Emma did not repent1 her condescension2 in going to the Coles. The visit afforded her many pleasant recollections the next day; and all that she might be supposed to have lost on the side of dignified5 seclusion6, must be amply repaid in the splendour of popularity. She must have delighted the Coles - worthy7 people, who deserved to be made happy! - And left a name behind her that would not soon die away.
Perfect happiness, even in memory, is not common; and there were two points on which she was not quite easy. She doubted whether she had not transgressed8 the duty of woman by woman, in betraying her suspicions of Jane Fairfax's feelings to Frank Churchill. It was hardly right; but it had been so strong an idea, that it would escape her, and his submission9 to all that she told, was a compliment to her penetration10, which made it difficult for her to be quite certain that she ought to have held her tongue.
The other circumstance of regret related also to Jane Fairfax; and there she had no doubt. She did unfeignedly and unequivocally regret the inferiority of her own playing and singing. She did most heartily11 grieve over the idleness of her childhood - and sat down and practised vigorously an hour and a half.
She was then interrupted by Harriet's coming in; and if Harriet's praise could have satisfied her, she might soon have been comforted.
`Oh! if I could but play as well as you and Miss Fairfax!'
`Don't class us together, Harriet. My playing is no more like her's, than a lamp is like sunshine.'
`Oh! dear - I think you play the best of the two. I think you play quite as well as she does. I am sure I had much rather hear you. Every body last night said how well you played.'
`Those who knew any thing about it, must have felt the difference. The truth is, Harriet, that my playing is just good enough to be praised, but Jane Fairfax's is much beyond it.'
`Well, I always shall think that you play quite as well as she does, or that if there is any difference nobody would ever find it out. Mr. Cole said how much taste you had; and Mr. Frank Churchill talked a great deal about your taste, and that he valued taste much more than execution.'
`Ah! but Jane Fairfax has them both, Harriet.'
`Are you sure? I saw she had execution, but I did not know she had any taste. Nobody talked about it. And I hate Italian singing. - There is no understanding a word of it. Besides, if she does play so very well, you know, it is no more than she is obliged to do, because she will have to teach. The Coxes were wondering last night whether she would get into any great family. How did you think the Coxes looked?'
`Just as they always do - very vulgar.'
`They told me something,' said Harriet rather hesitatingly;' but it is nothing of any consequence.'
Emma was obliged to ask what they had told her, though fearful of its producing Mr. Elton.
`They told me - -that Mr. Martin dined with them last Saturday.'
`Oh!'
`He came to their father upon some business, and he asked him to stay to dinner.'
`Oh!'
`They talked a great deal about him, especially Anne Cox. I do not know what she meant, but she asked me if I thought I should go and stay there again next summer.'
`She meant to be impertinently curious, just as such an Anne Cox should be.'
`She said he was very agreeable the day he dined there. He sat by her at dinner. Miss Nash thinks either of the Coxes would be very glad to marry him.'
`Very likely. - I think they are, without exception, the most vulgar girls in Highbury.'
Harriet had business at Ford3's. - Emma thought it most prudent12 to go with her. Another accidental meeting with the Martins was possible, and in her present state, would be dangerous.
Harriet, tempted13 by every thing and swayed by half a word, was always very long at a purchase; and while she was still hanging over muslins and changing her mind, Emma went to the door for amusement. - Much could not be hoped from the traffic of even the busiest part of Highbury; - Mr. Perry walking hastily by, Mr. William Cox letting himself in at the office-door, Mr. Cole's carriage-horses returning from exercise, or a stray letter-boy on an obstinate14 mule15, were the liveliest objects she could presume to expect; and when her eyes fell only on the butcher with his tray, a tidy old woman travelling homewards from shop with her full basket, two curs quarrelling over a dirty bone, and a string of dawdling16 children round the baker's little bow-window eyeing the gingerbread, she knew she had no reason to complain, and was amused enough; quite enough still to stand at the door. A mind lively and at ease, can do with seeing nothing, and can see nothing that does not answer.
She looked down the Randalls road. The scene enlarged; two persons appeared; Mrs. Weston and her son-in-law; they were walking into Highbury; - to Hartfield of course. They were stopping, however, in the first place at Mrs. Bates's; whose house was a little nearer Randalls than Ford's; and had all but knocked, when Emma caught their eye. - Immediately they crossed the road and came forward to her; and the agreeableness of yesterday's engagement seemed to give fresh pleasure to the present meeting. Mrs. Weston informed her that she was going to call on the Bateses, in order to hear the new instrument.
