In this walk Emma and Mr.Weston found all the others assembled;and towards this view she immediately perceived Mr.Knightley and Harriet distinct from the rest,quietly leading the way. Mr. Knightley and Harriet!—It was an odd tête-à-tête;but she was glad to see it.—There had been a time when he would have scorned her as a companion, and turned from her with little ceremony. Now they seemed in pleasant conversation. There had been a time also when Emma would have been sorry to see Harriet in a spot so favourable for the Abbey Mill Farm; but now she feared it not. It might be safely viewed with all its appendages of prosperity and beauty, its rich pastures, spreading flocks, orchard in blossom, and light column of smoke ascending.—She joined them at the wall, and found them more engaged in talking than in looking around. He was giving Harriet information as to modes of agriculture, etc. and Emma received a smile which seemed to say, “These are my own concerns. I have a right to talk on such subjects, without being suspected of introducing Robert Martin.”—She did not suspect him. It was too old a story.—Robert Martin had probably ceased to think of Harriet.—They took a few turns together along the walk.—The shade was most refreshing, and Emma found it the pleasantest part of the day.
The next remove was to the house;they must all go in and eat;—and they were all seated and busy,and still Frank Churchill did not come. Mrs.Weston looked, and looked in vain.His father would not own himself uneasy,and laughed at her fears;but she could not be cured of wishing that he would part with his black mare.He had expressed himself as to coming,with more than common certainty.“His aunt was so much better,that he had not a doubt of getting over to them.”—Mrs.Churchill’s state, however,as many were ready to remind her,was liable to such sudden variation as might disappoint her nephew in the most reasonable dependence—and Mrs. Weston was at last persuaded to believe, or to say, that it must be by some attack of Mrs. Churchill that he was prevented coming.—Emma looked at Harriet while the point was under consideration; she behaved very well, and betrayed no emotion.
The cold repast was over,and the party were to go out once more to see what had not yet been seen,the old Abbey fish-ponds;perhaps get as far as the clover,which was to be begun cutting on the morrow, or,at any rate, have the pleasure of being hot,and growing cool again.—Mr. Woodhouse,who had already taken his little round in the highest part of the gardens,where no damps from the river were imagined even by him,stirred no more; and his daughter resolved to remain with him,that Mrs. Weston might be persuaded away by her husband to the exercise and variety which her spirits seemed to need.
Mr. Knightley had done all in his power for Mr.Woodhouse’s entertainment. Books of engravings,drawers of medals, cameos, corals, shells,and every other family collection within his cabinets,had been prepared for his old friend,to while away the morning;and the kindness had perfectly answered. Mr.Woodhouse had been exceedingly well amused. Mrs.Weston had been shewing them all to him,and now he would shew them all to Emma;—fortunate in having no other resemblance to a child,than in a total want of taste for what he saw,for he was slow, constant,and methodical.—Before this second looking over was begun,however, Emma walked into the hall for the sake of a few moments’ free observation of the entrance and ground-plot of the house—and was hardly there, when Jane Fairfax appeared, coming quickly in from the garden, and with a look of escape.—Little expecting to meet Miss Woodhouse so soon, there was a start at first; but Miss Woodhouse was the very person she was in quest of.
“Will you be so kind,” said she, “when I am missed,as to say that I am gone home?—I am going this moment.—My aunt is not aware how late it is,nor how long we have been absent—but I am sure we shall be wanted,and I am determined to go directly.—I have said nothing about it to any body.It would only be giving trouble and distress.Some are gone to the ponds, and some to the lime walk.Till they all come in I shall not be missed;and when they do, will you have the goodness to say that I am gone?”
“Certainly, if you wish it;—but you are not going to walk to Highbury alone?”
“Yes—what should hurt me?—I walk fast. I shall be at home in twenty minutes.”
“But it is too far, indeed it is,to be walking quite alone.Let my father’s servant go with you.—Let me order the carriage.It can be round in five minutes.”
“Thank you, thank you—but on no account.—I would rather walk.—And for _me_ to be afraid of walking alone!—I, who may so soon have to guard others!”
She spoke with great agitation;and Emma very feelingly replied,“That can be no reason for your being exposed to danger now.I must order the carriage.The heat even would be danger.—You are fatigued already. ”
“I am,”—she answered—“I am fatigued;but it is not the sort of fatigue—quick walking will refresh me.—Miss Woodhouse, we all know at times what it is to be wearied in spirits. Mine, I confess, are exhausted. The greatest kindness you can shew me, will be to let me have my own way, and only say that I am gone when it is necessary.”
Emma had not another word to oppose. She saw it all;and entering into her feelings,promoted her quitting the house immediately,and watched her safely off with the zeal of a friend.Her parting look was grateful—and her parting words, “Oh!Miss Woodhouse, the comfort of being sometimes alone!”—seemed to burst from an overcharged heart,and to describe somewhat of the continual endurance to be practised by her,even towards some of those who loved her best.
“Such a home, indeed!such an aunt!” said Emma, as she turned back into the hall again.“I do pity you. And the more sensibility you betray of their just horrors,the more I shall like you.”
Jane had not been gone a quarter of an hour,and they had only accomplished some views of St.Mark’s Place, Venice,when Frank Churchill entered the room.Emma had not been thinking of him,she had forgotten to think of him—but she was very glad to see him.Mrs. Weston would be at ease.The black mare was blameless;_they_ were right who had named Mrs.Churchill as the cause.He had been detained by a temporary increase of illness in her;a nervous seizure, which had lasted some hours—and he had quite given up every thought of coming, till very late;—and had he known how hot a ride he should have, and how late, with all his hurry, he must be, he believed he should not have come at all. The heat was excessive; he had never suffered any thing like it—almost wished he had staid at home—nothing killed him like heat—he could bear any degree of cold, etc., but heat was intolerable—and he sat down, at the greatest possible distance from the slight remains of Mr. Woodhouse’s fire, looking very deplorable.
“You will soon be cooler, if you sit still,” said Emma.
“As soon as I am cooler I shall go back again.I could very ill be spared—but such a point had been made of my coming!You will all be going soon I suppose;the whole party breaking up.I met _one_ as I came—Madness in such weather!—absolute madness!”
Emma listened, and looked,and soon perceived that Frank Churchill’s state might be best defined by the expressive phrase of being out of humour. Some people were always cross when they were hot. Such might be his constitution; and as she knew that eating and drinking were often the cure of such incidental complaints, she recommended his taking some refreshment; he would find abundance of every thing in the dining-room—and she humanely pointed out the door.