Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. TITELBLATT

2. IMPRESSUM

3. VOLUME I

4. CHAPTER I

5. CHAPTER II

6. CHAPTER III

7. CHAPTER IV

8. CHAPTER V

9. CHAPTER VI

10. CHAPTER VII

11. CHAPTER VIII

12. CHAPTER IX

13. CHAPTER X

14. CHAPTER XI

15. CHAPTER XII

16. CHAPTER XIII

17. CHAPTER XIV

18. CHAPTER XV

19. CHAPTER XVI

20. CHAPTER XVII

21. CHAPTER XVIII

22. VOLUME II

23. CHAPTER I

24. CHAPTER II

25. CHAPTER III

26. CHAPTER IV

27. CHAPTER V

28. CHAPTER VI

29. CHAPTER VII

30. CHAPTER VIII

31. CHAPTER IX

32. CHAPTER X

33. CHAPTER XI

34. CHAPTER XII

35. CHAPTER XIII

36. CHAPTER XIV

37. CHAPTER XV

38. CHAPTER XVI

39. CHAPTER XVII

40. CHAPTER XVIII

41. VOLUME III

42. CHAPTER I

43. CHAPTER II

44. CHAPTER III

45. CHAPTER IV

46. CHAPTER V

47. CHAPTER VI

48. CHAPTER VII

49. CHAPTER VIII

50. CHAPTER IX

51. CHAPTER X

52. CHAPTER XI

53. CHAPTER XII

54. CHAPTER XIII

55. CHAPTER XIV

56. CHAPTER XV

57. CHAPTER XVI

58. CHAPTER XVII

59. CHAPTER XVIII

60. CHAPTER XIX

61. EMMA (ENGLISCH)

Jane Austen
Emma
Zweisprachige Ausgabe
Übersetzt von Horst Höckendorf

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VOLUME I

ERSTES BUCH

CHAPTER I

ERSTES KAPITEL

EMMA Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition,

Emma Woodhouse, hübsch, intelligent und reich, mit einem behaglichen Heim und glücklichen Gaben ausgestattet,

seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

schien einige der besten Segnungen des Daseins auf sich zu vereinen und hatte in den knapp einundzwanzig Jahren, die sie auf der Welt war, sehr wenig Kummer und Sorge kennengelernt.

She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father;

Sie war die jüngere von den beiden Töchtern eines sehr liebevollen, weichherzigen Vaters

and had, in consequence of her sister’s marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period.

und hatte ihm nach der Heirat ihrer Schwester schon frühzeitig das Haus geführt.

Her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses;

Ihre Mutter war zu lange tot, als dass Emma mehr als einige undeutliche Erinnerungen an ihre Zärtlichkeit bewahrt hätte,

and her place had been supplied by an excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little short of a mother in affection.

und an ihre Stelle war eine vortreffliche Gouvernante getreten, die nicht viel weniger Liebe aufgebracht hatte als eine Mutter.

Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse’s family, less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both daughters, but particularly of Emma.

Sechzehn Jahre hatte Miss Taylor zur Familie von Mr. Woodhouse gehört, war den Mädchen mehr eine Freundin als eine Erzieherin gewesen und hatte sie beide in ihr Herz geschlossen, besonders aber Emma.

Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters.

Zwischen ihnen bestand ein inniges schwesterliches Verhältnis.

Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess,

Schon ehe Miss Taylor aufgehört hatte, dem Namen nach das Amt einer Erzieherin zu versehen,

the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint;

hatte ihr mildes Wesen es ihr kaum je gestattet, irgendwelchen Zwang auszuüben.

and the shadow of authority being now long passed away,

Dieser Schatten von Autorität war inzwischen längst dahin,

they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked;

und seither hatten sie wie zwei Freundinnen miteinander gelebt und sehr aneinander gehangen, und Emma hatte getan, was ihr passte;

highly esteeming Miss Taylor’s judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.

denn sie schätzte Miss Taylors Urteil hoch, ließ sich aber gewöhnlich von ihrem eigenen leiten.

The real evils, indeed, of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself;

Die eigentlichen Übel in Emmas Lage waren ihre Macht, in gar zu vielen Dingen ihren eigenen Willen zu haben, und ihre Neigung, ein wenig zu gut über sich selbst zu denken.

these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments.

