الفصل الفصل 29 · 第29章

It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been

known of young people passing many, many months successively, without

being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue

either to body or mind;—but when a beginning is made—when the

felicities of rapid motion have once been, though slightly, felt—it

must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.

Frank Churchill had danced once at Highbury, and longed to dance again;

and the last half-hour of an evening which Mr. Woodhouse was persuaded

to spend with his daughter at Randalls, was passed by the two young

people in schemes on the subject. Frank’s was the first idea; and his

the greatest zeal in pursuing it; for the lady was the best judge of

the difficulties, and the most solicitous for accommodation and

appearance. But still she had inclination enough for shewing people

again how delightfully Mr. Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse

danced—for doing that in which she need not blush to compare herself

with Jane Fairfax—and even for simple dancing itself, without any of

the wicked aids of vanity—to assist him first in pacing out the room

they were in to see what it could be made to hold—and then in taking

the dimensions of the other parlour, in the hope of discovering, in

spite of all that Mr. Weston could say of their exactly equal size,

that it was a little the largest.

His first proposition and request, that the dance begun at Mr. Cole’s

should be finished there—that the same party should be collected, and

the same musician engaged, met with the readiest acquiescence. Mr.

Weston entered into the idea with thorough enjoyment, and Mrs. Weston

most willingly undertook to play as long as they could wish to dance;

and the interesting employment had followed, of reckoning up exactly

who there would be, and portioning out the indispensable division of

space to every couple.

“You and Miss Smith, and Miss Fairfax, will be three, and the two Miss

Coxes five,” had been repeated many times over. “And there will be the

two Gilberts, young Cox, my father, and myself, besides Mr. Knightley.

Yes, that will be quite enough for pleasure. You and Miss Smith, and

Miss Fairfax, will be three, and the two Miss Coxes five; and for five

couple there will be plenty of room.”

But soon it came to be on one side,

“But will there be good room for five couple?—I really do not think

there will.”

On another,

“And after all, five couple are not enough to make it worth while to

stand up. Five couple are nothing, when one thinks seriously about it.

It will not do to _invite_ five couple. It can be allowable only as the

thought of the moment.”

Somebody said that _Miss_ Gilbert was expected at her brother’s, and

must be invited with the rest. Somebody else believed _Mrs_. Gilbert

would have danced the other evening, if she had been asked. A word was

put in for a second young Cox; and at last, Mr. Weston naming one

family of cousins who must be included, and another of very old

acquaintance who could not be left out, it became a certainty that the

five couple would be at least ten, and a very interesting speculation

in what possible manner they could be disposed of.

The doors of the two rooms were just opposite each other. “Might not

they use both rooms, and dance across the passage?” It seemed the best

scheme; and yet it was not so good but that many of them wanted a

better. Emma said it would be awkward; Mrs. Weston was in distress

about the supper; and Mr. Woodhouse opposed it earnestly, on the score

of health. It made him so very unhappy, indeed, that it could not be

persevered in.

“Oh! no,” said he; “it would be the extreme of imprudence. I could not

bear it for Emma!—Emma is not strong. She would catch a dreadful cold.

So would poor little Harriet. So you would all. Mrs. Weston, you would

be quite laid up; do not let them talk of such a wild thing. Pray do

not let them talk of it. That young man (speaking lower) is very

thoughtless. Do not tell his father, but that young man is not quite

the thing. He has been opening the doors very often this evening, and

keeping them open very inconsiderately. He does not think of the

draught. I do not mean to set you against him, but indeed he is not

quite the thing!”

Mrs. Weston was sorry for such a charge. She knew the importance of it,

and said every thing in her power to do it away. Every door was now

closed, the passage plan given up, and the first scheme of dancing only

in the room they were in resorted to again; and with such good-will on

Frank Churchill’s part, that the space which a quarter of an hour

before had been deemed barely sufficient for five couple, was now

endeavoured to be made out quite enough for ten.

