Join Host Bree Carlile as she reads the forty-seventh 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 Eleven Harriet, Poor Harriet.

Those were the words.

In them lay the tormenting ideas which.

Emma could not get rid of, and.

Which constituted the real misery of the business to her.

Frank Churchill had behaved very ill by.

Herself, very ill in many ways, but.

It was not so much his behavior.

As her own which made her so angry with him.

It was the scrape which she had.

Drawn her into on Harriet's account that.

Gave the deepest hue to his offense.

Poor Harriet to be a second time.

The dupe of her misconceptions and flattery.

Mr.

Knightley had spoken prophetically when he.

Had once said, Emma, you have been no friend to Harriet Smith.

She was afraid she had done nothing but disservice.

It was true that she had not to charge herself in this instance, as in the former, with being the sole.

And original owner of the mischief, with.

Having suggested such feelings as might otherwise.

Never have entered Harriet's imagination.

For Harriet had acknowledged her admiration and.

Preference of Frank Churchill before she had ever given her a hint on the subject.

But she felt completely guilty of having encouraged what she might have repressed.

She might have prevented the indulgence and.

Increase of such sentiments.

Her influence would have been enough, and.

Now she was very conscious that she.

Ought to have prevented them.

She felt that she had been risking her friend's happiness on most insufficient grounds.

Common sense would have directed her to.

Tell Harriet that she must not allow.

Herself to think of him, and that there were 500 chances to one against.

His ever caring for her.

But with common sense, she added, I.

Am afraid I have had little to do.

She was extremely angry with herself.

If she could not have been angry with Frank Churchill, too, it would have been dreadful.

As for Jane Fairfax, she might at least relieve her feelings from any present.

Solicitude on her account.

Harriet would be anxiety enough.

She need no longer be unhappy about Jane, whose troubles and whose ill health, having, of course, the same origin, must be equally under cure.

Her days of insignificance and evil were over.

She would soon be well and happy and prosperous.

Emma could now imagine why her own.

Attentions had been slighted.

This discovery laid many smaller matters open.

No doubt it had been from jealousy.

In Jane's eyes she had been a.

Rival, and while might be anything she could offer of assistance or regard be repulsed.

An airing in the Hartfield carriage would have been.

The rack and arrowroot from the Hartfield.

Storeroom must have been poison.

She understood it all, and as far.

As her mind could disengage itself from the injustice and selfishness of angry feelings, she acknowledged that Jane Fairfax would have neither elevation nor happiness beyond her desert.

But poor Harriet, with such an engrossing.

Charge, there was little sympathy to be.

Spared for anybody else.

Emma was sadly fearful that this second.

Disappointment would be more severe than the.

First, considering the very superior claims of.

The object it ought, and judging by its apparently stronger effect on Harriet's mind.

Producing reserve and self command, it would.

She must communicate the painful truth, however.

And as soon as possible.

An injunction of secrecy had been among.

Mr.

Weston's parting words.

For the present, the whole affair was to be completely a secret.

Mr.

Churchill had made a point of.

It as a token of respect to the wife he had so very recently.

Lost, and everybody admitted it to be.

No more than due decorum.

Emma had promised, but still Harriet must be accepted.

It was her superior duty.

In spite of her vexation, she could.

Not help feeling it almost ridiculous that she should have the very same distressing and delicate office to perform by Harriet.

Which Mrs.

Weston had just gone through by herself.

The intelligence which had been so anxiously announced to her.

She was now to be anxiously announcing to another.

Her heart beat quick on hearing Harriet's footstep and voice.

So she supposed, had poor Mrs.

Weston felt when she was approaching Randall's.

Could the event of the disclosure bear an equal resemblance?

But if that unfortunately there could be no chance.

Well, Miss Woodhouse, cried Harriet, coming eagerly.

Into the room, is not this the.

Oddest news that ever was?

What news do you mean?

Replied Emma, unable to guess by look.

Or voice whether Harriet could indeed have.

Received any hint about Jane Fairfax.

Did you ever hear anything so strange?

Oh, you need not be afraid of.

Owning it to me, for Mr.

Weston.

Has told me himself.

I met him just now.

He told me it was to be a great secret, and therefore I should not think of mentioning it to anybody but you.

