CHAPTER IX

ehischaradeslighted,muchbetterthanhispassion.Apoetinlovemustbeencouragedinbothcapacities,orneither.Givemethebook,Iwillwriteitdown,andthentherecanbenopossiblereflectiononyou.” Harrietsubmitted,thoughhermindcouldhardlyseparatetheparts,soastofeelquitesurethatherfriendwerenotwritingdownadeclarationoflove.Itseemedtoopreciousanofferingforanydegreeofpublicity. “Ishallneverletthatbookgooutofmyownhands,”saidshe. “Verywell,”repliedEmma“amostnaturalfeelingandthelongeritlasts,thebetterIshallbepleased.Buthereismyfathercoming:youwillnotobjecttomyreadingthecharadetohim.Itwillbegivinghimsomuchpleasure!Helovesanythingofthesort,andespeciallyanythingthatpayswomanacompliment.Hehasthetenderestspiritofgallantrytowardsusall!—Youmustletmereadittohim.” Harrietlookedgrave. “MydearHarriet,youmustnotrefinetoomuchuponthischarade.—Youwillbetrayyourfeelingsimproperly,ifyouaretooconsciousandtooquick,andappeartoaffixmoremeaning,orevenquiteallthemeaningwhichmaybeaffixedtoit.Donotbeoverpoweredbysuchalittletributeofadmiration.Ifhehadbeenanxiousforsecrecy,hewouldnothaveleftthepaperwhileIwasbybutheratherpushedittowardsmethantowardsyou.Donotletusbetoosolemnonthebusiness.Hehasencouragementenoughtoproceed,withoutoursighingoutoursoulsoverthischarade.” “Oh!no—IhopeIshallnotberidiculousaboutit.Doasyouplease.” Mr.Woodhousecamein,andverysoonledtothesubjectagain,bytherecurrenceofhisveryfrequentinquiryof“Well,mydears,howdoesyourbookgoon?—Haveyougotanythingfresh?” “Yes,papawehavesomethingtoreadyou,somethingquitefresh.Apieceofpaperwasfoundonthetablethismorning—(dropt,wesuppose,byafairy)—containingaveryprettycharade,andwehavejustcopieditin.” Shereadittohim,justashelikedtohaveanythingread,slowlyanddistinctly,andtwoorthreetimesover,withexplanationsofeverypartassheproceeded—andhewasverymuchpleased,and,asshehadforeseen,especiallystruckwiththecomplimentaryconclusion. “Aye,that’sveryjust,indeed,that’sveryproperlysaid.Verytrue.‘Woman,lovelywoman.’Itissuchaprettycharade,mydear,thatIcaneasilyguesswhatfairybroughtit.—Nobodycouldhavewrittensoprettily,butyou,Emma.” Emmaonlynodded,andsmiled.—Afteralittlethinking,andaverytendersigh,headded, “Ah!itisnodifficultytoseewhoyoutakeafter!Yourdearmotherwassocleveratallthosethings!IfIhadbuthermemory!ButIcanremembernothing—noteventhatparticularriddlewhichyouhaveheardmementionIcanonlyrecollectthefirststanzaandthereareseveral. Kitty,afairbutfrozenmaid, KindledaflameIyetdeplore, Thehood-wink’dboyIcalledtoaid, Thoughofhisnearapproachafraid, Sofataltomysuitbefore. AndthatisallthatIcanrecollectofit—butitisverycleverallthewaythrough.ButIthink,mydear,yousaidyouhadgotit.” “Yes,papa,itiswrittenoutinoursecondpage.WecopieditfromtheElegantExtracts.ItwasGarrick’s,youknow.” “Aye,verytrue.—IwishIcouldrecollectmoreofit. Kitty,afairbutfrozenmaid. ThenamemakesmethinkofpoorIsabellaforshewasverynearbeingchristenedCatherineafterhergrandmama.Ihopeweshallhaveherherenextweek.Haveyouthought,mydear,whereyoushallputher—andwhatroomtherewillbeforthechildren?” “Oh!yes—shewillhaveherownroom,ofcoursetheroomshealwayshas—andthereisthenurseryforthechildren,—justasusual,youknow.Whyshouldtherebeanychange?” “Idonotknow,mydear—butitissolongsinceshewashere!—notsincelastEaster,andthenonlyforafewdays.—Mr.JohnKnightley’sbeingalawyerisveryinconvenient.—PoorIsabella!—sheissadlytakenawayfromusall!—andhowsorryshewillbewhenshecomes,nottoseeMissTaylorhere!” “Shewillnotbesurprized,papa,atleast.” “Idonotknow,mydear.IamsureIwasverymuchsurprizedwhenIfirstheardshewasgoingtobemarried.” “WemustaskMr.andMrs.Westontodinewithus,whileIsabellaishere.” “Yes,mydear,ifthereistime.—But—(inaverydepressedtone)—sheiscomingforonlyoneweek.Therewillnotbetimeforanything.” “Itisunfortunatethattheycannotstaylonger—butitseemsacaseofnecessity.Mr.JohnKnightleymustbeintownagainonthe28th,andweoughttobethankful,papa,thatwearetohavethewholeofthetimetheycangivetothecountry,thattwoorthreedaysarenottobetakenoutfortheAbbey.Mr.KnightleypromisestogiveuphisclaimthisChristmas—thoughyouknowitislongersincetheywerewithhim,thanwithus.” “Itwouldbeveryhard,indeed,mydear,ifpoorIsabellaweretobeanywherebutatHartfield.” Mr.WoodhousecouldneverallowforMr.Knightley’sclaimsonhisbrother,oranybody’sclaimsonIsabella,excepthisow