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1To Isabella, the relief of such tidings was very great, and they were scarcely less acceptable to Emma on her father's
2account, who was immediately set as much at ease on the subject as his nervous constitution allowed; but the alarm that
3had been raised could not be appeased so as to admit of any comfort for him while he continued at Randalls. He was
4satisfied of there being no present danger in returning home, but no assurances could convince him that it was safe to
5stay; and while the others were variously urging and recommending, Mr. Knightley and Emma settled it in a few brief
6sentences: thus-- "Your father will not be easy; why do not you go?" "I am ready, if the others are." "Shall I ring the
7bell?" "Yes, do." And the bell was rung, and the carriages spoken for. A few minutes more, and Emma hoped to see one
8troublesome companion deposited in his own house, to get sober and cool, and the other recover his temper and happiness
9when this visit of hardship were over. The carriage came: and Mr. Woodhouse, always the first object on such occasions,
10was carefully attended to his own by Mr. Knightley and Mr. Weston; but not all that either could say could prevent some
11renewal of alarm at the sight of the snow which had actually fallen, and the discovery of a much darker night than he
12had been prepared for. "He was afraid they should have a very bad drive. He was afraid poor Isabella would not like it.
13And there would be poor Emma in the carriage behind. He did not know what they had best do. They must keep as much
14together as they could;" and James was talked to, and given a charge to go very slow and wait for the other carriage.
15Isabella stept in after her father; John Knightley, forgetting that he did not belong to their party, stept in after his
16wife very naturally; so that Emma found, on being escorted and followed into the second carriage by Mr. Elton, that the
17door was to be lawfully shut on them, and that they were to have a tête-à-tête drive. It would not have been the
18awkwardness of a moment, it would have been rather a pleasure, previous to the suspicions of this very day; she could
19have talked to him of Harriet, and the three-quarters of a mile would have seemed but one. But now, she would rather it
20had not happened. She believed he had been drinking too much of Mr. Weston's good wine, and felt sure that he would want
21to be talking nonsense. To restrain him as much as might be, by her own manners, she was immediately preparing to speak
22with exquisite calmness and gravity of the weather and the night; but scarcely had she begun, scarcely had they passed
23the sweep-gate and joined the other carriage, than she found her subject cut up--her hand seized--her attention
24demanded, and Mr. Elton actually making violent love to her: availing himself of the precious opportunity, declaring
25sentiments which must be already well known, hoping--fearing--adoring--ready to die if she refused him; but flattering
26himself that his ardent attachment and unequalled love and unexampled passion could not fail of having some effect, and
27in short, very much resolved on being seriously accepted as soon as possible. It really was so. Without scruple--without
28apology--without much apparent diffidence, Mr. Elton, the lover of Harriet, was professing himself her lover. She tried
29to stop him; but vainly; he would go on, and say it all. Angry as she was, the thought of the moment made her resolve to
30restrain herself when she did speak. She felt that half this folly must be drunkenness, and therefore could hope that it
31might belong only to the passing hour. Accordingly, with a mixture of the serious and the playful, which she hoped would
32best suit his half and half state, she replied, "I am very much astonished, Mr. Elton. This to me! you forget
33yourself--you take me for my friend--any message to Miss Smith I shall be happy to deliver; but no more of this to me,
34if you please." "Miss Smith!--message to Miss Smith!--What could she possibly mean!"--And he repeated her words with
35such assurance of accent, such boastful pretence of amazement, that she could not help replying with quickness, "Mr.
36Elton, this is the most extraordinary conduct! and I can account for it only in one way; you are not yourself, or you
37could not speak either to me, or of Harriet, in such a manner. Command yourself enough to say no more, and I will
38endeavour to forget it." But Mr. Elton had only drunk wine enough to elevate his spirits, not at all to confuse his
39intellects. He perfectly knew his own meaning; and having warmly protested against her suspicion as most injurious, and
40slightly touched upon his respect for Miss Smith as her friend,--but acknowledging his wonder that Miss Smith should be
41mentioned at all,--he resumed the subject of his own passion, and was very urgent for a favourable answer. As she
42thought less of his inebriety, she thought more of his inconstancy and presumption; and with fewer struggles for
43politeness, replied, "It is impossible for me to doubt any longer. You have made yourself too clear. Mr. Elton, my
44astonishment is much beyond any thing I can express. After such behaviour, as I have witnessed during the last month, to
45Miss Smith--such attentions as I have been in the daily habit of observing--to be addressing me in this manner--this is
46an unsteadiness of character, indeed, which I had not supposed possible! Believe me, sir, I am far, very far, from
47gratified in being the object of such professions." "Good Heaven!" cried Mr. Elton, "what can be the meaning of
48this?--Miss Smith!--I never thought of Miss Smith in the whole course of my existence--never paid her any attentions,
49but as your friend: never cared whether she were dead or alive, but as your friend. If she has fancied otherwise, her
50own wishes have misled her, and I am very sorry--extremely sorry--But, Miss Smith, indeed!--Oh! Miss Woodhouse! who can
51think of Miss Smith, when Miss Woodhouse is near! No, upon my honour, there is no unsteadiness of character. I have
52thought only of you. I protest against having paid the smallest attention to any one else. Every thing that I have said
53or done, for many weeks past, has been with the sole view of marking my adoration of yourself. You cannot really,
54seriously, doubt it. No!--(in an accent meant to be insinuating)--I am sure you have seen and understood me." It would
55be impossible to say what Emma felt, on hearing this--which of all her unpleasant sensations was uppermost. She was too
56completely overpowered to be immediately able to reply: and two moments of silence being ample encouragement for Mr.
57Elton's sanguine state of mind, he tried to take her hand again, as he joyously exclaimed-- "Charming Miss Woodhouse!
58allow me to interpret this interesting silence. It confesses that you have long understood me." "No, sir," cried Emma,
59"it confesses no such thing. So far from having long understood you, I have been in a most complete error with respect
60to your views, till this moment. As to myself, I am very sorry that you should have been giving way to any
61feelings--Nothing could be farther from my wishes--your attachment to my friend Harriet--your pursuit of her, (pursuit,
62it appeared,) gave me great pleasure, and I have been very earnestly wishing you success: but had I supposed that she
63were not your attraction to Hartfield, I should certainly have thought you judged ill in making your visits so frequent.
64Am I to believe that you have never sought to recommend yourself particularly to Miss Smith?--that you have never
65thought seriously of her?" "Never, madam," cried he, affronted in his turn: "never, I assure you. I think seriously of
66Miss Smith!--Miss Smith is a very good sort of girl; and I should be happy to see her respectably settled. I wish her
67extremely well: and, no doubt, there are men who might not object to--Every body has their level: but as for myself, I
68am not, I think, quite so much at a loss. I need not so totally despair of an equal alliance, as to be addressing myself
69to Miss Smith!--No, madam, my visits to Hartfield have been for yourself only; and the encouragement I received--"
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