Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the forty-sixth chapter of Emma by Jane Austen

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Welcome to Bite at a Time Books, where we read 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 Show Notes.

Today we will be continuing Emma by Jane Austin chapter Ten One morning, about ten days after Mrs.

Churchill's decease, Emma was called downstairs to Mr.

Weston, who could not stay 5 minutes and wanted particularly to speak with her.

He met her at the parlor door and hardly asking her how she did.

In the natural key of his voice.

Sunk it immediately to say, unheard by.

Her father, can you come to Randalls at any time this morning?

Do if it be possible.

Mrs.

Weston wants to see you.

She must see you.

Is she unwell?

No, not at all.

Only a little agitated.

She would have ordered the carriage and come to you, but she must see you alone and that, you know, nodding towards her father.

Can you come?

Certainly.

This moment, if you please.

It is impossible to refuse what you ask in such a way.

But what can be the matter?

Is she really not ill?

Depend upon me.

But ask no more questions.

You will know it all in time.

The most unaccountable business.

But hush, hush.

To guess what all this meant was impossible even for Emma.

Something really important seemed announced by his looks.

But as her friend was well, she endeavored not to be uneasy and settling it with her father that she would take her walk.

Now she and Mr.

Weston were soon out of the house together and on their way at a quick pace for Randalls.

Now, said Emma when they were fairly.

Beyond the sweep gates.

Now, Mr.

Weston, do let me know what has happened.

No, he gravely replied.

Don't ask me.

I promised my wife to leave it all to her.

She will break it to you better than I can.

Do not be impatient, Emma.

It will all come out too soon.

Break it to me, cried Emma, standing still with terror.

Good God, Mr.

Weston, tell me at once something has happened in Brunswick Square.

I know it has.

Tell me.

I charge you.

Tell me this moment what it is.

No, indeed, you are mistaken, Mr.

Weston.

Do not trifle with me.

Consider how many of my dearest friends are now in Brunswick Square.

Which of them is it?

I charge you by all that is sacred not to attempt concealment.

Upon my word, Emma.

Your word?

Why not, your honor?

Why not say upon your honor that it has nothing to do with any of them?

Good heavens, what can be to be.

Broke to me that does not relate to one of that family?

Upon my honor, said he very seriously.

It does not.

It is not in the smallest degree connected with any human being of the name of Knightley.

Emma's courage returned, and she walked on.

I was wrong, he continued, in talking of its being broke to you.

I should not have used the expression.

In fact, it does not concern you.

It concerns only myself.

That is, we hope.

In short, my dear Emma, there is no occasion to be so uneasy about it.

I don't say that it is not a disagreeable business, but things might be much worse if we walk fast.

We shall soon be at Randall's.

I'm afraid that she must wait, and.

Now it required little effort.

She asked no more questions, therefore merely.

Employed her own fancy, and that soon.

Pointed out to her the probability of.

It being some money concern.

Something just come to light of a.

Disagreeable nature in the circumstances of the family, something which the late event at Richmond had brought forward.

Her fancy was very active.

Half a dozen natural children, perhaps, and poor Frank cut off.

This, though very undesirable, would be no.

Matter of agony to her.

It inspired little more than an animating curiosity.

Who is that gentleman on horseback?

Said she as they proceeded, speaking more to assist Mr.

Weston in keeping his.

Secret than with any other view.

I do not know one of the Otways.

Not Frank.

It is not Frank.

I assure you.

You will not see him.

He is halfway to Windsor by this time.

Has your son been with you then?

Oh, yes.

Did you not know?

Well, never mind.

For a moment he was silent, and.

Then added in a tone much more.

Guarded and demure, yes, Frank came over.

This morning just to ask us how we did.

They hurried on and were speedily at Randall's.

Well, my dear, said he as they entered the room, I have brought her.

And now I hope you will soon be better.

I shall leave you together.

There is no use in delay.

I shall not be far off if you want me.

And Emma distinctly heard him add in.

A lower tone before he quitted the.

Room, I have been as good as my word.

She is not the least idea.

Mrs.

Weston was looking so ill and.

Had an air of so much perturbation.

That Emma's uneasiness increased, and the moment.

They were alone she eagerly said, what.

Is it, my dear friend?

Something of a very unpleasant nature, I find has occurred.

Do let me know directly what it is.

I have been walking all this way in complete suspense.

We both abhor suspense.

Do not let mine continue longer.

It will do you good to speak.

Of your distress, whatever it may be.

Have you indeed no idea?

Said Mrs.

Weston in a trembling voice.

Cannot you, my dear Emma, cannot you.

Form a guess as to what you are to hear?

So far as that it relates to Mr.

Frank Churchill?

I do guess you are right.

It does relate to him, and I.

Will tell you directly resuming her work.

And seemingly resolved against looking up.

He has been here this very morning.

On a most extraordinary errand.

It is impossible to express our surprise.

He came to speak to his father.

On a subject, to announce an attachment.

