“One should be sorry to see greater pride or
refinement in the teacher of a school, Harriet.
I dare say Miss Nash would envy you such an opportunity
as this of being married. Even this conquest
would appear valuable in her eyes. As to any
thing superior for you, I suppose she is quite in
the dark. The attentions of a certain person
can hardly be among the tittle-tattle of Highbury yet.
Hitherto I fancy you and I are the only people to whom
his looks and manners have explained themselves.”
Harriet blushed and smiled, and said something about
wondering that people should like her so much.
The idea of Mr. Elton was certainly cheering; but
still, after a time, she was tender-hearted again
towards the rejected Mr. Martin.
“Now he has got my letter,” said she softly.
“I wonder what they are all doing—whether
his sisters know—if he is unhappy, they
will be unhappy too. I hope he will not mind
it so very much.”
“Let us think of those among our absent friends
who are more cheerfully employed,” cried Emma.
“At this moment, perhaps, Mr. Elton is shewing
your picture to his mother and sisters, telling how
much more beautiful is the original, and after being
asked for it five or six times, allowing them to hear
your name, your own dear name.”
“My picture!—But he has left my picture
in Bond-street.”
“Has he so!—Then I know nothing of
Mr. Elton. No, my dear little modest Harriet,
depend upon it the picture will not be in Bond-street
till just before he mounts his horse to-morrow.
It is his companion all this evening, his solace, his
delight. It opens his designs to his family,
it introduces you among them, it diffuses through
the party those pleasantest feelings of our nature,
eager curiosity and warm prepossession. How cheerful,
how animated, how suspicious, how busy their imaginations
all are!”
Harriet smiled again, and her smiles grew stronger.
Harriet slept at Hartfield that night. For some
weeks past she had been spending more than half her
time there, and gradually getting to have a bed-room
appropriated to herself; and Emma judged it best in
every respect, safest and kindest, to keep her with
them as much as possible just at present. She
was obliged to go the next morning for an hour or
two to Mrs. Goddard’s, but it was then to be
settled that she should return to Hartfield, to make
a regular visit of some days.
While she was gone, Mr. Knightley called, and sat
some time with Mr. Woodhouse and Emma, till Mr. Woodhouse,
who had previously made up his mind to walk out, was
persuaded by his daughter not to defer it, and was
induced by the entreaties of both, though against the
scruples of his own civility, to leave Mr. Knightley
for that purpose. Mr. Knightley, who had nothing
of ceremony about him, was offering by his short,
decided answers, an amusing contrast to the protracted
apologies and civil hesitations of the other.