“We were too magnificent,” said he. “We allowed unnecessary room. Ten

couple may stand here very well.”

Emma demurred. “It would be a crowd—a sad crowd; and what could be

worse than dancing without space to turn in?”

“Very true,” he gravely replied; “it was very bad.” But still he went

on measuring, and still he ended with,

“I think there will be very tolerable room for ten couple.”

“No, no,” said she, “you are quite unreasonable. It would be dreadful

to be standing so close! Nothing can be farther from pleasure than to

be dancing in a crowd—and a crowd in a little room!”

“There is no denying it,” he replied. “I agree with you exactly. A

crowd in a little room—Miss Woodhouse, you have the art of giving

pictures in a few words. Exquisite, quite exquisite!—Still, however,

having proceeded so far, one is unwilling to give the matter up. It

would be a disappointment to my father—and altogether—I do not know

that—I am rather of opinion that ten couple might stand here very

well.”

Emma perceived that the nature of his gallantry was a little

self-willed, and that he would rather oppose than lose the pleasure of

dancing with her; but she took the compliment, and forgave the rest.

Had she intended ever to _marry_ him, it might have been worth while to

pause and consider, and try to understand the value of his preference,

and the character of his temper; but for all the purposes of their

acquaintance, he was quite amiable enough.

Before the middle of the next day, he was at Hartfield; and he entered

the room with such an agreeable smile as certified the continuance of

the scheme. It soon appeared that he came to announce an improvement.

“Well, Miss Woodhouse,” he almost immediately began, “your inclination

for dancing has not been quite frightened away, I hope, by the terrors

of my father’s little rooms. I bring a new proposal on the subject:—a

thought of my father’s, which waits only your approbation to be acted

upon. May I hope for the honour of your hand for the two first dances

of this little projected ball, to be given, not at Randalls, but at the

Crown Inn?”

“The Crown!”

“Yes; if you and Mr. Woodhouse see no objection, and I trust you

cannot, my father hopes his friends will be so kind as to visit him

there. Better accommodations, he can promise them, and not a less

grateful welcome than at Randalls. It is his own idea. Mrs. Weston sees

no objection to it, provided you are satisfied. This is what we all

feel. Oh! you were perfectly right! Ten couple, in either of the

Randalls rooms, would have been insufferable!—Dreadful!—I felt how

right you were the whole time, but was too anxious for securing _any_

_thing_ to like to yield. Is not it a good exchange?—You consent—I hope

you consent?”

“It appears to me a plan that nobody can object to, if Mr. and Mrs.

Weston do not. I think it admirable; and, as far as I can answer for

myself, shall be most happy—It seems the only improvement that could

be. Papa, do you not think it an excellent improvement?”

She was obliged to repeat and explain it, before it was fully

comprehended; and then, being quite new, farther representations were

necessary to make it acceptable.

“No; he thought it very far from an improvement—a very bad plan—much

worse than the other. A room at an inn was always damp and dangerous;

never properly aired, or fit to be inhabited. If they must dance, they

had better dance at Randalls. He had never been in the room at the

Crown in his life—did not know the people who kept it by sight.—Oh!

no—a very bad plan. They would catch worse colds at the Crown than

anywhere.”

“I was going to observe, sir,” said Frank Churchill, “that one of the

great recommendations of this change would be the very little danger of

any body’s catching cold—so much less danger at the Crown than at

Randalls! Mr. Perry might have reason to regret the alteration, but

nobody else could.”

“Sir,” said Mr. Woodhouse, rather warmly, “you are very much mistaken

if you suppose Mr. Perry to be that sort of character. Mr. Perry is

extremely concerned when any of us are ill. But I do not understand how

the room at the Crown can be safer for you than your father’s house.”

“From the very circumstance of its being larger, sir. We shall have no

occasion to open the windows at all—not once the whole evening; and it

is that dreadful habit of opening the windows, letting in cold air upon

heated bodies, which (as you well know, sir) does the mischief.”