`For my companion tells me,' said she, `that I absolutely promised Miss Bates last night, that I would come this morning. I was not aware of it myself. I did not know that I had fixed17 a day, but as he says I did, I am going now.'
`And while Mrs. Weston pays her visit, I may be allowed, I hope,' said Frank Churchill, `to join your party and wait for her at Hartfield - if you are going home.'
Mrs. Weston was disappointed.
`I thought you meant to go with me. They would be very much pleased.'
`Me! I should be quite in the way. But, perhaps - I may be equally in the way here. Miss Woodhouse looks as if she did not want me. My aunt always sends me off when she is shopping. She says I fidget her to death; and Miss Woodhouse looks as if she could almost say the same. What am I to do?'
`I am here on no business of my own,' said Emma; `I am only waiting for my friend. She will probably have soon done, and then we shall go home. But you had better go with Mrs. Weston and hear the instrument.'
`Well - if you advise it. - But (with a smile) if Colonel Campbell should have employed a careless friend, and if it should prove to have an indifferent tone - what shall I say? I shall be no support to Mrs. Weston. She might do very well by herself. A disagreeable truth would be palatable18 through her lips, but I am the wretchedest being in the world at a civil falsehood.'
`I do not believe any such thing,' replied Emma. - `I am persuaded that you can be as insincere as your neighbours, when it is necessary; but there is no reason to suppose the instrument is indifferent. Quite otherwise indeed, if I understood Miss Fairfax's opinion last night.'
`Do come with me,' said Mrs. Weston, `if it be not very disagreeable to you. It need not detain us long. We will go to Hartfield afterwards. We will follow them to Hartfield. I really wish you to call with me. It will be felt so great an attention! and I always thought you meant it.'
He could say no more; and with the hope of Hartfield to reward him, returned with Mrs. Weston to Mrs. Bates's door. Emma watched them in, and then joined Harriet at the interesting counter, - trying, with all the force of her own mind, to convince her that if she wanted plain muslin it was of no use to look at figured; and that a blue ribbon, be it ever so beautiful, would still never match her yellow pattern. At last it was all settled, even to the destination of the parcel.
`Should I send it to Mrs. Goddard's, ma'am?' asked Mrs. Ford. - `Yes - no - yes, to Mrs. Goddard's. Only my pattern gown is at Hartfield. No, you shall send it to Hartfield, if you please. But then, Mrs. Goddard will want to see it. - And I could take the pattern gown home any day. But I shall want the ribbon directly - so it had better go to Hartfield - at least the ribbon. You could make it into two parcels, Mrs. Ford, could not you?'
`It is not worth while, Harriet, to give Mrs. Ford the trouble of two parcels.'
`No more it is.'
`No trouble in the world, ma'am,' said the obliging Mrs. Ford.
`Oh! but indeed I would much rather have it only in one. Then, if you please, you shall send it all to Mrs. Goddard's - I do not know - No, I think, Miss Woodhouse, I may just as well have it sent to Hartfield, and take it home with me at night. What do you advise?'
`That you do not give another half-second to the subject. To Hartfield, if you please, Mrs. Ford.'
`Aye, that will be much best,' said Harriet, quite satisfied, `I should not at all like to have it sent to Mrs. Goddard's.'
Voices approached the shop - or rather one voice and two ladies: Mrs. Weston and Miss Bates met them at the door.
`My dear Miss Woodhouse,' said the latter, `I am just run across to entreat19 the favour of you to come and sit down with us a little while, and give us your opinion of our new instrument; you and Miss Smith. How do you do, Miss Smith? - Very well I thank you. - And I begged Mrs. Weston to come with me, that I might be sure of succeeding.'
