Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the fortieth chapter of Emma by Jane Austen

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Welcome to Bite at a Time Books, where we read you your favorite classics one Bite at a Time.

My name is Brie Carlyle and I love to read and wanted to share my passion with listeners like you.

All of the links for our show are in the Show notes.

Today we will be continuing Emma by Jane Austin.

Chapter Four A very few days had passed after this adventure when Harriet came one morning to Emma with a small parcel in her hand, and after sitting down, and hesitating thus began Ms.

Woodhouse, if you are at leisure, I have something that I should like to tell you, a sort of confession to make, and then you know it will be over.

Emma was a good deal surprised, but begged her to speak.

There was a seriousness in Harriet's manner which prepared her quite as much as her words for something more than ordinary.

It is my duty, and I am sure it is my wish, she continued, to have no reserves with you on this subject, as I am happily quite an altered creature in one respect.

It is very fit that you should have the satisfaction of knowing it.

I do not want to say more than is necessary.

I am too much ashamed of having given way, as I have done, and I dare say you understand me.

Yes, said Emma.

I hope I do how I could so long a time be fancying myself, cried Harriet warmly.

It seems like madness.

I can see nothing at all extraordinary in him now.

I do not care whether I meet him or not, except that of the two.

I'd rather not see him, and indeed I would go any distance rounds to avoid him.

But I do not envy his wife in the least.

I neither admire her nor envy her as I have done.

She is very charming, I dare say, and all that, but I think her very ill tempered and disagreeable.

I shall never forget her look the other night.

However, I assure you, Miss Woodhouse, I wish her no evil.

No, let them be ever so happy together.

It will not give me another moment's paying, and to convince you that I have been speaking truth, I am now going to destroy what I ought to have destroyed long ago, what I ought never to have kept.

I know that very well, blushing as she spoke.

However, no, I will destroy it all, and it is my particular wish to do it in your presence that you may see how rational I am grown cannot you guess what this parcel holds?

Said she with a conscious look.

Not the least in the world.

Did he ever give you anything?

No, I cannot call them gifts, but they are things that I have valued much.

She held the parcel towards her, and Emma read the words Most precious treasures on the top.

Her curiosity was greatly excited.

Harriet unfolded the parcel and she looked on with impatience with an abundance of silver paper, was a pretty little Tunbridge Ware box, which Harriet opened.

It was well lined with the softest cotton, but accepting the cotton, Emma saw only a small piece of court plaster.

Now, said Harriet, you must recollect.

No, indeed I do not.

Dear me, I should not have thought it possible you could forget what passed in this very room about court plaster, one of the very last time we ever met in it.

It was but a very few days before I had my sore throat, just before Mr.

And Mrs.

John Knightley came, I think, the very evening.

Do not you remember his cutting his finger with your new penknife and your recommending quart plaster?

But as you had none about you and knew I had, you desired me to supply him, and so I took mine out and cut him apiece.

But it was a great deal too large, and he cut it smaller, and kept playing some time with what was left before he gave it back to me.

And so then in my nonsense I could not help making a treasure of it.

So I put it by never to be used, and looked at it now and then as a great treat.

My dearest Harriet, cried Emma, putting her hand before her face and jumping up, you make me more ashamed of myself than I can bear.

Remember it.

I remember it all now.

All except you're saving this relic.

I knew nothing of that till this moment but the cutting, the finger, and my recommending quart plaster, and saying I had none about me.

Oh, my sins, my sins, and I had plenty all the while in my pocket one of my senseless tricks.

I deserve to be under a continual blush all the rest of my life.

Well, sitting down again, go on, what else?

And how do you really summit hand yourself?

I am sure I never suspected it.

You did it so naturally.

And so you actually put this piece of court plaster by for his sake, said Emma, recovering from her state of shame and feeling divided between wonder and amusement.

And secretly she added to herself, Lord, bless me, when should I ever have thought of putting by in cotton a piece of cord plaster that Frank Churchill had been pulling about?

I never was equal to this here, resumed Harriet, turning to her box again.

Here is something still more valuable.

I mean, that has been more valuable because this is what did really once belonged to him, which the court plaster never did.

Emma was quite eager to see the superior treasure.

It was the end of an old pencil, the part without any lead.

This was really his, said Harriet.

Do not you remember one morning?

No, I dare say you do not.

But one morning I forget exactly the day.

But perhaps it was the Tuesday or Wednesday before that evening.

He wanted to make a memorandum in his pocket book.

It was about Spruce Beer.

Mr.

Knightley had been telling him something about brewing Spruce Beer, and he wanted to put it down, but when he took out his pencil there was so little lead that he soon cut it all away, and it would not do so.

You lent him another, and this was left upon the table as good for nothing, but I kept my eye on it, and as soon as I dared caught it up and never parted with it again.

From that moment I do remember it, cried Emma.

I perfectly remember it.

Talking about Spruce Beer.

Oh, yes.

Mr.

Knightley and I both sang we liked it, and Mr.

