August 16, 2025 • 18 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Volume two, Chapter five. Small Heart had Harriet for visiting
only half an hour before her friend called for her
at Missus Goddard's. Her evil stars had led her to
the very spot where, at that moment a trunk directed
to the Reverend Philip Elton white Hart Bath was to
(00:21):
be seen under the operation of being lifted into the
butcher's cart, which was to convey it to where the
coaches passed. And everything in this world excepting that trunk
and the direction was consequently a blank. She went, however,
and when they reached the farm, and she was to
be put down at the end of the broad neat
gravel walk which led between Espalier apple trees to the
(00:44):
front door, the sight of everything which had given her
so much pleasure the autumn before, was beginning to revive
a little local agitation. And when they parted, Emma observed
her to be looking around with a sort of fearful curiosity,
which determined her not to allow the visit to exceed
the proposed quarter of an hour. She went on herself
to give that portion of time to an old servant
(01:07):
who was married and settled in Donwell. The quarter of
an hour brought her punctually to the white gate again,
and Miss Smith, perceiving her summons, was with her without
delay and unattended by any alarming young man. She came
solitarily down the gravel walk a Miss Martin just appearing
at the door and parting with her seemingly with ceremonious civility.
(01:30):
Harriet could not very soon give an intelligible account, she
was feeling too much, But at last Emma collected from
her enough to understand the sort of meeting and the
sort of pain it was creating. She had seen only
missus Martin and the two girls. They had received her doubtingly,
if not coolly, and nothing beyond the merest commonplace had
(01:50):
been talked almost all the time, till just at last,
when missus Martin sang all of a sudden that she
thought Miss Smith was grown, had brought on a more
interesting subject and warmer manner. In that very room she
had been measured last September with her two friends. There
were the penciled marks and memorandums on the wainscot by
the window he had done it. They all seemed to
(02:12):
remember the day, the hour, the party, the occasion, to
feel the same consciousness the same regrets to be ready
to return to the same good understanding, and they were
just growing again like themselves. Harriet, as Emma must suspect,
as ready as the best of them, to be cordial
and happy. When the carriage reappeared and all was over,
the style of the visit and the shortness of it
(02:35):
were then felt to be decisive. Fourteen minutes to be
given to those with whom she had thankfully passed six weeks,
not six months ago. Emma could not but picture at
all and feel how justly they might resent, how naturally
Harriet must suffer. It was a bad business. She would
have given a great deal, or endured a great deal,
(02:55):
to have had the Martins in a higher rank of life.
They were so deserving that a little higher should have
been enough. But as it was, how could she have
done otherwise impossible? She could not repent. They must be separated,
but there was a great deal of pain in the process,
so much to herself at this time, that she soon
felt the necessity of a little consolation, and resolved on
(03:18):
going home by way of Randal's to procure it. Her
mind was quite sick of mister Elton and the Martins.
The refreshment of Randal's was absolutely necessary. It was a
good scheme. But on driving to the door, they heard
that neither Master nor mistress was at home. They had
both been out some time. The man believed they were
gone to Hartfield. This is too bad, cried Emma, as
(03:41):
they turned away, and now we shall just miss them
too provoking. I do not know when I have been
so disappointed, And she leaned back in the corner to
indulge her murmurs, or to reason them away, probably a
little of both, such being the commonest process of a
not ill disposed mind. Presently the carriage stopped. She looked up.
(04:02):
It was stopped by mister and missus Weston, who were
standing to speak to her. There was instant pleasure in
the sight of them, and still greater pleasure was conveyed
in sound, for mister Weston immediately accosted her with how
do you do? How do you do? We have been
sitting with your father, glad to see him so well.
Frank comes to morrow. I had a letter this morning.
(04:24):
We see him to morrow by dinner time. To a certainty.
