CHAPTER VIII

thousandpoundsapiece.” “Iamverymuchobligedtoyou,”saidEmma,laughingagain.“IfIhadsetmyheartonMr.Elton’smarryingHarriet,itwouldhavebeenverykindtoopenmyeyesbutatpresentIonlywanttokeepHarriettomyself.Ihavedonewithmatch-makingindeed.IcouldneverhopetoequalmyowndoingsatRandalls.IshallleaveoffwhileIamwell.” “Goodmorningtoyou,”—saidhe,risingandwalkingoffabruptly.Hewasverymuchvexed.Hefeltthedisappointmentoftheyoungman,andwasmortifiedtohavebeenthemeansofpromotingit,bythesanctionhehadgivenandthepartwhichhewaspersuadedEmmahadtakenintheaffair,wasprovokinghimexceedingly. Emmaremainedinastateofvexationtoobuttherewasmoreindistinctnessinthecausesofher’s,thaninhis.Shedidnotalwaysfeelsoabsolutelysatisfiedwithherself,soentirelyconvincedthatheropinionswererightandheradversary’swrong,asMr.Knightley.Hewalkedoffinmorecompleteself-approbationthanheleftforher.Shewasnotsomateriallycastdown,however,butthatalittletimeandthereturnofHarrietwereveryadequaterestoratives.Harriet’sstayingawaysolongwasbeginningtomakeheruneasy.Thepossibilityoftheyoungman’scomingtoMrs.Goddard’sthatmorning,andmeetingwithHarrietandpleadinghisowncause,gavealarmingideas.ThedreadofsuchafailureafterallbecametheprominentuneasinessandwhenHarrietappeared,andinverygoodspirits,andwithouthavinganysuchreasontogiveforherlongabsence,shefeltasatisfactionwhichsettledherwithherownmind,andconvincedher,thatletMr.Knightleythinkorsaywhathewould,shehaddonenothingwhichwoman’sfriendshipandwoman’sfeelingswouldnotjustify. HehadfrightenedheralittleaboutMr.EltonbutwhensheconsideredthatMr.Knightleycouldnothaveobservedhimasshehaddone,neitherwiththeinterest,nor(shemustbeallowedtotellherself,inspiteofMr.Knightley’spretensions)withtheskillofsuchanobserveronsuchaquestionasherself,thathehadspokenithastilyandinanger,shewasabletobelieve,thathehadrathersaidwhathewishedresentfullytobetrue,thanwhatheknewanythingabout.HecertainlymighthaveheardMr.Eltonspeakwithmoreunreservethanshehadeverdone,andMr.Eltonmightnotbeofanimprudent,inconsideratedispositionastomoneymattershemightnaturallyberatherattentivethanotherwisetothembutthen,Mr.Knightleydidnotmakedueallowancefortheinfluenceofastrongpassionatwarwithallinterestedmotives.Mr.Knightleysawnosuchpassion,andofcoursethoughtnothingofitseffectsbutshesawtoomuchofittofeeladoubtofitsovercominganyhesitationsthatareasonableprudencemightoriginallysuggestandmorethanareasonable,becomingdegreeofprudence,shewasverysuredidnotbelongtoMr.Elton. Harriet’scheerfullookandmannerestablishedhers:shecameback,nottothinkofMr.Martin,buttotalkofMr.Elton.MissNashhadbeentellinghersomething,whichsherepeatedimmediatelywithgreatdelight.Mr.PerryhadbeentoMrs.Goddard’stoattendasickchild,andMissNashhadseenhim,andhehadtoldMissNash,thatashewascomingbackyesterdayfromClaytonPark,hehadmetMr.Elton,andfoundtohisgreatsurprize,thatMr.EltonwasactuallyonhisroadtoLondon,andnotmeaningtoreturntillthemorrow,thoughitwasthewhist-clubnight,whichhehadbeenneverknowntomissbeforeandMr.Perryhadremonstratedwithhimaboutit,andtoldhimhowshabbyitwasinhim,theirbestplayer,toabsenthimself,andtriedverymuchtopersuadehimtoputoffhisjourneyonlyonedaybutitwouldnotdoMr.Eltonhadbeendeterminedtogoon,andhadsaidinaveryparticularwayindeed,thathewasgoingonbusinesswhichhewouldnotputoffforanyinducementintheworldandsomethingaboutaveryenviablecommission,andbeingthebearerofsomethingexceedinglyprecious.Mr.Perrycouldnotquiteunderstandhim,buthewasverysuretheremustbealadyinthecase,andhetoldhimsoandMr.Eltononlylookedveryconsciousandsmiling,androdeoffingreatspirits.MissNashhadtoldherallthis,andhadtalkedagreatdealmoreaboutMr.Eltonandsaid,lookingsoverysignificantlyather,“thatshedidnotpretendtounderstandwhathisbusinessmightbe,butsheonlyknewthatanywomanwhomMr.Eltoncouldprefer,sheshouldthinktheluckiestwomanintheworldfor,beyondadoubt,Mr.Eltonhadnothisequalforbeautyoragreeableness.”