so don't misunderstand me

In Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma, the movement of individuals in and through society is described as their "rising" and their "sinking"; raising, and lowering.  Up - or down.  Above - below.

[excerpts]

---------------- Highbury, the large and populous village, almost amounting to a town, to which Hartfield...did really belong, afforded [Emma] no equals.  The Woodhouses were first in consequence there.  All looked up to them.

------------ "...A young farmer, whether on horseback or on foot, is the very last sort of person to raise my curiosity.  

The yeomanry are precisely the order of people with whom I feel I can have nothing to do.

A degree or two lower, and a creditable appearance might interest me; I might hope to be useful to their families in some way or other.

But a farmer can need none of my help, and is, therefore, in one sense, as much above my notice as in every other he is below it...."


----------- Contrary to the usual course of things, Mr. Elton's wanting to pay his addresses to her had sunk him in her opinion.


---------- He wanted to marry well, and having the arrogance to raise his eyes to her, pretended to be in love.


------------------ ...He would soon try for Miss Somebody else with twenty, or with ten.  [Going down from Miss Woodhouse's "30 thousand pounds a year" to 20.  And then maybe 10....]


------------- ...should suppose himself her equal in connexion or mind! -- look down upon her friend, so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above....

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We also observe this "Crazy-Elevator" raising and lowering in the heated conversational exchange had by Mr. Knightley and Emma over Harriet's refusal of Robert Martin's marriage proposal:

--------------- "Mr. Martin is a very respectable young man, but I cannot admit him to be Harriet's equal; and am rather surprized indeed that he should have ventured to address her...."

     "Not Harriet's equal!" exclaimed Mr. Knightley loudly and warmly; and with calmer asperity, added, a few moments afterwards, "No, he is not her equal indeed, for he is as much her superior in sense as in situation.

---------------------
________________

     We also note that people in relationships are observed and described by the measure of how much good they will do one another:

---------------- "I do not know what your opinion may be, Mrs. Weston," said Mr. Knightley, "of this great intimacy between Emma and Harriet Smith, but I think it a bad thing."
     "A bad thing!  Do you really think it a bad thing? -- why so?"
     "I think they will neither of them do the other any good."...


-------------- "You surprize me!  Emma must do Harriet good:  and by supplying her with a new object of interest, Harriet may be said to do Emma good.  I have been seeing their intimacy with the greatest pleasure.  How very differently we feel!...


     Later in the book when Mr. Elton marries a Miss Hawkins from Bath (with 20 thousand pounds, I think it is...) Emma's opinion of the bride:

-------------- ...if not foolish she was ignorant, and that her society would certainly do Mr. Elton no good.

*       *       *       *

Both Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Knightley kind of think they know what's best for other people.

Emma had been sort of moving -- 

shepherding -- 

Harriet Smith and Mr. Elton forward and across a shiny, high-quality Chess Board 

Of Love And Highbury Society, and then it just sort of explodes.  Or implodes.

     ("No!  You've got the wrong girl!  Rewind!"

     The Eltons.  Were nobody.)

___________________________

Just when I was thinking "Mr. Elton" is such an old-fashioned name, no one is named that anymore, I remembered, "Wait!  

Mr. --

Elton --

John!! 

And one of the all-time favorite songs --

Type in

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart"

and listen to Elton John and Kiki Dee sing that on You Tube.

     The song's arrangement is fresh and unique, with lush orchestral strings like swooping ocean waves backing a skittish melody that is shy and happy at the same time....

Nobody knows it

(nobody knows -- it)

Right from the start

I give you my heart

Oh... oh, I give you my heart

So don't go breaking my heart --

I won't go breaking your heart

Don't go breaking my heart

Nobody told us
'Cause nobody showed us
Now it's up to us babe
Whoa I think we can make it

So don't misunderstand me
You put the light in my life
Oh you put the sparks to the flame
I got your heart in my sights

woo hoo

Nobody knows it...