`I hope Mrs. Bates and Miss Fairfax are - '
`Very well, I am much obliged to you. My mother is delightfully21 well; and Jane caught no cold last night. How is Mr. Woodhouse? - I am so glad to hear such a good account. Mrs. Weston told me you were here. - Oh! then, said I, I must run across, I am sure Miss Woodhouse will allow me just to run across and entreat her to come in; my mother will be so very happy to see her - and now we are such a nice party, she cannot refuse. - ``Aye, pray do,'' said Mr. Frank Churchill, ``Miss Woodhouse's opinion of the instrument will be worth having.'' - But, said I, I shall be more sure of succeeding if one of you will go with me. - ``Oh,'' said he, ``wait half a minute, till I have finished my job;'' - For, would you believe it, Miss Woodhouse, there he is, in the most obliging manner in the world, fastening in the rivet22 of my mother's spectacles. - The rivet came out, you know, this morning. - So very obliging! - For my mother had no use of her spectacles - could not put them on. And, by the bye, every body ought to have two pair of spectacles; they should indeed. Jane said so. I meant to take them over to John Saunders the first thing I did, but something or other hindered me all the morning; first one thing, then another, there is no saying what, you know. At one time Patty came to say she thought the kitchen chimney wanted sweeping23. Oh, said I, Patty do not come with your bad news to me. Here is the rivet of your mistress's spectacles out. Then the baked apples came home, Mrs. Wallis sent them by her boy; they are extremely civil and obliging to us, the Wallises, always - I have heard some people say that Mrs. Wallis can be uncivil and give a very rude answer, but we have never known any thing but the greatest attention from them. And it cannot be for the value of our custom now, for what is our consumption of bread, you know? Only three of us. - besides dear Jane at present - and she really eats nothing - makes such a shocking breakfast, you would be quite frightened if you saw it. I dare not let my mother know how little she eats - so I say one thing and then I say another, and it passes off. But about the middle of the day she gets hungry, and there is nothing she likes so well as these baked apples, and they are extremely wholesome24, for I took the opportunity the other day of asking Mr. Perry; I happened to meet him in the street. Not that I had any doubt before - I have so often heard Mr. Woodhouse recommend a baked apple. I believe it is the only way that Mr. Woodhouse thinks the fruit thoroughly25 wholesome. We have apple-dumplings, however, very often. Patty makes an excellent apple-dumpling. Well, Mrs. Weston, you have prevailed, I hope, and these ladies will oblige us.'
