be found for everybody,
(05:21):
calling on his wife to agree with him that with
a little contrivance everybody might be lodged, which she hardly
knew how to do from the consciousness of their being.
But two spare rooms in the house. What is to
be done, my dear Emma, What is to be done?
Was mister Woodhouse's first exclamation, and all that he could
say for some time to her. He looked for comfort,
(05:44):
and her assurances of safety. Her representation of the excellence
of the horses and of James, and of their having
so many friends about them, revived him a little. His
eldest daughter's alarm was equal to his own. The horror
of being blocked up at Randall's while her children were
at Hartfield was full in her imagination, and fancying the
road to be now just passable for adventurous people. But
(06:07):
in a state that admitted no delay, she was eager
to have it settled that her father and Emma should
remain at Randall's while she and her husband set forward
instantly through all the possible accumulations of drifted snow that
might impede them. You had better order the carriage directly,
my love, said she, I daresay we shall be able
to get along if we set off directly, and if
(06:29):
we do come to anything very bad, I can get
out and walk. I am not at all afraid. I
should not mind walking half the way. I could change
my shoes, you know the moment I got home. And
it is not the sort of thing that gives me cold, indeed,
replied he. Then, my dear Isabella, it is the most
extraordinary sort of thing in the world, for in general
(06:49):
everything does give you cold. Walk home. You are prettily
shod for walking home. I dare say it will be
bad enough for the horses. Isabella turned to miss western
for her approbation of the plan. Missus Weston could only approve.
Isabella then went to Emma, but Emma could not so
entirely give up the hope of their all being able
(07:09):
to get away, And they were still discussing the point
when mister Knightley, who had left the room immediately after
his brother's first report of the snow, came back again
and told them that he had been out of doors
to examine and could answer for there not being the
smallest difficulty in their getting home whenever they liked it,
either now or an hour hence he had gone beyond
the sweep some way along the Highbury Road. The snow
(07:32):
was nowhere above half an inch deep in many places,
hardly enough to whiten the ground. A very few flakes
were falling at present, but the clouds were parting, and
there was every appearance of its being soon over. He
had seen the coachman, and they both agreed with him,
and there being nothing to apprehend to Isabella, the relief
of such tidings was very great, and they were scarcely
(07:52):
less acceptable to Emma on her father's account, who was
immediately set as much as ease on the subject as
his nervous constitution allowed. But the alarm that had been
raised could not be appeased so as to admit of
any comfort for him. While he continued at Randall's. He
was satisfied of there being no present danger in returning home,
but no assurances could convince him that it was safe
(08:13):
to stay. And while the others were variously urging and recommending,
mister Knightley and Emma settled it in a few brief sentences. Thus,
your father will not be easy. Why do you not go?
I am ready? If the others are, shall I ring
the bell. Yes do, And the bell was rung, and
the carriages spoken for a few minutes more, and Emma
(08:36):
hoped to see one troublesome companion deposited in his own
house to get sober and cool, and the other recover
his temper and happiness. When this visit of hardship were over,
the carriage came, and mister Woodhouse, always the first object
on such occasions, was carefully attended to his own by
mister Knightley and mister Weston. But not all that either
(08:56):
could say could prevent some renewal of alarm. At the
sight of the snow which had actually fallen, and the
discovery of a much darker night than he had been
prepared for, he was afraid they should have a very
bad drive. He was afraid poor Isabella would not like it,
and there would be poor Emma in the carriage behind.
He did not know what they had best do. They
(09:17):
must keep as much together as they could, and James
was talked to and given a charge to go very
slow and wait for the other carriage. Isabella stepped in
after her father, John Knightley, forgetting that he did not
belong to their party, stepped in after his wife very naturally,
so that Emma found, on being escorted and followed into
the second carriage by mister Elton, that the door was
(09:40):
to be lawfully shut on them, and that they were
to have a tete a tete drive. It would not
have been the awkwardness of a moment. It would have
been rather a pleasure previous to the suspicion of this
very day. She could have talked to him of Harriet,
and three quarters of a mile would have seemed but one.