“Open the windows!—but surely, Mr. Churchill, nobody would think of

opening the windows at Randalls. Nobody could be so imprudent! I never

heard of such a thing. Dancing with open windows!—I am sure, neither

your father nor Mrs. Weston (poor Miss Taylor that was) would suffer

it.”

“Ah! sir—but a thoughtless young person will sometimes step behind a

window-curtain, and throw up a sash, without its being suspected. I

have often known it done myself.”

“Have you indeed, sir?—Bless me! I never could have supposed it. But I

live out of the world, and am often astonished at what I hear. However,

this does make a difference; and, perhaps, when we come to talk it

over—but these sort of things require a good deal of consideration. One

cannot resolve upon them in a hurry. If Mr. and Mrs. Weston will be so

obliging as to call here one morning, we may talk it over, and see what

can be done.”

“But, unfortunately, sir, my time is so limited—”

“Oh!” interrupted Emma, “there will be plenty of time for talking every

thing over. There is no hurry at all. If it can be contrived to be at

the Crown, papa, it will be very convenient for the horses. They will

be so near their own stable.”

“So they will, my dear. That is a great thing. Not that James ever

complains; but it is right to spare our horses when we can. If I could

be sure of the rooms being thoroughly aired—but is Mrs. Stokes to be

trusted? I doubt it. I do not know her, even by sight.”

“I can answer for every thing of that nature, sir, because it will be

under Mrs. Weston’s care. Mrs. Weston undertakes to direct the whole.”

“There, papa!—Now you must be satisfied—Our own dear Mrs. Weston, who

is carefulness itself. Do not you remember what Mr. Perry said, so many

years ago, when I had the measles? ‘If _Miss_ _Taylor_ undertakes to

wrap Miss Emma up, you need not have any fears, sir.’ How often have I

heard you speak of it as such a compliment to her!”

“Aye, very true. Mr. Perry did say so. I shall never forget it. Poor

little Emma! You were very bad with the measles; that is, you would

have been very bad, but for Perry’s great attention. He came four times

a day for a week. He said, from the first, it was a very good

sort—which was our great comfort; but the measles are a dreadful

complaint. I hope whenever poor Isabella’s little ones have the

measles, she will send for Perry.”

“My father and Mrs. Weston are at the Crown at this moment,” said Frank

Churchill, “examining the capabilities of the house. I left them there

and came on to Hartfield, impatient for your opinion, and hoping you

might be persuaded to join them and give your advice on the spot. I was

desired to say so from both. It would be the greatest pleasure to them,

if you could allow me to attend you there. They can do nothing

satisfactorily without you.”

Emma was most happy to be called to such a council; and her father,

engaging to think it all over while she was gone, the two young people

set off together without delay for the Crown. There were Mr. and Mrs.

Weston; delighted to see her and receive her approbation, very busy and

very happy in their different way; she, in some little distress; and

he, finding every thing perfect.

“Emma,” said she, “this paper is worse than I expected. Look! in places

you see it is dreadfully dirty; and the wainscot is more yellow and

forlorn than any thing I could have imagined.”

“My dear, you are too particular,” said her husband. “What does all

that signify? You will see nothing of it by candlelight. It will be as

clean as Randalls by candlelight. We never see any thing of it on our

club-nights.”

The ladies here probably exchanged looks which meant, “Men never know

when things are dirty or not;” and the gentlemen perhaps thought each

to himself, “Women will have their little nonsenses and needless

cares.”

One perplexity, however, arose, which the gentlemen did not disdain. It

regarded a supper-room. At the time of the ballroom’s being built,

suppers had not been in question; and a small card-room adjoining, was

the only addition. What was to be done? This card-room would be wanted

as a card-room now; or, if cards were conveniently voted unnecessary by

their four selves, still was it not too small for any comfortable

supper? Another room of much better size might be secured for the

purpose; but it was at the other end of the house, and a long awkward

passage must be gone through to get at it. This made a difficulty. Mrs.

