“Where is the young man?” said John Knightley.  “Has he been here on this occasion—­or has he not?”

“He has not been here yet,” replied Emma.  “There was a strong expectation of his coming soon after the marriage, but it ended in nothing; and I have not heard him mentioned lately.”

“But you should tell them of the letter, my dear,” said her father.  “He wrote a letter to poor Mrs. Weston, to congratulate her, and a very proper, handsome letter it was.  She shewed it to me.  I thought it very well done of him indeed.  Whether it was his own idea you know, one cannot tell.  He is but young, and his uncle, perhaps—­”

“My dear papa, he is three-and-twenty.  You forget how time passes.”

“Three-and-twenty!—­is he indeed?—­Well, I could not have thought it—­ and he was but two years old when he lost his poor mother!  Well, time does fly indeed!—­and my memory is very bad.  However, it was an exceeding good, pretty letter, and gave Mr. and Mrs. Weston a great deal of pleasure.  I remember it was written from Weymouth, and dated Sept. 28th—­and began, `My dear Madam,’ but I forget how it went on; and it was signed `F.  C. Weston Churchill.’—­ I remember that perfectly.”

“How very pleasing and proper of him!” cried the good-hearted Mrs. John Knightley.  “I have no doubt of his being a most amiable young man.  But how sad it is that he should not live at home with his father!  There is something so shocking in a child’s being taken away from his parents and natural home!  I never could comprehend how Mr. Weston could part with him.  To give up one’s child!  I really never could think well of any body who proposed such a thing to any body else.”

“Nobody ever did think well of the Churchills, I fancy,” observed Mr. John Knightley coolly.  “But you need not imagine Mr. Weston to have felt what you would feel in giving up Henry or John.  Mr. Weston is rather an easy, cheerful-tempered man, than a man of strong feelings; he takes things as he finds them, and makes enjoyment of them somehow or other, depending, I suspect, much more upon what is called society for his comforts, that is, upon the power of eating and drinking, and playing whist with his neighbours five times a week, than upon family affection, or any thing that home affords.”

Emma could not like what bordered on a reflection on Mr. Weston, and had half a mind to take it up; but she struggled, and let it pass.  She would keep the peace if possible; and there was something honourable and valuable in the strong domestic habits, the all-sufficiency of home to himself, whence resulted her brother’s disposition to look down on the common rate of social intercourse, and those to whom it was important.—­It had a high claim to forbearance.

CHAPTER XII

Mr. Knightley was to dine with them—­rather against the inclination of Mr. Woodhouse, who did not like that any one should share with him in Isabella’s first day.  Emma’s sense of right however had decided it; and besides the consideration of what was due to each brother, she had particular pleasure, from the circumstance of the late disagreement between Mr. Knightley and herself, in procuring him the proper invitation.