But now she would rather it had not happened. She
believed he had been drinking too much much of mister
(10:00):
Weston's good wine, and felt sure that he would want
to be talking nonsense. To restrain him as much as
might be by her own manners, she was immediately preparing
to speak with exquisite calmness and gravity of the weather
and the night. But scarcely had she begun, scarcely had
they passed the sweep gate and joined the other carriage,
than she found her subject cut up, her hand, seized,
(10:23):
her attention, demanded, and mister Elton actually making violent love
to her, availing himself of the precious opportunity declaring sentiments
which must be already well known, hoping, fearing adoring, ready
to die if she refused him, but flattering himself that
his ardent attachment and unequaled love and unexampled passion could
(10:45):
not fail of having some effect, And in short very
much resolved on being seriously accepted as soon as possible.
It really was so, without scruple, without apology, without much
apparent diffidence. Mister Elton, the lover of Harry, was professing
himself her lover. She tried to stop him, but vainly
he would go on and say it. All angry as
(11:07):
she was, the thought of the moment made her resolve
to restrain herself when she did speak. She felt that
half this folly must be drunkenness, and therefore could hope
it might only belong to the passing hour, accordingly, with
a mixture of the serious and the playful, which she
hoped would best suit his half. In half state, she replied,
I am very much astonished, mister Elton, this to me,
(11:29):
you forget yourself. You take me for my friend. Any
message to Miss Smith I shall be happy to deliver,
But no more of this to me, if you please,
Miss Smith. Message to Miss Smith, what could she possibly mean?
And he repeated her words with such assurance of accent,
such boastful pretense of amazement, that she could not help
(11:51):
replying with quickness, mister Elton, this is the most extraordinary conduct,
and I can account for it only in one way.
You are not yourself, or you could not speak either
to me or of Harriet in such a manner. Command
yourself enough to say no more, and I will endeavor
to forget it. But mister Elton had only drunk wine
(12:11):
enough to elevate his spirits, not at all to confuse
his intellects. He perfectly knew his own meaning, and, having
warmly protested against her suspicion as most injurious, and slightly
touched upon his respect for miss Smith as her friend,
but acknowledging his wonder that Miss Smith should be mentioned
at all, he resumed the subject of his own passion,
and was very urgent for a favorable answer. As she
(12:34):
thought less of his inebriity, she thought more of his
inconstancy and presumption, and with fewer struggles for politeness, replied,
it is impossible for me to doubt any longer. You
have made yourself too clear, mister Elton, My astonishment is
much beyond anything I can express. After such behavior as
I have witnessed during the last month to Miss Smith,
(12:55):
such attentions as I have been in the daily habit
of observing to be dressing me in this manner, This
is an unsteadiness of character, indeed which I had not
supposed possible. Believe me, Sir, I am far very far
from gratified in being the object of such professions. Good Heaven,
(13:15):
cried mister Elton. What can be the meaning of this?
Miss Smith? I never thought of Miss Smith in the
whole course of my existence, never paid her any attentions,
but as your friend, never cared whether she were dead
or alive. But as your friend, if she has fancied otherwise,
her own wishes have misled her. And I am very sorry,
extremely sorry. But Miss Smith, indeed, oh Miss Woodhouse, who
(13:41):
can think of Miss Smith when Miss Woodhouse is near? No,
upon my honor, there is no unsteadiness of character. I
have thought only of you. I protest against having paid
the smallest attention to anyone else. Everything that I have
said or done for many weeks past has been with
the sole view of marking my action of yourself. You
(14:01):
cannot really seriously doubt it. No, in an accent meant
to be insinuating, I am sure you have seen and
understood me. It would be impossible to say what Emma
felt on hearing this, which of all her unpleasant sensations
was uppermost. She was too completely overpowered to be immediately
able to reply, and two moments of silence being ample
(14:25):
encouragement from mister Elton's sanguine state of mind, he tried
to take her hand again, as he joyously exclaimed, charming,
Miss Woodhouse, allow me to interpret this interesting silence. It
confesses that you have long understood me. No, sir, cried Emma.
