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have been the rack, and arrowroot from the Hartfield storeroom must have been poison. She understood
it all; and as far as her mind could disengage itself from the injustice and selfishness of angry feelings, she
acknowledged that Jane Fairfax would have neither elevation nor happiness beyond her desert. But poor
Harriet was such an engrossing charge! There was little sympathy to be spared for any body else. Emma
was sadly fearful that this second disappointment would be more severe than the first. Considering the
very superior claims of the object, it ought; and judging by its apparently stronger effect on Harriet's
mind, producing reserve and self-command, it would.-- She must communicate the painful truth,
however, and as soon as possible. An injunction of secresy had been among Mr. Weston's parting
words. "For the present, the whole affair was to be completely a secret. Mr. Churchill had made a point
of it, as a token of respect to the wife he had so very recently lost; and every body admitted it to be no
more than due decorum."-- Emma had promised; but still Harriet must be excepted. It was her superior
duty.
In spite of her vexation, she could not help feeling it almost ridiculous, that she should have the very
same distressing and delicate office to perform by Harriet, which Mrs. Weston had just gone through by
herself. The intelligence, which had been so anxiously announced to her, she was now to be anxiously
announcing to another. Her heart beat quick on hearing Harriet's footstep and voice; so, she supposed,
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had poor Mrs. Weston felt when she was approaching Randalls. Could the event of the disclosure bear
an equal resemblance!-- But of that, unfortunately, there could be no chance.
"Well, Miss Woodhouse!" cried Harriet, coming eagerly into the room-- "is not this the oddest news
that ever was?"
"What news do you mean?" replied Emma, unable to guess, by look or voice, whether Harriet could
indeed have received any hint.
"About Jane Fairfax. Did you ever hear any thing so strange? Oh!--you need not be afraid of owning
it to me, for Mr. Weston has told me himself. I met him just now. He told me it was to be a great secret;
and, therefore, I should not think of mentioning it to any body but you, but he said you knew it."
"What did Mr. Weston tell you?"--said Emma, still perplexed.
"Oh! he told me all about it; that Jane Fairfax and Mr. Frank Churchill are to be married, and that
they have been privately engaged to one another this long while. How very odd!"
It was, indeed, so odd; Harriet's behaviour was so extremely odd, that Emma did not know how to
understand it. Her character appeared absolutely changed. She seemed to propose shewing no agitation,
or disappointment, or peculiar concern in the discovery. Emma looked at her, quite unable to speak.
"Had you any idea," cried Harriet, "of his being in love with her?--You, perhaps, might.--You
(blushing as she spoke) who can see into every body's heart; but nobody else--"
"Upon my word," said Emma, "I begin to doubt my having any such talent. Can you seriously ask me,
Harriet, whether I imagined him attached to another woman at the very time that I was--tacitly, if not
openly-- encouraging you to give way to your own feelings?--I never had the slightest suspicion, till within
the last hour, of Mr. Frank Churchill's having the least regard for Jane Fairfax. You may be very sure that
if I had, I should have cautioned you accordingly."
"Me!" cried Harriet, colouring, and astonished. "Why should you caution me?--You do not think I
care about Mr. Frank Churchill."
"I am delighted to hear you speak so stoutly on the subject," replied Emma, smiling; "but you do not
mean to deny that there was a time--and not very distant either--when you gave me reason to understand
that you did care about him?"
"Him!--never, never. Dear Miss Woodhouse, how could you so mistake me?" turning away
distressed.
"Harriet!" cried Emma, after a moment's pause--"What do you mean?-- Good Heaven! what do you
mean?--Mistake you!--Am I to suppose then?--"
She could not speak another word.--Her voice was lost; and she sat down, waiting in great terror till
Harriet should answer. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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