Emma would be `very happy to wait on Mrs. Bates, &c.,' and they did at last move out of the shop, with no farther delay from Miss Bates than,
`How do you do, Mrs. Ford? I beg your pardon. I did not see you before. I hear you have a charming collection of new ribbons from town. Jane came back delighted yesterday. Thank ye, the gloves do very well - only a little too large about the wrist; but Jane is taking them in.'
`What was I talking of?' said she, beginning again when they were all in the street.
Emma wondered on what, of all the medley26, she would fix.
`I declare I cannot recollect4 what I was talking of. - Oh! my mother's spectacles. So very obliging of Mr. Frank Churchill! ``Oh!'' said he, ``I do think I can fasten the rivet; I like a job of this kind excessively.'' - Which you know shewed him to be so very. . . . Indeed I must say that, much as I had heard of him before and much as I had expected, he very far exceeds any thing. . . . I do congratulate you, Mrs. Weston, most warmly. He seems every thing the fondest parent could. . . . ``Oh!'' said he, ``I can fasten the rivet. I like a job of that sort excessively.'' I never shall forget his manner. And when I brought out the baked apples from the closet, and hoped our friends would be so very obliging as to take some, ``Oh!'' said he directly, ``there is nothing in the way of fruit half so good, and these are the finest-looking home-baked apples I ever saw in my life.'' That, you know, was so very. . . . And I am sure, by his manner, it was no compliment. Indeed they are very delightful20 apples, and Mrs. Wallis does them full justice - only we do not have them baked more than twice, and Mr. Woodhouse made us promise to have them done three times - but Miss Woodhouse will be so good as not to mention it. The apples themselves are the very finest sort for baking, beyond a doubt; all from Donwell - some of Mr. Knightley's most liberal supply. He sends us a sack every year; and certainly there never was such a keeping apple anywhere as one of his trees - I believe there is two of them. My mother says the orchard27 was always famous in her younger days. But I was really quite shocked the other day - for Mr. Knightley called one morning, and Jane was eating these apples, and we talked about them and said how much she enjoyed them, and he asked whether we were not got to the end of our stock. ``I am sure you must