_______________________

{"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" - written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin.  Label:  Rocket (UK); MCA (US).  Released June 21, 1976}

-30-

thick-headed nonsense, elegancies, and confusion

     Phew!  After Miss Emma Woodhouse is "conveyed" to her home, Hartfield, in the dark snowy night after the dinner party with good friends, she is surrounded by family -- her father, sister, and brother-in-law, Mr. John Knightley.  (Mr. & Mrs. John Knightley's children are probably in bed and asleep by that time....)

    Emma must conceal her true feelings -- the stressful, vexing situation of everything with Mr. Elton and Harriet Smith being turned upside down, and the stinging knowledge that apparently it was never right-side-up, in the first place.

     Oh, the self-recrimination!  And Harriet is going to be so hurt...!

[Emma, by Jane Austen.  excerpt] ------------ ...The day was concluding in peace and comfort to all their little party, except herself. -- But her mind had never been in such perturbation; and it needed a very strong effort to appear attentive and cheerful till the usual hour of separating allowed her the relief of quiet reflection.


CHAPTER XVI

The hair was curled, and the maid sent away, and Emma sat down to think and be miserable. -- It was a wretched business indeed! -- Such an overthrow of every thing she had been wishing for! -- Such a development of every thing most unwelcome! -- Such a blow for Harriet! -- that was the worst of all.  

Every part of it brought pain and humiliation, of some sort or other; but, compared with the evil to Harriet, all was light; and she would gladly have submitted to feel yet more mistaken -- more in error -- more disgraced by mis-judgment, than she actually was, could the effects of her blunders have been confined to herself.


     "If I had not persuaded Harriet into liking the man, I could have borne any thing.  He might have doubled his presumption to me -- but poor Harriet!"

     How she could have been so deceived! -- He protested that he had never thought seriously of Harriet -- never!  She looked back as well as she could; but it was all confusion.  She had taken up the idea, she supposed, and made everything bend to it.  

His manners, however, must have been unmarked, wavering, dubious, or she could not have been so misled.


     The picture! -- How eager he had been about the picture! -- and the charade! -- and an hundred other circumstances -- how clearly they had seemed to point at Harriet.  To be sure, the charade, with its "ready wit" -- but then the "soft eyes" -- in fact it suited neither; it was a jumble without taste or truth.  Who could have seen through such thick-headed nonsense?

     Certainly she had often, especially of late, thought his manners to herself unnecessarily gallant; but it had passed as his way, as a mere error of judgment, of knowledge, of taste, 

as one proof among others that he had not always lived in the best society, 

that with all the gentleness of his address, true elegance was sometimes wanting; 


but, till this very day, she had never, for an instant, suspected it to mean any thing but grateful respect to her as Harriet's friend.

     To Mr. John Knightley was she indebted for her first idea on the subject, for the first start of its possibility.  There was no denying that those brothers had penetration.  

She remembered what Mr. Knightley had once said to her about Mr. Elton, the caution he had given, the conviction he had professed that Mr. Elton would never marry indiscreetly; and blushed to think how much truer a knowledge of his character had been there shewn than any she had reached herself.  

It was dreadfully mortifying; but Mr. Elton was proving himself, in many respects, the very reverse of what she had meant and believed him; proud, assuming, conceited; very full of his own claims, and little concerned about the feelings of others.


Contrary to the usual course of things, Mr. Elton's wanting to pay his addresses to her had sunk him in her opinion.  His professions and his proposals did him no service.  She thought nothing of his attachment, and was insulted by his hopes.  

He wanted to marry well, and having the arrogance to raise his eyes to her, pretended to be in love; but she was perfectly easy as to his not suffering any disappointment that need be cared for.  


There had been no real affection either in his language or manners.  Sighs and fine words had been given in abundance; but she could hardly devise any set of expressions, or fancy any tone of voice, less allied with real love.  

She need not trouble herself to pity him.  He only wanted to aggrandise and enrich himself; and if Miss Woodhouse of Hartfield, the heiress of thirty thousand pounds, were not quite so easily obtained as he had fancied, he would soon try for Miss Somebody else with twenty, or with ten.


