August 25, 2025 • 22 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Volume two, Chapter fourteen. Missus Elton was first seen at church.
But though devotion might be interrupted, curiosity could not be
satisfied by a bride in a pew, and it must
be left for the visits in form which were then
to be paid, to settle whether she were very pretty indeed,
or only rather pretty, or not pretty at all. Emma
(00:23):
had feelings less of curiosity than of pride or propriety
to make her resolve on not being the last to
pay her respects, and she made a point of Harriet's
going with her that the worst of the business might
be gone through as soon as possible. She could not
enter the house again, could not be in the same
room to which she had with such vain artifice retreated
(00:44):
three months ago to lace up her boot without recollecting
a thousand vexatious thoughts would recur, compliments, charades, and horrible blunders,
and it was not to be supposed that poor Harriet
should not be recollecting too. But she behaved very well
and was only rather pale and silent. The visit was,
(01:04):
of course short, and there was so much embarrassment and
occupation of mind to shorten it, that Emma would not
allow herself entirely to form an opinion of the lady,
and on no account to give one beyond the nothing
meaning terms of being elegantly dressed and very pleasing. She
did not really like her. She would not be in
(01:24):
a hurry to find fault, But she suspected that there
was no elegance. Ease, but not elegance. She was almost
sure that for a young woman, a stranger, a bride,
there was too much ease. Her person was rather good,
her face not unpretty, but neither feature nor air, nor
voice nor manner were elegant. Emma thought, at least it
(01:47):
would turn out so. As for mister Elton, his manners
did not appear. But no, she would not permit a
hasty or witty word from herself about his manners. It
was an awkward ceremony at any time to be receiving
wedding visits, and a man had need be all grace
to acquit himself well through it. The woman was better off.
(02:07):
She might have the assistance of fine clothes and the
privilege of bashfulness, but the man had only his own
good sense to depend on. And when she considered how
peculiarly unlucky, poor mister Elton was in being in the
same room at once with the woman he had just married,
the woman he had wanted to marry, and the woman
whom he had been expected to marry. She must allow
(02:28):
him to have the right to look as little wise
and to be as much affectedly and as little really
easy as could be. Well, Miss Woodhouse, said Harriet, when
they had quitted the house, and after waiting in vain
for her friend to begin, Well, Miss Woodhouse with a
gentle sigh, what do you think of her? Is not
she very charming? There was a little hesitation in Emma's answer. Oh, yes,
(02:54):
very a very pleasing young woman. I think her beautiful,
quite beautiful, very nicely dressed. Indeed a remarkably elegant gown.
I am not at all surprised that he should have
fallen in love. No, no, there is nothing to surprise
one at all. A pretty fortune, and she came in
(03:16):
his way, I daresay, returned Harriet, sighing again. I daresay
she was very much attached to him. Perhaps she might,
but it is not every man's fate to marry the
woman who loves him best. Miss Hawkins perhaps wanted a
home and thought this the very best offer she was
likely to have, Yes, said Harriet earnestly, and well she might.
(03:41):
Nobody could ever have a better. Well, I wish them
happy with all my heart. And now, Miss Woodhouse, I
do not think I shall mind seeing them again. He
is just as superior as ever, But being married, you
know it is quite a different thing. No, indeed, miss Woodhouse,
you need not be afraid. I can see and admire
him now without any great misery to know that he
(04:03):
has not thrown himself away as such a comfort. She
does seem a charming young woman, just what he deserves.
Happy creature, he called her, Augusta, how delightful. When the
visit was returned, Emma made up her mind she could
then see more and judge better from Harriet's happening not
(04:23):
to be at Hartfield and her father's being present to
engage mister Elton. She had a quarter of an hour
of the lady's conversation to herself and could composedly attend
to her, And the quarter of an hour quite convinced
her that missus Elton was a vain woman, extremely well
satisfied with herself, and thinking much of her own importance.