He is at Oxford to day, and he comes for
a whole fortnight. I knew it would be so. If
he had come at Christmas, he could not have stayed
three days. I was always glad he did not come
at Christmas. Now we are going to have just the
right weather for him, fine, dry, settled weather. We shall
enjoy him completely. Everything has turned out exactly as we
(04:47):
could wish. There was no resisting such news, no possibility
of avoiding the influence of such a happy face as
mister Weston's. Confirmed as it all was by the words
and the countenance of his wife. Fewer and her but
not less to the purpose. To know that she thought
his coming certain was enough to make Emma consider it so,
and sincerely did she rejoice in their joy. It was
(05:09):
a most delightful reanimation of exhausted spirits. The worn out
past was sunk in the freshness of what was coming,
and in the rapidity of half a moment's thought. She
hoped mister Elton would now be talked of no more.
Mister Weston gave her the history of the engagements at Enscombe,
which allowed his son to answer for having an entire
fortnight at his command, as well as the route and
(05:31):
the method of his journey, And she listened and smiled
and congratulated. I shall soon bring him over to Hartfield,
said he. At the conclusion, Emma could imagine she saw
a touch of the arm at this speech from his wife.
We had better move on, mister Weston, said she. We
are detaining the girls. Well, well, I am ready, and
(05:54):
turning again to Emma. But you must not be expecting
such a very fine young man. You've only had my
ac you know. I daresay he is really nothing extraordinary,
though his own sparkling eyes at the moment were speaking
a very different conviction. Emma could look perfectly unconscious and
innocent and answer in a manner that appropriated nothing. Think
(06:15):
of me to morrow, my dear Emma. About four o'clock
was missus Weston's parting injunction, spoken with some anxiety, and
meant only for her four o'clock depend upon it. He
will be here by three, was mister Weston's quick amendment,
and so ended a most satisfactory meeting. Emma's spirits were
mounted quite up to happiness. Everything more a different air.
(06:39):
James and his horses seemed not half so sluggish as before.
When she looked at the hedges, she thought the elder
at least must soon be coming out, and when she
turned round to Harriet, she saw something like a look
of spring, a tender smile. Even there will Frank Chatchell
passed through Bath as well as Oxford. Was a question, however,
which did not augur much. But neither geography nor tranquility
(07:03):
could come all at once, and Emma was now in
a humor to resolve that they should both come in time.
The morning of the interesting day arrived, and missus Weston's
faithful pupil did not forget, either at ten or eleven
or twelve o'clock that she was to think of her
at four. My dear, dear anxious friend, said she in
mental soliloquy, while walking downstairs from her own room, always
(07:26):
over careful for everybody's comfort but your own. I see
you now in all your little fidgets, going again and
again into his room to be sure that all is right.
The clock struck twelve as she passed through the hall.
Tis twelve. I shall not forget to think of you
four hours hence, and by this time to morrow perhaps
or a little later, I may be thinking of the
(07:48):
possibility of their all calling here. I am sure they
will bring him soon. She opened the parlor door and
saw two gentlemen sitting with her father, mister Weston and
his son. They had been arrived only a few minutes,
and mister Weston had scarcely finished his explanation of Frank's
being a day before his time, and her father was
yet in the midst of his very civil welcome and
(08:09):
congratulations when she appeared to have her share of surprise, introduction,
and pleasure. The Frank Churchill, so long talked of, so
high an interest, was actually before her. He was presented
to her, and she did not think too much had
been said in his praise. He was a very good
looking young man, height, air, address all were unexceptionable, and
(08:33):
his countenance had a great deal of the spirit and
liveliness of his father's. He looked quick and sensible. She
felt immediately that she should like him, and there was
a well bred ease of manner and a readiness to talk,
which convinced her that he came intending to be acquainted
with her, and that acquainted they soon must be. He
had reached Randall's the evening before. She was pleased with
(08:54):
the eagerness to arrive, which had made him alter his
plan and travel earlier, later and quickly, that he might
gain half a day. I told you yesterday, cried mister Weston,
with exultation. I told you all that he would be
here before the time named. I remembered what I used
to do myself. One cannot creep upon a journey. One
(09:15):
cannot help getting on faster than one has planned. And
the pleasure of coming in upon one's friends before the
lookout begins is worth a great deal more than any
little exertion it needs. It is a great pleasure where
one can indulge in it, said the young man. Though
there are not many houses that I should presume on
so far, but in coming home I felt I might
(09:35):
do anything. The word home made his father look on
him with fresh complacency. Emma was directly sure that he
knew how to make himself agreeable. The conviction was strengthened
by what followed. He was very much pleased with Randall's
thought it a most admirably arranged house, would hardly allow
it even to be very small. Admired the situation, the
(09:56):
walk to Highbury, Highbury itself Hartfield's I more, and professed
himself to have always felt the sort of interest in
the country, which none but one's own country gives, and
the greatest curiosity to visit it that he should never
have been able to indulge so amiable a feeling before
passed suspiciously through Emma's brain. But still, if it were
(10:16):
a falsehood, it was a pleasant one, and pleasantly handled.