     But -- that he should talk of encouragement, should consider her as aware of his views, accepting his attentions, meaning (in short), to marry him! -- should suppose himself her equal in connexion or mind! -- look down upon her friend, so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above, as to fancy himself shewing no presumption in addressing her! -- It was most provoking.


     Perhaps it was not fair to expect him to feel how very much he was her inferior in talent, and all the elegancies of mind.  

The very want of such equality might prevent his perception of it; but he must know that in fortune and consequence she was greatly his superior.  

He must know that the Woodhouses had been settled for several generations at Hartfield, the younger branch of a very ancient  family -- and that the Eltons were nobody....


     The first error and the worst lay at her door.  It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together.  It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious, a trick of what ought to be simple.  She was quite concerned and ashamed, and resolved to do such things no more.

-30-

in which Mr. Elton makes himself too clear...

...Or, "I'm trying to pretend you didn't say that"...

In A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories, some of the chapters, or maybe all of them, say "In Which" -- 
1.  In Which A House Is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore
2.  In Which Tigger Comes to the Forest and Has Breakfast
3.  In Which A Search is Organized, and Piglet Nearly Meets the Heffalump Again
4.  In Which It Is Shown That Tiggers Don't Climb Trees
etc.

It's an English tradition in writing, I guess -- Keith Richards uses "in which" in some chapter subheadings in his autobiography, Life.

"In which I am pulled over by police officers in Arkansas during our 1975 US tour and a standoff ensues."...


Since Emma is an English novel, I wanted to borrow the "in which" tradition for the title of today's post.

     In the carriage, on a snowy night riding home, Emma finds her "hand seized" -- [excerpt from the novel] ------------- her attention demanded, and Mr. Elton actually making violent love to her:  availing himself of the precious opportunity, declaring sentiments which must be already well known, hoping -- fearing -- adoring -- ready to die if she refused him; 

but flattering himself that his ardent attachment and unequalled love and unexampled passion could not fail of having some effect, and in short, very much resolved on being seriously accepted as soon as possible.  

It really was so.  

Without scruple -- without apology -- without much apparent diffidence, Mr. Elton, the lover of Harriet, was professing himself her lover.  

She tried to 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 restrain herself when she did speak.  She felt that half this folly must be drunkenness, and therefore could hope that it might belong only to the passing hour.  

Accordingly, with a mixture of the serious and the playful, which she hoped would best suit his half and half state, she replied,

     "I am very much astonished, Mr. Elton.  This to me! you forget yourself -- 

you take me for my friend -- any  message to Miss Smith I shall be happy to deliver; but no more of this to me, if you please."

     "Miss Smith! -- message to Miss Smith! -- What could she possibly mean!" -- And he repeated her words with such assurance of accent, such boastful pretence of amazement, that she could not help replying with quickness,

      "Mr. Elton, this is the most extraordinary conduct! and I can account for it only in one way; you are not yourself, or you could not speak either to me, or of Harriet, in such a manner.  Command yourself enough to say no more, and I will endeavour to forget it."

     But Mr. Elton had only drunk wine enough to elevate his spirits, not at all to confuse his intellects.  He perfectly knew his own meaning; and having warmly protested against her suspicion as most injurious, and slightly touched upon his respect for Miss Smith as her friend -- but acknowledging his wonder that Miss Smith should be mentioned at all 

-- he resumed the subject of his own passion, and was very urgent for a favourable answer.


     As she thought less of his inebriety, she thought more of his inconstancy and presumption; and with fewer struggles for politeness, replied,

     "It is impossible for me to doubt any longer.  You have made yourself too clear.  Mr. Elton, my astonishment is much beyond any thing I can express.  After such behaviour, as I have witnessed during the last month, to Miss Smith -- such attentions as I have been in the daily habit of observing -- to be addressing me in this manner -- 

this is an unsteadiness of character, indeed, which I had not supposed possible!  

Believe me, sir, I am far, very far, from gratified in being the object of such professions."