That she meant to shine and be very superior, but
(04:45):
with manners which had been formed in a bad school,
pert and familiar, that all her notions were drawn from
one set of people and one style of living. That
if not foolish, she was ignorant, and that her society
would certainly do Mister Elton no good. Harriet would have
been a better match. If not wise or refined herself,
she would have connected him with those who were. But
(05:08):
Miss Hawkins, it might be fairly supposed from her easy
conceit had been the best of her own set. The
rich brother in law near Bristol was the pride of
the alliance, and his place and his carriages were the
pride of him. The very first subject after being seated
was maple Grove, my brother mister Suckling's seat. A comparison
(05:28):
of Hartfield to maple Grove. The grounds of Hartfield were small,
but neat and pretty, and the house was modern and
well built. Missus Elton seemed most favorably impressed by the
size of the room, the entrance, and all that she
could see or imagine, very like maple Grove. Indeed, she
was quite struck by the likeness That room was the
very shape and size of the morning room at Maple Grove,
(05:50):
her sister's favorite room. Mister Elton was appealed to. Was
it not astonishingly like she could really almost fancy herself
at Maple Grove and the staircase. You know, as I
came in, I observed how very like the staircase was
placed exactly in the same part of the house. I
really could not help exclaiming. I assure you, Miss Woodhouse,
(06:13):
it is very delightful to me to be reminded of
a place I am so extremely partial to as Maple Grove.
I have spent so many happy months there with a
little sigh of sentiment. A charming place. Undoubtedly everybody who
sees it is struck by its beauty, but to me
it has been quite a home. Whenever you are transplanted
(06:34):
like me, Miss Woodhouse, you will understand how very delightful
it is to meet with anything at all like what
one has left behind. I always say this is quite
one of the evils of matrimony. Emma made as slight
a reply as she could, but it was fully sufficient
for missus Elton, who only wanted to be talking herself.
So extremely like Maple Grove and it is not merely
(06:58):
the house. The grounds, I assure all you, as far
as I could observe, are strikingly like the laurels at
Maple Grove, are in the same profusion as here, and
stand very much in the same way just across the lawn.
And I had a glimpse of a fine large tree
with a bench round it, which put me so exactly
in mind. My brother and sister will be enchanted with
(07:20):
this place. People who have extensive grounds themselves are always
pleased with anything in the same style. Emma doubted the
truth of this sentiment. She had a great idea that
people who had extensive grounds themselves cared very little for
extensive grounds of anybody else. But it was not worth
while to attack an error so double dyed, and therefore
(07:40):
only said in reply, when you have seen more of
this country, I am afraid you will think you have
overrated Hartfield. Surrey is full of beauties. Oh yes, I
am quite aware of that. It is the garden of England.
You know, Surrey is the garden of England. Yes, but
you must not rest our claims on that distinction. Many counties,
(08:03):
I believe, are called the garden of England. As well
as Surrey. No I fancy not, said Missus Elton, with
a most satisfied smile. I never heard any county but
Surrey called, so Emma was silenced. My brother and sister
have promised us a visit in the spring or summer
at farthest, continued Missus Elton, and that will be our
(08:27):
time for exploring. While they are with us, we shall
explore a great deal. I dare say. They will have
their barouche Landau, of course, which holds four perfectly, and therefore,
without saying anything of our carriage, we should be able
to explore the different beauties extremely well. They would hardly
come in their shares, I think at that season of
(08:47):
the year. Indeed, when the time draws on, I shall
decidedly recommend their bringing the barouche land out. It will
be so very much preferable when people come into a
beautiful country of this sort, you know, Miss woodhouse One
naturally wishes them to see as much as possible, and
mister Suckling is extremely fond of exploring. We explored to
King's Western twice last summer in that way most delightfully.
(09:11):
Just after their first having the barouche Landau you have
many parties of that kind here, I suppose miss Woodhouse
every summer. No, not immediately. Here we are rather out
of distance of the very striking beauties which attract the
sort of parties you speak of, and we are a
very quiet set of people. I believe more disposed to
stay at home than engage in schemes of pleasure. Ah,
(09:35):
there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
Nobody can be more devoted to home than I am.
I was quite a proverb for it at Maple Grove
many a time, has Selina said, when she has been
going to Bristol, I really cannot get this girl to
move from the house. I absolutely must go in by myself,
though I hate being stuck up in the barouche Landau
(09:58):
without a companion. But to Gus, I believe, with her
own good will would never stir beyond the park paling
many a time as she said so. And yet I
am no advocate for entire seclusion. I think, on the contrary,
when people shut themselves up entirely from society, it is
a very bad thing, and that it is much more
advisable to mix in the world in a proper degree
(10:20):
without living in it either too much or too little.
I perfectly understand your situation. However, Miss Woodhouse, looking towards
mister Woodhouse, your father's state of health must be a
great drawback. Why does not he try bath? Indeed, he
should let me recommend bath to you. I assure you
I have no doubt if it's doing mister Woodhouse good.