His manner had no air of study or exaggeration. He
did really look and speak as if in a state
of no common enjoyment. Their subjects, in general, were such
as belonged to an opening acquaintance. On his side were
the inquiries? Was she a horsewoman? Pleasant rides, pleasant walks?
(10:38):
Had they a large neighborhood? Highbury perhaps afforded society enough?
There were several very pretty houses in and about it bulls?
Had they bulls? Was it a musical society? But when
satisfied on all these points, and their acquaintance proportionately advanced,
he contrived to find an opportunity, while their two fathers
were engaged with each other, of introducing his mother in
(10:59):
law and speaking of her with so much handsome praise,
so much warm admiration, so much gratitude for the happiness
she secured to his father, and her very kind reception
of himself as was an additional proof of his knowing
how to please, and of his certainly thinking it worth
while to try to please her. He did not advance
a word of praise beyond what she knew to be
thoroughly deserved by missus Weston. But undoubtedly he could know
(11:22):
very little of the matter. He understood what would be welcome,
he could be sure of little else. His father's marriage,
he said, had been the wisest measure. Every friend must
rejoice in it, and the family from whom he had
received such a blessing must be ever considered as having
conferred the highest obligation on him. He got as near
(11:43):
as he could to thanking her for Miss Taylor's merits,
without seeming quite to forget that in the common course
of things it was to be rather supposed that Miss
Taylor had formed Miss Woodhouse's character than Miss Woodhouse miss Taylor's.
And at last, as if resolved to qualify his opinion
completely for traveling round to its own object, he wounded
all up with astonishment at the youth and beauty of
(12:03):
her person, elegant, agreeable manners I was prepared for, said he,
But I confess that considering everything, I had not expected
more than a very tolerably well looking woman of a
certain age. I did not know that I was to
find a pretty young woman in Missus Weston. You cannot
see too much perfection in Missus Weston for my feelings,
(12:24):
said Emma. Were you to guess her to be eighteen,
I should listen with pleasure, but she would be ready
to quarrel with you for using such words. Don't let
her imagine that you have spoken of her as a
pretty young woman. I hope I should know better, He replied. No,
depend upon it with a gallant bow, that in addressing
Missus Weston, I should understand whom I might praise without
(12:46):
any danger of being thought extravagant in my terms. Emma
wondered whether the same suspicion of what might be expected
from their knowing each other, which had taken strong possession
of her mind, had ever crossed his, and whether his
compliments were to be considered as marks of acquiescence or
proofs of defiance. She must seem more of him to
understand his ways. At present, she only felt they were agreeable.
(13:11):
She had no doubt of what mister Weston was thinking
about his quick eye she detected again and again, glancing
towards them with a happy expression, And even when he
might have determined not to look, she was confident that
he was often listening. Her own father's perfect exemption from
any thought of the kind, the entire deficiency in him
(13:31):
of all such sort of penetration or suspicion, was a
most comfortable circumstance. Happily, he was not farther from approving
matrimony than from foreseeing it. Though always objecting to every
marriage that was arranged, he never suffered beforehand from the
apprehension of any It seemed as if he could not
think so ill of any two persons understanding as to
(13:51):
suppose they meant to marry, till it were proved against them.
