CHAPTER II

strengthenedwhenitwasunderstoodthathehadwrittentohisnewmotherontheoccasion.Forafewdays,everymorningvisitinHighburyincludedsomementionofthehandsomeletterMrs.Westonhadreceived.“IsupposeyouhaveheardofthehandsomeletterMr.FrankChurchillhaswrittentoMrs.Weston?Iunderstanditwasaveryhandsomeletter,indeed.Mr.Woodhousetoldmeofit.Mr.Woodhousesawtheletter,andhesaysheneversawsuchahandsomeletterinhislife.” Itwas,indeed,ahighlyprizedletter.Mrs.Westonhad,ofcourse,formedaveryfavourableideaoftheyoungmanandsuchapleasingattentionwasanirresistibleproofofhisgreatgoodsense,andamostwelcomeadditiontoeverysourceandeveryexpressionofcongratulationwhichhermarriagehadalreadysecured.Shefeltherselfamostfortunatewomanandshehadlivedlongenoughtoknowhowfortunateshemightwellbethought,wheretheonlyregretwasforapartialseparationfromfriendswhosefriendshipforherhadnevercooled,andwhocouldillbeartopartwithher. Sheknewthatattimesshemustbemissedandcouldnotthink,withoutpain,ofEmma’slosingasinglepleasure,orsufferinganhour’sennui,fromthewantofhercompanionableness:butdearEmmawasofnofeeblecharactershewasmoreequaltohersituationthanmostgirlswouldhavebeen,andhadsense,andenergy,andspiritsthatmightbehopedwouldbearherwellandhappilythroughitslittledifficultiesandprivations.AndthentherewassuchcomfortintheveryeasydistanceofRandallsfromHartfield,soconvenientforevensolitaryfemalewalking,andinMr.Weston’sdispositionandcircumstances,whichwouldmaketheapproachingseasonnohindrancetotheirspendinghalftheeveningsintheweektogether. HersituationwasaltogetherthesubjectofhoursofgratitudetoMrs.Weston,andofmomentsonlyofregretandhersatisfaction—hermorethansatisfaction—herc