She stopped to breathe.

Emma thought, first of herself and then of Harriet.

More than an attachment indeed, resumed Mrs.

Westin.

An engagement.

A positive engagement.

What will you say, Emma?

What will anybody say when it is known that Frank Churchill and Ms.

Fairfax are engaged?

Nay, that they have been long engaged.

Emma even jumped with surprise, and horror.

Struck, exclaimed Jane Fairfax, good God, you were not serious.

You do not mean it?

You may well be amazed, returned Mrs.

Weston, still averting her eyes and talking on with eagerness that Emma might have time to recover.

You may well be amazed, but it is even so.

There has been a solemn engagement between.

Them ever since October, formed at Waymouth and kept a secret from everybody, not.

A creature knowing it, but themselves, neither.

The Campbells nor her family nor his.

It is so wonderful that, though perfectly convinced of the fact, it is yet almost incredible to myself.

I can hardly believe it.

I thought I knew him.

I must scarcely heard what was said.

Her mind was divided between two ideas.

Her own former conversations with him about Ms.

Fairfax and poor Harriet, and for.

Some time she could only exclaim and require confirmation.

Repeated confirmation?

Well, said she at last trying to recover herself.

This is a circumstance which I must think of at least half a day before I can at all comprehend it.

What engaged to her all the winter before either of them came to Highbury?

Engaged since October?

Secretly engaged.

It has hurt me, Emma, very much.

It has hurt his father equally.

Some part of his conduct we cannot excuse.

Emma pondered a moment, and then replied.

I will not pretend not to understand you, and to give you all the relief in my power.

Be assured that no such effect has followed his attentions to me, as you are apprehensive of.

Mrs.

Weston looked up, afraid to believe.

But Emma's countenance was as steady as her words.

That you may have less difficulty in believing this boast of my present perfect.

Indifference, she continued, I will further tell.

You that there was a period in my early part of our acquaintance when I did like him, when I was.

Very much disposed to be attached to him.

Nay, was attached, and how it came to cease is perhaps the wonder.

Fortunately, however, it did cease.

I have really for some time passed for at least these three months, cared nothing about him.

You may believe me, Mrs.

Weston.

This is the simple truth.

Mrs.

Weston kissed her with tears of.

Joy, and when she could find utterance assured her that this protestation had done her more good than anything else in the world could do.

Mrs.

Weston will be almost as much relieved as myself, said she, on this.

Point we have been wretched.

It was our Darling wish that you might be attached to each other, and we were persuaded that it was so.

Imagine what we have been feeling on your account.

I have escaped, and that I should.

Escape may be a matter of grateful wonder to you and myself.

But this does not equip him, Mrs.

Weston, and I must say that I think him greatly to blame.

What right had he to come among us with affection and faith, engaged and with manners so very disengaged?

What right had he to endeavor to.

Please, as he certainly did, to distinguish any one young woman with persevering attention, as he certainly did, while he really belonged to another?

How could he tell what mischief he might be doing?

How could he tell that he might not be making me in love with him?

Very wrong.

Very wrong indeed, from something that he said.

My dear Emma, I rather imagine.

And how could she bear such behavior composure, with a witness to look on while repeated attentions were offering to another woman before her face and not resent it.

That is a degree of placidity which.

I can neither comprehend nor respect.

There were misunderstandings between them, Emma.

He said so expressly he had not time to enter into much explanation.

He was here only a quarter of.

An hour, and in a state of agitation which did not allow the full use even of the time he could stay.

But that there had been misunderstandings, he.

Decidedly said the present crisis indeed seemed to be brought on by them.

And those misunderstandings might very possibly arise from the impropriety of his conduct.

Impropriety?

Oh, Mrs.

Weston, it is too calm.

A censure much, much beyond impropriety.

It has sunk him.

I cannot say how it has sunk him, in my opinion, so unlike what a man should be.

None of that upright integrity, that strict adherence to truth and principle, that disdain of trick and littleness which a man should display in every transaction of his life.

Nay, dear Emma, now I must take.

His part, for though he has been wrong in this instance, I have known him long enough to answer for his having many, very many good qualities and.

Good God, cried Emma, not attending to her.

Mrs.

Smallridge, too.

Jane, actually on the point of going as governess, what could he mean by such horrible indelicacy?

To suffer her, to engage herself, to suffer her, even to think of such a measure?

He knew nothing about it.

Emma, on this article I can fully acquit him.

It was a private resolution of hers not communicated to him, or at least not communicated in a way to carry conviction till yesterday.

I know, he said.

He was in the dark as to her plans.

They burst on him.

I do not know how, but some.

Letter or message, and it was the discovery of what she was doing of this very project of hers, which determined him to come forward at once, own it all to his uncle, throw himself on his kindness, and in short, put an end to the miserable state of concealment that had been carrying on so long.

Emma began to listen better.

I am to hear from him soon, continued Mrs.

Weston.

He told me at parting that he should soon write, and he spoke in a manner which seemed to promise me many particulars that could not be given.