(10:42):
My father tried it more than once formerly, but without
receiving any benefit. And mister Perry, whose name I daresay
is not unknown to you, does not conceive it be
at all more likely to be useful. Now, Ah, that's
a great pity for I assure you, Miss Woodhouse. When
the waters do agree, it is quite wonderful the relief
they give in my bath life. I have seen such
(11:05):
instances of it, and it is so cheerful a place
that it could not fail of being of use to
mister Woodhouse's spirits, which I understand are sometimes much depressed.
And as to its recommendations to you, I fancy I
need not take much pains to dwell on them. The
advantages of bath to the young are pretty generally understood.
It would be a charming introduction for you, who have
(11:27):
lived so secluded a life, and I could immediately secure
you some of the best society in the place. A
line from me would bring you a little host of acquaintance,
and my particular friend, Missus Partridge, the lady I have
always resided with when in bath, would be most happy
to show you any attentions and would be the very
person for you to go into public with. It was
(11:48):
as much as Emma could bear without being impolite, the
idea of her being indebted to Missus Elton for what
was called an introduction of her going into public under
the auspices of a friend of Missus Elton's, probably some vulgar,
dashing widow who, with the help of a boarder, just
made a shift to live. The dignity of miss Woodhouse
(12:08):
of Hartfield was sunk. Indeed, she restrained herself, however, from
any of the reproofs she could have given, and only
thanked Missus Elton coolly. But their going to Bath was
quite out of the question, and she was not perfectly
convinced that the place might suit her better than her father.
And then, to prevent farther outrage and indignation changed the
subject directly. I do not ask whether you are musical
(12:32):
missus Elton. Upon these occasions a lady's character generally precedes her,
and Highbury has long known that you are a superior performer. No, no, indeed,
I must protest against any such idea. A superior performer,
very far from it, I assure you. Consider from how
partial a quarter information came. I am dotingly fond of music,
(12:56):
passionately fond, and my friends say I am not in
highly devoid of taste, But as to anything else, upon
my honor, my performance is mediocre to the last degree. You,
Miss Woodhouse, I well know, played delightfully. I assure you
it has been the greatest satisfaction, comfort and delight to
me to hear what a musical society I am got into.
(13:18):
I absolutely cannot do without music. It is a necessary
of life to me, and having always been used to
a very musical society, both at Maple Grove and in Bath,
it would have been a most serious sacrifice. I honestly
said as much to mister e when he was speaking
of my future home and expressing his fears lest the
retirement of it should be disagreeable, and the inferiority of
(13:41):
the house too. Knowing what I had been accustomed to.
Of course, he was not wholly without apprehension when he
was speaking of it in that way. I honestly said
that the world I could give up parties, balls plays,
for I had no fear of retirement. Blessed with so
many resources within myself, the world was not necessary to me.
I could do very well without it. To those who
(14:03):
had no resources, it was a different thing. But my
resources made me quite independent. And as to smaller sized
rooms than I had been used to, I really could
not give it a thought. I hoped I was perfectly
equal to any sacrifice of that description. Certainly I had
been accustomed to every luxury at Maple Grove. But I
did assure him that two carriages were not necessary to
(14:25):
my happiness, nor were spacious apartments. But said I, to
be quite honest, I do not think I can live
without something of a musical society. I condition for nothing else,
but without music, life would be a blank to me.
We cannot suppose, said Emma, smiling, that mister Elton would
hesitate to assure you of there being a very musical
(14:48):
society in Highbury. And I hope you'll not find he
has outstepped the truth more than may be pardoned in
consideration of the motive. No, indeed, I have no doubts
at all on that head. I am del to find
myself in such a circle. I hope we shall have
many sweet little concerts together. I think, Miss Woodhouse, you
and I must establish a musical club and have regular
(15:11):
weekly meetings at your house or ours. Will not it
be a good plan if we exert ourselves. I think
we shall not be long in want of allies. Something
of that nature would be particularly desirable for me as
an inducement to keep me in practice. For married women,
you know, there is a sad story against them in general.
They are but too apt to give up music. But you,
(15:34):
who are so extremely fond of it, there can be
no danger. Surely I should hope not. But really, when
I look around among my acquaintance, I tremble Selina has
entirely given up music, never touches the instrument, though she
played sweetly. And the same maybe said of Missus Jeffreys
Clara Partridge, that was, and of the two Milmans now
(15:57):
Missus Bird and Missus James Cooper, and of more then
I can enumerate upon my word. It is enough to
put one in affright. I used to be quite angry
with Selina, but really I begin now to comprehend that
a married woman has many things to call her attention.
