LIII + 

Mrs.¬†WestonвАЩs friends were all made happy by her safety; and if the satisfaction of her well-doing could be increased to Emma, it was by knowing her to be the mother of a little girl. She had been decided in wishing for a Miss Weston. She would not acknowledge that it was with any view of making a match for her, hereafter, with either of IsabellaвАЩs sons; but she was convinced that a daughter would suit both father and mother best. It would be a great comfort to Mr.¬†Weston, as he grew olderвБ†вАФand even Mr.¬†Weston might be growing older ten years henceвБ†вАФto have his fireside enlivened by the sports and the nonsense, the freaks and the fancies of a child never banished from home; and Mrs.¬†WestonвБ†вАФno one could doubt that a daughter would be most to her; and it would be quite a pity that anyone who so well knew how to teach, should not have their powers in exercise again. + 

вАЬShe has had the advantage, you know, of practising on me,вАЭ she continuedвБ†вАФвАЬlike La Baronne dвАЩAlmane on La Comtesse dвАЩOstalis, in Madame de GenlisвАЩ Adelaide and Theodore, and we shall now see her own little Adelaide educated on a more perfect plan.вАЭ + 

вАЬThat is,вАЭ replied Mr.¬†Knightley, вАЬshe will indulge her even more than she did you, and believe that she does not indulge her at all. It will be the only difference.вАЭ + 

вАЬPoor child!вАЭ cried Emma; вАЬat that rate, what will become of her?вАЭ + 

вАЬNothing very bad.вБ†вАФThe fate of thousands. She will be disagreeable in infancy, and correct herself as she grows older. I am losing all my bitterness against spoilt children, my dearest Emma. I, who am owing all my happiness to you, would not it be horrible ingratitude in me to be severe on them?вАЭ + 

Emma laughed, and replied: вАЬBut I had the assistance of all your endeavours to counteract the indulgence of other people. I doubt whether my own sense would have corrected me without it.вАЭ + 

вАЬDo you?вБ†вАФI have no doubt. Nature gave you understanding:вБ†вАФMiss Taylor gave you principles. You must have done well. My interference was quite as likely to do harm as good. It was very natural for you to say, what right has he to lecture me?вБ†вАФand I am afraid very natural for you to feel that it was done in a disagreeable manner. I do not believe I did you any good. The good was all to myself, by making you an object of the tenderest affection to me. I could not think about you so much without doting on you, faults and all; and by dint of fancying so many errors, have been in love with you ever since you were thirteen at least.вАЭ + 

вАЬI am sure you were of use to me,вАЭ cried Emma. вАЬI was very often influenced rightly by youвБ†вАФoftener than I would own at the time. I am very sure you did me good. And if poor little Anna Weston is to be spoiled, it will be the greatest humanity in you to do as much for her as you have done for me, except falling in love with her when she is thirteen.вАЭ + 

вАЬHow often, when you were a girl, have you said to me, with one of your saucy looksвБ†вАФвАШMr.¬†Knightley, I am going to do so-and-so; papa says I may, or I have Miss TaylorвАЩs leaveвАЩвБ†вАФsomething which, you knew, I did not approve. In such cases my interference was giving you two bad feelings instead of one.вАЭ + 

вАЬWhat an amiable creature I was!вБ†вАФNo wonder you should hold my speeches in such affectionate remembrance.вАЭ + 

вАЬвАКвАШMr.¬†Knightley.вАЩвБ†вАФYou always called me, вАШMr.¬†Knightley;вАЩ and, from habit, it has not so very formal a sound.вБ†вАФAnd yet it is formal. I want you to call me something else, but I do not know what.вАЭ + 

вАЬI remember once calling you вАШGeorge,вАЩ in one of my amiable fits, about ten years ago. I did it because I thought it would offend you; but, as you made no objection, I never did it again.вАЭ + 

вАЬAnd cannot you call me вАШGeorgeвАЩ now?вАЭ + 

вАЬImpossible!вБ†вАФI never can call you anything but вАШMr.¬†Knightley.вАЩ I will not promise even to equal the elegant terseness of Mrs.¬†Elton, by calling you Mr.¬†K.вБ†вАФBut I will promise,вАЭ she added presently, laughing and blushingвБ†вАФвАЬI will promise to call you once by your Christian name. I do not say when, but perhaps you may guess where;вБ†вАФin the building in which N. takes M. for better, for worse.вАЭ + 