She blessed the favoring blindness he could now without the
drawback of a single un pleasure, and surmise without a
glance forward at any possible treachery in his guest, give
way to all his natural, kind hearted civility in solicitous inquiries.
After mister Frank Churchill's accommodation on his journey through the
(14:12):
sad evils of sleeping, two nights on the road and
express very genuine, unmixed anxiety to know that he had
certainly escaped catching cold, which, however, he could not allow
him to feel quite assured of himself, till after another
night a reasonable visit paid, mister Weston began to move.
He must be going. He had business at the Crown
about his hay, and a great many errands for Missus
(14:34):
Weston at Ford's. But he need not hurry anybody else.
His son, too well bred to hear the hint, rose immediately,
also saying, as you are going farther on business, sir,
I will take the opportunity of paying a visit, which
must be paid some day or other, and therefore may
as well be paid. Now. I have the honor of
being acquainted with a neighbor of yours. Turning to Emma,
(14:56):
a lady residing in or near Highbury, A found the
name of Fairfax. I shall have no difficulty, I suppose,
in finding the house. Though Fairfax, I believe is not
the proper name. I should rather say Barnes or Baits.
Do you know any family of that name? To be
sure we do, cried his father, Missus Bates. We passed
her house. I saw miss Bates at the window. True, true,
(15:20):
you are acquainted with miss Fairfax. I remember you knew
her at Weymouth, and a fine girl. She is. Call
upon her by all means. There is no necessity for
my calling this morning, said the young man. Another day
would do as well. But there was that degree of
acquaintance at Weymouth, which, Oh, go to day, go to day.
Do not defer it. What is right to be done
(15:41):
cannot be done too soon. And besides, I must give
you a hint, Frank, any want of attention to her
here should be carefully avoided. You saw her with the campbells,
when she was the equal of everybody she mixed with.
But here she is with a poor old grandmother who
has barely enough to live on. If you do not
call early, it will be a slight The son looked convinced.
(16:03):
I have heard her speak of the acquaintance, said Emma.
She is a very elegant young woman. He agreed to it,
but with so quiet a yes as inclined her almost
to doubt his real concurrence. And yet there must be
a very distinct sort of elegance for the fashionable world.
If Jane Fairfax could be thought only ordinarily gifted with
it if you were never particularly struck by her manners before,
(16:27):
said she, I think you will to day. You will
see her to advantage, see her and hear her. No,
I am afraid you will not hear her at all,
for she has an aunt who never holds her tongue.
You are acquainted with miss Jane Fairfax, sir, are you,
said mister Woodhouse, always the last to make his way
in conversation, Then give me leave to assure you that
(16:49):
you will find her a very agreeable young lady. She
is staying here on a visit to her Grandmamma and aunt.
Very worthy people. I have known them all my life.
They will be extremely glad to see you, I am sure,
and one of my servants shall go with you to
show you the way, My dear sir, upon no account
in the world my father can direct me. But your
(17:11):
father is not going so far. He is only going
to the Crown, quite on the other side of the street,
and there are a great many houses. You might be
very much at a loss, and it is a very
dirty walk unless you keep on the footpath. But my
coachman can tell you where you had best cross the street.
