[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
taken, and the kindness I am now receiving, is what my conscience tells me ought not to be.' `Do not
imagine, madam,' she continued, `that I was taught wrong. Do not let any reflection fall on the principles
or the care of the friends who brought me up. The error has been all my own; and I do assure you that,
with all the excuse that present circumstances may appear to give, I shall yet dread making the story
known to Colonel Campbell.'"
"Poor girl!" said Emma again. "She loves him then excessively, I suppose. It must have been from
attachment only, that she could be led to form the engagement. Her affection must have overpowered her
judgment."
"Yes, I have no doubt of her being extremely attached to him."
"I am afraid," returned Emma, sighing, "that I must often have contributed to make her unhappy."
"On your side, my love, it was very innocently done. But she probably had something of that in her
thoughts, when alluding to the misunderstandings which he had given us hints of before. One natural
consequence of the evil she had involved herself in," she said, "was that of making her unreasonable. The
consciousness of having done amiss, had exposed her to a thousand inquietudes, and made her captious
and irritable to a degree that must have been-- that had been--hard for him to bear. `I did not make the
allowances,' said she, `which I ought to have done, for his temper and spirits-- his delightful spirits, and
that gaiety, that playfulness of disposition, which, under any other circumstances, would, I am sure, have
been as constantly bewitching to me, as they were at first.' She then began to speak of you, and of the
great kindness you had shewn her during her illness; and with a blush which shewed me how it was all
connected, desired me, whenever I had an opportunity, to thank you--I could not thank you too
much--for every wish and every endeavour to do her good. She was sensible that you had never
received any proper acknowledgment from herself."
"If I did not know her to be happy now," said Emma, seriously, "which, in spite of every little
drawback from her scrupulous conscience, she must be, I could not bear these thanks;--for, oh! Mrs.
Weston, if there were an account drawn up of the evil and the good I have done Miss Fairfax!--Well
(checking herself, and trying to be more lively), this is all to be forgotten. You are very kind to bring me
these interesting particulars. They shew her to the greatest advantage. I am sure she is very good-- I
hope she will be very happy. It is fit that the fortune should be on his side, for I think the merit will be all
on hers."
Such a conclusion could not pass unanswered by Mrs. Weston. She thought well of Frank in almost
every respect; and, what was more, she loved him very much, and her defence was, therefore, earnest.
She talked with a great deal of reason, and at least equal affection-- but she had too much to urge for
Emma's attention; it was soon gone to Brunswick Square or to Donwell; she forgot to attempt to listen;
and when Mrs. Weston ended with, "We have not yet had the letter we are so anxious for, you know,
but I hope it will soon come," she was obliged to pause before she answered, and at last obliged to
answer at random, before she could at all recollect what letter it was which they were so anxious for.
"Are you well, my Emma?" was Mrs. Weston's parting question.
"Oh! perfectly. I am always well, you know. Be sure to give me intelligence of the letter as soon as
possible."
Mrs. Weston's communications furnished Emma with more food for unpleasant reflection, by
increasing her esteem and compassion, and her sense of past injustice towards Miss Fairfax. She bitterly
regretted not having sought a closer acquaintance with her, and blushed for the envious feelings which
Page 164
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had certainly been, in some measure, the cause. Had she followed Mr. Knightley's known wishes, in
paying that attention to Miss Fairfax, which was every way her due; had she tried to know her better;
had she done her part towards intimacy; had she endeavoured to find a friend there instead of in Harriet
Smith; she must, in all probability, have been spared from every pain which pressed on her now.--Birth, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
taken, and the kindness I am now receiving, is what my conscience tells me ought not to be.' `Do not
imagine, madam,' she continued, `that I was taught wrong. Do not let any reflection fall on the principles
or the care of the friends who brought me up. The error has been all my own; and I do assure you that,
with all the excuse that present circumstances may appear to give, I shall yet dread making the story
known to Colonel Campbell.'"
"Poor girl!" said Emma again. "She loves him then excessively, I suppose. It must have been from
attachment only, that she could be led to form the engagement. Her affection must have overpowered her
judgment."
"Yes, I have no doubt of her being extremely attached to him."
"I am afraid," returned Emma, sighing, "that I must often have contributed to make her unhappy."
"On your side, my love, it was very innocently done. But she probably had something of that in her
thoughts, when alluding to the misunderstandings which he had given us hints of before. One natural
consequence of the evil she had involved herself in," she said, "was that of making her unreasonable. The
consciousness of having done amiss, had exposed her to a thousand inquietudes, and made her captious
and irritable to a degree that must have been-- that had been--hard for him to bear. `I did not make the
allowances,' said she, `which I ought to have done, for his temper and spirits-- his delightful spirits, and
that gaiety, that playfulness of disposition, which, under any other circumstances, would, I am sure, have
been as constantly bewitching to me, as they were at first.' She then began to speak of you, and of the
great kindness you had shewn her during her illness; and with a blush which shewed me how it was all
connected, desired me, whenever I had an opportunity, to thank you--I could not thank you too
much--for every wish and every endeavour to do her good. She was sensible that you had never
received any proper acknowledgment from herself."
"If I did not know her to be happy now," said Emma, seriously, "which, in spite of every little
drawback from her scrupulous conscience, she must be, I could not bear these thanks;--for, oh! Mrs.
Weston, if there were an account drawn up of the evil and the good I have done Miss Fairfax!--Well
(checking herself, and trying to be more lively), this is all to be forgotten. You are very kind to bring me
these interesting particulars. They shew her to the greatest advantage. I am sure she is very good-- I
hope she will be very happy. It is fit that the fortune should be on his side, for I think the merit will be all
on hers."
Such a conclusion could not pass unanswered by Mrs. Weston. She thought well of Frank in almost
every respect; and, what was more, she loved him very much, and her defence was, therefore, earnest.
She talked with a great deal of reason, and at least equal affection-- but she had too much to urge for
Emma's attention; it was soon gone to Brunswick Square or to Donwell; she forgot to attempt to listen;
and when Mrs. Weston ended with, "We have not yet had the letter we are so anxious for, you know,
but I hope it will soon come," she was obliged to pause before she answered, and at last obliged to
answer at random, before she could at all recollect what letter it was which they were so anxious for.
"Are you well, my Emma?" was Mrs. Weston's parting question.
"Oh! perfectly. I am always well, you know. Be sure to give me intelligence of the letter as soon as
possible."
Mrs. Weston's communications furnished Emma with more food for unpleasant reflection, by
increasing her esteem and compassion, and her sense of past injustice towards Miss Fairfax. She bitterly
regretted not having sought a closer acquaintance with her, and blushed for the envious feelings which
Page 164
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
had certainly been, in some measure, the cause. Had she followed Mr. Knightley's known wishes, in
paying that attention to Miss Fairfax, which was every way her due; had she tried to know her better;
had she done her part towards intimacy; had she endeavoured to find a friend there instead of in Harriet
Smith; she must, in all probability, have been spared from every pain which pressed on her now.--Birth, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]