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EMMA — Volume Two
by Jane Austen
CHAPTER XVII
When the ladies returned to the drawing–room after dinner, Emma found it hardly possible to prevent their making two distinct parties;—with so much perseverance1 in judging and behaving ill did Mrs. Elton engross2 Jane Fairfax and slight herself. She and Mrs. Weston were obliged to be almost always either talking together or silent together. Mrs. Elton left them no choice. If Jane repressed her for a little time, she soon began again; and though much that passed between them was in a half–whisper, especially on Mrs. Elton's side, there was no avoiding a knowledge of their principal subjects: The post–office—catching cold—fetching letters—and friendship, were long under discussion; and to them succeeded one, which must be at least equally unpleasant to Jane—inquiries3 whether she had yet heard of any situation likely to suit her, and professions of Mrs. Elton's meditated4 activity.
"Here is April come!" said she, "I get quite anxious about you. June will soon be here."
"But I have never fixed5 on June or any other month—merely looked forward to the summer in general."
"But have you really heard of nothing?"
"Oh! my dear, we cannot begin too early; you are not aware of the difficulty of procuring7 exactly the desirable thing."
"I not aware!" said Jane, shaking her head; "dear Mrs. Elton, who can have thought of it as I have done?"
"But you have not seen so much of the world as I have. You do not know how many candidates there always are for the first situations. I saw a vast deal of that in the neighbourhood round Maple8 Grove9. A cousin of Mr. Suckling, Mrs. Bragge, had such an infinity10 of applications; every body was anxious to be in her family, for she moves in the first circle. Wax–candles in the schoolroom! You may imagine how desirable! Of all houses in the kingdom Mrs. Bragge's is the one I would most wish to see you in."
"Colonel and Mrs. Campbell are to be in town again by midsummer," said Jane. "I must spend some time with them; I am sure they will want it;—afterwards I may probably be glad to dispose of myself. But I would not wish you to take the trouble of making any inquiries at present."
"Trouble! aye, I know your scruples11. You are afraid of giving me trouble; but I assure you, my dear Jane, the Campbells can hardly be more interested about you than I am. I shall write to Mrs. Partridge in a day or two, and shall give her a strict charge to be on the look–out for any thing eligible12."
"Thank you, but I would rather you did not mention the subject to her; till the time draws nearer, I do not wish to be giving any body trouble."
"But, my dear child, the time is drawing near; here is April, and June, or say even July, is very near, with such business to accomplish before us. Your inexperience really amuses me! A situation such as you deserve, and your friends would require for you, is no everyday occurrence, is not obtained at a moment's notice; indeed, indeed, we must begin inquiring directly."
"Excuse me, ma'am, but this is by no means my intention; I make no inquiry myself, and should be sorry to have any made by my friends. When I am quite determined13 as to the time, I am not at all afraid of being long unemployed14. There are places in town, offices, where inquiry would soon produce something—Offices for the sale—not quite of human flesh—but of human intellect."
"Oh! my dear, human flesh! You quite shock me; if you mean a fling at the slave–trade, I assure you Mr. Suckling was always rather a friend to the abolition15."
"I did not mean, I was not thinking of the slave–trade," replied Jane; "governess–trade, I assure you, was all that I had in view; widely different certainly as to the guilt16 of those who carry it on; but as to the greater misery17 of the victims, I do not know where it lies. But I only mean to say that there are advertising18 offices, and that by applying to them I should have no doubt of very soon meeting with something that would do."
"Something that would do!" repeated Mrs. Elton. "Aye, that may suit your humble19 ideas of yourself;—I know what a modest creature you are; but it will not satisfy your friends to have you taking up with any thing that may offer, any inferior, commonplace situation, in a family not moving in a certain circle, or able to command the elegancies of life."
"You are very obliging; but as to all that, I am very indifferent; it would be no object to me to be with the rich; my mortifications, I think, would only be the greater; I should suffer more from comparison. A gentleman's family is all that I should condition for."
"I know you, I know you; you would take up with any thing; but I shall be a little more nice, and I am sure the good Campbells will be quite on my side; with your superior talents, you have a right to move in the first circle. Your musical knowledge alone would entitle you to name your own terms, have as many rooms as you like, and mix in the family as much as you chose;—that is—I do not know—if you knew the harp20, you might do all that, I am very sure; but you sing as well as play;—yes, I really believe you might, even without the harp, stipulate21 for what you chose;—and you must and shall be delightfully22, honourably23 and comfortably settled before the Campbells or I have any rest."
"You may well class the delight, the honour, and the comfort of such a situation together," said Jane, "they are pretty sure to be equal; however, I am very serious in not wishing any thing to be attempted at present for me. I am exceedingly obliged to you, Mrs. Elton, I am obliged to any body who feels for me, but I am quite serious in wishing nothing to be done till the summer. For two or three months longer I shall remain where I am, and as I am."
"And I am quite serious too, I assure you," replied Mrs. Elton gaily24, "in resolving to be always on the watch, and employing my friends to watch also, that nothing really unexceptionable may pass us."