     "Good Heaven!" cried Mr. Elton, "what can be the meaning of this? -- Miss Smith! -- I never thought of Miss Smith in the whole course of my existence -- never paid her any attentions, but as your friend:  

never cared whether she were dead or alive, but as your friend.  


If she has fancied otherwise, her own wishes have misled her, and I am very sorry -- extremely sorry -- But, Miss Smith, indeed! -- Oh!  Miss Woodhouse! who can think of Miss Smith, when Miss Woodhouse is near!  

No, upon my honour, there is no unsteadiness of character.  I have thought only of you.  I protest against having paid the smallest attention to any one else.  Every thing that I have said or done, for many weeks past, has been with the sole view of marking my adoration of yourself.  You cannot really, seriously, doubt it.  

No! -- (in an accent meant to be insinuating) -- I am sure you have seen and understood me."


     It would be impossible to say what Emma felt, on hearing this -- which of all her unpleasant sensations was uppermost.  She was too completely overpowered to be immediately able to reply:  

and two moments of silence being ample encouragement for Mr. Elton's sanguine state of mind, he tried to take her hand again, 

as he joyously exclaimed -- 

     "Charming Miss Woodhouse! allow me to interpret this interesting silence.  It confesses that you have long understood me."

     "No, sir," cried Emma, "it confesses no such thing.  So far from having long understood you, I have been in a most complete error with respect to your views, till this moment.  

As to myself, I am very sorry that you should have been giving way to any feelings -- Nothing could be farther from my wishes -- your attachment to my friend Harriet -- your pursuit of her, (pursuit, it appeared,) gave me great pleasure, and I have been very earnestly wishing you success:  

but had I supposed that she were not your attraction to Hartfield, I should certainly have thought you judged ill in making your visits so frequent.  


Am I to believe that you have never sought to recommend yourself particularly to Miss Smith? -- that you have never thought seriously of her?"


     "Never, madam," cried he, affronted in his turn:  "never, I assure you.  I think seriously of Miss Smith! -- Miss Smith is a very good sort of girl; and I should be happy to see her respectably settled.  I wish her extremely well: and, no doubt, there are men who might not object to -- Every body has their level:  but as for myself, I am not, I think, quite so much at a loss.  

I need not so totally despair of an equal alliance, as to be addressing myself to Miss Smith! -- 

No, madam, my visits to Hartfield have been for yourself only; and the encouragement I received -- "

     "Encouragement! -- I give you encouragement! -- Sir, you have been entirely mistaken in supposing it.  I have seen you only as the admirer of my friend.  In no other light could you have been more to me than a common acquaintance.  I am exceedingly sorry:  but it is well that the mistake ends where it does.  

Had the same behaviour continued, Miss Smith might have been led into a misconception of your views; not being aware, probably, any more than myself, of the very great inequality which you are so sensible of.  

But, as it is, the disappointment is single, and, I trust, will not be lasting.  I have no thoughts of matrimony at present."


     He was too angry to say another word; her manner too decided to invite supplication; and in this state of swelling resentment, and mutually deep mortification, they had to continue together a few minutes longer, for the fears of Mr. Woodhouse had confined them to a foot-pace.  

If there had not been so much anger, there would have been desperate awkwardness; but 


their straightforward emotions left no room for the little zigzags of embarrassment.  

Without knowing when the carriage turned into Vicarage Lane, or when it stopped, they found themselves, all at once, at the door of his house; and he was out before another syllable passed. -- Emma then felt it indispensable to wish him a good night.  The compliment was just returned, coldly and proudly; and, under indescribable irritation of spirits, she was then conveyed to Hartfield.

-30-

the sigh which should have lasted longer

Emma believes her brother-in-law is wrong about the object of Mr. Elton's admiration and affection; she is satisfied in her mind that Elton is in love with Harriet Smith, even though he is planning to attend the dinner party in spite of Harriet's being absent.  Emma decides:  it's because a socially-outgoing single man does not like to turn down an invitation, ever, because of a determination to be "in company," and not alone.