Das waren die einzigen Nachteile, die ihre vielen Freuden zu schmälern drohten.

The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her.

Vorerst jedoch ahnte Emma so wenig von dieser Gefahr, dass sie darin durchaus kein Unglück sah.

Sorrow came — a gentle sorrow — but not at all in the shape of any disagreeable consciousness.

Der Kummer kam – ein milder Kummer, aber keineswegs in unangenehm bewusster Form.

— Miss Taylor married. It was Miss Taylor’s loss which first brought grief.

Miss Taylor heiratete. Miss Taylor zu verlieren, bereitete ihr die erste Trübsal.

It was on the wedding-day of this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thought of any continuance.

Am Hochzeitstage ihrer geliebten Freundin machte sich Emma zum ersten Male traurige Gedanken von einiger Dauer.

The wedding over, and the bride-people gone, her father and herself were left to dine together,

Als die Hochzeit vorbei und das Brautpaar fort war, musste sich Emma mit ihrem Vater allein zu Tisch setzen,

with no prospect of a third to cheer a long evening.

und sie hatten keine Aussicht, dass ein Dritter ihnen helfen würde, den langen Abend zu verkürzen.

Her father composed himself to sleep after dinner, as usual, and she had then only to sit and think of what she had lost.

Nach dem Essen schlief ihr Vater wie gewöhnlich ein, und sie hatte nichts Besseres zu tun, als darüber nachzudenken, was sie verloren hatte.

The event had every promise of happiness for her friend.

Das Ereignis versprach in jeder Hinsicht, ihre Freundin glücklich zu machen.

Mr. Weston was a man of unexceptionable character, easy fortune, suitable age, and pleasant manners;

Mr. Weston hatte einen untadeligen Ruf, ein beträchtliches Vermögen, das passende Alter und angenehme Umgangsformen;

and there was some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying, generous friendship she had always wished and promoted the match;

und es lag etwas Befriedigendes in dem Gedanken, wie uneigennützig und großmütig sie als Freundin diese Verbindung immer herbeigewünscht und gefördert hatte.

but it was a black morning’s work for her. The want of Miss Taylor would be felt every hour of every day.

Für Emma selbst jedoch war es ein schwarzer Vormittag. Dass ihr Miss Taylor fehlte, würde sie von nun an täglich und stündlich spüren.

She recalled her past kindness — the kindness, the affection of sixteen years

Sie musste daran denken, wie gut sie zu ihr gewesen war. Sechzehn lange Jahre hatte Miss Taylor sie freundlich und liebevoll umhegt,

— how she had taught and how she had played with her from five years old — how she had devoted all her powers to attach and amuse her in health

hatte sie von ihrem fünften Lebensjahr an unterrichtet, hatte mit ihr gespielt, hatte sich, wenn Emma gesund war, mit allen Kräften bemüht, ihr Herz zu gewinnen und sie zu zerstreuen

— and how nursed her through the various illnesses of childhood.

– und hatte sie während der mannigfachen Krankheiten ihrer Kindheit gepflegt.

A large debt of gratitude was owing here; but the intercourse of the last seven years, the equal footing and perfect unreserve

Dafür stand Emma tief in ihrer Schuld; doch der Umgang der letzten sieben Jahre, die Gleichheit und die rückhaltlose Offenheit,

which had soon followed Isabella’s marriage, on their being left to each other, was yet a dearer, tenderer recollection.

die sich bald nach Isabellas Heirat zwischen ihnen eingestellt hatte, als sie nur noch füreinander da waren – das war ihr eine noch teurere, noch liebere Erinnerung.

She had been a friend and companion such as few possessed:

Miss Taylor war ihr eine Freundin und Gefährtin gewesen, wie sie nur wenige besaßen:

intelligent, well-informed, useful, gentle, knowing all the ways of the family,

verständig, kenntnisreich, hilfsbereit, freundlich, mit allen Gewohnheiten der Familie vertraut,

interested in all its concerns, and peculiarly interested in herself, in every pleasure, every scheme of hers

an all ihren Belangen interessiert, besonders interessiert aber an Emma selbst, ihren Vergnügungen, ihren Plänen

— one to whom she could speak every thought as it arose, and who had such an affection for her as could never find fault.

– ein Mensch, mit dem sie über alles sprechen konnte, was sie bewegte, und der sie zu sehr liebte, um je etwas an ihr auszusetzen.

