CHAPTER XVI

Thehairwascurled,andthemaidsentaway,andEmmasatdowntothinkandbemiserable.—Itwasawretchedbusinessindeed!—Suchanoverthrowofeverythingshehadbeenwishingfor!—Suchadevelopmentofeverythingmostunwelcome!—SuchablowforHarriet!—thatwastheworstofall.Everypartofitbroughtpainandhumiliation,ofsomesortorotherbut,comparedwiththeeviltoHarriet,allwaslightandshewouldgladlyhavesubmittedtofeelyetmoremistaken—moreinerror—moredisgracedbymis-judgment,thansheactuallywas,couldtheeffectsofherblundershavebeenconfinedtoherself. “IfIhadnotpersuadedHarrietintolikingtheman,Icouldhaveborneanything.Hemighthavedoubledhispresumptiontome—butpoorHarriet!” Howshecouldhavebeensodeceived!—HeprotestedthathehadneverthoughtseriouslyofHarriet—never!Shelookedbackaswellasshecouldbutitwasallconfusion.Shehadtakenuptheidea,shesupposed,andmadeeverythingbendtoit.Hismanners,however,musthavebeenunmarked,wavering,dubious,orshecouldnothavebeensomisled. Thepicture!—Howeagerhehadbeenaboutthepicture!—andthecharade!—andanhundredothercircumstances—howclearlytheyhadseemedtopointatHarriet.Tobesure,thecharade,withits“readywit”—butthenthe“softeyes”—infactitsuitedneitheritwasajumblewithouttasteortruth.Whocouldhaveseenthroughsuchthick-headednonsense? Certainlyshehadoften,especiallyoflate,thoughthismannerstoherselfunnecessarilygallantbutithadpassedashisway,asamereerrorofjudgment,ofknowledge,oftaste,asoneproofamongothersthathehadnotalwayslivedinthebestsociety,thatwithallthegentlenessofhisaddress,trueelegancewassometimeswantingbut,tillthisveryday,shehadnever,foraninstant,suspectedittomeananythingbutgratefulrespecttoherasHarriet’sfriend. ToMr.JohnKnightleywassheindebtedforherfirstideaonthesubject,forthefirststartofitspossibility.Therewasnodenyingthatthosebrothershadpenetration.Sherememberedw