Elton, seeming resolved to learn to like it too.

I perfectly remember it.

Stop.

Mr.

Knightley was standing just here, was not he?

I have an idea he was standing just here.

I do not know.

I cannot recollect.

It is very odd, but I cannot recollect.

Mr.

Elton was sitting here.

I remember much about where I am now.

Well, go on.

Oh, that's all.

I have nothing more to show you or to say, except that I am now going to throw them both behind the fire, and I wish you to see me do it.

My poor dear Harriet.

And have you actually found happiness in treasuring up these things?

Yes, simpleton as I was, but I am quite ashamed of it now, and wish I could forget as easily as I can burn them.

It was very wrong of me, you know, to keep any remembrances after he was married.

I knew it was, but had not resolution enough to part with them.

But Harriet, is it necessary to burn the court plaster?

I have not a word to say for the bit of old pencil, but the court plaster might be useful.

I shall be happier to burn it, replied Harriet.

It has a disagreeable look to me.

I must get rid of everything.

There it goes.

And there is an end bank heaven of Mr.

Elton.

And when thought Emma, will there be a beginning of Mr.

Churchill?

She had soon afterwards reason to believe that the beginning was already made, and could not but hope that the Gypsy, though she had told no fortune, might be proved to have made Harriet's.

About a fortnight after the alarm they came to a sufficient explanation, and quite undecidedly.

Emma was not thinking of it at the moment, which made the information she received more valuable.

She merely said, in the course of some trivial chat, Well, Harriet, whenever you marry, I would advise you to do so and so, and thought no more of it untill after a minute silence, she heard Harriet say in a very serious tone, I shall never marry.

Emma then looked up and immediately saw how it was, and after a moment's debate as to whether it should pass unnoticed or not, replied, Never marry.

This is a new resolution.

It is one that I shall never change.

However, after another short hesitation, I hope it does not proceed from.

I hope it is not in compliment to Mr.

Elton.

Mr.

Elton, indeed, cried Harriet indignantly.

Oh, no, and Emma could just catch the words so superior to Mr.

Elton.

She then took a longer time for consideration.

Should she proceed no farther, should she let it pass and seem to suspect nothing?

Perhaps Harriet might think her cold or angry if she did, or perhaps if she were totally silent, it might only drive Harriet into asking her to hear too much.

And against anything like such an unreserved as had been such an open and frequent discussion of hopes and chances, she was perfectly resolved.

She believed it would be wiser for her to say and know at once all that she meant to say.

And no plain dealing was always best.

She had previously determined how far she would proceed on any application of the sort, and it would be safer for both to have the judicious law of her own brain laid down with speed.

She was decided, and thus spoke.

Harriet, I will not affect to be in doubt of your meaning.

Your resolution, or rather your expectation of never marrying, results from an idea that the person whom you might prefer would be too greatly your superior in situation to think of you.

It's not.

It so.

Oh, Miss Woodhouse, believe me, I have not the presumption to suppose.

Indeed, I am not so mad.

But it is a pleasure to me to admire him at a distance and to think of his infinite superiority to all the rest of the world with the gratitude, wonder, and veneration which are so proper in me especially.

I am not at all surprised at you, Harriet.

The service he rendered you was enough to warm your heart.

Service?

Oh, it was such an inexpressible obligation, the very recollection of it and all that I felt at the time when I saw him coming, his Noble look and my wretchedness before.

Such a change in one moment.

Such a change from perfect misery to perfect happiness.

It is very natural.

It is natural.

And it is honorable.

Yes, honorable, I think, to choose so well and so gratefully.

But that it will be a fortunate preference is more than I can promise.

I do not advise you to give way to it, Harriet.

I do not by any means engage for its being returned.

Consider what you are about.

Perhaps it will be wisest in you to check your feelings while you can.

At any rate, do not let them carry you far unless you are persuaded of his liking.

You be observant of him.

Let his behavior be the guide of your sensations.

I give you this caution now, because I shall never speak to you again on the subject.

I am determined against all interference.

Henceforward I know nothing of the matter.

Let no name ever pass our lips.

We were very wrong before.

We will be cautious now.

Use your superior no doubt.

And there do seem objections and obstacles of a very serious nature.

But yet, Harriet, more wonderful things have taken place.

There have been matches of greater disparity.

But take care of yourself.

I would not have you too sanguine though however it may end be assured you're raising your thoughts to him as a Mark of good taste which I shall always know how to value.

Harriet kissed her hand in silent and submissive gratitude.

Emma was very decided in thinking such an attachment no bad thing for her friend.

Its tendency would be to raise and refine her mind and it must be saving her from the danger of degradation.

Thank you for joining Bite At A Time Books today while we read a bite of one of your favorite classics.

All of the links for our show are in the show notes.

We are part of the Bike At A Time Books Productions network.

If you ever wondered what inspired your favorite classic novelist to write their stories, what was happening in their lives or the world at the time, check out Bite At A Time books behind the story Tuesdays wherever you listen to podcasts again.