How was she to bear the change? — It was true that her friend was going only half a mile from them;

Wie sollte sie diesen Wechsel ertragen? – Zwar zog ihre Freundin nur eine halbe Meile weit von ihnen weg;

but Emma was aware that great must be the difference between a Mrs. Weston, only half a mile from them, and a Miss Taylor in the house;

aber Emma fühlte, dass es ein himmelweiter Unterschied war, eine Mrs. Weston in einer halben Meile Entfernung oder eine Miss Taylor im Hause zu haben;

and with all her advantages, natural and domestic, she was now in great danger of suffering from intellectual solitude.

und trotz all ihrer natürlichen und häuslichen Vorteile lief sie jetzt große Gefahr, unter geistiger Vereinsamung leiden zu müssen.

She dearly loved her father, but he was no companion for her. He could not meet her in conversation, rational or playful.

Sie liebte ihren Vater sehr, aber ein Gesellschafter war er nicht. Er konnte nicht mit ihr Schritt halten, weder im ernsten Gespräch noch im Scherz.

The evil of the actual disparity in their ages (and Mr. Woodhouse had not married early)

Der Nachteil des ohnehin trennenden Altersunterschiedes (denn Mr. Woodhouse hatte nicht jung geheiratet)

was much increased by his constitution and habits;

wurde durch die körperliche Verfassung und das Wesen ihres Vaters noch beträchtlich vergrößert.

for having been a valetudinarian all his life, without activity of mind or body, he was a much older man in ways than in years;

Da er sein Leben lang gekränkelt hatte und aller geistigen und körperlichen Tatkraft ermangelte, so wirkte er durch sein Gebaren noch älter, als er war;

and though everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper, his talents could not have recommended him at any time.

und wenn er durch seine Herzlichkeit und sein liebenswürdiges Wesen jedermann für sich einnahm, so hätte er sich jedenfalls nie durch seine Talente empfehlen können.

Her sister, though comparatively but little removed by matrimony,

Ihre Schwester, seit der Heirat von ihr getrennt – wenn auch bloß eine verhältnismäßig kurze Strecke,

being settled in London, only sixteen miles off, was much beyond her daily reach;

denn sie wohnte in London, nur sechzehn Meilen entfernt –, war doch keineswegs jeden Tag für sie zu erreichen;

and many a long October and November evening must be struggled through at Hartfield,

und so mancher lange Oktober- und Novemberabend musste in Hartfield durchgestanden werden,

before Christmas brought the next visit from Isabella and her husband, and their little children, to fill the house, and give her pleasant society again.

bis Isabella und ihr Mann und ihre kleinen Kinder zu Weihnachten das nächste Mal zu Besuch kamen und das Haus füllten und ihr wieder angenehme Gesellschaft leisteten.

Highbury, the large and populous village, almost amounting to a town,

Highbury, das große und dichtbesiedelte Dorf, fast schon eine Stadt,

to which Hartfield, in spite of its separate lawn, and shrubberies, and name, did really belong, afforded her no equals.

zu dem Hartfield trotz seines eigenen Parks, seines eigenen Lustwäldchens und seines eigenen Namens in Wirklichkeit gehörte, hatte niemand aufzuweisen, der ihr ebenbürtig gewesen wäre.

The Woodhouses were first in consequence there. All looked up to them.

Die Woodhouses gaben dort den Ton an. Alle sahen zu ihnen auf.

She had many acquaintance in the place, for her father was universally civil,

Emma hatte viele Bekannte am Ort, denn ihr Vater war zu allen höflich, doch es befand sich keine darunter,

but not one among them who could be accepted in lieu of Miss Taylor for even half a day.

die man auch nur einen halben Tag an Stelle von Miss Taylor hätte akzeptieren können.

It was a melancholy change; and Emma could not but sigh over it, and wish for impossible things, till her father awoke, and made it necessary to be cheerful.

Es war ein betrüblicher Wechsel; und Emma konnte nur seufzen und sich Unmögliches wünschen, bis ihr Vater wieder aufwachte und sie nötigte, sich heiter zu geben.