Emma grieved that she could not be more openly just to one important service which his better sense would have rendered her, to the advice which would have saved her from the worst of all her womanly folliesвБ†вАФher wilful intimacy with Harriet Smith; but it was too tender a subject.вБ†вАФShe could not enter on it.вБ†вАФHarriet was very seldom mentioned between them. This, on his side, might merely proceed from her not being thought of; but Emma was rather inclined to attribute it to delicacy, and a suspicion, from some appearances, that their friendship were declining. She was aware herself, that, parting under any other circumstances, they certainly should have corresponded more, and that her intelligence would not have rested, as it now almost wholly did, on IsabellaвАЩs letters. He might observe that it was so. The pain of being obliged to practise concealment towards him, was very little inferior to the pain of having made Harriet unhappy. + 

Isabella sent quite as good an account of her visitor as could be expected; on her first arrival she had thought her out of spirits, which appeared perfectly natural, as there was a dentist to be consulted; but, since that business had been over, she did not appear to find Harriet different from what she had known her before.вБ†вАФIsabella, to be sure, was no very quick observer; yet if Harriet had not been equal to playing with the children, it would not have escaped her. EmmaвАЩs comforts and hopes were most agreeably carried on, by HarrietвАЩs being to stay longer; her fortnight was likely to be a month at least. Mr.¬†and Mrs.¬†John Knightley were to come down in August, and she was invited to remain till they could bring her back. + 

вАЬJohn does not even mention your friend,вАЭ said Mr.¬†Knightley. вАЬHere is his answer, if you like to see it.вАЭ + 

It was the answer to the communication of his intended marriage. Emma accepted it with a very eager hand, with an impatience all alive to know what he would say about it, and not at all checked by hearing that her friend was unmentioned. + 

вАЬJohn enters like a brother into my happiness,вАЭ continued Mr.¬†Knightley, вАЬbut he is no complimenter; and though I well know him to have, likewise, a most brotherly affection for you, he is so far from making flourishes, that any other young woman might think him rather cool in her praise. But I am not afraid of your seeing what he writes.вАЭ + 

вАЬHe writes like a sensible man,вАЭ replied Emma, when she had read the letter. вАЬI honour his sincerity. It is very plain that he considers the good fortune of the engagement as all on my side, but that he is not without hope of my growing, in time, as worthy of your affection, as you think me already. Had he said anything to bear a different construction, I should not have believed him.вАЭ + 

вАЬMy Emma, he means no such thing. He only meansвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬHe and I should differ very little in our estimation of the two,вАЭ interrupted she, with a sort of serious smileвБ†вАФвАЬmuch less, perhaps, than he is aware of, if we could enter without ceremony or reserve on the subject.вАЭ + 

вАЬEmma, my dear EmmaвБ†вАФвАЭ + 

вАЬOh!вАЭ she cried with more thorough gaiety, вАЬif you fancy your brother does not do me justice, only wait till my dear father is in the secret, and hear his opinion. Depend upon it, he will be much farther from doing you justice. He will think all the happiness, all the advantage, on your side of the question; all the merit on mine. I wish I may not sink into вАШpoor EmmaвАЩ with him at once.вБ†вАФHis tender compassion towards oppressed worth can go no farther.вАЭ + 

вАЬAh!вАЭ he cried, вАЬI wish your father might be half as easily convinced as John will be, of our having every right that equal worth can give, to be happy together. I am amused by one part of JohnвАЩs letterвБ†вАФdid you notice it?вБ†вАФwhere he says, that my information did not take him wholly by surprise, that he was rather in expectation of hearing something of the kind.вАЭ + 

вАЬIf I understand your brother, he only means so far as your having some thoughts of marrying. He had no idea of me. He seems perfectly unprepared for that.вАЭ + 

вАЬYes, yesвБ†вАФbut I am amused that he should have seen so far into my feelings. What has he been judging by?вБ†вАФI am not conscious of any difference in my spirits or conversation that could prepare him at this time for my marrying any more than at another.вБ†вАФBut it was so, I suppose. I dare say there was a difference when I was staying with them the other day. I believe I did not play with the children quite so much as usual. I remember one evening the poor boys saying, вАШUncle seems always tired now.вАЩвАКвАЭ + 