be,'' said he, ``and I will send you another supply; for I have a great many more than I can ever use. William Larkins let me keep a larger quantity than usual this year. I will send you some more, before they get good for nothing.'' So I begged he would not - for really as to ours being gone, I could not absolutely say that we had a great many left - it was but half a dozen indeed; but they should be all kept for Jane; and I could not at all bear that he should be sending us more, so liberal as he had been already; and Jane said the same. And when he was gone, she almost quarrelled with me - No, I should not say quarrelled, for we never had a quarrel in our lives; but she was quite distressed28 that I had owned the apples were so nearly gone; she wished I had made him believe we had a great many left. Oh, said I, my dear, I did say as much as I could. However, the very same evening William Larkins came over with a large basket of apples, the same sort of apples, a bushel at least, and I was very much obliged, and went down and spoke29 to William Larkins and said every thing, as you may suppose. William Larkins is such an old acquaintance! I am always glad to see him. But, however, I found afterwards from Patty, that William said it was all the apples of that sort his master had; he had brought them all - and now his master had not one left to bake or boil. William did not seem to mind it himself, he was so pleased to think his master had sold so many; for William, you know, thinks more of his master's profit than any thing; but Mrs. Hodges, he said, was quite displeased30 at their being all sent away. She could not bear that her master should not be able to have another apple-tart this spring. He told Patty this, but bid her not mind it, and be sure not to say any thing to us about it, for Mrs. Hodges would be cross sometimes, and as long as so many sacks were sold, it did not signify who ate the remainder. And so Patty told me, and I was excessively shocked indeed! I would not have Mr. Knightley know any thing about it for the world! He would be so very. . . . I wanted to keep it from Jane's knowledge; but, unluckily, I had mentioned it before I was aware.'
Miss Bates had just done as Patty opened the door; and her visitors walked upstairs without having any regular narration31 to attend to, pursued only by the sounds of her desultory32 good-will.
`Pray take care, Mrs. Weston, there is a step at the turning. Pray take care, Miss Woodhouse, ours is rather a dark staircase - rather darker and narrower than one could wish. Miss Smith, pray take care. Miss Woodhouse, I am quite concerned, I am sure you hit your foot. Miss Smith, the step at the turning.'
