She 1
was the youngest of
the two daughters of
a most affectionate , indulgent father 5
4 45 ; and had , in consequence of her 1
sister 's marriage , been from a very early period .
had died too long ago for her 1
to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her 6
caresses ; and her 6
place had been supplied by an excellent woman as governess 0
, who had fallen little short of a mother 7
in affection .
Sixteen years had Miss Taylor 0
been in Mr. Woodhouse 5
's family
8 , less as a governess 41
than a friend 47
, very fond of both daughters 4
, but particularly of Emma 1
.
Between _ them 9
_ it was more the intimacy of sisters 10
.
Even before Miss Taylor 0
had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess 11
, the mildness of her 0
temper had hardly allowed her 0
to impose any restraint ; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away , they 9
had been living together as friend 12
and friend 13
very mutually attached , and Emma 1
doing just what she 1
liked ; highly esteeming Miss Taylor 0
's judgment , but directed chiefly by her 1
own .
The real evils , indeed , of Emma 1
's situation were the power of having rather too much her 1
own way , and a disposition to think a little too well of herself 1
; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her 1
many enjoyments .
The danger , however , was at present so unperceived , that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her 1
.
Sorrow came -- a gentle sorrow -- but not at all in the shape of any disagreeable consciousness .
-- Miss Taylor 0
married .
It was Miss Taylor 0
's loss which first brought grief .
It was on the wedding-day of this beloved friend 0
that Emma 1
first sat in mournful thought of any continuance .
The wedding over , and the bride-people 14
gone , and herself 1
were left to dine together , with no prospect of a third 15
to cheer a long evening .
composed himself 5
to sleep after dinner , as usual , and she 1
had then only to sit and think of what she 1
had lost .
The event had every promise of happiness for .
Mr. Weston 16
was a man of unexceptionable character , easy fortune , suitable age , and pleasant manners 48
; and there was some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying , generous friendship she 1
had always wished and promoted the match ; but it was a black morning 's work for her 1
.
The want of Miss Taylor 0
would be felt every hour of every day .
She 1
recalled her 0
past kindness -- the kindness , the affection of sixteen years -- how she 0
had taught and how she 0
had played with her 1
from five years old -- how she 0
had devoted all her 0
powers to attach and amuse her 1
in health -- and how nursed her 1
through the various illnesses of childhood .
A large debt of gratitude was owing here ; but the intercourse of the last seven years , the equal footing and perfect unreserve which had soon followed Isabella 17
's marriage , on their 9
being left to each other , was yet a dearer , tenderer recollection .
She 0
had been a friend and companion such as few possessed 49
: intelligent , well-informed , useful , gentle , knowing all the ways of the family 8
, interested in all its 8
concerns , and peculiarly interested in herself 1
, in every pleasure , every scheme of hers 1
-- one to whom she 1
could speak every thought as it arose , and who had such an affection for her 1
as could never find fault .
How was she 1
to bear the change ?
-- It was true that was going only half a mile from them 18
; but Emma 1
was aware that great must be the difference between a Mrs. Weston 0
, only half a mile from them 18
, and a Miss Taylor 0
in the house 2
; and with all her 1
advantages , natural and domestic , she 1
was now in great danger of suffering from intellectual solitude .
She 1
dearly loved , but he 5
was no companion for
her 1
19 .
He 5
could not meet her 1
in conversation , rational or playful .
The evil of the actual disparity in their 18
ages ( and Mr. Woodhouse 5
had not married early ) was much increased by his 5
constitution and habits ; for having been a valetudinarian 50
all his 5
life , without activity of mind or body , he 5
was a much older man in ways than in years 51
; and though everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his 5
heart and his 5
amiable temper , his 5
talents could not have recommended him 5
at any time .
, though comparatively but little removed by matrimony , being settled in London 20
, only sixteen miles off , was much beyond her 1
daily reach ; and many a long October and November evening must be struggled through at Hartfield 2
, before Christmas brought the next visit from Isabella 17
and , and their 23
little children
22 , to fill the house 2
, and give her 1
pleasant society again .
Highbury 24
, the large and populous village 52
, almost amounting to a town 42
, to which Hartfield 2
, in spite of its 2
separate lawn , and shrubberies , and name , did really belong , afforded her 1
no equals .
The Woodhouses 8
were first in consequence there 24
.
All looked up to them 8
.
She 1
had many acquaintance in the place 24
, for was universally civil , but not one among them 25
who could be accepted in lieu of Miss Taylor 0
for even half a day .
It was a melancholy change ; and Emma 1
could not but sigh over it , and wish for impossible things , till awoke , and made it necessary to be cheerful .
His 5
spirits required support .
He 5
was a nervous man 53
, easily depressed ; fond of every body that
he 5
was used to
26 , and hating to part with them 26
; hating change of every kind .
