[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

elder sister, who was very well married, to a gentleman in a great way, near Bristol, who kept two
carriages! That was the wind-up of the history; that was the glory of Miss Hawkins.
Could she but have given Harriet her feelings about it all! She had talked her into love; but, alas! she
was not so easily to be talked out of it. The charm of an object to occupy the many vacancies of Harriet's
mind was not to be talked away. He might be superseded by another; he certainly would indeed; nothing
could be clearer; even a Robert Martin would have been sufficient; but nothing else, she feared, would
cure her. Harriet was one of those, who, having once begun, would be always in love. And now, poor
girl! she was considerably worse from this reappearance of Mr. Elton. She was always having a glimpse
of him somewhere or other. Emma saw him only once; but two or three times every day Harriet was sure
just to meet with him, or just to miss him, just to hear his voice, or see his shoulder, just to have
something occur to preserve him in her fancy, in all the favouring warmth of surprize and conjecture. She
was, moreover, perpetually hearing about him; for, excepting when at Hartfield, she was always among
those who saw no fault in Mr. Elton, and found nothing so interesting as the discussion of his concerns;
and every report, therefore, every guess--all that had already occurred, all that might occur in the
arrangement of his affairs, comprehending income, servants, and furniture, was continually in agitation
around her. Her regard was receiving strength by invariable praise of him, and her regrets kept alive, and
feelings irritated by ceaseless repetitions of Miss Hawkins's happiness, and continual observation of, how
much he seemed attached!-- his air as he walked by the house--the very sitting of his hat, being all in
proof of how much he was in love!
Had it been allowable entertainment, had there been no pain to her friend, or reproach to herself, in
the waverings of Harriet's mind, Emma would have been amused by its variations. Sometimes Mr. Elton
predominated, sometimes the Martins; and each was occasionally useful as a check to the other. Mr.
Elton's engagement had been the cure of the agitation of meeting Mr. Martin. The unhappiness produced
Page 55
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
by the knowledge of that engagement had been a little put aside by Elizabeth Martin's calling at Mrs.
Goddard's a few days afterwards. Harriet had not been at home; but a note had been prepared and left
for her, written in the very style to touch; a small mixture of reproach, with a great deal of kindness; and
till Mr. Elton himself appeared, she had been much occupied by it, continually pondering over what could
be done in return, and wishing to do more than she dared to confess. But Mr. Elton, in person, had
driven away all such cares. While he staid, the Martins were forgotten; and on the very morning of his
setting off for Bath again, Emma, to dissipate some of the distress it occasioned, judged it best for her to
return Elizabeth Martin's visit.
How that visit was to be acknowledged--what would be necessary-- and what might be safest, had
been a point of some doubtful consideration. Absolute neglect of the mother and sisters, when invited to
come, would be ingratitude. It must not be: and yet the danger of a renewal of the acquaintance!--
After much thinking, she could determine on nothing better, than Harriet's returning the visit; but in a
way that, if they had understanding, should convince them that it was to be only a formal acquaintance.
She meant to take her in the carriage, leave her at the Abbey Mill, while she drove a little farther, and call
for her again so soon, as to allow no time for insidious applications or dangerous recurrences to the past,
and give the most decided proof of what degree of intimacy was chosen for the future.
She could think of nothing better: and though there was something in it which her own heart could not
approve--something of ingratitude, merely glossed over--it must be done, or what would become of
Harriet?
CHAPTER V
mall heart had Harriet for visiting. Only half an hour before her friend called for her at Mrs.
S
Goddard's, her evil stars had led her to the very spot where, at that moment, a trunk, directed to The [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]