爱玛屈尊去了科尔家，并不感到后悔。第二天，她心里还留下许多愉快的回忆。她打破了深居简出的尊严，这也许可以算是一种损失，但她这次大受欢迎，出尽了风头，充分弥补了所受的损失。她一定使科尔夫妇感到很高兴——他们都是体面人，应该让他们感到高兴！她还留下了一个让人久久不会淡忘的好名声。
完满无缺的欢乐，即使在回忆里，也是不寻常的。有两件事使她感到不安。她把自己对简·费尔法克斯心迹的怀疑泄露给了弗兰克-邱吉尔，心想这是否违背了女人对女人应尽的义务。那样做很难说是正当的，不过她心里的念头太强烈了，便禁不住脱口而出了，而弗兰克能老老实实听她讲下去，说明她很有洞察力，这样一来，她也就拿不准自己是否应该闭口不语了。
另一件使她懊丧的事，也跟简·费尔法克斯小姐有关，这是毋庸置疑的。她自己弹琴唱歌都不如人，为此她确确实实感到难过。她痛悔小时候太懒散，于是便坐下来，发奋苦练了一个半小时。
后来，哈丽特进来了，打断了她的练琴。假若哈丽特的赞美能给她带来满足的话，也许她马上就会感到欣慰的。
“唉！我要能能弹得跟你和费尔法克斯小姐一样好，那有多好啊！”
“别把我们俩相提并论，哈丽特。我可没有她弹得好，就像灯光比不上阳光一样。”
“哦！天哪——我看你们俩还是你弹得好。我看你弹得真跟她一样好。说真的，我更爱听你弹。昨天晚上，大家都夸你弹得好。”
“凡是懂行的人肯定能分出高下来。其实呀，哈丽特，我弹得只是可以让人夸一夸，而简·费尔法克斯就弹得好多啦。”
“噢，我什么时候都会认为你弹得真跟她一样好，即使有什么高低之别，也没有人听得出来。科尔先生说你弹得很有韵味，弗兰克·邱吉尔先生也大讲你多有韵味，说他把韵味看得比技巧重要得多。”
“啊！可是简·费尔法克斯却两者兼而有之呀，哈丽特。”
“你敢肯定吗？我看出她有技巧，可我并不觉得她有什么韵味。谁也没说起过。我不爱听意大利歌曲。让人一句话也听不懂。再说，你也知道，她只有弹得好才行，因为她还得去教别人呢。昨天晚上，考克斯姐妹还在想她能不能到哪家大户人家。你觉得考克斯姐妹看样子怎么样？”
“还跟往常一样——非常庸俗。”
“她们跟我说了一件事，”哈丽特支支吾吾地说，“不过也不是什么要紧的事。”
爱玛忍不住要问说了什么事，尽管又怕扯起埃尔顿先生。
“她们告诉我说．马丁先生上星期六跟她们一起吃饭了。”
“啊！”
“他有事去找她们的父亲，她们的父亲留他吃饭的。”
“啊！”
“她们一个劲儿地谈论他，特别是安妮·考克斯。我也不知道她是什么意思，反正她问我今年夏天还想不想再去那儿住。”
“她的意思就是无礼地打探别人的事，安妮·考克斯就是这种人。”
“她说他在她们家吃饭那天还真讨人喜欢。他就坐在安妮旁边。纳什小姐说，考克斯家的两个姑娘都很愿意嫁给他。”
“很可能。我看她们两个无一例外，都是海伯里最俗气的姑娘。”
哈丽特要去福德商店买东西。爱玛觉得，为谨慎起见，最好陪她一起去。说不定还会碰巧遇上马丁家的人，哈丽特眼下处于这种心境，那将是很危险的。
哈丽特见一样喜欢一样，别人说什么都能左右她，因而买东西总要花很长时间。就在她望着细纱布踌躇不定的时候，爱玛走到门口想看看热闹。在海伯里，即便最热闹的地段，也不能指望看到多少行人。她所能指望看到的最热闹的场面，无外乎是佩里先生匆匆走过去，威廉·考克斯先生走进律师事务所，科尔先生家拉车的马遛完了刚回来，信差骑着一头犟骡子在闲逛。而实际上，她看到的只是卖肉的手里拿着个托盘，一个整洁的老太太提着满满一篮东西出了店门往家走，两条恶狗正在为争一根脏骨头而狂吠乱叫，一群游手好闲的孩子围在面包房的小凸肚窗外面，眼睁睁地盯着姜饼。这时候，她觉得自己没有理由抱怨，而倒感到挺有趣，便一直站在门口。一个性情开朗、悠闲自在的人，什么都看不见也无所谓，而且也看不到什么不对自己心意的东西。
她朝通往兰多尔斯的路上望去。景色开阔了，只见出现了两个人，是韦斯顿太太和她的继子。他们来到了海伯里，不用说是去哈特菲尔德。不过，他们先走到贝茨太太家门口，贝茨太太家比福德商店离兰多尔斯稍近一点。两人刚要敲门，一眼瞧见了爱玛，便立即从街对面朝她走来。由于昨天大家在一起玩得很快活，令人相见似乎格外高兴。韦斯顿太太告诉爱玛说，他们正要去贝茨太太家，好听听那架新钢琴。
“我的同伴告诉我说，”她说，“我昨晚确确实实答应过贝茨小姐，说我今天早晨要来。我自己都不记得了。我不记得我说定了日子，不过既然他说我约定了日子，我现在也就来了。”
“趁韦斯顿太太串门的时候，我希望能允许我，”弗兰克·邱吉尔说，“跟你们一道走，如果你要回家的话，我就在哈特菲尔德等韦斯顿太太。”
韦斯顿太太有些失望。
“我还以为你要跟我一道去呢。你要是去了，人家一定会很高兴的。”
“我！我去了是会碍事的。不过，也许——我在这儿会同样碍事。看样子，伍德豪斯小姐好像并不欢迎我。我舅妈买东西的时候，总要把我指使开，说我烦得她要命。看样子，伍德豪斯小姐好像也会说这话。我可怎么办呀？”
“我不是来办什么事儿的，”爱玛说，“我只是在等朋友。她可能马上就买好了，然后我们就回家。不过，你最好还是陪韦斯顿太太去听听钢琴。”
“那好吧——既然你也动员我去。不过，”弗兰克微微一笑，“要是坎贝尔上校委托的是个粗心的朋友，要是钢琴的音质比较差——那我该说什么呢？我可不会做韦斯顿太太的应声虫。她一个人去或许要好些。不顺耳的话经她一说也就中听了，我可是最不会客客气气地说假话的。”
“我才不信你这话呢，”爱玛答道。“我相信，到了必要的时候，你会像别人一样言不由衷。不过，并没有理由认为那架钢琴音质不好。其实，要是昨天晚上费尔法克斯小姐的意思我没领会错的话，事实应该是恰恰相反。”
“你若不是很不愿意去的话，”韦斯顿太太说，“就跟我一起去吧。我们不会待多久。然后就去哈特菲尔德。她们先去哈特菲尔德，我们晚一点去。我真希望你能陪我去。人家会觉得这是多大的面子啊！我一直以为你是想去的。”