Mister Frank Churchill still declined it, looking as serious as
(17:32):
he could, and his father gave his hearty support by
calling out, my good friend, this is quite unnecessary. Frank
knows a puddle of water when he sees it, and
as to missus Bates, he may get there from the
Crown in a hop step and jump. They were permitted
to go alone, and with a cordial nod from one
and a graceful bow from the other, the two gentlemen
took leave. Emma remained very well pleased with this beginning
(17:56):
of the acquaintance, and could now engage to think of
them all at Randall's any hour of the day, with
full confidence in their comfort. End of Chapter five
Volume two, Chapter five. Small Heart had Harriet for visiting
only half an hour before her friend called for her
at Missus Goddard's. Her evil stars had led her to
the very spot where, at that moment a trunk directed
to the Reverend Philip Elton white Hart Bath was to
(00:21):
be seen under the operation of being lifted into the
butcher's cart, which was to convey it to where the
coaches passed. And everything in this world excepting that trunk
and the direction was consequently a blank. She went, however,
and when they reached the farm, and she was to
be put down at the end of the broad neat
gravel walk which led between Espalier apple trees to the
(00:44):
front door, the sight of everything which had given her
so much pleasure the autumn before, was beginning to revive
a little local agitation. And when they parted, Emma observed
her to be looking around with a sort of fearful curiosity,
which determined her not to allow the visit to exceed
the proposed quarter of an hour. She went on herself
to give that portion of time to an old servant
(01:07):
who was married and settled in Donwell. The quarter of
an hour brought her punctually to the white gate again,
and Miss Smith, perceiving her summons, was with her without
delay and unattended by any alarming young man. She came
solitarily down the gravel walk a Miss Martin just appearing
at the door and parting with her seemingly with ceremonious civility.
(01:30):
Harriet could not very soon give an intelligible account, she
was feeling too much, But at last Emma collected from
her enough to understand the sort of meeting and the
sort of pain it was creating. She had seen only
missus Martin and the two girls. They had received her doubtingly,
if not coolly, and nothing beyond the merest commonplace had
(01:50):
been talked almost all the time, till just at last,
when missus Martin sang all of a sudden that she
thought Miss Smith was grown, had brought on a more
interesting subject and warmer manner. In that very room she
had been measured last September with her two friends. There
were the penciled marks and memorandums on the wainscot by
the window he had done it. They all seemed to
(02:12):
remember the day, the hour, the party, the occasion, to
feel the same consciousness the same regrets to be ready
to return to the same good understanding, and they were
just growing again like themselves. Harriet, as Emma must suspect,
as ready as the best of them, to be cordial
and happy. When the carriage reappeared and all was over,
the style of the visit and the shortness of it
(02:35):
were then felt to be decisive. Fourteen minutes to be
given to those with whom she had thankfully passed six weeks,
not six months ago. Emma could not but picture at
all and feel how justly they might resent, how naturally
Harriet must suffer. It was a bad business. She would
have given a great deal, or endured a great deal,
(02:55):
to have had the Martins in a higher rank of life.
They were so deserving that a little higher should have
been enough. But as it was, how could she have
done otherwise impossible? She could not repent. They must be separated,
but there was a great deal of pain in the process,
so much to herself at this time, that she soon
felt the necessity of a little consolation, and resolved on
(03:18):
going home by way of Randal's to procure it. Her
mind was quite sick of mister Elton and the Martins.
The refreshment of Randal's was absolutely necessary. It was a
good scheme. But on driving to the door, they heard
that neither Master nor mistress was at home. They had
both been out some time. The man believed they were
gone to Hartfield. This is too bad, cried Emma, as
(03:41):
they turned away, and now we shall just miss them
too provoking. I do not know when I have been
so disappointed, And she leaned back in the corner to
indulge her murmurs, or to reason them away, probably a
little of both, such being the commonest process of a
not ill disposed mind. Presently the carriage stopped. She looked up.
(04:02):
It was stopped by mister and missus Weston, who were
standing to speak to her. There was instant pleasure in
the sight of them, and still greater pleasure was conveyed
in sound, for mister Weston immediately accosted her with how
do you do? How do you do? We have been
sitting with your father, glad to see him so well.
Frank comes to morrow. I had a letter this morning.
(04:24):
We see him to morrow by dinner time. To a certainty.