It confesses no such thing. So far from having long
(14:45):
understood you, I have been in a most complete error
with respect to your views till this moment. As to myself,
I am very sorry that you should have been giving
way to any feelings. Nothing could be farther from my wishes.
Your attachment to my friend Harriet, your pers suit of
her pursuit, it appeared, gave me great pleasure, and I
have been very earnestly wishing you success. But had I
(15:07):
supposed that she were not your attraction to Hartfield, I
should certainly have thought you judged ill in making your
visits so frequent. Am I to believe that you have
never sought to recommend yourself, particularly to Miss Smith, that
you have never thought seriously of her? Never, Madam, cried
he affronted in his tone. Never, I assure you, I
think seriously of miss Smith. Miss Smith is a very
(15:30):
good sort of girl, and I should be happy to
see her respectably settled. I wish her extremely well, and
no doubt there are men who might not object to
everybody has their level. But as for myself, I am
not I think quite so much at a loss. I
need not so totally despair of an equal alliance as
to be addressing myself to Miss Smith. No, Madam, my
(15:52):
visits to Hartfield have been for yourself only, and the
encouragement I received encouragement I give you, and pouragement. Sir,
you have been entirely mistaken in supposing it. I have
seen you only as the admirer of my friend. In
no other light could you have been more to me
than a common acquaintance. I am exceedingly sorry, but it
(16:13):
is well that the mistake ends where it does. Had
the same behavior continued, Miss Smith might have been led
into a misconception of your views, not being aware, probably
any more than myself, of the very great inequality which
you are so sensible of. But as it is, the
disappointment is single, and I trust will not be lasting.
I have no thoughts of matrimony at present. He was
(16:36):
too angry to say another word. Her manner, too, decided
to invite supplication, and in this state of swelling resentment
and mutually deep mortification, they had to continue together a
few minutes longer, for the fears of mister Woodhouse had
confined them to a foot pace. If there had not
been so much anger, there would have been desperate awkwardness.
But their straightforward emotions left no room for the little
(16:59):
zig zags of him embarrassment. Without knowing when the carriage
turned into vicarage Lane or when it stopped, they found
themselves all at once at the door of his house,
and he was out before another syllable passed. Emma then
felt it indispensable to wish him a good night. The
compliment was just returned coldly and proudly, and under indescribable
irritation of spirits. She was then conveyed to Hartfield. There
(17:23):
she was welcomed with the utmost delight by her father,
who had been trembling for the dangers of a solitary
drive from Vicarage Lane, turning a corner where she could
never bear to think of, and in strange hands a
mere common coachman, no James. And there it seemed as
if her return only were wanted to make everything go
well for mister John Knightley, ashamed of his ill humor,
(17:44):
was now all kindness and attention, and so particularly solicitous
for the comfort of her father as to seem, if
not quite ready to join him in a basin of gruel,
perfectly sensible of its being exceedingly wholesome. And the day
was concluding in peace and comfort to all their little
party except herself. But her mind had never been in
(18:05):
such perturbation, and it needed a very strong effort to
appear attentive and cheerful, till the usual hour of separating
allowed her the relief of quiet reflection. End of Chapter fifteen,
Volume one, chapter fifteen. Mister Woodhouse was soon ready for
his tea, and when he had drank his tea, he
was quite ready to go home. And it was as
much as his three companions could do to entertain away
his notice of the lateness of the hour before the
other gentleman appeared. Mister Weston was chatty and convivial, and
no friend to early separations of any sort. But at
(00:23):
last the drawing room party did receive an augmentation. Mister Elton,
in very good spirits, was one of the first to
walk in. Missus Weston and Emma were sitting together on
a sofa. He joined them immediately, and with scarcely an invitation,
seated himself between them. Emma, in good spirits too, from
the amusement afforded her mind by the expectation of mister
(00:45):