She figures she knows pretty well how he feels.

The group from Hartfield starts out on their journey to Randalls for the evening event:  Mr. Woodhouse and his daughter Isabella ride in one carriage; Isabella's husband Mr. John Knightley rides with Emma in the other carriage, with enough room for Mr. Elton when they stop to pick him up.  

--------------- [excerpt, Emma, by Jane Austen] ------------ The cold, however, was severe; and by the time the second carriage was in motion, a few flakes of snow were finding their way down, and the sky had the appearance of being so overcharged as to want only a milder air to produce a very white world in a very short time.

     Emma soon saw that her companion was not in the happiest humour.  The preparing and the going abroad in such weather, with the sacrifice of [being with] his children after dinner, were evils, were disagreeables at least, which Mr. John Knightley did not by any means like; he anticipated nothing in the visit that could be at all worth the purchase; and the whole of their drive to the vicarage was spent by him in expressing his discontent.

     "A man," said he, "must have a very good opinion of himself when he asks people to leave their own fireside, and encounter such a day as this, for the sake of coming to see him.  He must think himself a most agreeable fellow; I could not do such a thing.  It is the greatest absurdity -- Actually snowing at this moment! -- The folly of not allowing people to be comfortable at home -- and the folly of people's not staying comfortably at home when they can! --------- [stop excerpt]

_____________________________

     They pick up Mr. Elton at the vicarage, and when he steps into the carriage and is situated under the lap robe, the driver urges the horses forward, and they're off to the Westons' house, through the cold, snow, and darkness.

__________________ ----------- [excerpt from the novel] ------------ [Emma} -- "...Such a sad loss to our party to-day!"

     [Mr. Elton] -- "Dreadful! -- Exactly so, indeed.  --  She will be missed every moment."

     This was very proper; the sigh which accompanied it was really estimable; but it should have lasted longer.  Emma was rather in dismay when only half a minute afterwards he began to speak of other tings, and in a voice of the greatest alacrity and enjoyment.

..."The contrivances of modern days indeed have rendered a gentleman's carriage perfectly complete.  One is so fenced and guarded from the weather, that not a breath of air can find its way unpermitted.  Weather becomes absolutely of no consequence."...

-----------------

CHAPTER XIV

Some change of countenance was necessary for each gentleman as they walked into Mrs. Weston's drawing-room -- Mr. Elton must compose his joyous looks, and Mr. John Knightley disperse his ill-humour.  Mr. Elton must smile less, and Mr. John Knightley more, to fit them for the place.  --  Emma only might be as nature prompted, and shew herself just as happy as she was.  To her it was real enjoyment to be with the Westons.

Emma's project of forgetting Mr. Elton for a while made her rather sorry to find, when they had all taken their places, that he was close to her.  The difficulty was great of driving his strange insensibility towards Harriet, from her mind, while he not only sat at her elbow, but was continually obtruding his happy countenance on her notice, and solicitously addressing her upon every occasion.  


Instead of forgetting him, his behaviour was such that she could not avoid the internal suggestion of "Can it really be as my brother imagined?  Can it be possible for this man to be beginning to transfer his affections from Harriet to me? -- Absurd and insufferable!" -- Yet he would be so anxious for her being perfectly warm, would be so interested about her father, and so delighted with Mrs. Weston; and at last would begin admiring her drawings with so much zeal and so little knowledge as seemed terribly like a would-be lover, and made it some effort with her to preserve her good manners.  

For her own sake she could not be rude; and for Harriet's, in the hope that all would yet turn out right, she was even positively civil; but it was an effort; especially as something was going on amongst the others, in the most overpowering period of Mr. Elton's nonsense, which she particularly wished to listen to.  She heard enough to know that Mr. Weston was giving some information about his son.... 


...Mr. Elton's civilities were dreadfully ill-timed; but she had the comfort of appearing very polite, while feeling very cross.... [stop excerpt]

______________________

After the party, when the two Hartfield carriages are leaving, Mr. John Knightley gets into the wrong carriage and Emma is left alone with Mr. Elton.