His spirits required support. He was a nervous man, easily depressed;

Man musste ihn bei gutem Mut erhalten. Er war ein ängstlicher Mann und leicht niedergeschlagen;

fond of every body that he was used to, and hating to part with them; hating change of every kind.

er liebte alle Menschen, an die er sich gewöhnt hatte, und hasste es, sich von ihnen zu trennen. Er hasste jeden Wechsel.

Matrimony, as the origin of change, was always disagreeable;

Hochzeiten waren für ihn die Ursache von Veränderungen und daher immer etwas Unangenehmes.

and he was by no means yet reconciled to his own daughter’s marrying, nor could ever speak of her but with compassion,

Er hatte sich noch keineswegs damit ausgesöhnt, dass seine eigene Tochter geheiratet hatte, und konnte sie immer nur bedauern, wenn er von ihr sprach,

though it had been entirely a match of affection, when he was now obliged to part with Miss Taylor too;

obwohl es eine echte Liebesheirat gewesen war, und nun musste er sich auch noch von Miss Taylor trennen;

and from his habits of gentle selfishness, and of being never able to suppose that other people could feel differently from himself,

und da er einen gelinden Egoismus besaß und stets unfähig gewesen war, sich vorzustellen, dass andere Leute etwas anderes fühlen könnten als er selbst,

he was very much disposed to think Miss Taylor had done as sad a thing for herself as for them,

so neigte er sehr zu der Annahme, Miss Taylor habe sich ebenso großen Kummer bereitet wie ihnen

and would have been a great deal happier if she had spent all the rest of her life at Hartfield.

und wäre erheblich glücklicher daran gewesen, wenn sie den Rest ihres Lebens in Hartfield verbracht hätte.

Emma smiled and chatted as cheerfully as she could, to keep him from such thoughts;

Emma lächelte und plauderte so heiter mit ihm, wie sie konnte, um ihn von solchen Gedanken abzulenken;

but when tea came, it was impossible for him not to say exactly as he had said at dinner,

doch als man den Tee brachte, konnte Mr. Woodhouse nicht umhin, dasselbe zu sagen, was er schon beim Essen gesagt hatte:

“Poor Miss Taylor! — I wish she were here again. What a pity it is that Mr. Weston ever thought of her!”

»Die arme Miss Taylor! Wäre sie doch bloß wieder hier! Wie schade, dass Mr. Weston gerade auf sie verfiel!«

“I cannot agree with you, papa; you know I cannot.

»Darin kann ich dir nicht recht geben, Papa; du weißt, ich kann es nicht.

Mr. Weston is such a good-humoured, pleasant, excellent man, that he thoroughly deserves a good wife;

Mr. Weston ist ein so gutmütiger, angenehmer, vortrefflicher Mann, dass er unbedingt eine gute Frau verdient

— and you would not have had Miss Taylor live with us for ever,

– und du hast doch sicher nicht gewollt, dass Miss Taylor ewig bei uns bleibt

and bear all my odd humours, when she might have a house of her own?”

und all meine schrullenhaften Launen ertragen muß, wenn sie ein eigenes Haus haben kann?«

“A house of her own! — But where is the advantage of a house of her own? This is three times as large.

»Ein eigenes Haus! – Aber was hat sie denn von einem eigenen Haus? Unseres ist dreimal so groß.

— And you have never any odd humours, my dear.”

– Und du hast nie schrullenhafte Launen, mein liebes Kind.«

“How often we shall be going to see them, and they coming to see us! — We shall be always meeting!

»Wie oft werden wir bei ihnen zu Besuch sein und sie bei uns! – Wir werden immer mit ihnen zusammen sein!

We must begin; we must go and pay wedding visit very soon.”

Wir müssen den Anfang machen und ihnen möglichst bald unsere Hochzeitsvisite abstatten gehen.«

“My dear, how am I to get so far? Randalls is such a distance. I could not walk half so far.”

»Liebes Kind, wie soll ich mir das zumuten? Nach Randalls ist es doch viel zu weit! Ich könnte nicht den halben Weg gehen.«

“No, papa, nobody thought of your walking. We must go in the carriage, to be sure.”

»Aber nein, Papa, niemand verlangt, dass du zu Fuß gehst. Wir fahren natürlich mit der Kutsche.«

“The carriage! But James will not like to put the horses to for such a little way;

»Mit der Kutsche! Aber wegen einer so kurzen Strecke wird James nicht anspannen wollen

— and where are the poor horses to be while we are paying our visit?”