Frank Churchill, was willing to forget his late improprieties and
be as well satisfied with him as before. And on
his making Harriet his first subject, was ready to listen
with most friendly smiles. He professed himself extremely angrynxious about
her fair friend, her fair, lovely, amiable friend. Did she
(01:05):
know had she had anything about us? Since that being
at Randall's he felt much anxiety. He must confess that
the nature of her complaint alarmed him considerably, And in
this style he talked on for some time, very properly,
not much attending to any answer, but altogether sufficiently awake
to the terror of a bad sore throat. And Emma
(01:26):
was quite in charity with him. But at last there
seemed a perverse turn. It seemed all at once as
if he were more afraid of its being a bad
sore throat on her account than on Harriet's, more anxious
that she should escape the infection than that there should
be no infection in the complaint. He began with great
earnestness to entreat her to refrain from visiting the sick
(01:47):
chamber again for the present, to entreat her to promise
him not to venture into any such hazard till he
had seen mister Perry and learned his opinion. And though
she tried to laugh it off and bring the subject
back into its proper course, there was no putting an
end to his extreme solicitude about her. She was vexed.
It did appear, there was no concealing it, exactly like
(02:09):
the pretense of being in love with her instead of Harriet,
and inconstancy, if real, the most contemptible and abominable, and
she had difficulty in behaving with temper. He turned to
Missus Weston to implore her assistance. Would not she give
him her support? Would not she add her persuasions to
his to induce Miss Woodhouse not to go to Missus
(02:30):
Goddard's till it was certain that Miss Smith's disorder had
no infection. He could not be satisfied without a promise.
Would not she give him her influence in procuring it?
So scrupulous for others, he continued, and yet so careless
for herself. She wanted me to nurse my cold by
staying at home to day, and yet will not promise
(02:50):
to avoid the danger of catching an ulcerated sore throat herself.
Is this fair, Missus Weston? Judge? Between us, have not
I some right to complain? I am sure of your
kind support and aid. Emma saw Missus Weston's surprise and
felt that it must be great at an address which,
in words and manner was assuming to himself the right
(03:12):
of first interest in her. And as for herself, she
was too much provoked and offended to have the power
of directly saying anything to the purpose. She could only
give him a look, But it was such a look
as she thought, must restore him to his senses, and
then left the sofa, removing to a seat by her
sister and giving her all her attention. She had not
(03:33):
time to know how mister Elton took the reproof so
rapidly did another subject succeed for mister John Knightley now
came into the room from examining the weather, and open
on them all with the information of the ground being
covered with snow, and of its still snowing fast with
a strong drifting wind, concluding with these words to mister Woodhouse,
this will prove a spirited beginning of your winter engagements, sir,
(03:56):
something new for your coachmen and horses to be making
their way through a store of snow. Poor mister Woodhouse
was silent from consternation, but everybody else had something to say.
Everybody was either surprised or not surprised, and had some
question to ask or some comfort to offer. Missus Weston
and Emma tried earnestly to cheer him and turn his
(04:17):
attention from his son in law, who was pursuing his
triumph rather unfeelingly. I admired your resolution very much, sir,
said he in venturing out in such weather. For of
course you saw there would be snow very soon. Everybody
must have seen the snow coming on. I admired your spirit,
and I dare say we shall get home very well
another hour or two. Snow can hardly make the road impossible.
(04:40):
And we are two carriages. If one is blown over
in the bleak part of the common field, there will
be the other at hand. I dare say we shall
all be safe at Hartfield before midnight. Mister Weston, with
triumph of a different sort, was confessing that he had
known it to be snowing some time, but had not
said a word lest it should make mister wolod House
(05:00):
uncomfortable and be an excuse for his hurrying away. As
to there being any quantity of snow fallen or likely
to fall to impede their return, that was a mere joke.