__________________ ----------- [excerpt] ------------ Isabella stept in after her father; John Knightley, forgetting that he did not belong to their party, stept in after his wife very naturally; so that Emma found, on being escorted and followed into the second carriage by Mr. Elton, that the door was to be lawfully shut on them, and that they were to have a tete-a-tete drive.

     ...To restrain him as much as might be, by her own manners, she was immediately preparing to speak with exquisite calmness and gravity of the weather and the night; but scarcely had she begun, scarcely had they passed the sweep-gate and joined the other carriage, than she found her subject cut up -- her hand seized -- her attention demanded, and Mr. Elton actually making violent love to her:  availing himself of the precious opportunity, declaring sentiments which must be already well known, hoping -- fearing -- adoring -- ready to die if she refused him;....

-30-

Oh no, I couldn't, but here -- I did

------------- [excerpt, Emma] ----------------- CHAPTER IX

Mr. Knightley might quarrel with her, but Emma could not quarrel with herself.  He was so much displeased, that it was longer than usual before he came to Hartfield again; and when they did meet, his grave looks shewed that she was not forgiven.  

She was sorry, but could not repent.  

On the contrary, her plans and proceedings were more and more justified and endeared to her by the general appearances of the next few days.


The Picture, elegantly framed, came safely to hand soon after Mr. Elton's return, and being hung over the mantelpiece of the common sitting-room, he got up to look at it, 

and sighed out his half sentences of admiration just as he ought; and as for Harriet's feelings, they were visibly forming themselves into as strong and steady an attachment as her youth and sort of mind admitted.  

Emma was soon perfectly satisfied of Mr. Martin's being no otherwise remembered, than as he furnished a contrast with Mr. Elton, of the utmost advantage to the latter.

Her views of improving her little friend's mind, by a great deal of useful reading and conversation, had never yet led to more than a few first chapters, 

and the intention of going on to-morrow.  It was much easier to chat than to study; much pleasanter to let her imagination range and work at Harriet's fortune, than to be labouring to enlarge her comprehension or exercise it on sober facts.... -------- [end / excerpt]

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________________________

Procrastinating on the intended heavy-duty studying, Emma and Harriet start putting together a book of riddles, popular poems, and "charades" -- "Why will not you write one yourself for us, Mr. Elton?" asks Emma during one of Elton's visits to Hartfield.  "That is the only security for its freshness; and nothing could be easier to you."

     "Oh no! he had never written, hardly ever, any thing of the kind in his life.  The stupidest fellow!  He was afraid not even Miss Woodhouse -- he stopt a moment -- "or Miss Smith could inspire him."


[excerpt continues] ----- The very next day however produced some proof of inspiration.  He called for a few moments, just to leave a piece of paper on the table containing, as he said, a charade, which a friend of his had addressed to a young lady, the object of his admiration, but which, from his manner, Emma was immediately convinced must be his own.

     "I do not offer it for Miss Smith's collection," said he.  "Being my friend's, I have no right to expose it in any degree to the public eye, but perhaps you may not dislike looking at it."


     The speech was more to Emma than to Harriet, which Emma could understand.  There was deep consciousness about him, and he found it easier to meet her eye than her friend's.  He was gone the next moment: -- after another moment's pause,

    "Take it," said Emma, smiling, and pushing the paper towards Harriet -- "it is for you.  Take your own."
    But Harriet was in a tremor, and could not touch it; and Emma, never loth to be first, was obliged to examine it herself. ------ [end / excerpt]

_______________________ Emma, with Harriet, pores over the little verse, and interprets... "May its approval beam in that soft eye!  Harriet exactly.  Soft is the very word for her eye -- of all epithets, the justest that could be given.

Thy ready wit the word will soon supply.

Humph -- Harriet's ready wit!  All the better.  A man must be very much in love, indeed, to describe her so.  Ah! Mr. Knightley, I wish you had the benefit of this; I think this would convince you.  For once in your life you would be obliged to own yourself mistaken."