I believe I was half an hour this morning shut
up with my housekeeper. But everything of that kind, said Emma,
(16:19):
will soon be in so regular a train. Well, said
missus Elton, laughing, we shall see Emma, finding her so
determined upon neglecting her music, had nothing more to say,
and after a moment's pause, missus Elton chose another subject.
We have been calling at Randal's, said she, and found
them both at home and very pleasant people. They seem
(16:42):
to be. I like them extremely. Mister Weston seems an
excellent creature, quite a first rate favorite with me already,
I assure you. And she appears so truly good. There
is something so motherly and so kind hearted about her
that it wins upon one directly. She was your governess.
I think Emma was almost too much astonished to answer,
(17:05):
but missus Elton hardly waited for the affirmative before she
went on, having understood as much. I was rather astonished
to find her so very ladylike. But really she is
quite the gentlewoman, missus Weston's manners, said Emma were always
particularly good. Their propriety, simplicity and elegance would make them
(17:25):
the safest model for any young woman. And who do
you think came in while we were there? Emma was
quite at a loss. The tone implied some old acquaintance,
and how could she possibly guess? Knightly continued, missus Elton
Knightley himself, was not it lucky for not being within
(17:45):
when he called the other day? I had never seen
him before, and of course, as so particular a friend
of mister Ease, I had a great curiosity. My friend
Knightly had been so often mentioned that I was really
impatient to see him, and I'm as to do my
Caro sposo the justice to say that he not be
ashamed of his friend. Knightley is quite the gentleman. I
(18:07):
like him very much, decidedly, I think a very gentlemanlike man. Happily,
it was now time to be gone. They were off
and Emma could Breathe. Insufferable woman, was her immediate exclamation.
Worse than I had supposed, Absolutely insufferable Knightly. I could
(18:29):
not have believed it. Knightly never seen him in her
life before and call him Knightly and discover that he
is a gentleman, a little upstart vulgar being with her
mister E and her Caro Sposo, and her resources, and
all her airs of pert pretension and underbred finery. Actually
(18:51):
to discover that mister Knightley is a gentleman, I doubt
whether he will return the compliment and discover her to
be a lady I could not have believed. And to
propose that she and I should unit to form a
musical club, one would fancy we were bosom friends. And
missus Weston astonished that the person who had brought me
up should be a gentlewoman. Worse and worse, I never
(19:15):
met with her equal much beyond my hopes. Harriet is
disgraced by any comparison. What would Frank Churchill say to
her if he were here? How angry and how diverted
he would be? Ah there, I am thinking of him directly,
always the first person to be thought of. How I
catch myself out? Frank Churchill comes as regularly into my mind.
(19:40):
All this ran so glibly through her thoughts that, by
the time her father had arranged himself after the bustle
of the Elton's departure, and was ready to speak. She
was very tolerably capable of attending well, my dear, he
deliberately began considering. We never saw her before. She seems
a very pretty sort of young lady, and I did.
(20:00):
She was much pleased with you. She speaks a little
too quick, A little quickness of voice there is which
rather hurts the ear. But I believe I am nice.
I do not like strange voices, and nobody speaks like
you and poor miss Taylor, however, she seems a very obliging,
pretty behaved young lady, and no doubt will make him
(20:21):
a very good wife. Though I think he had better
not have married. I made the best excuses I could
for not having been able to wait on him and
missus Elton on this happy occasion. I said that I
hoped I should in the course of the summer, but
I ought to have gone before. Not to wait upon
a bride is very remiss. Oh, it shows what a
(20:42):
sad invalid I am. But I do not like the
corner into vicarage Lane. I daresay your apologies were accepted, sir,
mister Elton knows you, yes, But a young lady a bride,
and I ought to have paid my respects to her
if possible. It was being very deficient. But my dear, Papa,
(21:04):
you are no friend to matrimony, and therefore why should
you be so anxious to pay your respects to a bride.
It ought to be no recommendation to you. It is
encouraging people to marry if you make so much of them. No,
my dear, I never encouraged anybody to marry, but I
would always wish to pay every proper attention to a
lady and a bride, especially as never to be neglected.
(21:27):
More is avowedly due to her. A bride, you know,
my dear, is always the first in company. Let the
others be who they may. Well, Papa, if this is
not encouragement to marry, I do not know what is,
and I should never have expected you to be lending
your sanction to such vanity baits for poor young ladies.
My dear, you do not understand me. This is a
(21:50):
matter of mere common politeness and good breeding, and has
nothing to do with any encouragement to people to marry.
Emma had done. Her father was growing nervous and could
not understand her. Her mind returned to missus Elton's offenses,
and long, very long did they occupy her? End of
(22:11):
Chapter fourteen.
