Emma remained in a state of vexation too;but there was more indistinctness in the causes of hers than in his.She did not always feel so absolutely satisfied with herself,so entirely convinced that her opinions were right and her adversary's wrong,as Mr Knightley.He walked off in more complete self-approbation than he left for her.She was not so materially cast down,however,but that a little time and the return of Harriet were very adequate restoratives.Harriet's staying away so long was beginning to make her uneasy.The possibility of the young man's coming to Mrs Goddard's that morning,and meeting with Harriet and pleading his own cause,gave alarming ideas.The dread of such a failure,after all,became the prominent uneasiness;and when Harriet appeared,and in very good spirits,and without having any such reason to give for her long absence,she felt a satisfaction which settled her with her own mind,and convinced her that,let Mr Knightley think or say what he would,she had done nothing which woman's friendship and woman's feelings would not justify.
He had frightened her a little about Mr Elton;but when she considered that Mr Knightley could not have observed him as she had done,neither with the interest nor (she must be allowed to tell herself,in spite of Mr Knightley's pretensions)with the skill of such an observer on such a question as herself,that he had spoken it hastily and in anger,she was able to believe,that he had rather said what he wished resentfully to be true,than what he knew anything about.He certainly might have heard Mr Elton speak with more unreserve than she had ever done,and Mr Elton might not be of an imprudent,inconsiderate disposition,as to money matters;he might naturally be rather attentive than otherwise to them;but then,Mr Knightley did not make due allowance for the influence of a strong passion,at war with all interested motives.Mr Knightley saw no such passion,and of course thought nothing of its effects;but she saw too much of it to feel a doubt of its overcoming any hesitations that a reasonable prudence might originally suggest;and more than a reasonable,becoming degree of prudence,she was very sure did not belong to Mr Elton.
Harriet's cheerful look and manner established hers;she came back,not to think of Mr Martin,but to talk of Mr Elton.Miss Nash had been telling her something,which she repeated immediately with great delight.Mr Perry had been to Mrs Goddard's to attend a sick child,and Miss Nash had seen him;and he had told Miss Nash that as he was coming back yesterday from Clayton Park he had met Mr Elton,and found,to his great surprise,that Mr Elton was actually on his road to London,and not meaning to return till the morrow,though it was the whist club night,which he had been never known to miss before;and Mr Perry had remonstrated with him about it,and told him how shabby it was in him,their best player,to absent himself,and tried very much to persuade him to put off his journey only one day;but it would not do;Mr Elton had been determined to go on,and had said in a very particular way indeed,that he was going on business which he would not put off for any inducement in the world;and something about a very enviable commission,and being the bearer of something exceedingly precious.Mr Perry could not quite understand him,but he was very sure there must be a lady in the case,and he told him so;and Mr Elton only looked very conscious and smiling,and rode off in great spirits.Miss Nash had told her all this,and had talked a great deal more about Mr Elton;and said,looking so very significantly at her,‘that she did not pretend to understand what his business might be,but she only knew that any woman whom Mr Elton could prefer,she should think the luckiest woman in the world;for,beyond a doubt,Mr Elton had not his equal for beauty or agreeableness.’
Chapter 9
Mr Knightley might quarrel with her,but Emma could not quarrel with herself.He was so much displeased,that it was longer than usual before he came to Hartfield again;and when they did meet,his grave looks showed that she was not forgiven.She was sorry but could not repent.On the contrary,her plans and proceedings were more and more justified,and endeared to her by the general appearances of the next few days.
The Picture,elegantly framed,came safely to hand soon after Mr Elton's return,and being hung over the mantelpiece of the common sitting-room,he got up to look at it,and sighed out his half sentences of admiration,just as he ought;and as for Harriet's feelings,they were vividly forming themselves into as strong and steady an attachment as her youth and sort of mind admitted.Emma was soon perfectly satisfied of Mr Martin's being no otherwise remembered,than as he furnished a contrast with Mr Elton,of the utmost advantage to the latter.
Her views of improving her little friend's mind,by a great deal of useful reading and conversation,had never yet led to more than a few first chapters,and the intention of going on tomorrow.It was much easier to chat than to study;much pleasanter to let her imagination range and work at Harriet's fortune,than to be labouring to enlarge her comprehension,or exercise it on sober facts;and the only literary pursuit which engaged Harriet at present,the only mental provision she was making for the evening of life,was the collection and transcribing all the riddles of every sort that she could meet with,into a thin quarto of hot-pressed paper,made up by her friend,and ornamented with cyphers and trophies.