In this style she ran on; never thoroughly25 stopped by any thing till Mr. Woodhouse came into the room; her vanity had then a change of object, and Emma heard her saying in the same half–whisper to Jane,
"Here comes this dear old beau of mine, I protest!—Only think of his gallantry in coming away before the other men!—what a dear creature he is;—I assure you I like him excessively. I admire all that quaint27, old–fashioned politeness; it is much more to my taste than modern ease; modern ease often disgusts me. But this good old Mr. Woodhouse, I wish you had heard his gallant26 speeches to me at dinner. Oh! I assure you I began to think my caro sposo would be absolutely jealous. I fancy I am rather a favourite; he took notice of my gown. How do you like it?—Selina's choice—handsome, I think, but I do not know whether it is not over–trimmed; I have the greatest dislike to the idea of being over–trimmed—quite a horror of finery. I must put on a few ornaments28 now, because it is expected of me. A bride, you know, must appear like a bride, but my natural taste is all for simplicity29; a simple style of dress is so infinitely30 preferable to finery. But I am quite in the minority, I believe; few people seem to value simplicity of dress,—show and finery are every thing. I have some notion of putting such a trimming as this to my white and silver poplin. Do you think it will look well?"
The whole party were but just reassembled in the drawing–room when Mr. Weston made his appearance among them. He had returned to a late dinner, and walked to Hartfield as soon as it was over. He had been too much expected by the best judges, for surprize—but there was great joy. Mr. Woodhouse was almost as glad to see him now, as he would have been sorry to see him before. John Knightley only was in mute astonishment31.—That a man who might have spent his evening quietly at home after a day of business in London, should set off again, and walk half a mile to another man's house, for the sake of being in mixed company till bed–time, of finishing his day in the efforts of civility and the noise of numbers, was a circumstance to strike him deeply. A man who had been in motion since eight o'clock in the morning, and might now have been still, who had been long talking, and might have been silent, who had been in more than one crowd, and might have been alone!—Such a man, to quit the tranquillity32 and independence of his own fireside, and on the evening of a cold sleety33 April day rush out again into the world!—Could he by a touch of his finger have instantly taken back his wife, there would have been a motive34; but his coming would probably prolong rather than break up the party. John Knightley looked at him with amazement35, then shrugged36 his shoulders, and said, "I could not have believed it even of him."
Mr. Weston meanwhile, perfectly37 unsuspicious of the indignation he was exciting, happy and cheerful as usual, and with all the right of being principal talker, which a day spent anywhere from home confers, was making himself agreeable among the rest; and having satisfied the inquiries of his wife as to his dinner, convincing her that none of all her careful directions to the servants had been forgotten, and spread abroad what public news he had heard, was proceeding38 to a family communication, which, though principally addressed to Mrs. Weston, he had not the smallest doubt of being highly interesting to every body in the room. He gave her a letter, it was from Frank, and to herself; he had met with it in his way, and had taken the liberty of opening it.
"Read it, read it," said he, "it will give you pleasure; only a few lines—will not take you long; read it to Emma."
The two ladies looked over it together; and he sat smiling and talking to them the whole time, in a voice a little subdued39, but very audible to every body.
"Well, he is coming, you see; good news, I think. Well, what do you say to it?—I always told you he would be here again soon, did not I?—Anne, my dear, did not I always tell you so, and you would not believe me?—In town next week, you see—at the latest, I dare say; for she is as impatient as the black gentleman when any thing is to be done; most likely they will be there to–morrow or Saturday. As to her illness, all nothing of course. But it is an excellent thing to have Frank among us again, so near as town. They will stay a good while when they do come, and he will be half his time with us. This is precisely40 what I wanted. Well, pretty good news, is not it? Have you finished it? Has Emma read it all? Put it up, put it up; we will have a good talk about it some other time, but it will not do now. I shall only just mention the circumstance to the others in a common way."
Mrs. Weston was most comfortably pleased on the occasion. Her looks and words had nothing to restrain them. She was happy, she knew she was happy, and knew she ought to be happy. Her congratulations were warm and open; but Emma could not speak so fluently. She was a little occupied in weighing her own feelings, and trying to understand the degree of her agitation41, which she rather thought was considerable.
Mr. Weston, however, too eager to be very observant, too communicative to want others to talk, was very well satisfied with what she did say, and soon moved away to make the rest of his friends happy by a partial communication of what the whole room must have overheard already.
It was well that he took every body's joy for granted, or he might not have thought either Mr. Woodhouse or Mr. Knightley particularly delighted. They were the first entitled, after Mrs. Weston and Emma, to be made happy;—from them he would have proceeded to Miss Fairfax, but she was so deep in conversation with John Knightley, that it would have been too positive an interruption; and finding himself close to Mrs. Elton, and her attention disengaged, he necessarily began on the subject with her.
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1
perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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2
engross
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| v.使全神贯注 | |
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3
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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4
meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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5
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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6
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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7
procuring
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的现在分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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maple
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| n.槭树，枫树，槭木 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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10
infinity
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| n.无限，无穷，大量 | |
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11
scruples
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| n.良心上的不安( scruple的名词复数 )；顾虑，顾忌v.感到于心不安，有顾忌( scruple的第三人称单数 ) | |
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12
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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13
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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14
unemployed
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| adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的 | |
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15
abolition
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| n.废除，取消 | |
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16
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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17
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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18
advertising
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| n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的 | |
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19
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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20
harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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21
stipulate
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| vt.规定，（作为条件）讲定，保证 | |
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22
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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23
honourably
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| adv.可尊敬地，光荣地，体面地 | |
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24
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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25
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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26
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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27
quaint
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| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
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28
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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29
simplicity
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| n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯 | |
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30
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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31
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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32
tranquillity
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| n. 平静, 安静 | |
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33
sleety
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| 雨夹雪的，下雨雪的 | |
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34
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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35
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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36
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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37
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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38
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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39
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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40
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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41
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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