The time was coming when the news must spread farther, and other personsвАЩ reception of it tried. As soon as Mrs.¬†Weston was sufficiently recovered to admit Mr.¬†WoodhouseвАЩs visits, Emma having it in view that her gentle reasonings should be employed in the cause, resolved first to announce it at home, and then at Randalls.вБ†вАФBut how to break it to her father at last!вБ†вАФShe had bound herself to do it, in such an hour of Mr.¬†KnightleyвАЩs absence, or when it came to the point her heart would have failed her, and she must have put it off; but Mr.¬†Knightley was to come at such a time, and follow up the beginning she was to make.вБ†вАФShe was forced to speak, and to speak cheerfully too. She must not make it a more decided subject of misery to him, by a melancholy tone herself. She must not appear to think it a misfortune.вБ†вАФWith all the spirits she could command, she prepared him first for something strange, and then, in a few words, said, that if his consent and approbation could be obtainedвБ†вАФwhich, she trusted, would be attended with no difficulty, since it was a plan to promote the happiness of allвБ†вАФshe and Mr.¬†Knightley meant to marry; by which means Hartfield would receive the constant addition of that personвАЩs company whom she knew he loved, next to his daughters and Mrs.¬†Weston, best in the world. + 

Poor man!вБ†вАФit was at first a considerable shock to him, and he tried earnestly to dissuade her from it. She was reminded, more than once, of having always said she would never marry, and assured that it would be a great deal better for her to remain single; and told of poor Isabella, and poor Miss Taylor.вБ†вАФBut it would not do. Emma hung about him affectionately, and smiled, and said it must be so; and that he must not class her with Isabella and Mrs.¬†Weston, whose marriages taking them from Hartfield, had, indeed, made a melancholy change: but she was not going from Hartfield; she should be always there; she was introducing no change in their numbers or their comforts but for the better; and she was very sure that he would be a great deal the happier for having Mr.¬†Knightley always at hand, when he were once got used to the idea.вБ†вАФDid he not love Mr.¬†Knightley very much?вБ†вАФHe would not deny that he did, she was sure.вБ†вАФWhom did he ever want to consult on business but Mr.¬†Knightley?вБ†вАФWho was so useful to him, who so ready to write his letters, who so glad to assist him?вБ†вАФWho so cheerful, so attentive, so attached to him?вБ†вАФWould not he like to have him always on the spot?вБ†вАФYes. That was all very true. Mr.¬†Knightley could not be there too often; he should be glad to see him every day;вБ†вАФbut they did see him every day as it was.вБ†вАФWhy could not they go on as they had done? + 

Mr.¬†Woodhouse could not be soon reconciled; but the worst was overcome, the idea was given; time and continual repetition must do the rest.вБ†вАФTo EmmaвАЩs entreaties and assurances succeeded Mr.¬†KnightleyвАЩs, whose fond praise of her gave the subject even a kind of welcome; and he was soon used to be talked to by each, on every fair occasion.вБ†вАФThey had all the assistance which Isabella could give, by letters of the strongest approbation; and Mrs.¬†Weston was ready, on the first meeting, to consider the subject in the most serviceable lightвБ†вАФfirst, as a settled, and, secondly, as a good oneвБ†вАФwell aware of the nearly equal importance of the two recommendations to Mr.¬†WoodhouseвАЩs mind.вБ†вАФIt was agreed upon, as what was to be; and everybody by whom he was used to be guided assuring him that it would be for his happiness; and having some feelings himself which almost admitted it, he began to think that some time or otherвБ†вАФin another year or two, perhapsвБ†вАФit might not be so very bad if the marriage did take place. + 