– und wo sollen denn die armen Pferde bleiben, wenn wir unsern Besuch abstatten?«

“They are to be put into Mr. Weston’s stable, papa.

»Sie werden in Mr. Westons Stall untergebracht, Papa.

You know we have settled all that already. We talked it all over with Mr. Weston last night.

Du weißt doch, dass wir das längst alles geregelt haben. Wir haben das alles gestern mit Mr. Weston besprochen.

And as for James, you may be very sure he will always like going to Randalls, because of his daughter’s being housemaid there.

Und was James betrifft, so kannst du ganz beruhigt sein; er wird immer gern nach Randalls fahren, weil seine Tochter dort in Stellung ist.

I only doubt whether he will ever take us anywhere else. That was your doing, papa.

Ich zweifle nur, ob er je woanders mit uns hinfahren wird. Das hattest du veranlasst, Papa.

You got Hannah that good place. Nobody thought of Hannah till you mentioned her — James is so obliged to you!”

Du hast doch Hannah diese gute Stellung verschafft. Niemand dachte an Hannah, bis du sie erwähntest. James ist dir dafür auch so dankbar!«

“I am very glad I did think of her. It was very lucky, for I would not have had poor James think himself slighted upon any account;

»Ich freue mich, dass ich an sie gedacht habe. Es war ein Glück, denn ich hätte auf keinen Fall gewollt, dass sich James übergangen fühlt.

and I am sure she will make a very good servant: she is a civil, pretty-spoken girl; I have a great opinion of her.

Und ich bin überzeugt, sie wird eine sehr gute Bediente sein. Sie ist ein so höfliches, artiges Mädchen; ich habe eine hohe Meinung von ihr.

Whenever I see her, she always curtseys and asks me how I do, in a very pretty manner;

Immer, wenn ich sie sehe, macht sie einen Knicks und erkundigt sich nach meinem Befinden; sehr artig, wie sie das macht.

and when you have had her here to do needlework, I observe she always turns the lock of the door the right way and never bangs it.

Und wenn du sie für Näharbeit kommen lässt, dann beobachte ich, dass sie jedes Mal den Türknopf richtig herumdreht und nie mit der Tür knallt.

I am sure she will be an excellent servant; and it will be a great comfort to poor Miss Taylor to have somebody about her that she is used to see.

Sie wird ganz sicher eine ausgezeichnete Bediente; und der armen Miss Taylor wird es sehr angenehm sein, jemand um sich zu haben, an den sie gewöhnt ist.

Whenever James goes over to see his daughter, you know, she will be hearing of us. He will be able to tell her how we all are.”

Jedes Mal, wenn James hinkommt, um seine Tochter zu besuchen, wird sie von uns hören. Dann kann er ihr sagen, wie es uns allen geht.«

VOLUME I

CHAPTER I

EMMA Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.

She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate, indulgent father; and had, in consequence of her sister’s marriage, been mistress of his house from a very early period. Her mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses; and her place had been supplied by an excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little short of a mother in affection.

Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse’s family, less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both daughters, but particularly of Emma. Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away, they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor’s judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.

The real evils, indeed, of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her.

Sorrow came — a gentle sorrow — but not at all in the shape of any disagreeable consciousness. — Miss Taylor married. It was Miss Taylor’s loss which first brought grief. It was on the wedding-day of this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thought of any continuance. The wedding over, and the bride-people gone, her father and herself were left to dine together, with no prospect of a third to cheer a long evening. Her father composed himself to sleep after dinner, as usual, and she had then only to sit and think of what she had lost.

The event had every promise of happiness for her friend. Mr. Weston was a man of unexceptionable character, easy fortune, suitable age, and pleasant manners; and there was some satisfaction in considering with what self-denying, generous friendship she had always wished and promoted the match; but it was a black morning’s work for her. The want of Miss Taylor would be felt every hour of every day. She recalled her past kindness — the kindness, the affection of sixteen years — how she had taught and how she had played with her from five years old — how she had devoted all her powers to attach and amuse her in health — and how nursed her through the various illnesses of childhood. A large debt of gratitude was owing here; but the intercourse of the last seven years, the equal footing and perfect unreserve which had soon followed Isabella’s marriage, on their being left to each other, was yet a dearer, tenderer recollection. She had been a friend and companion such as few possessed: intelligent, well-informed, useful, gentle, knowing all the ways of the family, interested in all its concerns, and peculiarly interested in herself, in every pleasure, every scheme of hers — one to whom she could speak every thought as it arose, and who had such an affection for her as could never find fault.

