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]
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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."...
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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]
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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;....
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