Mr. Frank Churchill still declined it,
looking as serious as he could, and his father gave his hearty support by
calling out, `My good friend, this is quite unnecessary; Frank knows a puddle
of water when he sees it, and as to Mrs. Bates's, he may get there from the
Crown in a hop, step, and jump.'
They were permitted to go alone; and with a
cordial nod from one, and a graceful bow from the other, the two gentlemen took
leave. Emma remained very well pleased with this beginning of the acquaintance,
and could now engage to think of them all at Randalls any hour of the day, with
full confidence in their comfort.
CHAPTER VI
The next morning brought Mr. Frank
Churchill again. He came with Mrs. Weston, to whom and to Highbury he seemed to
take very cordially. He had been sitting with her, it appeared, most
companionably at home, till her usual hour of exercise; and on being desired to
chuse their walk, immediately fixed on Highbury. - `He did not doubt there
being very pleasant walks in every direction, but if left to him, he should
always chuse the same. Highbury, that airy, cheerful, happy-looking Highbury,
would be his constant attraction.' - Highbury, with Mrs. Weston, stood for
Hartfield; and she trusted to its bearing the same construction with him. They
walked thither directly.
Emma had hardly expected them: for Mr.
Weston, who had called in for half a minute, in order to hear that his son was
very handsome, knew nothing of their plans; and it was an agreeable surprize to
her, therefore, to perceive them walking up to the house together, arm in arm.
She was wanting to see him again, and especially to see him in company with
Mrs. Weston, upon his behaviour to whom her opinion of him was to depend. If he
were deficient there, nothing should make amends for it. But on seeing them
together, she became perfectly satisfied. It was not merely in fine words or
hyperbolical compliment that he paid his duty; nothing could be more proper or
pleasing than his whole manner to her - nothing could more agreeably denote his
wish of considering her as a friend and securing her affection. And there was
time enough for Emma to form a reasonable judgment, as their visit included all
the rest of the morning. They were all three walking about together for an hour
or two - first round the shrubberies of Hartfield, and afterwards in Highbury.
He was delighted with every thing; admired Hartfield sufficiently for Mr.
Woodhouse's ear; and when their going farther was resolved on, confessed his
wish to be made acquainted with the whole village, and found matter of
commendation and interest much oftener than Emma could have supposed.
Some of the objects of his curiosity spoke
very amiable feelings. He begged to be shewn the house which his father had
lived in so long, and which had been the home of his father's father; and on
recollecting that an old woman who had nursed him was still living, walked in
quest of her cottage from one end of the street to the other; and though in some
points of pursuit or observation there was no positive merit, they shewed,
altogether, a good-will towards Highbury in general, which must be very like a
merit to those he was with.
Emma watched and decided, that with such
feelings as were now shewn, it could not be fairly supposed that he had been
ever voluntarily absenting himself; that he had not been acting a part, or
making a parade of insincere professions; and that Mr. Knightley certainly had
not done him justice.
`Yes, oh! yes' - he replied; `I was just
going to mention it. A very successful visit: - I saw all the three ladies; and
felt very much obliged to you for your preparatory hint. If the talking aunt
had taken me quite by surprize, it must have been the death of me. As it was, I
was only betrayed into paying a most unreasonable visit. Ten minutes would have
been all that was necessary, perhaps all that was proper; and I had told my
father I should certainly be at home before him - but there was no getting
away, no pause; and, to my utter astonishment, I found, when he (finding me
nowhere else) joined me there at last, that I had been actually sitting with
them very nearly three-quarters of an hour. The good lady had not given me the
possibility of escape before.'
`And how did you think Miss Fairfax
looking?'
`Ill, very ill - that is, if a young lady
can ever be allowed to look ill. But the expression is hardly admissible, Mrs.
Weston, is it? Ladies can never look ill. And, seriously, Miss Fairfax is
naturally so pale, as almost always to give the appearance of ill health. - A most
deplorable want of complexion.'
Emma would not agree to this, and began a
warm defence of Miss Fairfax's complexion. `It was certainly never brilliant,
but she would not allow it to have a sickly hue in general; and there was a
softness and delicacy in her skin which gave peculiar elegance to the character
of her face.' He listened with all due deference; acknowledged that he had
heard many people say the same - but yet he must confess, that to him nothing
could make amends for the want of the fine glow of health. Where features were
indifferent, a fine complexion gave beauty to them all; and where they were
good, the effect was - fortunately he need not attempt to describe what the
effect was.
`Well,' said Emma, `there is no disputing
about taste. - At least you admire her except her complexion.'
He shook his head and laughed. - `I cannot
separate Miss Fairfax and her complexion.'
`Did you see her often at Weymouth? Were you often in the same
society?'
At this moment they
were approaching Ford's, and he hastily exclaimed, `Ha! this must be the very
shop that every body attends every day of their lives, as my father informs me.
He comes to Highbury himself, he says, six days out of the seven, and has
always business at Ford's. If it be not inconvenient to you, pray let us go in,
that I may prove myself to belong to the place, to be a true citizen of
Highbury. I must buy something at Ford's. It will be taking out my freedom. - I
dare say they sell gloves.'
