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1"When I talked of your being altered by time, by the progress of years," said John Knightley, "I meant to imply the
2change of situation which time usually brings. I consider one as including the other. Time will generally lessen the
3interest of every attachment not within the daily circle--but that is not the change I had in view for you. As an old
4friend, you will allow me to hope, Miss Fairfax, that ten years hence you may have as many concentrated objects as I
5have." It was kindly said, and very far from giving offence. A pleasant "thank you" seemed meant to laugh it off, but a
6blush, a quivering lip, a tear in the eye, shewed that it was felt beyond a laugh. Her attention was now claimed by Mr.
7Woodhouse, who being, according to his custom on such occasions, making the circle of his guests, and paying his
8particular compliments to the ladies, was ending with her--and with all his mildest urbanity, said, "I am very sorry to
9hear, Miss Fairfax, of your being out this morning in the rain. Young ladies should take care of themselves.--Young
10ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their health and their complexion. My dear, did you change your
11stockings?" "Yes, sir, I did indeed; and I am very much obliged by your kind solicitude about me." "My dear Miss
12Fairfax, young ladies are very sure to be cared for.--I hope your good grand-mama and aunt are well. They are some of my
13very old friends. I wish my health allowed me to be a better neighbour. You do us a great deal of honour to-day, I am
14sure. My daughter and I are both highly sensible of your goodness, and have the greatest satisfaction in seeing you at
15Hartfield." The kind-hearted, polite old man might then sit down and feel that he had done his duty, and made every fair
16lady welcome and easy. By this time, the walk in the rain had reached Mrs. Elton, and her remonstrances now opened upon
17Jane. "My dear Jane, what is this I hear?--Going to the post-office in the rain!--This must not be, I assure you.--You
18sad girl, how could you do such a thing?--It is a sign I was not there to take care of you." Jane very patiently assured
19her that she had not caught any cold. "Oh! do not tell me. You really are a very sad girl, and do not know how to take
20care of yourself.--To the post-office indeed! Mrs. Weston, did you ever hear the like? You and I must positively exert
21our authority." "My advice," said Mrs. Weston kindly and persuasively, "I certainly do feel tempted to give. Miss
22Fairfax, you must not run such risks.--Liable as you have been to severe colds, indeed you ought to be particularly
23careful, especially at this time of year. The spring I always think requires more than common care. Better wait an hour
24or two, or even half a day for your letters, than run the risk of bringing on your cough again. Now do not you feel that
25you had? Yes, I am sure you are much too reasonable. You look as if you would not do such a thing again." "Oh! she shall
26not do such a thing again," eagerly rejoined Mrs. Elton. "We will not allow her to do such a thing again:"--and nodding
27significantly--"there must be some arrangement made, there must indeed. I shall speak to Mr. E. The man who fetches our
28letters every morning (one of our men, I forget his name) shall inquire for yours too and bring them to you. That will
29obviate all difficulties you know; and from us I really think, my dear Jane, you can have no scruple to accept such an
30accommodation." "You are extremely kind," said Jane; "but I cannot give up my early walk. I am advised to be out of
31doors as much as I can, I must walk somewhere, and the post-office is an object; and upon my word, I have scarcely ever
32had a bad morning before." "My dear Jane, say no more about it. The thing is determined, that is (laughing affectedly)
33as far as I can presume to determine any thing without the concurrence of my lord and master. You know, Mrs. Weston, you
34and I must be cautious how we express ourselves. But I do flatter myself, my dear Jane, that my influence is not
35entirely worn out. If I meet with no insuperable difficulties therefore, consider that point as settled." "Excuse me,"
36said Jane earnestly, "I cannot by any means consent to such an arrangement, so needlessly troublesome to your servant.
37If the errand were not a pleasure to me, it could be done, as it always is when I am not here, by my grandmama's." "Oh!