Mrs.¬†Weston was acting no part, feigning no feelings in all that she said to him in favour of the event.вБ†вАФShe had been extremely surprised, never more so, than when Emma first opened the affair to her; but she saw in it only increase of happiness to all, and had no scruple in urging him to the utmost.вБ†вАФShe had such a regard for Mr.¬†Knightley, as to think he deserved even her dearest Emma; and it was in every respect so proper, suitable, and unexceptionable a connection, and in one respect, one point of the highest importance, so peculiarly eligible, so singularly fortunate, that now it seemed as if Emma could not safely have attached herself to any other creature, and that she had herself been the stupidest of beings in not having thought of it, and wished it long ago.вБ†вАФHow very few of those men in a rank of life to address Emma would have renounced their own home for Hartfield! And who but Mr.¬†Knightley could know and bear with Mr.¬†Woodhouse, so as to make such an arrangement desirable!вБ†вАФThe difficulty of disposing of poor Mr.¬†Woodhouse had been always felt in her husbandвАЩs plans and her own, for a marriage between Frank and Emma. How to settle the claims of Enscombe and Hartfield had been a continual impedimentвБ†вАФless acknowledged by Mr.¬†Weston than by herselfвБ†вАФbut even he had never been able to finish the subject better than by sayingвБ†вАФвАЬThose matters will take care of themselves; the young people will find a way.вАЭ But here there was nothing to be shifted off in a wild speculation on the future. It was all right, all open, all equal. No sacrifice on any side worth the name. It was a union of the highest promise of felicity in itself, and without one real, rational difficulty to oppose or delay it. + 

Mrs.¬†Weston, with her baby on her knee, indulging in such reflections as these, was one of the happiest women in the world. If anything could increase her delight, it was perceiving that the baby would soon have outgrown its first set of caps. + 

The news was universally a surprise wherever it spread; and Mr.¬†Weston had his five minutes share of it; but five minutes were enough to familiarise the idea to his quickness of mind.вБ†вАФHe saw the advantages of the match, and rejoiced in them with all the constancy of his wife; but the wonder of it was very soon nothing; and by the end of an hour he was not far from believing that he had always foreseen it. + 

вАЬIt is to be a secret, I conclude,вАЭ said he. вАЬThese matters are always a secret, till it is found out that everybody knows them. Only let me be told when I may speak out.вБ†вАФI wonder whether Jane has any suspicion.вАЭ + 

He went to Highbury the next morning, and satisfied himself on that point. He told her the news. Was not she like a daughter, his eldest daughter?вБ†вАФhe must tell her; and Miss Bates being present, it passed, of course, to Mrs.¬†Cole, Mrs.¬†Perry, and Mrs.¬†Elton, immediately afterwards. It was no more than the principals were prepared for; they had calculated from the time of its being known at Randalls, how soon it would be over Highbury; and were thinking of themselves, as the evening wonder in many a family circle, with great sagacity. + 

In general, it was a very well approved match. Some might think him, and others might think her, the most in luck. One set might recommend their all removing to Donwell, and leaving Hartfield for the John Knightleys; and another might predict disagreements among their servants; but yet, upon the whole, there was no serious objection raised, except in one habitation, the Vicarage.вБ†вАФThere, the surprise was not softened by any satisfaction. Mr.¬†Elton cared little about it, compared with his wife; he only hoped вАЬthe young ladyвАЩs pride would now be contented;вАЭ and supposed вАЬshe had always meant to catch Knightley if she could;вАЭ and, on the point of living at Hartfield, could daringly exclaim, вАЬRather he than I!вАЭвБ†вАФBut Mrs.¬†Elton was very much discomposed indeed.вБ†вАФвАЬPoor Knightley! poor fellow!вБ†вАФsad business for him.вАЭвБ†вАФShe was extremely concerned; for, though very eccentric, he had a thousand good qualities.вБ†вАФHow could he be so taken in?вБ†вАФDid not think him at all in loveвБ†вАФnot in the least.вБ†вАФPoor Knightley!вБ†вАФThere would be an end of all pleasant intercourse with him.вБ†вАФHow happy he had been to come and dine with them whenever they asked him! But that would be all over now.вБ†вАФPoor fellow!вБ†вАФNo more exploring parties to Donwell made for her. Oh! no; there would be a Mrs.¬†Knightley to throw cold water on everything.вБ†вАФExtremely disagreeable! But she was not at all sorry that she had abused the housekeeper the other day.вБ†вАФShocking plan, living together. It would never do. She knew a family near Maple Grove who had tried it, and been obliged to separate before the end of the first quarter. + 