Matrimony , as the origin of change , was always disagreeable ; and he 5
was by no means yet reconciled to 's marrying , nor could ever speak of her 17
but with compassion , though it had been entirely a match of affection , when he 5
was now obliged to part with Miss Taylor 0
too ; and from his 5
habits of gentle selfishness , and of being never able to suppose that other people 27
could feel differently from himself 5
, he 5
was very much disposed to think Miss Taylor 0
had done as sad a thing for herself 0
as for them 18
, and would have been a great deal happier if she 0
had spent all the rest of her 0
life at Hartfield 2
.
Emma 1
smiled and chatted as cheerfully as she 1
could , to keep him 5
from such thoughts ; but when tea came , it was impossible for him 5
not to say exactly as he 5
had said at dinner , “ Poor Miss Taylor 0
!
-- I 5
wish she 0
were here again .
What a pity it is that Mr. Weston 16
ever thought of her 0
! ”
“ I 1
can not agree with you 5
, papa 5
; you 5
know I 1
can not .
Mr. Weston 16
is such a good-humoured , pleasant , excellent man 54
, that he 16
thoroughly deserves a good wife 28
; -- and you 5
would not have had Miss Taylor 0
live with us 18
for ever , and bear all my 1
odd humours , when she 0
might have ? ”
“ !
-- But where is the advantage of ?
This is three times as large .
-- And you 1
have never any odd humours , my 5
dear . ”
“ How often we 18
shall be going to see them 30
, and they 30
coming to see us 18
!
-- We 18
shall be always meeting !
_ We 18
_ must begin ; we 18
must go and pay wedding visit very soon . ”
“ My 5
dear , how am I 5
to get so far ?
Randalls 29
is such a distance .
I 5
could not walk half so far . ”
“ No , papa 5
, nobody 31
thought of your 5
walking .
We 18
must go in the carriage 32
, to be sure . ”
“ The carriage 32
!
But James 33
will not like to put the horses to for such a little way ; -- and where are the poor horses to be while we 18
are paying our 18
visit ? ”
“ They are to be put into Mr. Weston 16
's stable
34 , papa 5
.
You 5
know we 18
have settled all that already .
We 18
talked it all over with Mr. Weston 16
last night .
And as for James 33
, you 5
may be very sure he 33
will always like going to Randalls 29
, because of 's being housemaid 60
there 29
.
I 1
only doubt whether he 33
will ever take us 18
anywhere else .
That was your 5
doing , papa 5
.
You 5
got Hannah 35
that good place .
Nobody 36
thought of Hannah 35
till you 5
mentioned her 35
-- James 33
is so obliged to you 5
! ”
“ I 5
am very glad I 5
did think of her 35
.
It was very lucky , for I 5
would not have had poor James 33
think himself 33
slighted upon any account ; and I 5
am sure she 35
will make a very good servant 43
: she 35
is a civil , pretty-spoken girl 55
; I 5
have a great opinion of her 35
.
Whenever I 5
see her 35
, she 35
always curtseys and asks me 5
how I 5
do , in a very pretty manner ; and when you 1
have had her 35
here 2
to do needlework , I 5
observe she 35
always turns the lock of the door the right way and never bangs it .
I 5
am sure she 35
will be an excellent servant 44
; and it will be a great comfort to poor Miss Taylor 0
to have somebody 37
about her 0
that she 0
is used to see .
Whenever James 33
goes over to see , you 1
know , she 0
will be hearing of us 18
.
He 33
will be able to tell her 0
how we 18
all are . ”
Emma 1
spared no exertions to maintain this happier flow of ideas , and hoped , by the help of backgammon , to get tolerably through the evening , and be attacked by no regrets but her 1
own .
The backgammon-table was placed ; but a visitor 38
immediately afterwards walked in and made it unnecessary .
Mr. Knightley 38
, a sensible man about seven or eight-and-thirty 56
, was not only a very old and intimate friend of
the family 8
57 , but particularly connected with it 8
, as the elder brother of
Isabella 17
's husband
16 58 .
He 38
lived about a mile from Highbury 24
, was a frequent visitor 59
, and always welcome , and at this time more welcome than usual , as coming directly from their 39
mutual connexions in London 20
.
He 38
had returned to a late dinner , after some days ' absence , and now walked up to Hartfield 2
to say that all were well in Brunswick Square 40
.
It was a happy circumstance , and animated Mr. Woodhouse 5
for some time .
Mr. Knightley 38
had a cheerful manner , which always did him 5
good ; and his 38
many inquiries after “ poor Isabella 17
” and were answered most satisfactorily .
When this was over , Mr. Woodhouse 5
gratefully observed , “ It is very kind of you 38
, Mr. Knightley 38
, to come out at this late hour to call upon us 18
.
I 5
am afraid you 38
must have had a shocking walk . ”
“