How was she to bear the change? — It was true that her friend was going only half a mile from them; but Emma was aware that great must be the difference between a Mrs. Weston, only half a mile from them, and a Miss Taylor in the house; and with all her advantages, natural and domestic, she was now in great danger of suffering from intellectual solitude. She dearly loved her father, but he was no companion for her. He could not meet her in conversation, rational or playful.

The evil of the actual disparity in their ages (and Mr. Woodhouse had not married early) was much increased by his constitution and habits; for having been a valetudinarian all his life, without activity of mind or body, he was a much older man in ways than in years; and though everywhere beloved for the friendliness of his heart and his amiable temper, his talents could not have recommended him at any time.

Her sister, though comparatively but little removed by matrimony, being settled in London, only sixteen miles off, was much beyond her daily reach; and many a long October and November evening must be struggled through at Hartfield, before Christmas brought the next visit from Isabella and her husband, and their little children, to fill the house, and give her pleasant society again.

Highbury, the large and populous village, almost amounting to a town, to which Hartfield, in spite of its separate lawn, and shrubberies, and name, did really belong, afforded her no equals. The Woodhouses were first in consequence there. All looked up to them. She had many acquaintance in the place, for her father was universally civil, but not one among them who could be accepted in lieu of Miss Taylor for even half a day. It was a melancholy change; and Emma could not but sigh over it, and wish for impossible things, till her father awoke, and made it necessary to be cheerful. His spirits required support. He was a nervous man, easily depressed; fond of every body that he was used to, and hating to part with them; hating change of every kind. Matrimony, as the origin of change, was always disagreeable; and he was by no means yet reconciled to his own daughter’s marrying, nor could ever speak of her but with compassion, though it had been entirely a match of affection, when he was now obliged to part with Miss Taylor too; and from his habits of gentle selfishness, and of being never able to suppose that other people could feel differently from himself, he was very much disposed to think Miss Taylor had done as sad a thing for herself as for them, and would have been a great deal happier if she had spent all the rest of her life at Hartfield. Emma smiled and chatted as cheerfully as she could, to keep him from such thoughts; but when tea came, it was impossible for him not to say exactly as he had said at dinner,

“Poor Miss Taylor! — I wish she were here again. What a pity it is that Mr. Weston ever thought of her!”

“I cannot agree with you, papa; you know I cannot. Mr. Weston is such a good-humoured, pleasant, excellent man, that he thoroughly deserves a good wife; — and you would not have had Miss Taylor live with us for ever, and bear all my odd humours, when she might have a house of her own?”

“A house of her own! — But where is the advantage of a house of her own? This is three times as large. — And you have never any odd humours, my dear.”

“How often we shall be going to see them, and they coming to see us! — We shall be always meeting! We must begin; we must go and pay wedding visit very soon.”

“My dear, how am I to get so far? Randalls is such a distance. I could not walk half so far.”

“No, papa, nobody thought of your walking. We must go in the carriage, to be sure.”

“The carriage! But James will not like to put the horses to for such a little way; — and where are the poor horses to be while we are paying our visit?”

“They are to be put into Mr. Weston’s stable, papa. You know we have settled all that already. We talked it all over with Mr. Weston last night. And as for James, you may be very sure he will always like going to Randalls, because of his daughter’s being housemaid there. I only doubt whether he will ever take us anywhere else. That was your doing, papa. You got Hannah that good place. Nobody thought of Hannah till you mentioned her — James is so obliged to you!”

“I am very glad I did think of her. It was very lucky, for I would not have had poor James think himself slighted upon any account; and I am sure she will make a very good servant: she is a civil, pretty-spoken girl; I have a great opinion of her. Whenever I see her, she always curtseys and asks me how I do, in a very pretty manner; and when you have had her here to do needlework, I observe she always turns the lock of the door the right way and never bangs it. I am sure she will be an excellent servant; and it will be a great comfort to poor Miss Taylor to have somebody about her that she is used to see. Whenever James goes over to see his daughter, you know, she will be hearing of us. He will be able to tell her how we all are.”