Emma by Jane Austen Chapter 2.docx

Emma by Jane Austen Chapter 2.docx

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EmmabyJaneAustenChapter2

EmmabyJaneAusten:

Chapter2

CHAPTERII

Mr.WestonwasanativeofHighbury,andbornofarespectablefamily,whichforthelasttwoorthreegenerationshadbeenrisingintogentilityandproperty.Hehadreceivedagoodeducation,but,onsucceedingearlyinlifetoasmallindependence,hadbecomeindisposedforanyofthemorehomelypursuitsinwhichhisbrotherswereengaged,andhadsatisfiedanactive,cheerfulmindandsocialtemperbyenteringintothemilitiaofhiscounty,thenembodied.

CaptainWestonwasageneralfavourite;andwhenthechancesofhismilitarylifehadintroducedhimtoMissChurchill,ofagreatYorkshirefamily,andMissChurchillfellinlovewithhim,nobodywassurprized,exceptherbrotherandhiswife,whohadneverseenhim,andwhowerefullofprideandimportance,whichtheconnexionwouldoffend.

MissChurchill,however,beingofage,andwiththefullcommandofherfortune--thoughherfortuneborenoproportiontothefamily-estate--wasnottobedissuadedfromthemarriage,andittookplace,totheinfinitemortificationofMr.andMrs.Churchill,whothrewheroffwithduedecorum.Itwasanunsuitableconnexion,anddidnotproducemuchhappiness.Mrs.Westonoughttohavefoundmoreinit,forshehadahusbandwhosewarmheartandsweettempermadehimthinkeverythingduetoherinreturnforthegreatgoodnessofbeinginlovewithhim;butthoughshehadonesortofspirit,shehadnotthebest.Shehadresolutionenoughtopursueherownwillinspiteofherbrother,butnotenoughtorefrain

fromunreasonableregretsatthatbrother'sunreasonableanger,norfrommissingtheluxuriesofherformerhome.Theylivedbeyondtheirincome,butstillitwasnothingincomparisonofEnscombe:

shedidnotceasetoloveherhusband,butshewantedatoncetobethewifeofCaptainWeston,andMissChurchillofEnscombe.

CaptainWeston,whohadbeenconsidered,especiallybytheChurchills,asmakingsuchanamazingmatch,wasprovedtohavemuchtheworstofthebargain;forwhenhiswifedied,afterathreeyears'marriage,hewasratherapoorermanthanatfirst,andwithachildtomaintain.Fromtheexpenseofthechild,however,hewassoonrelieved.Theboyhad,withtheadditionalsofteningclaimofalingeringillnessofhismother's,beenthemeansofasortofreconciliation;andMr.andMrs.Churchill,havingnochildrenoftheirown,noranyotheryoungcreatureofequalkindredtocarefor,offeredtotakethewholechargeofthelittleFranksoonafterherdecease.Somescruplesandsomereluctancethewidower-fathermaybesupposedtohavefelt;butastheywereovercomebyotherconsiderations,thechildwasgivenuptothecareandthewealthoftheChurchills,andhehadonlyhisowncomforttoseek,andhisownsituationtoimproveashecould.

Acompletechangeoflifebecamedesirable.Hequittedthemilitiaandengagedintrade,havingbrothersalreadyestablishedinagoodwayinLondon,whichaffordedhimafavourableopening.Itwasaconcernwhichbroughtjustemploymentenough.HehadstillasmallhouseinHighbury,wheremostofhisleisuredayswerespent;andbetweenusefuloccupationandthepleasuresofsociety,thenexteighteenortwentyyearsofhislifepassedcheerfullyaway.Hehad,bythattime,realisedaneasycompetence--enoughtosecurethepurchaseofalittleestateadjoiningHighbury,whichhehadalwayslongedfor--enoughtomarryawomanasportionlessevenasMissTaylor,andtoliveaccordingtothewishesofhisownfriendlyandsocialdisposition.

ItwasnowsometimesinceMissTaylorhadbeguntoinfluencehisschemes;butasitwasnotthetyrannicinfluenceofyouthonyouth,ithadnotshakenhisdeterminationofneversettlingtillhecouldpurchaseRandalls,andthesaleofRandallswaslonglookedforwardto;buthehadgonesteadilyon,withtheseobjectsinview,tilltheywereaccomplished.Hehadmadehisfortune,boughthishouse,andobtainedhiswife;andwasbeginninganewperiodofexistence,witheveryprobabilityofgreaterhappinessthaninanyyetpassedthrough.Hehadneverbeenanunhappyman;hisowntemperhadsecuredhimfromthat,eveninhisfirstmarriage;buthissecondmustshewhimhowdelightfulawell-judgingandtrulyamiablewomancouldbe,andmustgivehimthepleasantestproofofitsbeingagreatdealbettertochoosethantobechosen,toexcitegratitudethantofeelit.

Hehadonlyhimselftopleaseinhischoice:

hisfortunewashisown;forastoFrank,itwasmorethanbeingtacitlybroughtupashisuncle'sheir,ithadbecomesoavowedanadoptionastohavehimassumethenameofChurchilloncomingofage.Itwasmostunlikely,therefore,thatheshouldeverwanthisfather'sassistance.Hisfatherhadnoapprehensionofit.Theauntwasacapriciouswoman,andgovernedherhusbandentirely;butitwasnotinMr.Weston'snaturetoimaginethatanycapricecouldbestrongenoughtoaffectonesodear,and,ashebelieved,sodeservedlydear.HesawhissoneveryyearinLondon,andwasproudofhim;andhisfondreportofhimasaveryfineyoungmanhadmadeHighburyfeelasortofprideinhimtoo.Hewaslookedonassufficientlybelongingtotheplacetomakehismeritsandprospectsakindofcommonconcern.