He was afraid they would find no difficulty. He wished
the road might be impassable, that he might be able
to keep them all at Randall's, and with the utmost
good will, was sure that accommodation might be found for everybody,
(05:21):
calling on his wife to agree with him that with
a little contrivance everybody might be lodged, which she hardly
knew how to do from the consciousness of their being.
But two spare rooms in the house. What is to
be done, my dear Emma, What is to be done?
Was mister Woodhouse's first exclamation, and all that he could
say for some time to her. He looked for comfort,
(05:44):
and her assurances of safety. Her representation of the excellence
of the horses and of James, and of their having
so many friends about them, revived him a little. His
eldest daughter's alarm was equal to his own. The horror
of being blocked up at Randall's while her children were
at Hartfield was full in her imagination, and fancying the
road to be now just passable for adventurous people. But
(06:07):
in a state that admitted no delay, she was eager
to have it settled that her father and Emma should
remain at Randall's while she and her husband set forward
instantly through all the possible accumulations of drifted snow that
might impede them. You had better order the carriage directly,
my love, said she, I daresay we shall be able
to get along if we set off directly, and if
(06:29):
we do come to anything very bad, I can get
out and walk. I am not at all afraid. I
should not mind walking half the way. I could change
my shoes, you know the moment I got home. And
it is not the sort of thing that gives me cold, indeed,
replied he. Then, my dear Isabella, it is the most
extraordinary sort of thing in the world, for in general
(06:49):
everything does give you cold. Walk home. You are prettily
shod for walking home. I dare say it will be
bad enough for the horses. Isabella turned to miss western
for her approbation of the plan. Missus Weston could only approve.
Isabella then went to Emma, but Emma could not so
entirely give up the hope of their all being able
(07:09):
to get away, And they were still discussing the point
when mister Knightley, who had left the room immediately after
his brother's first report of the snow, came back again
and told them that he had been out of doors
to examine and could answer for there not being the
smallest difficulty in their getting home whenever they liked it,
either now or an hour hence he had gone beyond
the sweep some way along the Highbury Road. The snow
(07:32):
was nowhere above half an inch deep in many places,
hardly enough to whiten the ground. A very few flakes
were falling at present, but the clouds were parting, and
there was every appearance of its being soon over. He
had seen the coachman, and they both agreed with him,
and there being nothing to apprehend to Isabella, the relief
of such tidings was very great, and they were scarcely
(07:52):
less acceptable to Emma on her father's account, who was
immediately set as much as ease on the subject as
his nervous constitution allowed. But the alarm that had been
raised could not be appeased so as to admit of
any comfort for him. While he continued at Randall's. He
was satisfied of there being no present danger in returning home,
but no assurances could convince him that it was safe
(08:13):
to stay. And while the others were variously urging and recommending,
mister Knightley and Emma settled it in a few brief sentences. Thus,
your father will not be easy. Why do you not go?
I am ready? If the others are, shall I ring
the bell. Yes do, And the bell was rung, and
the carriages spoken for a few minutes more, and Emma
(08:36):
hoped to see one troublesome companion deposited in his own
house to get sober and cool, and the other recover
his temper and happiness. When this visit of hardship were over,
the carriage came, and mister Woodhouse, always the first object
on such occasions, was carefully attended to his own by
mister Knightley and mister Weston. But not all that either
(08:56):
could say could prevent some renewal of alarm. At the
sight of the snow which had actually fallen, and the
discovery of a much darker night than he had been
prepared for, he was afraid they should have a very
bad drive. He was afraid poor Isabella would not like it,
and there would be poor Emma in the carriage behind.
