CHAPTER VIII

icealtogetherhavingsomeapprehensionperhapsofherbeingconsidered(especiallysinceyourmakingsomuchofher)asinalineofsocietyabovehim.Iwasverymuchpleasedwithallthathesaid.IneverhearbettersensefromanyonethanRobertMartin.Healwaysspeakstothepurposeopen,straightforward,andverywelljudging.Hetoldmeeverythinghiscircumstancesandplans,andwhattheyallproposeddoingintheeventofhismarriage.Heisanexcellentyoungman,bothassonandbrother.Ihadnohesitationinadvisinghimtomarry.Heprovedtomethathecouldafforditandthatbeingthecase,Iwasconvincedhecouldnotdobetter.Ipraisedthefairladytoo,andaltogethersenthimawayveryhappy.Ifhehadneveresteemedmyopinionbefore,hewouldhavethoughthighlyofmethenand,Idaresay,leftthehousethinkingmethebestfriendandcounsellormaneverhad.Thishappenedthenightbeforelast.Now,aswemayfairlysuppose,hewouldnotallowmuchtimetopassbeforehespoketothelady,andashedoesnotappeartohavespokenyesterday,itisnotunlikelythatheshouldbeatMrs.Goddard’sto-dayandshemaybedetainedbyavisitor,withoutthinkinghimatallatiresomewretch.” “Pray,Mr.Knightley,”saidEmma,whohadbeensmilingtoherselfthroughagreatpartofthisspeech,“howdoyouknowthatMr.Martindidnotspeakyesterday?” “Certainly,”repliedhe,surprized,“Idonotabsolutelyknowitbutitmaybeinferred.Wasnotshethewholedaywithyou?” “Come,”saidshe,“Iwilltellyousomething,inreturnforwhatyouhavetoldme.Hedidspeakyesterday—thatis,hewrote,andwasrefused.” ThiswasobligedtoberepeatedbeforeitcouldbebelievedandMr.Knightleyactuallylookedredwithsurprizeanddispleasure,ashestoodup,intallindignation,andsaid, “ThensheisagreatersimpletonthanIeverbelievedher.Whatisthefoolishgirlabout?” “Oh!tobesure,”criedEmma,“itisalwaysincomprehensibletoamanthatawomanshouldeverrefuseanofferofmarriage.Amanalwaysimaginesawomantobereadyforanybodywhoasksher.” “Nonsense!amandoesnotimagineanysuchthing.Butwhatisthemeaningofthis?HarrietSmithrefuseRobertMartin?madness,ifitissobutIhopeyouaremistaken.” “Isawheranswer!—nothingcouldbeclearer.” “Yousawheranswer!—youwroteheranswertoo.Emma,thisisyourdoing.Youpersuadedhertorefusehim.” “AndifIdid,(which,however,Iamfarfromallowing)IshouldnotfeelthatIhaddonewrong.Mr.Martinisaveryrespectableyoungman,butIcannotadmithimtobeHarriet’sequalandamrathersurprizedindeedthatheshouldhaveventuredtoaddressher.Byyouraccount,hedoesseemtohavehadsomescruples.Itisapitythattheywereevergotover.” “NotHarriet’sequal!”exclaimedMr.Knightleyloudlyandwarmlyandwithcalmerasperity,added,afewmomentsafterwards,“No,heisnotherequalindeed,forheisasmuchhersuperiorinsenseasinsituation.Emma,yourinfatuationaboutthatgirlblindsyou.WhatareHarrietSmith’sclaims,eitherofbirth,natureoreducation,toanyconnexionhigherthanRobertMartin?Sheisthenaturaldaughterofnobodyknowswhom,withprobablynosettledprovisionatall,andcertainlynorespectablerelations.Sheisknownonlyasparlour-boarderatacommonschool.Sheisnotasensiblegirl,noragirlofanyinformation.Shehasbeentaughtnothinguseful,andistooyoungandtoosimpletohaveacquiredanythingherself.Atherageshecanhavenoexperience,andwithherlittlewit,isnotverylikelyevertohaveanythatcanavailher.Sheispretty,andsheisgoodtempered,andthatisall.Myonlyscrupleinadvisingthematchwasonhisaccount,asbeingbeneathhisdeserts,andabadconnexionforhim.Ifeltthat,astofortune,inallprobabilityhemightdomuchbetterandthatastoarationalcompanionorusefulhelpmate,hecouldnotdoworse.ButIcouldnotreasonsotoamaninlove,andwaswillingtotrusttotherebeingnoharminher,toherhavingthatsortofdisposition,which,ingoodhands,likehis,mightbeeasilyledarightandturnoutverywell.TheadvantageofthematchIfelttobeallonhersideandhadnotthesmallestdoubt(norhaveInow)thattherewouldbeageneralcry-outuponherextremegoodluck.EvenyoursatisfactionImadesureof.Itcrossedmymindimmediatelythatyouwouldnotregretyourfriend’sleavingHighbury,forthesakeofherbeingsettledsowell.Iremembersayingtomyself,‘EvenEmma,withallherpartialityforHarriet,willthink