Volume two, Chapter fourteen. Missus Elton was first seen at church.
But though devotion might be interrupted, curiosity could not be
satisfied by a bride in a pew, and it must
be left for the visits in form which were then
to be paid, to settle whether she were very pretty indeed,
or only rather pretty, or not pretty at all. Emma
(00:23):
had feelings less of curiosity than of pride or propriety
to make her resolve on not being the last to
pay her respects, and she made a point of Harriet's
going with her that the worst of the business might
be gone through as soon as possible. She could not
enter the house again, could not be in the same
room to which she had with such vain artifice retreated
(00:44):
three months ago to lace up her boot without recollecting
a thousand vexatious thoughts would recur, compliments, charades, and horrible blunders,
and it was not to be supposed that poor Harriet
should not be recollecting too. But she behaved very well
and was only rather pale and silent. The visit was,
(01:04):
of course short, and there was so much embarrassment and
occupation of mind to shorten it, that Emma would not
allow herself entirely to form an opinion of the lady,
and on no account to give one beyond the nothing
meaning terms of being elegantly dressed and very pleasing. She
did not really like her. She would not be in
(01:24):
a hurry to find fault, But she suspected that there
was no elegance. Ease, but not elegance. She was almost
sure that for a young woman, a stranger, a bride,
there was too much ease. Her person was rather good,
her face not unpretty, but neither feature nor air, nor
voice nor manner were elegant. Emma thought, at least it
(01:47):
would turn out so. As for mister Elton, his manners
did not appear. But no, she would not permit a
hasty or witty word from herself about his manners. It
was an awkward ceremony at any time to be receiving
wedding visits, and a man had need be all grace
to acquit himself well through it. The woman was better off.
(02:07):
She might have the assistance of fine clothes and the
privilege of bashfulness, but the man had only his own
good sense to depend on. And when she considered how
peculiarly unlucky, poor mister Elton was in being in the
same room at once with the woman he had just married,
the woman he had wanted to marry, and the woman
whom he had been expected to marry. She must allow
(02:28):
him to have the right to look as little wise
and to be as much affectedly and as little really
easy as could be. Well, Miss Woodhouse, said Harriet, when
they had quitted the house, and after waiting in vain
for her friend to begin, Well, Miss Woodhouse with a
gentle sigh, what do you think of her? Is not
she very charming? There was a little hesitation in Emma's answer. Oh, yes,
(02:54):
very a very pleasing young woman. I think her beautiful,
quite beautiful, very nicely dressed. Indeed a remarkably elegant gown.
I am not at all surprised that he should have
fallen in love. No, no, there is nothing to surprise
one at all. A pretty fortune, and she came in
(03:16):
his way, I daresay, returned Harriet, sighing again. I daresay
she was very much attached to him. Perhaps she might,
but it is not every man's fate to marry the
woman who loves him best. Miss Hawkins perhaps wanted a
home and thought this the very best offer she was
likely to have, Yes, said Harriet earnestly, and well she might.
(03:41):
Nobody could ever have a better. Well, I wish them
happy with all my heart. And now, Miss Woodhouse, I
do not think I shall mind seeing them again. He
is just as superior as ever, But being married, you
know it is quite a different thing. No, indeed, miss Woodhouse,
you need not be afraid. I can see and admire
him now without any great misery to know that he
(04:03):
has not thrown himself away as such a comfort. She
does seem a charming young woman, just what he deserves.
Happy creature, he called her, Augusta, how delightful. When the
visit was returned, Emma made up her mind she could
then see more and judge better from Harriet's happening not
(04:23):
to be at Hartfield and her father's being present to
engage mister Elton. She had a quarter of an hour
of the lady's conversation to herself and could composedly attend
to her, And the quarter of an hour quite convinced
her that missus Elton was a vain woman, extremely well
satisfied with herself, and thinking much of her own importance.