He is at Oxford to day, and he comes for
a whole fortnight. I knew it would be so. If
he had come at Christmas, he could not have stayed
three days. I was always glad he did not come
at Christmas. Now we are going to have just the
right weather for him, fine, dry, settled weather. We shall
enjoy him completely. Everything has turned out exactly as we
(04:47):
could wish. There was no resisting such news, no possibility
of avoiding the influence of such a happy face as
mister Weston's. Confirmed as it all was by the words
and the countenance of his wife. Fewer and her but
not less to the purpose. To know that she thought
his coming certain was enough to make Emma consider it so,
and sincerely did she rejoice in their joy. It was
(05:09):
a most delightful reanimation of exhausted spirits. The worn out
past was sunk in the freshness of what was coming,
and in the rapidity of half a moment's thought. She
hoped mister Elton would now be talked of no more.
Mister Weston gave her the history of the engagements at Enscombe,
which allowed his son to answer for having an entire
fortnight at his command, as well as the route and
(05:31):
the method of his journey, And she listened and smiled
and congratulated. I shall soon bring him over to Hartfield,
said he. At the conclusion, Emma could imagine she saw
a touch of the arm at this speech from his wife.
We had better move on, mister Weston, said she. We
are detaining the girls. Well, well, I am ready, and
(05:54):
turning again to Emma. But you must not be expecting
such a very fine young man. You've only had my
ac you know. I daresay he is really nothing extraordinary,
though his own sparkling eyes at the moment were speaking
a very different conviction. Emma could look perfectly unconscious and
innocent and answer in a manner that appropriated nothing. Think
(06:15):
of me to morrow, my dear Emma. About four o'clock
was missus Weston's parting injunction, spoken with some anxiety, and
meant only for her four o'clock depend upon it. He
will be here by three, was mister Weston's quick amendment,
and so ended a most satisfactory meeting. Emma's spirits were
mounted quite up to happiness. Everything more a different air.
(06:39):
James and his horses seemed not half so sluggish as before.
When she looked at the hedges, she thought the elder
at least must soon be coming out, and when she
turned round to Harriet, she saw something like a look
of spring, a tender smile. Even there will Frank Chatchell
passed through Bath as well as Oxford. Was a question, however,
which did not augur much. But neither geography nor tranquility
(07:03):
could come all at once, and Emma was now in
a humor to resolve that they should both come in time.
The morning of the interesting day arrived, and missus Weston's
faithful pupil did not forget, either at ten or eleven
or twelve o'clock that she was to think of her
at four. My dear, dear anxious friend, said she in
mental soliloquy, while walking downstairs from her own room, always
(07:26):
over careful for everybody's comfort but your own. I see
you now in all your little fidgets, going again and
again into his room to be sure that all is right.
The clock struck twelve as she passed through the hall.
Tis twelve. I shall not forget to think of you
four hours hence, and by this time to morrow perhaps
or a little later, I may be thinking of the
(07:48):
possibility of their all calling here. I am sure they
will bring him soon. She opened the parlor door and
saw two gentlemen sitting with her father, mister Weston and
his son. They had been arrived only a few minutes,
and mister Weston had scarcely finished his explanation of Frank's
being a day before his time, and her father was
yet in the midst of his very civil welcome and
(08:09):
congratulations when she appeared to have her share of surprise, introduction,
and pleasure. The Frank Churchill, so long talked of, so
high an interest, was actually before her. He was presented
to her, and she did not think too much had
been said in his praise. He was a very good
looking young man, height, air, address all were unexceptionable, and
(08:33):
his countenance had a great deal of the spirit and
liveliness of his father's. He looked quick and sensible. She
felt immediately that she should like him, and there was
a well bred ease of manner and a readiness to talk,
which convinced her that he came intending to be acquainted
with her, and that acquainted they soon must be. He
had reached Randall's the evening before. She was pleased with
(08:54):
the eagerness to arrive, which had made him alter his
plan and travel earlier, later and quickly, that he might
gain half a day. I told you yesterday, cried mister Weston,
with exultation. I told you all that he would be
here before the time named. I remembered what I used
to do myself. One cannot creep upon a journey. One
(09:15):
cannot help getting on faster than one has planned. And
the pleasure of coming in upon one's friends before the
lookout begins is worth a great deal more than any
little exertion it needs. It is a great pleasure where
one can indulge in it, said the young man. Though
there are not many houses that I should presume on
so far, but in coming home I felt I might
(09:35):
do anything. The word home made his father look on
him with fresh complacency. Emma was directly sure that he
knew how to make himself agreeable. The conviction was strengthened
by what followed. He was very much pleased with Randall's
thought it a most admirably arranged house, would hardly allow
it even to be very small. Admired the situation, the
(09:56):
walk to Highbury, Highbury itself Hartfield's I more, and professed
himself to have always felt the sort of interest in
the country, which none but one's own country gives, and
the greatest curiosity to visit it that he should never
have been able to indulge so amiable a feeling before
passed suspiciously through Emma's brain. But still, if it were
(10:16):
a falsehood, it was a pleasant one, and pleasantly handled.