But he said you knew it.

What did Mr.

Weston tell you?

Said Emma, still perplexed.

Oh, he told me all about it, that Jane Fairfax and Mr.

Frank Churchill are to be married, and that they have been privately engaged to one another this long while.

How very odd.

It was indeed so odd.

Harriet's behavior was so extremely odd that Emma did not know how to understand it.

Her character appeared absolutely changed.

She seemed to propose showing no agitation or disappointment or peculiar concern in the discovery.

Emma looked at her, quite unable to speak.

Had you any idea, cried Harriet, of.

His being in love with her?

You perhaps might.

You blushing as she spoke, who can.

See into everybody's heart but nobody else?

Upon my word, said Emma, I began.

To doubt my having any such talent.

Can you seriously ask me, Harriet, whether I imagined him attached to another woman at the very time that I was tactically, if not openly encouraging you to.

Give way to your own feelings?

I never had the slightest suspicion till.

Within the last hour of Mr.

Frank Churchill's having the least regard for Jane Fairfax.

You may be very sure that if.

I had, I should have cautioned you accordingly.

Me, cried Harriet, coloring and astonished.

Why should you caution me?

You do not think I care about Mr.

Frank Churchill?

I am delighted to hear you speak so stoutly on the subject, replied Emma, smiling.

But you did not mean to deny.

That there was a time and not.

Very distant either, when you gave me reason to understand that you did care about him.

Him?

Never, never.

Dear Miss Woodhouse, how could you so mistake me?

Turning away, distressed, Harriet, cried Emma after a moment's pause.

What do you mean?

Good heaven, what do you mean, mistake?

You am I to suppose?

Then she could not speak another word.

Her voice was lost, and she sat down, waiting in great terror till Harriet should answer.

Harriet, who was still standing at some.

Distance and with face turned from her, did not immediately say anything, and when.

She did speak it was in a voice nearly as agitated as Emma's.

I should not have thought it possible, she began, that you could have misunderstood me.

I know we agreed never to name.

Him, but considering how infinitely superior he is to everybody else, I should not have thought it possible that it could be supposed to mean any other person.

Mr.

Frank Churchill.

Indeed, I do not know who would.

Ever look at him in the company of the other.

I hope I have a better taste than to think of Mr.

Frank Churchill.

Who is like nobody by his side.

And that you should have been so.

Mistaken is amazing, I am sure, but.

For believing that you entirely approved and meant to encourage me in my attachment, I should have considered it at first too great a presumption almost to dare.

To think of him at first.

If you had not told me that more wonderful things had happened, that there had been matches of greater disparity.

Those were your very words I should not have dared to give way to.

I should not have thought it possible.

But if you who had always been acquainted with him.

Harriet, cried Emma, collecting herself resolutely, let.

Us understand each other now, without the possibility of further mistake.

Are you speaking of Mr.

Knightley?

To be sure I am.

I never could have any idea of anybody else.

And so I thought you knew.

When we talked about him it was.

As clear as possible, not quite returned.

To Emma with forced calmness.

For all that you then said appeared.

To me to relate to a different person.

I could almost assert that you had.

Named Mr.

Frank Churchill.

I am sure the service of Mr.

Frank Churchill had rendered you and protecting.

You from the Gypsies was spoken of.

Oh, Miss Woodhouse, how you do forget, my dear Harriet, I perfectly remember the substance of what I said on the occasion.

I told you that I did not.

Wonder at your attachment that considering the.

Service he had rendered you, it was.

Extremely natural, and you agreed to it.

Expressing yourself very warmly as to your.

Sense of that service, and mentioning even what your sensations had been and seeing him come forward to your rescue.

The impression of it is strong on my memory.

Oh, dear, cried Harriet.

Now I recollect what you mean, but.

I was thinking of something very different at the time.

It was not the Gypsies, it was.

Not Mr.

Frank Churchill that I meant.

No, with some elevation.

I was thinking of a much more precious circumstance of Mr.

Knightley's coming into asking me to dance when Mr.

Elton would not stand up with me, and when there was no other partner in the room.

That was the kind action that was.

The Noble benevolence and generosity that was the service which made me begin to feel how superior he was to every other being upon the Earth.

