CHAPTER I

EmmaWoodhouse,handsome,clever,andrich,withacomfortablehomeandhappydisposition,seemedtounitesomeofthebestblessingsofexistenceandhadlivednearlytwenty-oneyearsintheworldwithverylittletodistressorvexher. Shewastheyoungestofthetwodaughtersofamostaffectionate,indulgentfatherandhad,inconsequenceofhersister’smarriage,beenmistressofhishousefromaveryearlyperiod.Hermotherhaddiedtoolongagoforhertohavemorethananindistinctremembranceofhercaressesandherplacehadbeensuppliedbyanexcellentwomanasgoverness,whohadfallenlittleshortofamotherinaffection. SixteenyearshadMissTaylorbeeninMr.Woodhouse’sfamily,lessasagovernessthanafriend,veryfondofbothdaughters,butparticularlyofEmma.Betweenthemitwasmoretheintimacyofsisters.EvenbeforeMissTaylorhadceasedtoholdthenominalofficeofgoverness,themildnessofhertemperhadhardlyallowedhertoimposeanyrestraintandtheshadowofauthoritybeingnowlongpassedaway,theyhadbeenlivingtogetherasfriendandfriendverymutuallyattached,andEmmadoingjustwhatshelikedhighlyesteemingMissTaylor’sjudgment,butdirectedchieflybyherown. Therealevils,indeed,ofEmma’ssituationwerethepowerofhavingrathertoomuchherownway,andadispositiontothinkalittletoowellofherselfthesewerethedisadvantageswhichthreatenedalloytohermanyenjoyments.Thedanger,however,wasatpresentsounperceived,thattheydidnotbyanymeansrankasmisfortuneswithher. Sorrowcame—agentlesorrow—butnotatallintheshapeofanydisagreeableconsciousness.—MissTaylormarried.ItwasMissTaylor’slosswhichfirstbroughtgrief.Itwasonthewedding-dayofthisbelovedfriendthatEmmafirstsatinmournfulthoughtofanycontinuance.Theweddingover,andthebride-peoplegone,herfatherandherselfwerelefttodinetogether,withnoprospectofathirdtocheeralongevening.Herfathercomposedhimselftosleepafterdinner,asusual,andshehadthenonlytositandthinkofwhatshehadlost. Theeventhadeverypromiseofhappinessforherfriend.Mr.Westonwasamanofunexceptionablecharacter,easyfortune,suitableage,andpleasantmannersandtherewassomesatisfactioninconsideringwithwhatself-denying,generousfriendshipshehadalwayswishedandpromotedthematchbutitwasablackmorning’sworkforher.ThewantofMissTaylorwouldbefelteveryhourofeveryday.Sherecalledherpastkindness—thekindness,theaffectionofsixteenyears—howshehadtaughtandhowshehadplayedwithherfromfiveyearsold—howshehaddevotedallherpowerstoattachandamuseherinhealth—andhownursedherthroughthevariousillnessesofchildhood.Alargedebtofgratitudewasowingherebuttheintercourseofthelastsevenyears,theequalfootingandperfectunreservewhichhadsoonfollowedIsabella’smarriage,ontheirbeinglefttoeachother,wasyetadearer,tendererrecollection.Shehadbeenafriendandcompanionsuchasfewpossessed:intelligent,well-informed,useful,gentle,knowingallthewaysofthefamily,interestedinallitsconcerns,andpeculiarlyinterestedinherself,ineverypleasure,everyschemeofhers—onetowhomshecouldspeakeverythoughtasitarose,andwhohadsuchanaffectionforherascouldneverfindfault. Howwasshetobearthechange?—Itwastruethatherfriendwasgoingonlyhalfamilefro