CHAPTER VIII
關燈
小
中
大
HarrietsleptatHartfieldthatnight.Forsomeweekspastshehadbeenspendingmorethanhalfhertimethere,andgraduallygettingtohaveabed-roomappropriatedtoherselfandEmmajudgeditbestineveryrespect,safestandkindest,tokeepherwiththemasmuchaspossiblejustatpresent.ShewasobligedtogothenextmorningforanhourortwotoMrs.Goddard’s,butitwasthentobesettledthatsheshouldreturntoHartfield,tomakearegularvisitofsomedays.
Whileshewasgone,Mr.Knightleycalled,andsatsometimewithMr.WoodhouseandEmma,tillMr.Woodhouse,whohadpreviouslymadeuphismindtowalkout,waspersuadedbyhisdaughternottodeferit,andwasinducedbytheentreatiesofboth,thoughagainstthescruplesofhisowncivility,toleaveMr.Knightleyforthatpurpose.Mr.Knightley,whohadnothingofceremonyabouthim,wasofferingbyhisshort,decidedanswers,anamusingcontrasttotheprotractedapologiesandcivilhesitationsoftheother.
“Well,Ibelieve,ifyouwillexcuseme,Mr.Knightley,ifyouwillnotconsidermeasdoingaveryrudething,IshalltakeEmma’sadviceandgooutforaquarterofanhour.Asthesunisout,IbelieveIhadbettertakemythreeturnswhileIcan.Itreatyouwithoutceremony,Mr.Knightley.Weinvalidsthinkweareprivilegedpeople.”
“Mydearsir,donotmakeastrangerofme.”
“Ileaveanexcellentsubstituteinmydaughter.Emmawillbehappytoentertainyou.AndthereforeIthinkIwillbegyourexcuseandtakemythreeturns—mywinterwalk.”
“Youcannotdobetter,sir.”
“Iwouldaskforthepleasureofyourcompany,Mr.Knightley,butIamaveryslowwalker,andmypacewouldbetedioustoyouand,besides,youhaveanotherlongwalkbeforeyou,toDonwellAbbey.”
“Thankyou,sir,thankyouIamgoingthismomentmyselfandIthinkthesooneryougothebetter.Iwillfetchyourgreatcoatandopenthegardendoorforyou.”
Mr.WoodhouseatlastwasoffbutMr.Knightley,insteadofbeingimmediatelyofflikewise,satdownagain,seeminglyinclinedformorechat.HebeganspeakingofHarriet,andspeakingofherwithmorevoluntarypraisethanEmmahadeverheardbefore.
“Icannotrateherbeautyasyoudo,”saidhe“butsheisaprettylittlecreature,andIaminclinedtothinkverywellofherdisposition.Hercharacterdependsuponthosesheiswithbutingoodhandsshewillturnoutavaluablewoman.”
“Iamgladyouthinksoandthegoodhands,Ihope,maynotbewanting.”
“Come,”saidhe,“youareanxiousforacompliment,soIwilltellyouthatyouhaveimprovedher.Youhavecuredherofherschool-girl’sgiggleshereallydoesyoucredit.”
“Thankyou.IshouldbemortifiedindeedifIdidnotbelieveIhadbeenofsomeusebutitisnoteverybodywhowillbestowpraisewheretheymay.Youdonotoftenoverpowermewithit.”
“Youareexpectingheragain,yousay,thismorning?”
“Almosteverymoment.Shehasbeengonelongeralreadythansheintended.”
“Somethinghashappenedtodelayhersomevisitorsperhaps.”
“Highburygossips!—Tiresomewretches!”
“Harrietmaynotconsidereverybodytiresomethatyouwould.”
Emmaknewthiswastootrueforcontradiction,andthereforesaidnothing.Hepresentlyadded,withasmile,
“Idonotpretendtofixontimesorplaces,butImusttellyouthatIhavegoodreasontobelieveyourlittlefriendwillsoonhearofsomethingtoheradvantage.”
“Indeed!howso?ofwhatsort?”
“Averyserioussort,Iassureyou”stillsmiling.
“Veryserious!Icanthinkofbutonething—Whoisinlovewithher?Whomakesyoutheirconfidant?”
EmmawasmorethanhalfinhopesofMr.Elton’shavingdroptahint.Mr.Knightleywasasortofgeneralfriendandadviser,andsheknewMr.Eltonlookeduptohim.
“Ihavereasontothink,”hereplied,“thatHarrietSmithwillsoonhaveanofferofmarriage,andfromamostunexceptionablequarter:—RobertMartinistheman.HervisittoAbbey-Mill,thissummer,seemstohavedonehisbusiness.Heisdesperatelyinloveandmeanstomarryher.”
“Heisveryobliging,”saidEmma“butishesurethatHarrietmeanstomarryhim?”
“Well,well,meanstomakeheranofferthen.Willthatdo?HecametotheAbbeytwoeveningsago,onpurposetoconsultmeaboutit.HeknowsIhaveathoroughregardforhimandallhisfamily,and,Ibelieve,considersmeasoneofhisbestfriends.HecametoaskmewhetherIthoughtitwouldbeimprudentinhimtosettlesoearlywhetherIthoughthertooyoung:inshort,whetherIapprovedhischo