Good God, cried Emma, this has been.

A most unfortunate, most deplorable mistake.

What is to be done?

You would not have encouraged me then.

If you had understood me at least.

However, I cannot be worse off than.

I should have been if the other.

Had been the person.

And now it is possible.

She paused a few moments.

Emma could not speak.

I did not wonder, Miss Woodhouse, she resumed, that you should feel a great.

Difference between the two as to me or as to anybody.

You must think 1500 million times more.

Above me than the other.

But I hope, Miss Woodhouse, that supposing that if, strange as it may appear, but you know they were your own words, that more wonderful things had happened, matches of greater disparity had taken place than between Mr.

Frank Churchill and me.

And therefore it seems as if such a thing, even as this may have.

Occurred before, and if I should be.

So fortunate beyond expression as to if.

Mr.

Knightley should really if he does.

Not mind the disparity, I hope, dear.

Miss Woodhouse, you will not set yourself against it and try to put difficulties in the way.

But you are too good for that, I am sure.

Harriet was standing at one of the windows.

Emma turned round to look at her in consternation, and hastily said, have you.

Any idea of Mr.

Knightley's returning your affection?

Yes, replied Harriet, modestly, but not fearfully.

I must say that I have.

Emma's eyes were instantly withdrawn, and she sat silently, meditating in a fixed attitude for a few minutes.

A few minutes were sufficient for making her acquainted with her own heart, a.

Mind like hers, once opening to suspicion made rapid progress.

She touched, she admitted, she acknowledged the whole truth.

Why was it so much worse that Harriet should be in love with Mr.

Knightley than with Frank Churchill?

Why was the evil so dreadfully increased.

By Harriet's having some hope of a return?

It darted through her with the speed of an arrow that Mr.

Knightley must marry no one but herself.

Her own conduct, as well as her own heart, was before her.

In the same few minutes she saw.

It all with a clearness which had never blessed her before.

How improperly she had been acting by Harriet, how inconsiderate, how indelicate, how irrational, how unfeeling had been her conduct, what blindness, what madness had led her on.

It struck her with dreadful force, and.

She was ready to give it every.

Bad name in the world some portion.

Of respect for herself.

However, in spite of all these demerits.

Some concern for her own appearance, and a strong sense of justice by Harriet.

There would be no need of compassion.

To the girl who believed herself loved by Mr.

Knightley.

But justice required that she should not be made unhappy by any coldness now.

Gave Emma the resolution to sit and.

Endure farther, with calmness, with even apparent kindness, for her own advantage.

Indeed, it was fit that the utmost.

Extent of Harriet's hopes should be inquired.

Into, and Harriet had done nothing to.

Forfeit the regard and interest which had.

Been so voluntarily formed and maintained, or.

To deserve to be slighted by the.

Person whose councils had never led her right.

Rousing from reflection, therefore, and subduing her.

Emotion, she turned to Harriet again, and.

In a more inviting accent renewed the conversation.

For as to the subjects which had.

First introduced it, the wonderful story of.

Jane Fairfax that was quite sunk and lost, neither of them thought but of Mr.

Knightley and themselves.

Harriet, who had been standing in no unhappy reverie, was yet very glad to.

Be called from it by the now.

Encouraging manner of such a judge and.

Such a friend as Ms.

Woodhouse, and only wanted invitation to give the history of her hopes with great though trembling delight.

Emma's, tremblings as she asked, and as.

She listened, were better concealed than Harriet's, but they were not less.

Her voice was not unsteady, but her.

Mind was in all the perturbation that such a development of self, such a burst of threatening evil, such a confusion of sudden and perplexing emotions, must create.

She listened with much inward suffering, but.

With great outward patience to Harriet's detail.

Methodical or very well arranged, or very well delivered.

It could not be expected to be.

But it contained, when separated from all.

The feebleness and tauntology of the narration, a substance to sink her spirit, especially.

With the corroborating circumstances which her own.

Memory brought in favor of Mr.

Knightley's.

Most improved opinion of Harriet.

Harriet had been conscious of a difference in his behavior ever since those two decisive dances.

Emma knew that he had on that.

Occasion found her much superior to his.

Expectation from that evening, or at least.