That she meant to shine and be very superior, but
(04:45):
with manners which had been formed in a bad school,
pert and familiar, that all her notions were drawn from
one set of people and one style of living. That
if not foolish, she was ignorant, and that her society
would certainly do Mister Elton no good. Harriet would have
been a better match. If not wise or refined herself,
she would have connected him with those who were. But
(05:08):
Miss Hawkins, it might be fairly supposed from her easy
conceit had been the best of her own set. The
rich brother in law near Bristol was the pride of
the alliance, and his place and his carriages were the
pride of him. The very first subject after being seated
was maple Grove, my brother mister Suckling's seat. A comparison
(05:28):
of Hartfield to maple Grove. The grounds of Hartfield were small,
but neat and pretty, and the house was modern and
well built. Missus Elton seemed most favorably impressed by the
size of the room, the entrance, and all that she
could see or imagine, very like maple Grove. Indeed, she
was quite struck by the likeness That room was the
very shape and size of the morning room at Maple Grove,
(05:50):
her sister's favorite room. Mister Elton was appealed to. Was
it not astonishingly like she could really almost fancy herself
at Maple Grove and the staircase. You know, as I
came in, I observed how very like the staircase was
placed exactly in the same part of the house. I
really could not help exclaiming. I assure you, Miss Woodhouse,
(06:13):
it is very delightful to me to be reminded of
a place I am so extremely partial to as Maple Grove.
I have spent so many happy months there with a
little sigh of sentiment. A charming place. Undoubtedly everybody who
sees it is struck by its beauty, but to me
it has been quite a home. Whenever you are transplanted
(06:34):
like me, Miss Woodhouse, you will understand how very delightful
it is to meet with anything at all like what
one has left behind. I always say this is quite
one of the evils of matrimony. Emma made as slight
a reply as she could, but it was fully sufficient
for missus Elton, who only wanted to be talking herself.
So extremely like Maple Grove and it is not merely
(06:58):
the house. The grounds, I assure all you, as far
as I could observe, are strikingly like the laurels at
Maple Grove, are in the same profusion as here, and
stand very much in the same way just across the lawn.
And I had a glimpse of a fine large tree
with a bench round it, which put me so exactly
in mind. My brother and sister will be enchanted with
(07:20):
this place. People who have extensive grounds themselves are always
pleased with anything in the same style. Emma doubted the
truth of this sentiment. She had a great idea that
people who had extensive grounds themselves cared very little for
extensive grounds of anybody else. But it was not worth
while to attack an error so double dyed, and therefore
(07:40):
only said in reply, when you have seen more of
this country, I am afraid you will think you have
overrated Hartfield. Surrey is full of beauties. Oh yes, I
am quite aware of that. It is the garden of England.
You know, Surrey is the garden of England. Yes, but
you must not rest our claims on that distinction. Many counties,
(08:03):
I believe, are called the garden of England. As well
as Surrey. No I fancy not, said Missus Elton, with
a most satisfied smile. I never heard any county but
Surrey called, so Emma was silenced. My brother and sister
have promised us a visit in the spring or summer
at farthest, continued Missus Elton, and that will be our
(08:27):
time for exploring. While they are with us, we shall
explore a great deal. I dare say. They will have
their barouche Landau, of course, which holds four perfectly, and therefore,
without saying anything of our carriage, we should be able
to explore the different beauties extremely well. They would hardly
come in their shares, I think at that season of
(08:47):
the year. Indeed, when the time draws on, I shall
decidedly recommend their bringing the barouche land out. It will
be so very much preferable when people come into a
beautiful country of this sort, you know, Miss woodhouse One
naturally wishes them to see as much as possible, and
mister Suckling is extremely fond of exploring. We explored to
King's Western twice last summer in that way most delightfully.
(09:11):
Just after their first having the barouche Landau you have
many parties of that kind here, I suppose miss Woodhouse
every summer. No, not immediately. Here we are rather out
of distance of the very striking beauties which attract the
sort of parties you speak of, and we are a
very quiet set of people. I believe more disposed to
stay at home than engage in schemes of pleasure. Ah,
(09:35):
there is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.
Nobody can be more devoted to home than I am.
I was quite a proverb for it at Maple Grove
many a time, has Selina said, when she has been
going to Bristol, I really cannot get this girl to
move from the house. I absolutely must go in by myself,
though I hate being stuck up in the barouche Landau
(09:58):
without a companion. But to Gus, I believe, with her
own good will would never stir beyond the park paling
many a time as she said so. And yet I
am no advocate for entire seclusion. I think, on the contrary,
when people shut themselves up entirely from society, it is
a very bad thing, and that it is much more
advisable to mix in the world in a proper degree
(10:20):
without living in it either too much or too little.
I perfectly understand your situation. However, Miss Woodhouse, looking towards
mister Woodhouse, your father's state of health must be a
great drawback. Why does not he try bath? Indeed, he
should let me recommend bath to you. I assure you
I have no doubt if it's doing mister Woodhouse good.