Mr.FrankChurchillwasoneoftheboastsofHighbury,andalivelycuriositytoseehimprevailed,thoughthecomplimentwassolittlereturnedthathehadneverbeenthereinhislife.Hiscomingtovisithisfatherhadbeenoftentalkedofbutneverachieved.

Now,uponhisfather'smarriage,itwasverygenerallyproposed,asamostproperattention,thatthevisitshouldtakeplace.Therewasnotadissentientvoiceonthesubject,eitherwhenMrs.PerrydrankteawithMrs.andMissBates,orwhenMrs.andMissBatesreturnedthevisit.NowwasthetimeforMr.FrankChurchilltocomeamongthem;andthehopestrengthenedwhenitwasunderstoodthathehadwrittentohisnewmotherontheoccasion.Forafewdays,everymorningvisitinHighburyincludedsomementionofthehandsomeletterMrs.Westonhadreceived."IsupposeyouhaveheardofthehandsomeletterMr.FrankChurchillhaswrittentoMrs.Weston?

Iunderstanditwasaveryhandsomeletter,indeed.Mr.Woodhousetoldmeofit.Mr.Woodhousesawtheletter,andhesaysheneversawsuchahandsomeletterinhislife."

Itwas,indeed,ahighlyprizedletter.Mrs.Westonhad,ofcourse,formedaveryfavourableideaoftheyoungman;andsuchapleasingattentionwasanirresistibleproofofhisgreatgoodsense,andamostwelcomeadditiontoeverysourceandeveryexpressionofcongratulationwhichhermarriagehadalreadysecured.Shefeltherselfamostfortunatewoman;andshehadlivedlongenoughtoknowhowfortunateshemightwellbethought,wheretheonlyregretwasforapartialseparationfromfriendswhosefriendshipforherhadnevercooled,andwhocouldillbeartopartwithher.

Sheknewthatattimesshemustbemissed;andcouldnotthink,withoutpain,ofEmma'slosingasinglepleasure,orsufferinganhour'sennui,fromthewantofhercompanionableness:

butdearEmmawasofnofeeblecharacter;shewasmoreequaltohersituationthanmostgirlswouldhavebeen,andhadsense,andenergy,andspiritsthatmightbehopedwouldbearherwellandhappilythroughitslittledifficultiesandprivations.AndthentherewassuchcomfortintheveryeasydistanceofRandallsfromHartfield,soconvenientforevensolitaryfemalewalking,andinMr.Weston'sdispositionandcircumstances,whichwouldmaketheapproachingseasonnohindrancetotheirspendinghalftheeveningsintheweektogether.

HersituationwasaltogetherthesubjectofhoursofgratitudetoMrs.Weston,andofmomentsonlyofregret;andhersatisfaction---hermorethansatisfaction--hercheerfulenjoyment,wassojustandsoapparent,thatEmma,wellassheknewherfather,wassometimestakenbysurprizeathisbeingstillabletopity`poorMissTaylor,'whentheyleftheratRandallsinthecentreofeverydomesticcomfort,orsawhergoawayintheeveningattendedbyherpleasanthusbandtoacarriageofherown.ButneverdidshegowithoutMr.Woodhouse'sgivingagentlesigh,andsaying,"Ah,poorMissTaylor!

Shewouldbeverygladtostay."

TherewasnorecoveringMissTaylor--normuchlikelihoodofceasingtopityher;butafewweeksbroughtsomealleviationtoMr.Woodhouse.Thecomplimentsofhisneighbourswereover;hewasnolongerteasedbybeingwishedjoyofsosorrowfulanevent;andthewedding-cake,whichhadbeenagreatdistresstohim,wasalleatup.Hisownstomachcouldbearnothingrich,andhecouldneverbelieveotherpeopletobedifferentfromhimself.Whatwasunwholesometohimheregardedasunfitforanybody;andhehad,therefore,earnestlytriedtodissuadethemfromhavinganywedding-cakeatall,andwhenthatprovedvain,asearnestlytriedtopreventanybody'seatingit.HehadbeenatthepainsofconsultingMr.Perry,theapothecary,onthesubject.Mr.Perrywasanintelligent,gentlemanlikeman,whosefrequentvisitswereoneofthecomfortsofMr.Woodhouse'slife;anduponbeingappliedto,hecouldnotbutacknowledge（thoughitseemedratheragainstthebiasofinclination）thatwedding-cakemightcertainlydisagreewithmany--perhapswithmostpeople,unlesstakenmoderately.Withsuchanopinion,inconfirmationofhisown,Mr.Woodhousehopedtoinfluenceeveryvisitorofthenewlymarriedpair;butstillthecakewaseaten;andtherewasnorestforhisbenevolentnervestillitwasallgone.

TherewasastrangerumourinHighburyofallthelittlePerrysbeingseenwithasliceofMrs.Weston'swedding-cakeintheirhands:

butMr.Woodhousewouldneverbelie