CHAPTER I

herdeathbed,andothersofthesonandtheunclenotlettinghim.Allmannerofsolemnnonsensewastalkedonthesubject,butIbelievednoneofit. “Eversincetheday—aboutfouryearsago—thatMissTaylorandImetwithhiminBroadwayLane,when,becauseitbegantodrizzle,hedartedawaywithsomuchgallantry,andborrowedtwoumbrellasforusfromFarmerMitchell’s,Imadeupmymindonthesubject.Iplannedthematchfromthathourandwhensuchsuccesshasblessedmeinthisinstance,dearpapa,youcannotthinkthatIshallleaveoffmatch-making.” “Idonotunderstandwhatyoumeanby‘success,’”saidMr.Knightley.“Successsupposesendeavour.Yourtimehasbeenproperlyanddelicatelyspent,ifyouhavebeenendeavouringforthelastfouryearstobringaboutthismarriage.Aworthyemploymentforayounglady’smind!Butif,whichIratherimagine,yourmakingthematch,asyoucallit,meansonlyyourplanningit,yoursayingtoyourselfoneidleday,‘IthinkitwouldbeaverygoodthingforMissTaylorifMr.Westonweretomarryher,’andsayingitagaintoyourselfeverynowandthenafterwards,whydoyoutalkofsuccess?Whereisyourmerit?Whatareyouproudof?Youmadealuckyguessandthatisallthatcanbesaid.” “Andhaveyouneverknownthepleasureandtriumphofaluckyguess?—Ipityyou.—Ithoughtyoucleverer—for,dependuponitaluckyguessisnevermerelyluck.Thereisalwayssometalentinit.Andastomypoorword‘success,’whichyouquarrelwith,IdonotknowthatIamsoentirelywithoutanyclaimtoit.YouhavedrawntwoprettypicturesbutIthinktheremaybeathird—asomethingbetweenthedo-nothingandthedo-all.IfIhadnotpromotedMr.Weston’svisitshere,andgivenmanylittleencouragements,andsmoothedmanylittlematters,itmightnothavecometoanythingafterall.IthinkyoumustknowHartfieldenoughtocomprehendthat.” “Astraightforward,open-heartedmanlikeWeston,andarational,unaffectedwomanlikeMissTaylor,maybesafelylefttomanagetheirownconcerns.Youaremorelikelytohavedoneharmtoyourself,thangoodtothem,byinterference.” “Emmaneverthinksofherself,ifshecandogoodtoothers,”rejoinedMr.Woodhouse,understandingbutinpart.“But,mydear,praydonotmakeanymorematchestheyaresillythings,andbreakupone’sfamilycirclegrievously.” “Onlyonemore,papaonlyforMr.Elton.PoorMr.Elton!YoulikeMr.Elton,papa,—Imustlookaboutforawifeforhim.ThereisnobodyinHighburywhodeserveshim—andhehasbeenhereawholeyear,andhasfitteduphishousesocomfortably,thatitwouldbeashametohavehimsingleanylonger—andIthoughtwhenhewasjoiningtheirhandsto-day,helookedsoverymuchasifhewouldliketohavethesamekindofficedoneforhim!IthinkverywellofMr.Elton,andthisistheonlywayIhaveofdoinghimaservice.” “Mr.Eltonisaveryprettyyoungman,tobesure,andaverygoodyoungman,andIhaveagreatregardforhim.Butifyouwanttoshewhimanyattention,mydear,askhimtocomeanddinewithussomeday.Thatwillbeamuchbetterthing.IdaresayMr.Knightleywillbesokindastomeethim.” “Withagreatdealofpleasure,sir,atanytime,”saidMr.Knightley,laughing,“andIagreewithyouentirely,thatitwillbeamuchbetterthing.Invitehimtodinner,Emma,andhelphimtothebestofthefishandthechicken,butleavehimtochusehisownwife.Dependuponit,amanofsixorseven-and-twentycantakecareofhimself.”