From the time of Miss Woodhouse's, encouraging her to think of him.

Harriet had begun to be sensible of his talking to her much more than.

He had been used to do, and.

Of his having indeed quite a different manner towards her, a manner of kindness and sweetness latterly.

She had been more and more aware.

Of it when they had been all walking together.

He had so often come and walked by her, and talked so very delightfully.

He seemed to want to be acquainted with her.

Emma knew it to have been very much the case.

She had often observed the change to.

Almost the same extent.

Harriet repeated expressions of approbation and praise.

From him, and Emma felt them to be in the closest agreement with what she had known of his opinion of Harriet.

He praised her for being without art.

Or affection, for having simple, honest, generous feelings.

She knew that he saw such recommendations in Harriet.

He had dwelt on them to her.

More than once, much that lived in Harriet's memory.

Many little particulars of the notice she.

Had received from him.

A look, a speech, a removal from.

One chair to another, a compliment, implied.

A preference inferred had been unnoticed because, unsuspected by Emma circumstances that might swell.

To half an hour's relation, and contained multiple proofs to her who had seen.

Them, had passed undiscerned by her who now heard them.

But the two latest occurrences to be mentioned, the two of strongest promise to.

Harriet, were not without some degree of witness from Emma herself.

The first was his walking with her apart from the others in the Lime.

Walk at Don Well, where they had.

Been walking some time before Emma came.

And he had taken pains, as she.

Was convinced, to draw her from the.

Rest to himself, and at first he.

Had talked to her in a more particular way than he had ever done.

Before, in a very particular way indeed.

Harriet could not recall it without a blush.

He seemed to be almost asking her.

Whether her affections were engaged, but as soon as she, Miss Woodhouse appeared likely to join them, he changed the subject.

And began talking about farming.

The second was his having sat talking.

With her nearly half an hour before Emma came back from her visit the.

Very last morning of his being at.

Hartfield, though when he first came in.

He had said that he could not.

Stay 5 minutes, and his having told.

Her during their conversation that though he must go to London, it was very.

Much against his inclination that he left.

Home at all, which was much more.

As Emma felt than he had acknowledged to her.

The superior degree of confidence towards Harriet.

With this one article marked gave her severe pain.

On the subject of the first of.

The two circumstances she did, after a.

Little reflection, venture the following question.

Might he not?

Is not it possible that when inquiring, as you thought into the state of.

Your affections, he might have been alluding to Mr.

Martin?

He might have Mr.

Martin's interest in you.

But Harriet rejected the suspicion with spirit.

Mr.

Martin?

No, indeed, there was no hint of Mr.

Martin.

I hope I know better now than to care for Mr.

Martin or to.

Be suspected of it.

When Harriet had closed her evidence, she.

Appealed to her dear Miss Woodhouse to.

Say whether she had not good ground for hope.

I never should have presumed to think.

Of it at first, said she, but for you.

You've told me to observe him carefully and let his behavior be the rule of mine, and so I have.

But now I seem to feel that.

I may deserve him, and that if he does choose me, I will not be anything so very wonderful.

The bitter feelings occasioned by this speech.

The many bitter feelings, made the utmost.

Exertion necessary on Emma's side to enable.

Her to say on reply, Harriet, I.

Will only venture to declare that Mr.

Knightley is the last man in the world who would intentionally give any woman the idea of his feeling for her more than he really does.

Harriet seemed ready to worship her friend.

For a sentence so satisfactory, and Emma was only saved from raptures and fondness.

Which at that moment would have been dreadful penance.

By the sound of her father's footsteps.

He was coming through the hall.

Harriet was too much agitated to encounter him.

She could not compose herself.

Mr.

Woodhouse would be alarmed.

She had better go.

With most ready encouragement from her friend.

Therefore, she passed off through another door.

And the moment she was gone.

This was the spontaneous burst of Emma's feelings.

Oh, God, that I had never seen her the rest of the day.

The following night were hardly enough for her thoughts.

She was bewildered amidst the confusion of.

All that had rushed on her within.

The last few hours.

Every moment had brought a fresh surprise.

And every surprise must be a matter.

Of humiliation to her.

How to understand it all, how to.