He did not know what they had best do. They
(09:17):
must keep as much together as they could, and James
was talked to and given a charge to go very
slow and wait for the other carriage. Isabella stepped in
after her father, John Knightley, forgetting that he did not
belong to their party, stepped in after his wife very naturally,
so that Emma found, on being escorted and followed into
the second carriage by mister Elton, that the door was
(09:40):
to be lawfully shut on them, and that they were
to have a tete a tete drive. It would not
have been the awkwardness of a moment. It would have
been rather a pleasure previous to the suspicion of this
very day. She could have talked to him of Harriet,
and three quarters of a mile would have seemed but one.
But now she would rather it had not happened. She
believed he had been drinking too much much of mister
(10:00):
Weston's good wine, and felt sure that he would want
to be talking nonsense. To restrain him as much as
might be by her own manners, she was immediately preparing
to speak with exquisite calmness and gravity of the weather
and the night. But scarcely had she begun, scarcely had
they passed the sweep gate and joined the other carriage,
than she found her subject cut up, her hand, seized,
(10:23):
her attention, demanded, and mister Elton actually making violent love
to her, availing himself of the precious opportunity declaring sentiments
which must be already well known, hoping, fearing adoring, ready
to die if she refused him, but flattering himself that
his ardent attachment and unequaled love and unexampled passion could
(10:45):
not fail of having some effect, And in short very
much resolved on being seriously accepted as soon as possible.
It really was so, without scruple, without apology, without much
apparent diffidence. Mister Elton, the lover of Harry, was professing
himself her lover. She tried to stop him, but vainly
he would go on and say it. All angry as
(11:07):
she was, the thought of the moment made her resolve
to restrain herself when she did speak. She felt that
half this folly must be drunkenness, and therefore could hope
it might only belong to the passing hour, accordingly, with
a mixture of the serious and the playful, which she
hoped would best suit his half. In half state, she replied,
I am very much astonished, mister Elton, this to me,
(11:29):
you forget yourself. You take me for my friend. Any
message to Miss Smith I shall be happy to deliver,
But no more of this to me, if you please,
Miss Smith. Message to Miss Smith, what could she possibly mean?
And he repeated her words with such assurance of accent,
such boastful pretense of amazement, that she could not help
(11:51):
replying with quickness, mister Elton, this is the most extraordinary conduct,
and I can account for it only in one way.
You are not yourself, or you could not speak either
to me or of Harriet in such a manner. Command
yourself enough to say no more, and I will endeavor
to forget it. But mister Elton had only drunk wine
(12:11):
enough to elevate his spirits, not at all to confuse
his intellects. He perfectly knew his own meaning, and, having
warmly protested against her suspicion as most injurious, and slightly
touched upon his respect for miss Smith as her friend,
but acknowledging his wonder that Miss Smith should be mentioned
at all, he resumed the subject of his own passion,
and was very urgent for a favorable answer. As she
(12:34):
thought less of his inebriity, she thought more of his
inconstancy and presumption, and with fewer struggles for politeness, replied,
it is impossible for me to doubt any longer. You
have made yourself too clear, mister Elton, My astonishment is
much beyond anything I can express. After such behavior as
I have witnessed during the last month to Miss Smith,
(12:55):
such attentions as I have been in the daily habit
of observing to be dressing me in this manner, This
is an unsteadiness of character, indeed which I had not
supposed possible. Believe me, Sir, I am far very far
from gratified in being the object of such professions. Good Heaven,
(13:15):
cried mister Elton. What can be the meaning of this?