(10:42):
My father tried it more than once formerly, but without
receiving any benefit. And mister Perry, whose name I daresay
is not unknown to you, does not conceive it be
at all more likely to be useful. Now, Ah, that's
a great pity for I assure you, Miss Woodhouse. When
the waters do agree, it is quite wonderful the relief
they give in my bath life. I have seen such
(11:05):
instances of it, and it is so cheerful a place
that it could not fail of being of use to
mister Woodhouse's spirits, which I understand are sometimes much depressed.
And as to its recommendations to you, I fancy I
need not take much pains to dwell on them. The
advantages of bath to the young are pretty generally understood.
It would be a charming introduction for you, who have
(11:27):
lived so secluded a life, and I could immediately secure
you some of the best society in the place. A
line from me would bring you a little host of acquaintance,
and my particular friend, Missus Partridge, the lady I have
always resided with when in bath, would be most happy
to show you any attentions and would be the very
person for you to go into public with. It was
(11:48):
as much as Emma could bear without being impolite, the
idea of her being indebted to Missus Elton for what
was called an introduction of her going into public under
the auspices of a friend of Missus Elton's, probably some vulgar,
dashing widow who, with the help of a boarder, just
made a shift to live. The dignity of miss Woodhouse
(12:08):
of Hartfield was sunk. Indeed, she restrained herself, however, from
any of the reproofs she could have given, and only
thanked Missus Elton coolly. But their going to Bath was
quite out of the question, and she was not perfectly
convinced that the place might suit her better than her father.
And then, to prevent farther outrage and indignation changed the
subject directly. I do not ask whether you are musical
(12:32):
missus Elton. Upon these occasions a lady's character generally precedes her,
and Highbury has long known that you are a superior performer. No, no, indeed,
I must protest against any such idea. A superior performer,
very far from it, I assure you. Consider from how
partial a quarter information came. I am dotingly fond of music,
(12:56):
passionately fond, and my friends say I am not in
highly devoid of taste, But as to anything else, upon
my honor, my performance is mediocre to the last degree. You,
Miss Woodhouse, I well know, played delightfully. I assure you
it has been the greatest satisfaction, comfort and delight to
me to hear what a musical society I am got into.
(13:18):
I absolutely cannot do without music. It is a necessary
of life to me, and having always been used to
a very musical society, both at Maple Grove and in Bath,
it would have been a most serious sacrifice. I honestly
said as much to mister e when he was speaking
of my future home and expressing his fears lest the
retirement of it should be disagreeable, and the inferiority of
(13:41):
the house too. Knowing what I had been accustomed to.
Of course, he was not wholly without apprehension when he
was speaking of it in that way. I honestly said
that the world I could give up parties, balls plays,
for I had no fear of retirement. Blessed with so
many resources within myself, the world was not necessary to me.
I could do very well without it. To those who
(14:03):
had no resources, it was a different thing. But my
resources made me quite independent. And as to smaller sized
rooms than I had been used to, I really could
not give it a thought. I hoped I was perfectly
equal to any sacrifice of that description. Certainly I had
been accustomed to every luxury at Maple Grove. But I
did assure him that two carriages were not necessary to
(14:25):
my happiness, nor were spacious apartments. But said I, to
be quite honest, I do not think I can live
without something of a musical society. I condition for nothing else,
but without music, life would be a blank to me.
We cannot suppose, said Emma, smiling, that mister Elton would
hesitate to assure you of there being a very musical
(14:48):
society in Highbury. And I hope you'll not find he
has outstepped the truth more than may be pardoned in
consideration of the motive. No, indeed, I have no doubts
at all on that head. I am del to find
myself in such a circle. I hope we shall have
many sweet little concerts together. I think, Miss Woodhouse, you
and I must establish a musical club and have regular
(15:11):
weekly meetings at your house or ours. Will not it
be a good plan if we exert ourselves. I think
we shall not be long in want of allies. Something
of that nature would be particularly desirable for me as
an inducement to keep me in practice. For married women,
you know, there is a sad story against them in general.
They are but too apt to give up music. But you,
(15:34):
who are so extremely fond of it, there can be
no danger. Surely I should hope not. But really, when
I look around among my acquaintance, I tremble Selina has
entirely given up music, never touches the instrument, though she
played sweetly. And the same maybe said of Missus Jeffreys
Clara Partridge, that was, and of the two Milmans now
(15:57):
Missus Bird and Missus James Cooper, and of more then
I can enumerate upon my word. It is enough to
put one in affright. I used to be quite angry
with Selina, but really I begin now to comprehend that
a married woman has many things to call her attention.
I believe I was half an hour this morning shut
up with my housekeeper. But everything of that kind, said Emma,
(16:19):
will soon be in so regular a train. Well, said
missus Elton, laughing, we shall see Emma, finding her so
determined upon neglecting her music, had nothing more to say,
and after a moment's pause, missus Elton chose another subject.