His manner had no air of study or exaggeration. He
did really look and speak as if in a state
of no common enjoyment. Their subjects, in general, were such
as belonged to an opening acquaintance. On his side were
the inquiries? Was she a horsewoman? Pleasant rides, pleasant walks?
(10:38):
Had they a large neighborhood? Highbury perhaps afforded society enough?
There were several very pretty houses in and about it bulls?
Had they bulls? Was it a musical society? But when
satisfied on all these points, and their acquaintance proportionately advanced,
he contrived to find an opportunity, while their two fathers
were engaged with each other, of introducing his mother in
(10:59):
law and speaking of her with so much handsome praise,
so much warm admiration, so much gratitude for the happiness
she secured to his father, and her very kind reception
of himself as was an additional proof of his knowing
how to please, and of his certainly thinking it worth
while to try to please her. He did not advance
a word of praise beyond what she knew to be
thoroughly deserved by missus Weston. But undoubtedly he could know
(11:22):
very little of the matter. He understood what would be welcome,
he could be sure of little else. His father's marriage,
he said, had been the wisest measure. Every friend must
rejoice in it, and the family from whom he had
received such a blessing must be ever considered as having
conferred the highest obligation on him. He got as near
(11:43):
as he could to thanking her for Miss Taylor's merits,
without seeming quite to forget that in the common course
of things it was to be rather supposed that Miss
Taylor had formed Miss Woodhouse's character than Miss Woodhouse miss Taylor's.
And at last, as if resolved to qualify his opinion
completely for traveling round to its own object, he wounded
all up with astonishment at the youth and beauty of
(12:03):
her person, elegant, agreeable manners I was prepared for, said he,
But I confess that considering everything, I had not expected
more than a very tolerably well looking woman of a
certain age. I did not know that I was to
find a pretty young woman in Missus Weston. You cannot
see too much perfection in Missus Weston for my feelings,
(12:24):
said Emma. Were you to guess her to be eighteen,
I should listen with pleasure, but she would be ready
to quarrel with you for using such words. Don't let
her imagine that you have spoken of her as a
pretty young woman. I hope I should know better, He replied. No,
depend upon it with a gallant bow, that in addressing
Missus Weston, I should understand whom I might praise without
(12:46):
any danger of being thought extravagant in my terms. Emma
wondered whether the same suspicion of what might be expected
from their knowing each other, which had taken strong possession
of her mind, had ever crossed his, and whether his
compliments were to be considered as marks of acquiescence or
proofs of defiance. She must seem more of him to
understand his ways. At present, she only felt they were agreeable.
(13:11):
She had no doubt of what mister Weston was thinking
about his quick eye she detected again and again, glancing
towards them with a happy expression, And even when he
might have determined not to look, she was confident that
he was often listening. Her own father's perfect exemption from
any thought of the kind, the entire deficiency in him
(13:31):
of all such sort of penetration or suspicion, was a
most comfortable circumstance. Happily, he was not farther from approving
matrimony than from foreseeing it. Though always objecting to every
marriage that was arranged, he never suffered beforehand from the
apprehension of any It seemed as if he could not
think so ill of any two persons understanding as to
(13:51):
suppose they meant to marry, till it were proved against them.