_______________

     As the two young ladies discuss Mr. Elton's lovely charade, they comment upon how he brought it by even after protesting that he could not come up with anything like that.
     "I thought he meant to try his skill, by his manner of declining it yesterday," says Emma.

_____________________

The two friends -- leader and follower -- continue to spend time together and parts of their conversations always arrange themselves around speculations and daydreams concerning Mr. Elton.

____________________
__________________

Then, as Christmastime approaches, Emma doesn't see Harriet as much because her time is full, preparing for guests at Hartfield -- her sister and husband, Mr. John Knightley, and their five children are coming for a visit.  

[Mr. Knightley the neighbor who visits Emma and her father at Hartfield, and Mr. John Knightley, husband of Emma's sister Isabella, are brothers.  The Mr. Knightley of the neighborhood is named George, but the narrative rarely brings in his first name.  So mostly I think of them as 

Mr. Knightley (local)

and

Mr. John Knightley (Isabella's husband; Emma's brother-in-law).]

---------------- [excerpt] --------- Mr. John Knightley was a tall, gentleman-like, and very clever man; rising in his profession, domestic, and respectable in his private character; but with reserved manners which prevented his being generally pleasing; and capable of being sometimes out of humour.  

     He was an ill-tempered man, not so often unreasonably cross as to deserve such a reproach; but his temper was not his great perfection; and, indeed, with such a worshipping wife, it was hardly possible that any natural defects in it should not be increased.  


     The extreme sweetness of her temper must hurt his.  He had all the clearness and quickness of mind which she wanted, and he could sometimes act an ungracious, or say a severe thing.

He was not a great favourite with his fair sister-in-law.  Nothing wrong in him escaped her.  She was quick in feeling the little injuries to Isabella, which Isabella never felt herself. -------------- [excerpt ends]

____________________
____________________

As days and local mini-events progress toward the holiday, The Woodhouses, Knightleys, Harriet, Mr. Elton, and some others are invited to Randalls, home of Mr. and Mrs. Weston, for a dinner party -- then Harriet catches cold the day before -- Emma visits her; and then, she and her brother-in-law are on their way home when they encounter Mr. Elton.

Emma hints that she realizes Mr. Elton will not want to come to the dinner since he is so disappointed at Harriet's not being able to attend -- but Mr. Elton insists that No, he will be there, after Mr. John Knightley offers him a seat in their carriage for the trip, as snow is predicted.


     "Well," thinks Emma to herself, "this is most strange! -- After I had got him off so well, to chuse to go into company, and leave Harriet ill behind! -- Most strange indeed!"


Soon afterwards Mr. Elton quitted them, and she could not but do him the justice of feeling that there was a great deal of sentiment in his manner of naming Harriet at parting...
     ...and he sighed and smiled himself off in a way that left the balance of approbation much in his favour.

     After a few minutes of entire silence between them, John Knightley began with --
     "I never in my life saw a man more intent on being agreeable than Mr. Elton.  It is downright labour to him where ladies are concerned.  With men he can be rational and unaffected, but when he has ladies to please, every feature works."

     "Mr. Elton's manners are not perfect," replied Emma; "but where there is a wish to please, one ought to overlook, and one does overlook a great deal.  Where a man does his best with only moderate powers, he will have the advantage over negligent superiority.  There is such perfect good-temper and good-will in Mr. Elton as one cannot but value."

     "Yes," said Mr. John Knightley presently, with some slyness, "he seems to have a great deal of good-will towards you."

     "Me!" she replied with a smile of astonishment, "are you imagining me to be Mr. Elton's object?"


     "Such an imagination has crossed me, I own, Emma; and if it never occurred to you before, you may as well take it into consideration now."
     "Mr. Elton in love with me! -- What an idea!"

     "I do not say it is so; but you will do well to consider whether it is so or not, and to regulate your behaviour accordingly.  

I think your manners to him encouraging.  I speak as a friend, Emma.  You had better look about you, and ascertain what you do, and what you mean to do."

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