CHAPTER XV

Mr.Woodhousewassoonreadyforhisteaandwhenhehaddrankhisteahewasquitereadytogohomeanditwasasmuchashisthreecompanionscoulddo,toentertainawayhisnoticeofthelatenessofthehour,beforetheothergentlemenappeared.Mr.Westonwaschattyandconvivial,andnofriendtoearlyseparationsofanysortbutatlastthedrawing-roompartydidreceiveanaugmentation.Mr.Elton,inverygoodspirits,wasoneofthefirsttowalkin.Mrs.WestonandEmmaweresittingtogetheronasofa.Hejoinedthemimmediately,and,withscarcelyaninvitation,seatedhimselfbetweenthem. Emma,ingoodspiritstoo,fromtheamusementaffordedhermindbytheexpectationofMr.FrankChurchill,waswillingtoforgethislateimproprieties,andbeaswellsatisfiedwithhimasbefore,andonhismakingHarriethisveryfirstsubject,wasreadytolistenwithmostfriendlysmiles. Heprofessedhimselfextremelyanxiousaboutherfairfriend—herfair,lovely,amiablefriend.“Didsheknow?—hadsheheardanythingabouther,sincetheirbeingatRandalls?—hefeltmuchanxiety—hemustconfessthatthenatureofhercomplaintalarmedhimconsiderably.”Andinthisstylehetalkedonforsometimeveryproperly,notmuchattendingtoanyanswer,butaltogethersufficientlyawaketotheterrorofabadsorethroatandEmmawasquiteincharitywithhim. Butatlastthereseemedaperverseturnitseemedallatonceasifheweremoreafraidofitsbeingabadsorethroatonheraccount,thanonHarriet’s—moreanxiousthatsheshouldescapetheinfection,thanthatthereshouldbenoinfectioninthecomplaint.Hebeganwithgreatearnestnesstoentreathertorefrainfromvisitingthesick-chamberagain,forthepresent—toentreathertopromisehimnottoventureintosuchhazardtillhehadseenMr.Perryandlearnthisopinionandthoughshetriedtolaughitoffandbringthesubjectbackintoitspropercourse,therewasnoputtinganendtohisextremesolicitudeabouther.Shewasvexed.Itdidappear—therewasnoconcealingit—exactlylikethepretenceofbeinginlovewithher,insteadofHarrietaninconstancy,ifreal,themostcontemptibleandabominable!andshehaddifficultyinbehavingwithtemper.HeturnedtoMrs.Westontoimploreherassistance,“Wouldnotshegivehimhersupport?—wouldnotsheaddherpersuasionstohis,toinduceMissWoodhousenottogotoMrs.Goddard’stillitwerecertainthatMissSmith’sdisorderhadnoinfection?Hecouldnotbesatisfiedwithoutapromise—wouldnotshegivehimherinfluenceinprocuringit?” “Soscrupulousforothers,”hecontinued,“andyetsocarelessforherself!Shewantedmetonursemycoldbystayingathometo-day,andyetwillnotpromisetoavoidthedangerofcatchinganulceratedsorethroatherself.Isthisfair,Mrs.Weston?—Judgebetweenus.HavenotIsomerighttocomplain?Iamsureofyourkindsupportandaid.” EmmasawMrs.Weston’ssurprize,andfeltthatitmustbegreat,atanaddresswhich,inwordsandmanner,wasassumingtohimselftherightoffirstinterestinherandasforherself,shewastoomuchprovokedandoffendedtohavethepowerofdirectlysayinganythingtothepurpose.Shecouldonlygivehimalookbutitwassuchalookasshethoughtmustrestorehimtohissenses,andthenleftthesofa,removingtoaseatbyhersister,andgivingherallherattention. ShehadnottimetoknowhowMr.Eltontookthereproof,sorapidlydidanothersubjectsucceedforMr.JohnKnightleynowcameintotheroomfromexaminingtheweather,andopenedonthemallwiththeinformationofthegroundbeingcoveredw