CHAPTER XV

odme.” “No,sir,”criedEmma,“itconfessesnosuchthing.Sofarfromhavinglongunderstoodyou,Ihavebeeninamostcompleteerrorwithrespecttoyourviews,tillthismoment.Astomyself,Iamverysorrythatyoushouldhavebeengivingwaytoanyfeelings—Nothingcouldbefartherfrommywishes—yourattachmenttomyfriendHarriet—yourpursuitofher,(pursuit,itappeared,)gavemegreatpleasure,andIhavebeenveryearnestlywishingyousuccess:buthadIsupposedthatshewerenotyourattractiontoHartfield,Ishouldcertainlyhavethoughtyoujudgedillinmakingyourvisitssofrequent.AmItobelievethatyouhaveneversoughttorecommendyourselfparticularlytoMissSmith?—thatyouhaveneverthoughtseriouslyofher?” “Never,madam,”criedhe,affrontedinhisturn:“never,Iassureyou.IthinkseriouslyofMissSmith!—MissSmithisaverygoodsortofgirlandIshouldbehappytoseeherrespectablysettled.Iwishherextremelywell:and,nodoubt,therearemenwhomightnotobjectto—Everybodyhastheirlevel:butasformyself,Iamnot,Ithink,quitesomuchataloss.Ineednotsototallydespairofanequalalliance,astobeaddressingmyselftoMissSmith!—No,madam,myvisitstoHartfieldhavebeenforyourselfonlyandtheencouragementIreceived—” “Encouragement!—Igiveyouencouragement!—Sir,youhavebeenentirelymistakeninsupposingit.Ihaveseenyouonlyastheadmirerofmyfriend.Innootherlightcouldyouhavebeenmoretomethanacommonacquaintance.Iamexceedinglysorry:butitiswellthatthemistakeendswhereitdoes.Hadthesamebehaviourcontinued,MissSmithmighthavebeenledintoamisconceptionofyourviewsnotbeingaware,probably,anymorethanmyself,oftheverygreatinequalitywhichyouaresosensibleof.But,asitis,thedisappointmentissingle,and,Itrust,willnotbelasting.Ihavenothoughtsofmatrimonyatpresent.” Hewastooangrytosayanotherwordhermannertoodecidedtoinvitesupplicationandinthisstateofswellingresentment,andmutuallydeepmortification,theyhadtocontinuetogetherafewminuteslonger,forthefearsofMr.Woodhousehadconfinedthemtoafoot-pace.Iftherehadnotbeensomuchanger,therewouldhavebeendesperateawkwardnessbuttheirstraightforwardemotionsleftnoroomforthelittlezigzagsofembarrassment.WithoutknowingwhenthecarriageturnedintoVicarageLane,orwhenitstopped,theyfoundthemselves,allatonce,atthedoorofhishouseandhewasoutbeforeanothersyllablepassed.—Emmathenfeltitindispensabletowishhimagoodnight.Thecomplimentwasjustreturned,coldlyandproudlyand,underindescribableirritationofspirits,shewasthenconveyedtoHartfield. Thereshewaswelcomed,withtheutmostdelight,byherfather,whohadbeentremblingforthedangersofasolitarydrivefromVicarageLane—turningacornerwhichhecouldneverbeartothinkof—andinstrangehands—amerecommoncoachman—noJamesandthereitseemedasifherreturnonlywerewantedtomakeeverythinggowell:forMr.JohnKnightley,ashamedofhisill-humour,wasnowallkindnessandattentionandsoparticularlysolicitousforthecomfortofherfather,astoseem—ifnotquitereadytojoinhiminabasinofgruel—perfectlysensibleofitsbeingexceedinglywholesomeandthedaywasconcludinginpeaceandcomforttoalltheirlittleparty,exceptherself.—Buthermindhadneverbeeninsuchperturbationanditneededaverystrongefforttoappearattentiveandcheerfultilltheusualhourofseparatingallowedherthereliefofquietreflection.