CHAPTER II

heerfulenjoyment,wassojustandsoapparent,thatEmma,wellassheknewherfather,wassometimestakenbysurprizeathisbeingstillabletopity‘poorMissTaylor,’whentheyleftheratRandallsinthecentreofeverydomesticcomfort,orsawhergoawayintheeveningattendedbyherpleasanthusbandtoacarriageofherown.ButneverdidshegowithoutMr.Woodhouse’sgivingagentlesigh,andsaying,“Ah,poorMissTaylor!Shewouldbeverygladtostay.” TherewasnorecoveringMissTaylor—normuchlikelihoodofceasingtopityherbutafewweeksbroughtsomealleviationtoMr.Woodhouse.Thecomplimentsofhisneighbourswereoverhewasnolongerteasedbybeingwishedjoyofsosorrowfulaneventandthewedding-cake,whichhadbeenagreatdistresstohim,wasalleatup.Hisownstomachcouldbearnothingrich,andhecouldneverbelieveotherpeopletobedifferentfromhimself.Whatwasunwholesometohimheregardedasunfitforanybodyandhehad,therefore,earnestlytriedtodissuadethemfromhavinganywedding-cakeatall,andwhenthatprovedvain,asearnestlytriedtopreventanybody’seatingit.HehadbeenatthepainsofconsultingMr.Perry,theapothecary,onthesubject.Mr.Perrywasanintelligent,gentlemanlikeman,whosefrequentvisitswereoneofthecomfortsofMr.Woodhouse’slifeanduponbeingappliedto,hecouldnotbutacknowledge(thoughitseemedratheragainstthebiasofinclination)thatwedding-cakemightcertainlydisagreewithmany—perhapswithmostpeople,unlesstakenmoderately.Withsuchanopinion,inconfirmationofhisown,Mr.Woodhousehopedtoinfluenceeveryvisitorofthenewlymarriedpairbutstillthecakewaseatenandtherewasnorestforhisbenevolentnervestillitwasallgone. TherewasastrangerumourinHighburyofallthelittlePerrysbeingseenwithasliceofMrs.Weston’swedding-cakeintheirhands:butMr.Woodhousewouldneverbelieveit.