CHAPTER XVIII
關燈
小
中
大
ion.Ishall,therefore,setoffto-morrow.’—Ifhewouldsaysotoheratonce,inthetoneofdecisionbecomingaman,therewouldbenooppositionmadetohisgoing.”
“No,”saidEmma,laughing“butperhapstheremightbesomemadetohiscomingbackagain.Suchlanguageforayoungmanentirelydependent,touse!—Nobodybutyou,Mr.Knightley,wouldimagineitpossible.Butyouhavenotanideaofwhatisrequisiteinsituationsdirectlyoppositetoyourown.Mr.FrankChurchilltobemakingsuchaspeechasthattotheuncleandaunt,whohavebroughthimup,andaretoprovideforhim!—Standingupinthemiddleoftheroom,Isuppose,andspeakingasloudashecould!—Howcanyouimaginesuchconductpracticable?”
“Dependuponit,Emma,asensiblemanwouldfindnodifficultyinit.Hewouldfeelhimselfintherightandthedeclaration—made,ofcourse,asamanofsensewouldmakeit,inapropermanner—woulddohimmoregood,raisehimhigher,fixhisintereststrongerwiththepeoplehedependedon,thanallthatalineofshiftsandexpedientscaneverdo.Respectwouldbeaddedtoaffection.Theywouldfeelthattheycouldtrusthimthatthenephewwhohaddonerightlybyhisfather,woulddorightlybythemfortheyknow,aswellashedoes,aswellasalltheworldmustknow,thatheoughttopaythisvisittohisfatherandwhilemeanlyexertingtheirpowertodelayit,areintheirheartsnotthinkingthebetterofhimforsubmittingtotheirwhims.Respectforrightconductisfeltbyeverybody.Ifhewouldactinthissortofmanner,onprinciple,consistently,regularly,theirlittlemindswouldbendtohis.”
“Iratherdoubtthat.Youareveryfondofbendinglittlemindsbutwherelittlemindsbelongtorichpeopleinauthority,Ithinktheyhaveaknackofswellingout,tilltheyarequiteasunmanageableasgreatones.Icanimagine,thatifyou,asyouare,Mr.Knightley,weretobetransportedandplacedallatonceinMr.FrankChurchill’ssituation,youwouldbeabletosayanddojustwhatyouhavebeenrecommendingforhimanditmighthaveaverygoodeffect.TheChurchillsmightnothaveawordtosayinreturnbutthen,youwouldhavenohabitsofearlyobedienceandlongobservancetobreakthrough.Tohimwhohas,itmightnotbesoeasytoburstforthatonceintoperfectindependence,andsetalltheirclaimsonhisgratitudeandregardatnought.Hemayhaveasstrongasenseofwhatwouldberight,asyoucanhave,withoutbeingsoequal,underparticularcircumstances,toactuptoit.”
“Thenitwouldnotbesostrongasense.Ifitfailedtoproduceequalexertion,itcouldnotbeanequalconviction.”
“Oh,thedifferenceofsituationandhabit!Iwishyouwouldtrytounder