Understand the deceptions she had been thus practicing on herself, and living under the.

Blunders, the blindness of her own head and heart.

She sat still.

She walked about.

She tried her own room, she tried.

The shrubbery in every place, every posture.

She perceived that she had acted most.

Weakly, that she had been imposed on.

By others in a most mortifying degree.

That she had been imposing on herself.

In a degree yet more mortifying, that.

She was wretched and should probably find this day.

But the beginning of wretchedness to understand.

Thoroughly, understand her own heart, was the.

First endeavor to that point, when every leisure moment which her father's claims on.

Her allowed, and every moment of involuntary absence of mind.

How long had Mr.

Knightley been so dear to her as every feeling declared.

Him now to be?

When had his influence such influence begun?

When had he succeeded to that place in her affection which Frank Churchill had once, for a short period, occupied?

She looked back.

She compared the two, compared them as.

They had always stood in her estimation.

From the time of the latter becoming known to her, and as they must.

At any time have been compared by.

Her, had it, oh, had it by.

Any blessed Felicity occurred to her to Institute the comparison?

She thought that there never had been a time when she did not consider.

Mr.

Knightley as infinitely the superior or.

When his regard for her had not.

Been infinitely the most dear.

She saw that in persuading herself in.

Fancying and acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under a delusion, totally.

Ignorant of her own heart, and, in.

Short, that she had never really cared.

For Frank Churchill at all.

This was the conclusion of the first series of reflection.

This was the knowledge of herself on.

The first question of inquiry which she reached, and without being long in reaching.

It, she was most sorrowfully indignant ashamed.

Of every sensation but the one revealed to her her affection for Mr.

Knightley.

Every other part of her mind was disgusting with insufferable vanity.

Had she believed herself in the secret of everybody's feelings, with unpardonable arrogance, proposed to arrange everyone's destiny?

She was proved to have been universally.

Mistaken, and she had not quite done nothing, for she had done mischief, she.

Had brought evil on Harriet, on herself, and she too much feared on Mr.

Knightley.

For this most unequal of all connections.

To take place on her must rest all the reproach of having given it.

A beginning for his attachment, she must.

Believe, to be produced only by a consciousness of Harriet's.

And even were this not the case, he would never have known Harriet at all.

But for her folly, Mr.

Knightley and.

Harriet Smith, it was a Union to.

Distance every wonder of the kind.

The attachment of Frank Churchill and Jane.

Fairfax became commonplace, thread, bear stale in.

Comparison, exciting, no surprise, presenting no disparity.

Affording nothing to be said or thought.

Mr.

Knightley and Harriet Smith such an.

Elevation on her side, such a debasement on his.

It was horrible to Emma to think.

How it must sink him in a general opinion, to foresee the smiles, the sneers, the merriment it would prompt at his expense the mortification and disdain of.

His brother, the thousand inconveniences to himself.

Could it be?

No, it was impossible.

And yet it was far, very far from impossible.

What is a new circumstance for a man of firstrate abilities to be captivated by inferior powers?

What is new for one perhaps too busy to seek to be the prides of a girl who would seek him?

Was it new for anything in this.

World to be unequal, inconsistent, incongruous, or for chance and circumstance a second causes to direct the human faith?

Or had she never brought Harriet forward?

Had she left her where she ought and where he had told her she ought?

Had she not with a folly which.

No tongue could express prevented her marrying the unexceptionable young man who would have made her happy and respectable in the.

Line of life to which she ought.

To belong, all would have been safe.

None of this dreadful sequel would have.

Been how Harriet could ever have had.

The presumption to raise her thoughts to Mr.

Knightley.

How she could dare to fancy herself the chosen of such a man, till actually assured of it.

But Harriet was less humble, had fewer scruples than formerly.

Her inferiority, whether of mind or situation, seemed little felt.

She had seemed more sensible of Mr.

Elton's being to stoop and marrying her.

Than she now seemed of Mr.

Knightley's.

Alas, was that not her own doing, too?

Who had been at pains to give.

Harriet notions of selfconsquence, but herself?

Who but herself had taught her that she was to elevate herself if possible.

And that her claims were great to.

A high worldly establishment?

If Harriet from being humble were growing.

Vain, it was her doing, too.

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