Miss Smith? I never thought of Miss Smith in the
whole course of my existence, never paid her any attentions,
but as your friend, never cared whether she were dead
or alive. But as your friend, if she has fancied otherwise,
her own wishes have misled her. And I am very sorry,
extremely sorry. But Miss Smith, indeed, oh Miss Woodhouse, who
(13:41):
can think of Miss Smith when Miss Woodhouse is near? No,
upon my honor, there is no unsteadiness of character. I
have thought only of you. I protest against having paid
the smallest attention to anyone else. Everything that I have
said or done for many weeks past has been with
the sole view of marking my action of yourself. You
(14:01):
cannot really seriously doubt it. No, in an accent meant
to be insinuating, I am sure you have seen and
understood me. It would be impossible to say what Emma
felt on hearing this, which of all her unpleasant sensations
was uppermost. She was too completely overpowered to be immediately
able to reply, and two moments of silence being ample
(14:25):
encouragement from mister Elton's sanguine state of mind, he tried
to take her hand again, as he joyously exclaimed, charming,
Miss Woodhouse, allow me to interpret this interesting silence. It
confesses that you have long understood me. No, sir, cried Emma.
It confesses no such thing. So far from having long
(14:45):
understood you, I have been in a most complete error
with respect to your views till this moment. As to myself,
I am very sorry that you should have been giving
way to any feelings. Nothing could be farther from my wishes.
Your attachment to my friend Harriet, your pers suit of
her pursuit, it appeared, gave me great pleasure, and I
have been very earnestly wishing you success. But had I
(15:07):
supposed that she were not your attraction to Hartfield, I
should certainly have thought you judged ill in making your
visits so frequent. Am I to believe that you have
never sought to recommend yourself, particularly to Miss Smith, that
you have never thought seriously of her? Never, Madam, cried
he affronted in his tone. Never, I assure you, I
think seriously of miss Smith. Miss Smith is a very
(15:30):
good sort of girl, and I should be happy to
see her respectably settled. I wish her extremely well, and
no doubt there are men who might not object to
everybody has their level. But as for myself, I am
not I think quite so much at a loss. I
need not so totally despair of an equal alliance as
to be addressing myself to Miss Smith. No, Madam, my
(15:52):
visits to Hartfield have been for yourself only, and the
encouragement I received encouragement I give you, and pouragement. Sir,
you have been entirely mistaken in supposing it. I have
seen you only as the admirer of my friend. In
no other light could you have been more to me
than a common acquaintance. I am exceedingly sorry, but it
(16:13):
is well that the mistake ends where it does. Had
the same behavior continued, Miss Smith might have been led
into a misconception of your views, not being aware, probably
any more than myself, of the very great inequality which
you are so sensible of. But as it is, the
disappointment is single, and I trust will not be lasting.
I have no thoughts of matrimony at present. He was
(16:36):
too angry to say another word. Her manner, too, decided
to invite supplication, and in this state of swelling resentment
and mutually deep mortification, they had to continue together a
few minutes longer, for the fears of mister Woodhouse had
confined them to a foot pace. If there had not
been so much anger, there would have been desperate awkwardness.
But their straightforward emotions left no room for the little
(16:59):
zig zags of him embarrassment. Without knowing when the carriage
turned into vicarage Lane or when it stopped, they found
themselves all at once at the door of his house,
and he was out before another syllable passed. Emma then
felt it indispensable to wish him a good night. The
compliment was just returned coldly and proudly, and under indescribable
irritation of spirits. She was then conveyed to Hartfield. There
(17:23):
she was welcomed with the utmost delight by her father,
who had been trembling for the dangers of a solitary
drive from Vicarage Lane, turning a corner where she could
never bear to think of, and in strange hands a
mere common coachman, no James. And there it seemed as
if her return only were wanted to make everything go
well for mister John Knightley, ashamed of his ill humor,
(17:44):
was now all kindness and attention, and so particularly solicitous
for the comfort of her father as to seem, if
not quite ready to join him in a basin of gruel,
perfectly sensible of its being exceedingly wholesome. And the day
was concluding in peace and comfort to all their little
party except herself. But her mind had never been in
(18:05):
such perturbation, and it needed a very strong effort to
appear attentive and cheerful, till the usual hour of separating
allowed her the relief of quiet reflection. End of Chapter fifteen,
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