She blessed the favoring blindness he could now without the
drawback of a single un pleasure, and surmise without a
glance forward at any possible treachery in his guest, give
way to all his natural, kind hearted civility in solicitous inquiries.
After mister Frank Churchill's accommodation on his journey through the
(14:12):
sad evils of sleeping, two nights on the road and
express very genuine, unmixed anxiety to know that he had
certainly escaped catching cold, which, however, he could not allow
him to feel quite assured of himself, till after another
night a reasonable visit paid, mister Weston began to move.
He must be going. He had business at the Crown
about his hay, and a great many errands for Missus
(14:34):
Weston at Ford's. But he need not hurry anybody else.
His son, too well bred to hear the hint, rose immediately,
also saying, as you are going farther on business, sir,
I will take the opportunity of paying a visit, which
must be paid some day or other, and therefore may
as well be paid. Now. I have the honor of
being acquainted with a neighbor of yours. Turning to Emma,
(14:56):
a lady residing in or near Highbury, A found the
name of Fairfax. I shall have no difficulty, I suppose,
in finding the house. Though Fairfax, I believe is not
the proper name. I should rather say Barnes or Baits.
Do you know any family of that name? To be
sure we do, cried his father, Missus Bates. We passed
her house. I saw miss Bates at the window. True, true,
(15:20):
you are acquainted with miss Fairfax. I remember you knew
her at Weymouth, and a fine girl. She is. Call
upon her by all means. There is no necessity for
my calling this morning, said the young man. Another day
would do as well. But there was that degree of
acquaintance at Weymouth, which, Oh, go to day, go to day.
Do not defer it. What is right to be done
(15:41):
cannot be done too soon. And besides, I must give
you a hint, Frank, any want of attention to her
here should be carefully avoided. You saw her with the campbells,
when she was the equal of everybody she mixed with.
But here she is with a poor old grandmother who
has barely enough to live on. If you do not
call early, it will be a slight The son looked convinced.
(16:03):
I have heard her speak of the acquaintance, said Emma.
She is a very elegant young woman. He agreed to it,
but with so quiet a yes as inclined her almost
to doubt his real concurrence. And yet there must be
a very distinct sort of elegance for the fashionable world.
If Jane Fairfax could be thought only ordinarily gifted with
it if you were never particularly struck by her manners before,
(16:27):
said she, I think you will to day. You will
see her to advantage, see her and hear her. No,
I am afraid you will not hear her at all,
for she has an aunt who never holds her tongue.
You are acquainted with miss Jane Fairfax, sir, are you,
said mister Woodhouse, always the last to make his way
in conversation, Then give me leave to assure you that
(16:49):
you will find her a very agreeable young lady. She
is staying here on a visit to her Grandmamma and aunt.
Very worthy people. I have known them all my life.
They will be extremely glad to see you, I am sure,
and one of my servants shall go with you to
show you the way, My dear sir, upon no account
in the world my father can direct me. But your
(17:11):
father is not going so far. He is only going
to the Crown, quite on the other side of the street,
and there are a great many houses. You might be
very much at a loss, and it is a very
dirty walk unless you keep on the footpath. But my
coachman can tell you where you had best cross the street.
Mister Frank Churchill still declined it, looking as serious as
(17:32):
he could, and his father gave his hearty support by
calling out, my good friend, this is quite unnecessary. Frank
knows a puddle of water when he sees it, and
as to missus Bates, he may get there from the
Crown in a hop step and jump. They were permitted
to go alone, and with a cordial nod from one
and a graceful bow from the other, the two gentlemen
took leave. Emma remained very well pleased with this beginning
(17:56):
of the acquaintance, and could now engage to think of
them all at Randall's any hour of the day, with
full confidence in their comfort. End of Chapter five
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