We have been calling at Randal's, said she, and found
them both at home and very pleasant people. They seem
(16:42):
to be. I like them extremely. Mister Weston seems an
excellent creature, quite a first rate favorite with me already,
I assure you. And she appears so truly good. There
is something so motherly and so kind hearted about her
that it wins upon one directly. She was your governess.
I think Emma was almost too much astonished to answer,
(17:05):
but missus Elton hardly waited for the affirmative before she
went on, having understood as much. I was rather astonished
to find her so very ladylike. But really she is
quite the gentlewoman, missus Weston's manners, said Emma were always
particularly good. Their propriety, simplicity and elegance would make them
(17:25):
the safest model for any young woman. And who do
you think came in while we were there? Emma was
quite at a loss. The tone implied some old acquaintance,
and how could she possibly guess? Knightly continued, missus Elton
Knightley himself, was not it lucky for not being within
(17:45):
when he called the other day? I had never seen
him before, and of course, as so particular a friend
of mister Ease, I had a great curiosity. My friend
Knightly had been so often mentioned that I was really
impatient to see him, and I'm as to do my
Caro sposo the justice to say that he not be
ashamed of his friend. Knightley is quite the gentleman. I
(18:07):
like him very much, decidedly, I think a very gentlemanlike man. Happily,
it was now time to be gone. They were off
and Emma could Breathe. Insufferable woman, was her immediate exclamation.
Worse than I had supposed, Absolutely insufferable Knightly. I could
(18:29):
not have believed it. Knightly never seen him in her
life before and call him Knightly and discover that he
is a gentleman, a little upstart vulgar being with her
mister E and her Caro Sposo, and her resources, and
all her airs of pert pretension and underbred finery. Actually
(18:51):
to discover that mister Knightley is a gentleman, I doubt
whether he will return the compliment and discover her to
be a lady I could not have believed. And to
propose that she and I should unit to form a
musical club, one would fancy we were bosom friends. And
missus Weston astonished that the person who had brought me
up should be a gentlewoman. Worse and worse, I never
(19:15):
met with her equal much beyond my hopes. Harriet is
disgraced by any comparison. What would Frank Churchill say to
her if he were here? How angry and how diverted
he would be? Ah there, I am thinking of him directly,
always the first person to be thought of. How I
catch myself out? Frank Churchill comes as regularly into my mind.
(19:40):
All this ran so glibly through her thoughts that, by
the time her father had arranged himself after the bustle
of the Elton's departure, and was ready to speak. She
was very tolerably capable of attending well, my dear, he
deliberately began considering. We never saw her before. She seems
a very pretty sort of young lady, and I did.
(20:00):
She was much pleased with you. She speaks a little
too quick, A little quickness of voice there is which
rather hurts the ear. But I believe I am nice.
I do not like strange voices, and nobody speaks like
you and poor miss Taylor, however, she seems a very obliging,
pretty behaved young lady, and no doubt will make him
(20:21):
a very good wife. Though I think he had better
not have married. I made the best excuses I could
for not having been able to wait on him and
missus Elton on this happy occasion. I said that I
hoped I should in the course of the summer, but
I ought to have gone before. Not to wait upon
a bride is very remiss. Oh, it shows what a
(20:42):
sad invalid I am. But I do not like the
corner into vicarage Lane. I daresay your apologies were accepted, sir,
mister Elton knows you, yes, But a young lady a bride,
and I ought to have paid my respects to her
if possible. It was being very deficient. But my dear, Papa,
(21:04):
you are no friend to matrimony, and therefore why should
you be so anxious to pay your respects to a bride.
It ought to be no recommendation to you. It is
encouraging people to marry if you make so much of them. No,
my dear, I never encouraged anybody to marry, but I
would always wish to pay every proper attention to a
lady and a bride, especially as never to be neglected.
(21:27):
More is avowedly due to her. A bride, you know,
my dear, is always the first in company. Let the
others be who they may. Well, Papa, if this is
not encouragement to marry, I do not know what is,
and I should never have expected you to be lending
your sanction to such vanity baits for poor young ladies.
My dear, you do not understand me. This is a
(21:50):
matter of mere common politeness and good breeding, and has
nothing to do with any encouragement to people to marry.
Emma had done. Her father was growing nervous and could
not understand her. Her mind returned to missus Elton's offenses,
and long, very long did they occupy her? End of
(22:11):
Chapter fourteen.
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