CHAPTER XIV

hwhomhewasalwayscomfortable. WhilehetalkedtoIsabella,however,Emmafoundanopportunityofsaying, “Andsoyoudonotconsiderthisvisitfromyoursonasbyanymeanscertain.Iamsorryforit.Theintroductionmustbeunpleasant,wheneverittakesplaceandthesooneritcouldbeover,thebetter.” “Yesandeverydelaymakesonemoreapprehensiveofotherdelays.Evenifthisfamily,theBraithwaites,areputoff,Iamstillafraidthatsomeexcusemaybefoundfordisappointingus.IcannotbeartoimagineanyreluctanceonhissidebutIamsurethereisagreatwishontheChurchills’tokeephimtothemselves.Thereisjealousy.Theyarejealousevenofhisregardforhisfather.Inshort,Icanfeelnodependenceonhiscoming,andIwishMr.Westonwerelesssanguine.” “Heoughttocome,”saidEmma.“Ifhecouldstayonlyacoupleofdays,heoughttocomeandonecanhardlyconceiveayoungman’snothavingitinhispowertodoasmuchasthat.Ayoungwoman,ifshefallintobadhands,maybeteased,andkeptatadistancefromthoseshewantstobewithbutonecannotcomprehendayoungman’sbeingundersuchrestraint,asnottobeabletospendaweekwithhisfather,ifhelikesit.” “OneoughttobeatEnscombe,andknowthewaysofthefamily,beforeonedecidesuponwhathecando,”repliedMrs.Weston.“Oneoughttousethesamecaution,perhaps,injudgingoftheconductofanyoneindividualofanyonefamilybutEnscombe,Ibelieve,certainlymustnotbejudgedbygeneralrules:sheissoveryunreasonableandeverythinggiveswaytoher.” “Butsheissofondofthenephew:heissoverygreatafavourite.Now,accordingtomyideaofMrs.Churchill,itwouldbemostnatural,thatwhileshemakesnosacrificeforthecomfortofthehusband,towhomsheoweseverything,whilesheexercisesincessantcapricetowardshim,sheshouldfrequentlybegovernedbythenephew,towhomsheowesnothingatall.” “MydearestEmma,donotpretend,withyoursweettemper,tounderstandabadone,ortolaydownrulesforit:youmustletitgoitsownway.Ihavenodoubtofhishaving,attimes,considerableinfluencebutitmaybeperfectlyimpossibleforhimtoknowbeforehandwhenitwillbe.” Emmalistened,andthencoollysaid,“Ishallnotbesatisfied,unlesshecomes.” “Hemayhaveagreatdealofinfluenceonsomepoints,”continuedMrs.Weston,“andonothers,verylittle:andamongthose,onwhichsheisbeyondhisreach,itisbuttoolikely,maybethisverycircumstanceofhiscomingawayfromthemtovisitus.”