Now let us wait, therefore, for this letter.

It may bring many extinctions.

It may make many things intelligible and excusable, which now are not to be understood.

Don't let us be severe.

Don't let us be in a hurry to condemn him.

Let us have patience.

I must love him.

And now that I am satisfied on one point, the one material point, I am sincerely anxious for it's all turning out well and ready to hope that it may.

They must both have suffered a great.

Deal under such a system of secrecy and concealment.

His sufferings, replied Emma dryly, do not appear to have done him much harm.

Well.

And how did Mr.

Churchill take it?

Most favorably, for his nephew gave his consent with scarcely a difficulty conceived.

What the events of a week have done in that family while poor Mrs.

Churchill lived, I suppose there could not have been a hope, a chance, a possibility, but scarcely are her remains at rest in the family vault.

Then her husband is persuaded to act exactly opposite to what she would have required.

What a blessing it is when undue.

Influence does not survive the grave.

He gave his consent with very little persuasion, thought Emma.

He would have done as much for Harriet.

This was settled last night, and Frank was off with the light this morning.

He stopped at Highbury at the Bates'i fancy some time, and then came on hither, but was in such a hurry to get back to his uncle, to whom he had just now more necessary than ever.

That, as I tell you, he could stay with us but a quarter of an hour.

He was very much agitated, very much.

Indeed, to a degree that made him appear quite a different creature from anything I had ever seen him before.

In addition to all the rest, there.

Had been the shock of finding her so very unwell, which he had had no previous suspicion of, and there was every appearance of his having been feeling a great deal.

And do you really believe the affair.

To have been carrying on with such perfect secrecy?

The Campbells?

The Dixons.

Did none of them know of the engagement?

Emma could not speak the name of Dixon without a little blush.

None?

Not one.

He positively said that it had been known to no one being in the world but their two selves.

Well, said Emma, I suppose we shall.

Gradually grow reconciled to the idea, and I wish them very happy.

But I shall always think it a very abominable sort of proceeding.

What has it been but a system of hypocrisy and deceit, espionage and treachery to come among us with professions of openness and simplicity and such a League in secret to judge us all here have we been the whole winter and spring completely duped fancying ourselves all on an equal footing of truth and honor, with two people in the midst of us who may have been carrying round comparing and sitting in judgment on sentiments and words that were never meant for both to hear.

They must take the consequence if they.

Have heard each other spoken of in a way not perfectly agreeable.

I'm quite easy on that head, replied Mrs.

Weston.

I am very sure that I never said anything of either to the other, which both might not have heard.

You are in luck.

Your only blunder was confined to my ear when you imagined a certain friend of ours in love with the lady.

True, but as I have always had a thoroughly good opinion of Ms.

Fairfax, I never could under any blunder have spoken ill of her, and as to speak ill of him there, I must.

Have been safe at this moment.

Mr.

Weston appeared at a little distance from the window, evidently on the watch.

His wife gave him a look which.

Invited him in, and while he was coming round, added, now, dearest Emma, let me entreat you to say and look everything that may set his heart at ease and incline him to be satisfied with the match.

Let us make the best of it.

And indeed, almost everything may be fairly said in her favor.

It is not a connection to Gratify.

But if Mr.

Churchill does not feel that, why should we?

And it may be a very fortunate circumstance for him.

For Frank, I mean that he should have attached himself to a girl of such steadiness of character and good judgment.

As I have always given her credit.

For, and still am disposed to give.

Her credit for, in spite of this one great deviation from the strict rule.

Of right, and how much may be said in her situation for even that error.

Much indeed, cried Emma, feelingly, if a.

Woman can ever be excused for thinking only of herself, it is in a situation like Jane Fairfax's of such 1 may almost say that the world is not theirs, nor the world's law.

She met Mr.

Weston on his entrance.

With a smiling countenance, exclaiming a very pretty trick you have played on me, upon my word.

This was a device I suppose to.

Sport with my curiosity and exercise my talent of guessing.

But you really frightened me.

I thought you had lost half your property at least.

And here, instead of it being a matter of condolence, it turns out to be one of Congratulations.

I congratulate you, Mr.

Weston, with all my heart on the prospect of having one of the most lovely and accomplished young women in England for your daughter.

A glance or two between him and his wife convinced him that all was.

As right as this speech proclaimed and its happy effect on his spirits was immediate.

His air and voice recovered their usual briskness.

He shook her heartily and gratefully by the hand and entered on the subject in a manner to prove that he now only wanted time and persuasion to think the engagement no very bad thing, his companion suggested only what could palliate imprudence or smooth objections.

And by the time they had talked.

It all over together and he had talked it all over again with Emma and their walk back to Hartfield, he was become perfectly reconciled and not far from thinking at the very best thing that Frank could possibly have done.

Thank you for joining Bike 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 Bite Editime 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 Byte At A Time books behind the story Tuesdays wherever you listen to podcasts again.