“Mr. Knightley and Jane Fairfax!” exclaimed Emma. “Dear Mrs. Weston,how could you think of such a thing?—Mr. Knightley!—Mr. Knightley must not marry!—You would not have little Henry cut out from Donwell?—Oh!no, no, Henry must have Donwell.I cannot at all consent to Mr. Knightley’s marrying;and I am sure it is not at all likely.I am amazed that you should think of such a thing.”
“My dear Emma, I have told you what led me to think of it.I do not want the match—I do not want to injure dear little Henry—but the idea has been given me by circumstances; and if Mr. Knightley really wished to marry, you would not have him refrain on Henry’s account, a boy of six years old, who knows nothing of the matter?”
“Yes, I would. I could not bear to have Henry supplanted.—Mr. Knightley marry!—No, I have never had such an idea,and I cannot adopt it now. And Jane Fairfax, too, of all women!”
“Nay, she has always been a first favourite with him,as you very well know.”
“But the imprudence of such a match!”
“I am not speaking of its prudence;merely its probability.”
“I see no probability in it,unless you have any better foundation than what you mention.His good-nature, his humanity, as I tell you,would be quite enough to account for the horses.He has a great regard for the Bateses, you know,independent of Jane Fairfax—and is always glad to shew them attention.My dear Mrs. Weston, do not take to match-making.You do it very ill. Jane Fairfax mistress of the Abbey!—Oh!no, no;—every feeling revolts. For his own sake,I would not have him do so mad a thing.”
“Imprudent, if you please—but not mad.Excepting inequality of fortune,and perhaps a little disparity of age,I can see nothing unsuitable.”
“But Mr. Knightley does not want to marry.I am sure he has not the least idea of it.Do not put it into his head. Why should he marry?—He is as happy as possible by himself; with his farm,and his sheep, and his library,and all the parish to manage;and he is extremely fond of his brother’s children.He has no occasion to marry,either to fill up his time or his heart.”
“My dear Emma, as long as he thinks so, it is so;but if he really loves Jane Fairfax—”
“Nonsense!He does not care about Jane Fairfax. In the way of love,I am sure he does not. He would do any good to her,or her family; but—”
“Well,” said Mrs. Weston, laughing,“perhaps the greatest good he could do them,would be to give Jane such a respectable home.”
“If it would be good to her,I am sure it would be evil to himself;a very shameful and degrading connexion.How would he bear to have Miss Bates belonging to him?—To have her haunting the Abbey,and thanking him all day long for his great kindness in marrying Jane?—‘So very kind and obliging!—But he always had been such a very kind neighbour!’ And then fly off, through half a sentence,to her mother’s old petticoat.‘Not that it was such a very old petticoat either—for still it would last a great while—and, indeed, she must thankfully say that their petticoats were all very strong.’”
“For shame, Emma!Do not mimic her. You divert me against my conscience.And, upon my word, I do not think Mr.Knightley would be much disturbed by Miss Bates.Little things do not irritate him. She might talk on;and if he wanted to say any thing himself,he would only talk louder, and drown her voice.But the question is not,whether it would be a bad connexion for him,but whether he wishes it; and I think he does.I have heard him speak, and so must you,so very highly of Jane Fairfax!The interest he takes in her—his anxiety about her health—his concern that she should have no happier prospect!I have heard him express himself so warmly on those points!—Such an admirer of her performance on the pianoforte, and of her voice!I have heard him say that he could listen to her for ever. Oh!and I had almost forgotten one idea that occurred to me—this pianoforte that has been sent here by somebody—though we have all been so well satisfied to consider it a present from the Campbells, may it not be from Mr. Knightley?I cannot help suspecting him.I think he is just the person to do it,even without being in love.”
“Then it can be no argument to prove that he is in love.But I do not think it is at all a likely thing for him to do.Mr. Knightley does nothing mysteriously.”
“I have heard him lamenting her having no instrument repeatedly;oftener than I should suppose such a circumstance would,in the common course of things, occur to him.”
“Very well; and if he had intended to give her one,he would have told her so.”
“There might be scruples of delicacy, my dear Emma.I have a very strong notion that it comes from him.I am sure he was particularly silent when Mrs.Cole told us of it at dinner.”
“You take up an idea, Mrs. Weston, and run away with it;as you have many a time reproached me with doing.I see no sign of attachment—I believe nothing of the pianoforte—and proof only shall convince me that Mr. Knightley has any thought of marrying Jane Fairfax.”
They combated the point some time longer in the same way;Emma rather gaining ground over the mind of her friend;for Mrs. Weston was the most used of the two to yield;till a little bustle in the room shewed them that tea was over,and the instrument in preparation;—and at the same moment Mr.Cole approaching to entreat Miss Woodhouse would do them the honour of trying it. Frank Churchill, of whom, in the eagerness of her conversation with Mrs. Weston, she had been seeing nothing, except that he had found a seat by Miss Fairfax, followed Mr. Cole, to add his very pressing entreaties; and as, in every respect, it suited Emma best to lead, she gave a very proper compliance.
She knew the limitations of her own powers too well to attempt more than she could perform with credit; she wanted neither taste nor spirit in the little things which are generally acceptable, and could accompany her own voice well. One accompaniment to her song took her agreeably by surprize—a second, slightly but correctly taken by Frank Churchill. Her pardon was duly begged at the close of the song, and every thing usual followed. He was accused of having a delightful voice, and a perfect knowledge of music; which was properly denied; and that he knew nothing of the matter, and had no voice at all, roundly asserted. They sang together once more; and Emma would then resign her place to Miss Fairfax, whose performance, both vocal and instrumental, she never could attempt to conceal from herself, was infinitely superior to her own.
With mixed feelings,she seated herself at a little distance from the numbers round the instrument,to listen. Frank Churchill sang again.They had sung together once or twice, it appeared,at Weymouth. But the sight of Mr.Knightley among the most attentive,soon drew away half Emma’s mind;and she fell into a train of thinking on the subject of Mrs.Weston’s suspicions,to which the sweet sounds of the united voices gave only momentary interruptions. Her objections to Mr. Knightley’s marrying did not in the least subside. She could see nothing but evil in it. It would be a great disappointment to Mr. John Knightley; consequently to Isabella. A real injury to the children—a most mortifying change, and material loss to them all;—a very great deduction from her father’s daily comfort—and, as to herself, she could not at all endure the idea of Jane Fairfax at Donwell Abbey. A Mrs. Knightley for them all to give way to!—No—Mr. Knightley must never marry.Little Henry must remain the heir of Donwell.