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the happiest of mortals.--Frank Churchill is, indeed, the favourite of fortune. Every thing turns out for his
good.--He meets with a young woman at a watering-place, gains her affection, cannot even weary her by
negligent treatment--and had he and all his family sought round the world for a perfect wife for him, they
could not have found her superior.--His aunt is in the way.--His aunt dies.--He has only to speak.--His
friends are eager to promote his happiness.-- He had used every body ill--and they are all delighted to
forgive him.-- He is a fortunate man indeed!"
"You speak as if you envied him."
"And I do envy him, Emma. In one respect he is the object of my envy."
Emma could say no more. They seemed to be within half a sentence of Harriet, and her immediate
feeling was to avert the subject, if possible. She made her plan; she would speak of something totally
different--the children in Brunswick Square; and she only waited for breath to begin, when Mr. Knightley
startled her, by saying,
"You will not ask me what is the point of envy.--You are determined, I see, to have no
curiosity.--You are wise--but I cannot be wise. Emma, I must tell you what you will not ask, though I
may wish it unsaid the next moment."
"Oh! then, don't speak it, don't speak it," she eagerly cried. "Take a little time, consider, do not
commit yourself."
"Thank you," said he, in an accent of deep mortification, and not another syllable followed.
Emma could not bear to give him pain. He was wishing to confide in her-- perhaps to consult
her;--cost her what it would, she would listen. She might assist his resolution, or reconcile him to it; she
might give just praise to Harriet, or, by representing to him his own independence, relieve him from that
state of indecision, which must be more intolerable than any alternative to such a mind as his.--They had
reached the house.
"You are going in, I suppose?" said he.
"No,"--replied Emma--quite confirmed by the depressed manner in which he still spoke--"I should
like to take another turn. Mr. Perry is not gone." And, after proceeding a few steps, she added-- "I
stopped you ungraciously, just now, Mr. Knightley, and, I am afraid, gave you pain.--But if you have any
wish to speak openly to me as a friend, or to ask my opinion of any thing that you may have in
contemplation--as a friend, indeed, you may command me.--I will hear whatever you like. I will tell you
exactly what I think."
"As a friend!"--repeated Mr. Knightley.--"Emma, that I fear is a word--No, I have no wish--Stay,
yes, why should I hesitate?-- I have gone too far already for concealment.--Emma, I accept your offer--
Extraordinary as it may seem, I accept it, and refer myself to you as a friend.--Tell me, then, have I no
chance of ever succeeding?"
He stopped in his earnestness to look the question, and the expression of his eyes overpowered her.
"My dearest Emma," said he, "for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour's
conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma--tell me at once. Say `No,' if it is to be said."-- She could
really say nothing.--"You are silent," he cried, with great animation; "absolutely silent! at present I ask no
more."
Emma was almost ready to sink under the agitation of this moment. The dread of being awakened
from the happiest dream, was perhaps the most prominent feeling.
"I cannot make speeches, Emma:" he soon resumed; and in a tone of such sincere, decided,
intelligible tenderness as was tolerably convincing.--"If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it
more. But you know what I am.--You hear nothing but truth from me.--I have blamed you, and lectured
you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it.-- Bear with the truths I
would tell you now, dearest Emma, as well as you have borne with them. The manner, perhaps, may
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have as little to recommend them. God knows, I have been a very indifferent lover.-- But you understand
me.--Yes, you see, you understand my feelings-- and will return them if you can. At present, I ask only
to hear, once to hear your voice."
While he spoke, Emma's mind was most busy, and, with all the wonderful velocity of thought, had [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]