Weston was afraid of draughts for the young people in that passage; and

neither Emma nor the gentlemen could tolerate the prospect of being

miserably crowded at supper.

Mrs. Weston proposed having no regular supper; merely sandwiches, &c.,

set out in the little room; but that was scouted as a wretched

suggestion. A private dance, without sitting down to supper, was

pronounced an infamous fraud upon the rights of men and women; and Mrs.

Weston must not speak of it again. She then took another line of

expediency, and looking into the doubtful room, observed,

“I do not think it _is_ so very small. We shall not be many, you know.”

And Mr. Weston at the same time, walking briskly with long steps

through the passage, was calling out,

“You talk a great deal of the length of this passage, my dear. It is a

mere nothing after all; and not the least draught from the stairs.”

“I wish,” said Mrs. Weston, “one could know which arrangement our

guests in general would like best. To do what would be most generally

pleasing must be our object—if one could but tell what that would be.”

“Yes, very true,” cried Frank, “very true. You want your neighbours’

opinions. I do not wonder at you. If one could ascertain what the chief

of them—the Coles, for instance. They are not far off. Shall I call

upon them? Or Miss Bates? She is still nearer.—And I do not know

whether Miss Bates is not as likely to understand the inclinations of

the rest of the people as any body. I think we do want a larger

council. Suppose I go and invite Miss Bates to join us?”

“Well—if you please,” said Mrs. Weston rather hesitating, “if you think

she will be of any use.”

“You will get nothing to the purpose from Miss Bates,” said Emma. “She

will be all delight and gratitude, but she will tell you nothing. She

will not even listen to your questions. I see no advantage in

consulting Miss Bates.”

“But she is so amusing, so extremely amusing! I am very fond of hearing

Miss Bates talk. And I need not bring the whole family, you know.”

Here Mr. Weston joined them, and on hearing what was proposed, gave it

his decided approbation.

“Aye, do, Frank.—Go and fetch Miss Bates, and let us end the matter at

once. She will enjoy the scheme, I am sure; and I do not know a

properer person for shewing us how to do away difficulties. Fetch Miss

Bates. We are growing a little too nice. She is a standing lesson of

how to be happy. But fetch them both. Invite them both.”

“Both sir! Can the old lady?”...

“The old lady! No, the young lady, to be sure. I shall think you a

great blockhead, Frank, if you bring the aunt without the niece.”

“Oh! I beg your pardon, sir. I did not immediately recollect.

Undoubtedly if you wish it, I will endeavour to persuade them both.”

And away he ran.

Long before he reappeared, attending the short, neat, brisk-moving

aunt, and her elegant niece,—Mrs. Weston, like a sweet-tempered woman

and a good wife, had examined the passage again, and found the evils of

it much less than she had supposed before—indeed very trifling; and

here ended the difficulties of decision. All the rest, in speculation

at least, was perfectly smooth. All the minor arrangements of table and

chair, lights and music, tea and supper, made themselves; or were left

as mere trifles to be settled at any time between Mrs. Weston and Mrs.

Stokes.—Every body invited, was certainly to come; Frank had already

written to Enscombe to propose staying a few days beyond his fortnight,

which could not possibly be refused. And a delightful dance it was to

be.

Most cordially, when Miss Bates arrived, did she agree that it must. As

a counsellor she was not wanted; but as an approver, (a much safer

character,) she was truly welcome. Her approbation, at once general and

minute, warm and incessant, could not but please; and for another

half-hour they were all walking to and fro, between the different

rooms, some suggesting, some attending, and all in happy enjoyment of

the future. The party did not break up without Emma’s being positively

secured for the two first dances by the hero of the evening, nor

without her overhearing Mr. Weston whisper to his wife, “He has asked

her, my dear. That’s right. I knew he would!”