CHAPTER I

mthembutEmmawasawarethatgreatmustbethedifferencebetweenaMrs.Weston,onlyhalfamilefromthem,andaMissTaylorinthehouseandwithallheradvantages,naturalanddomestic,shewasnowingreatdangerofsufferingfromintellectualsolitude.Shedearlylovedherfather,buthewasnocompanionforher.Hecouldnotmeetherinconversation,rationalorplayful. Theeviloftheactualdisparityintheirages(andMr.Woodhousehadnotmarriedearly)wasmuchincreasedbyhisconstitutionandhabitsforhavingbeenavaletudinarianallhislife,withoutactivityofmindorbody,hewasamucholdermaninwaysthaninyearsandthougheverywherebelovedforthefriendlinessofhisheartandhisamiabletemper,histalentscouldnothaverecommendedhimatanytime. Hersister,thoughcomparativelybutlittleremovedbymatrimony,beingsettledinLondon,onlysixteenmilesoff,wasmuchbeyondherdailyreachandmanyalongOctoberandNovembereveningmustbestruggledthroughatHartfield,beforeChristmasbroughtthenextvisitfromIsabellaandherhusband,andtheirlittlechildren,tofillthehouse,andgiveherpleasantsocietyagain. Highbury,thelargeandpopulousvillage,almostamountingtoatown,towhichHartfield,inspiteofitsseparatelawn,andshrubberies,andname,didreallybelong,affordedhernoequals.TheWoodhouseswerefirstinconsequencethere.Alllookeduptothem.Shehadmanyacquaintanceintheplace,forherfatherwasuniversallycivil,butnotoneamongthemwhocouldbeacceptedinlieuofMissTaylorforevenhalfaday.ItwasamelancholychangeandEmmacouldnotbutsighoverit,andwishforimpossiblethings,tillherfatherawoke,andmadeitnecessarytobecheerful.Hisspiritsrequiredsupport.Hewasanervousman,easilydepressedfondofeverybodythathewasusedto,andhatingtopartwiththemhatingchangeofeverykind.Matrimony,astheoriginofchange,wasalwaysdisagreeableandhewasbynomeansyetreconciledtohisowndaughter’smarrying,norcouldeverspeakofherbutwithcompassion,thoughithadbeenentirelyamatchofaffection,whenhewasnowobligedtopartwithMissTaylortooandfromhishabitsofgentleselfishness,andofbeingneverabletosupposethatotherpeoplecouldfeeldifferentlyfromhimself,hewasverymuchdisposedtothinkMissTaylorhaddoneassadathingforherselfasforthem,andwouldhavebeenagreatdealhappierifshehadspentalltherestofherlifeatHartfield.Emmasmiledandchattedascheerfullyasshecould,tokeephimfromsuchthoughtsbutwhenteacame,itwasimpossibleforhimnottosayexactlyashehadsaidatdinner, “PoorMissTaylor!—Iwishshewerehereagain.WhatapityitisthatMr.Westoneverthoughtofher!” “Icannotagreewithyou,papayouknowIcannot.Mr.Westonissuchagood-humoured,pleasant,excellentman,thathethoroughlydeservesagoodwife—andyouwouldnothavehadMissTaylorlivewithusforever,andbearallmyoddhumours,whenshemighthaveahouseofherown?” “Ahouseofherown!—Butwhereistheadvantageofahouseofherown?Thisisthreetimesaslarge.—Andyouhaveneveranyoddhumours,mydear.” “Howoftenweshallbegoingtoseethem,andtheycomingtoseeus!—Weshallbealwaysmeeting!Wemustbeginwemustgoandpayweddingvisitverysoon.” “Mydear,howamItogetsofar?Randallsissuchadistance.Icouldnotwalkhalfsofar.” “No,papa,nobodythoughtofyourwalking.Wemu