38my dear; but so much as Patty has to do!--And it is a kindness to employ our men." Jane looked as if she did not mean to
39be conquered; but instead of answering, she began speaking again to Mr. John Knightley. "The post-office is a wonderful
40establishment!" said she.--"The regularity and despatch of it! If one thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it
41does so well, it is really astonishing!" "It is certainly very well regulated." "So seldom that any negligence or
42blunder appears! So seldom that a letter, among the thousands that are constantly passing about the kingdom, is even
43carried wrong--and not one in a million, I suppose, actually lost! And when one considers the variety of hands, and of
44bad hands too, that are to be deciphered, it increases the wonder." "The clerks grow expert from habit.--They must begin
45with some quickness of sight and hand, and exercise improves them. If you want any farther explanation," continued he,
46smiling, "they are paid for it. That is the key to a great deal of capacity. The public pays and must be served well."
47The varieties of handwriting were farther talked of, and the usual observations made. "I have heard it asserted," said
48John Knightley, "that the same sort of handwriting often prevails in a family; and where the same master teaches, it is
49natural enough. But for that reason, I should imagine the likeness must be chiefly confined to the females, for boys
50have very little teaching after an early age, and scramble into any hand they can get. Isabella and Emma, I think, do
51write very much alike. I have not always known their writing apart." "Yes," said his brother hesitatingly, "there is a
52likeness. I know what you mean--but Emma's hand is the strongest." "Isabella and Emma both write beautifully," said Mr.
53Woodhouse; "and always did. And so does poor Mrs. Weston"--with half a sigh and half a smile at her. "I never saw any
54gentleman's handwriting"--Emma began, looking also at Mrs. Weston; but stopped, on perceiving that Mrs. Weston was
55attending to some one else--and the pause gave her time to reflect, "Now, how am I going to introduce him?--Am I unequal
56to speaking his name at once before all these people? Is it necessary for me to use any roundabout phrase?--Your
57Yorkshire friend--your correspondent in Yorkshire;--that would be the way, I suppose, if I were very bad.--No, I can
58pronounce his name without the smallest distress. I certainly get better and better.--Now for it." Mrs. Weston was
59disengaged and Emma began again--"Mr. Frank Churchill writes one of the best gentleman's hands I ever saw." "I do not
60admire it," said Mr. Knightley. "It is too small--wants strength. It is like a woman's writing." This was not submitted
61to by either lady. They vindicated him against the base aspersion. "No, it by no means wanted strength--it was not a
62large hand, but very clear and certainly strong. Had not Mrs. Weston any letter about her to produce?" No, she had heard
63from him very lately, but having answered the letter, had put it away. "If we were in the other room," said Emma, "if I
64had my writing-desk, I am sure I could produce a specimen. I have a note of his.--Do not you remember, Mrs. Weston,
65employing him to write for you one day?" "He chose to say he was employed"-- "Well, well, I have that note; and can shew
66it after dinner to convince Mr. Knightley." "Oh! when a gallant young man, like Mr. Frank Churchill," said Mr. Knightley
67dryly, "writes to a fair lady like Miss Woodhouse, he will, of course, put forth his best." Dinner was on table.--Mrs.
68Elton, before she could be spoken to, was ready; and before Mr. Woodhouse had reached her with his request to be allowed
69to hand her into the dining-parlour, was saying-- "Must I go first? I really am ashamed of always leading the way."
70Jane's solicitude about fetching her own letters had not escaped Emma. She had heard and seen it all; and felt some
71curiosity to know whether the wet walk of this morning had produced any. She suspected that it had; that it would not
72have been so resolutely encountered but in full expectation of hearing from some one very dear, and that it had not been
73in vain. She thought there was an air of greater happiness than usual--a glow both of complexion and spirits. She could
74have made an inquiry or two, as to the expedition and the expense of the Irish mails;--it was at her tongue's end--but
75she abstained. She was quite determined not to utter a word that should hurt Jane Fairfax's feelings; and they followed
76the other ladies out of the room, arm in arm, with an appearance of good-will highly becoming to the beauty and grace of
77each.
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