CHAPTER XV

ofdoorstoexamine,andcouldanswerfortherenotbeingthesmallestdifficultyintheirgettinghome,whenevertheylikedit,eithernoworanhourhence.Hehadgonebeyondthesweep—somewayalongtheHighburyroad—thesnowwasnowhereabovehalfaninchdeep—inmanyplaceshardlyenoughtowhitenthegroundaveryfewflakeswerefallingatpresent,butthecloudswereparting,andtherewaseveryappearanceofitsbeingsoonover.Hehadseenthecoachmen,andtheybothagreedwithhimintherebeingnothingtoapprehend. ToIsabella,thereliefofsuchtidingswasverygreat,andtheywerescarcelylessacceptabletoEmmaonherfather’saccount,whowasimmediatelysetasmuchateaseonthesubjectashisnervousconstitutionallowedbutthealarmthathadbeenraisedcouldnotbeappeasedsoastoadmitofanycomfortforhimwhilehecontinuedatRandalls.Hewassatisfiedoftherebeingnopresentdangerinreturninghome,butnoassurancescouldconvincehimthatitwassafetostayandwhiletheotherswerevariouslyurgingandrecommending,Mr.KnightleyandEmmasettleditinafewbriefsentences:thus— “Yourfatherwillnotbeeasywhydonotyougo?” “Iamready,iftheothersare.” “ShallIringthebell?” “Yes,do.” Andthebellwasrung,andthecarriagesspokenfor.Afewminutesmore,andEmmahopedtoseeonetroublesomecompaniondepositedinhisownhouse,togetsoberandcool,andtheotherrecoverhistemperandhappinesswhenthisvisitofhardshipwereover. Thecarriagecame:andMr.Woodhouse,alwaysthefirstobjectonsuchoccasions,wascarefullyattendedtohisownbyMr.KnightleyandMr.Westonbutnotallthateithercouldsaycouldpreventsomerenewalofalarmatthesightofthesnowwhichhadactuallyfallen,andthediscoveryofamuchdarkernightthanhehadbeenpreparedfor.“Hewasafraidtheyshouldhaveaverybaddrive.HewasafraidpoorIsabellawouldnotlikeit.AndtherewouldbepoorEmmainthecarriagebehind.Hedidnotknowwhattheyhadbestdo.Theymustkeepasmuchtogetherastheycould”andJameswastalkedto,andgivenachargetogoveryslowandwaitfortheothercarriage. IsabellasteptinafterherfatherJohnKnightley,forgettingthathedidnotbelongtotheirparty,steptinafterhiswifeverynaturallysothatEmmafound,onbeingescortedandfollowedintothesecondcarriagebyMr.Elton,thatthedoorwastobelawfullyshutonthem,andthattheyweretohaveatête-à-têtedrive.Itwouldnothavebeentheawkwardnessofamoment,itwouldhavebeenratherapleasure,previoustothesuspicionsofthisverydayshecouldhavetalkedtohimofHarriet,andthethree-quartersofamilewouldhaveseemedbutone.Butnow,shewouldratherithadnothappened.ShebelievedhehadbeendrinkingtoomuchofMr.Weston’sgoodwine,andfeltsurethathewouldwanttobetalkingnonsense. Torestrainhimasmuchasmightbe,byherownmanners,shewasimmediatelypreparingtospeakwithexquisitecalmnessandgravityoftheweatherandthenightbutscarcelyhadshebegun,scarcelyhadtheypassedthesweep-gateandjoinedtheothercarriage,thanshefoundhersubjectcutup—herhandseized—herattentiondemanded,andMr.Eltonactuallymakingviolentlovetoher:availinghimselfofthepreciousopportunity,declaringsentimentswhichmustbealreadywellknown,hoping—fearing—adoring—readytodieifsherefusedhimbutflatteringhimselfthathisardentattachmentandunequalledloveandunexampledpassioncouldnotfailofhavingsomeeffect,andinshort,verymuchresolvedonbeingseriouslyacceptedassoonaspossible.Itre