弗兰克不再说什么了。他心想反正有哈特菲尔德作补偿，便跟着韦斯顿太太回到了贝茨太太家门口。爱玛看着他们进了门，然后就来到招徕顾客的柜台跟前，站在哈丽特身边。她费尽了心机想让哈丽特认识到：如果她想买素色薄纱，就用不着去看花色料子；蓝色缎带再怎么漂亮，跟她的黄色衣料也不相配。最后，要买的东西终于选定了，连往哪儿送也说妥了。
“要我送到戈达德太太家吗，小姐？”福德太太问。“对一一不——对，送到戈达德太太家。可是，我的衣服样子还放在哈特菲尔德呢。不，还是请你送到哈特菲尔德吧。不过，戈达德太太想要看看。衣服样子我哪天都可以带回家，可是这条缎带我马上要用——因此，最好送到哈特菲尔德——至少把缎带送去。你可以分成两个包，福德太太，行吗？”
“用不着麻烦福德太太去分成两个包，哈丽特。”
“那就不麻烦了。”
“一点不麻烦，小姐，”福德太太热忱地说道。
“哦！我还真希望就打成一包。那就请你全都送到戈达德太太家吧。我也拿不准——不行，伍德豪斯小姐，我看还是送到哈特菲尔德，我晚上再带回家。你看呢？”
“这件事你一刻也别再犹豫了。请你送到哈特菲尔德吧，福德太太。”
“啊，那再好不过了，”哈丽特颇为满意地说。“其实我压根儿就不想送到戈达德太太家。”
这时，只听外面有人说着话朝商店走来——其实走来的是两位女士，说话的是其中的一位。她们在门口遇见了韦斯顿太太和贝茨小姐。
“亲爱的伍德豪斯小姐，”贝茨小姐说，“我特地跑来请你赏个脸，去我家稍坐一会，谈谈对我们那架新钢琴的看法。你和史密斯小姐一起去。你好吗，史密斯小姐？很好，谢谢。我求韦斯顿太太一起来，务必把你们请回家。”
“希望贝茨太太和费尔法克斯小姐都——”
“都挺好，多谢你的关心。我母亲身体很好，真叫人高兴。简昨天晚上没有着凉。伍德豪斯先生怎么样？听说他身体挺好，我真高兴。韦斯顿先生告诉我你在这儿。‘哦！’我说，‘那我一定得跑过去，我想伍德豪斯小姐一定会允许我跑过去请她的。我母亲一定很乐意见到她——现在我们家里又来了嘉宾，她不会不肯来的。一是呀，请去吧，’弗兰克·邱吉尔先生说，‘伍德豪斯小姐对钢琴的看法值得听一听。“可是，’我说，‘你们哪一位要是跟我一起去，我就更有把握请到她了。“哦！’弗兰克说，‘稍等片刻，让我把手头的事情办完。’你肯相信吗，伍德豪斯小姐，天下没有比弗兰克更热心的人啦，他在给我母亲的眼镜装小铆钉呢。你知道，那铆钉今天早上掉出来了。真是太热心啦！我母亲已经不用这副眼镜了——没法戴了。顺便说一句，人人应该配备两副眼镜，的确应该。简是这么说的。我今天本来打算要做的第一件事，是把眼镜拿到约翰·桑德斯那儿去，可是一个上午总有什么事情来打扰，一直没去成。事情一件接一件，你要知道，我也说不上是什么事。一会儿，帕蒂跑来说厨房的烟囱要扫一扫了。‘唁！帕蒂，’我说，“别拿这坏消息来打扰我。瞧，老太太眼镜上的铆钉掉下来了。’随后，烤苹果送来了，是沃利斯太太打发她的孩子送来的。沃利斯家待我们太客气，太热心了，一向如此——我听有人说，沃利斯太太很不客气，回起话来很冲，可是我们从未遇见这种事，人家总是客客气气的。这倒不是看在我们是他们顾客的分上，因为你也知道，我们能吃多少面包啊？我们才三口人——再说亲爱的简——她简直不吃什么东西——吃早饭时真令人震惊，你要是看见了，准会大吃一惊。我不敢让我妈妈知道简吃得多么少——所以就支支吾吾地搪塞过去了。可是到中午简肚子饿了，还就爱吃这些烤苹果。烤苹果对身体极有好处，因为那天我趁机问过佩里先生了。我是凑巧在街上碰见他的。倒不是说我以前有过什么怀疑——我经常听见伍德豪斯先生劝人家吃烤苹果。我想伍德豪斯先生认为，只有这样吃苹果才对身体最有好处。不过，我们还是经常吃苹果布丁。好啦，韦斯顿太太，我想你已经说通了吧，两位小姐会赏光的。”
爱玛说了两句“非常乐意去拜访贝茨太太”之类的话。于是，几个人终于走出了商店。临出门前，贝茨小姐只说了这样一席话：
“你好啊，福德太太？请你原谅，刚才我没看见你。听说你从伦敦采购来一批漂亮的新缎带。简昨天回来时很高兴。谢谢你，那副手套很合适——只是腕口略大了些，不过简正在改小。”
“我刚才说什么来着？”等大伙来到了街上，她又说起来了。
爱玛心想，她东拉西扯地说了一大堆，谁知道她又要谈哪一件。
“说实话，我想不起刚才说什么来着。啊！我妈妈的眼镜。弗兰克·邱吉尔先生真是个热心人啊！‘哦！’他说，‘我的确认为我能把铆钉装上去，我太喜欢干这一类活了。’你知道，这表明他非常……我的确应该说，虽然有关他的事我以前听说过许多，也料想过许多，但他真是好得不得了……韦斯顿太太，我向你表示最热烈的祝贺。他似乎处处都像最慈爱的父母所能……‘哦！’他说，‘我能把那个铆钉装上去。我非常喜欢这一类的活。’我们永远忘不了他待人接物的样子。我从食品柜里拿出烤苹果，希望朋友们能赏脸吃一点，他马上就说：‘哦！没有比这更好的水果了，我可从没见过这么漂亮的家烤苹果。’你知道，这话可真是……看他那样子，我认为他那决不是奉承话。那些烤苹果还真惹人喜爱，沃利斯太太烤得真棒——可惜我们只烤两次，但伍德豪斯先生非叫我们答应烤三次——不过伍德豪斯小姐是不会提起这件事的。毫无疑问，那些苹果本身就是最适合做烤苹果的，都是当维尔的苹果——奈特利先生慷慨赠送的一部分。他每年都送我们一麻袋。他有一棵树上的苹果真是再经放不过了——我想他有两棵树吧。我妈妈说，她年轻时这个果园就很有名。不过，那天我真是大吃了一惊——因为那天早上奈特利先生来了，简正在吃苹果，于是我们就谈起了苹果，说简多么喜欢吃，奈特利先生就问我们是否快吃完了。‘我看你们肯定快吃完了，’他说，‘我再给你们送一些来。我还有好多，怎么也吃不完。今年威廉·拉金斯让我留的比往年多。我要给你们再送一些来，免得坏了可惜。’我求他别送了——因为我们的的确快吃完了，我决不敢说我们还剩好多——其实只剩五六个了，而那几个还得留给简吃。我决不忍心让他再送了，虽说他早已送了那么多。简也是这么说的。奈特利先生走了以后，简差点跟我吵了起来——不，我不该说吵，因为我们从没吵过架。不过，我承认苹果快吃完了，她听了很不高兴。她怨我没跟奈特利先生说我们还剩许多。‘哦！’我说，‘亲爱的，能说的话我确实都说了。可就在那天晚上，威廉·拉金斯送来了一大篮苹果，还是那个品种的，至少有一蒲式耳（译注：蒲式耳：计量单位，在英国等于36.368升）。我非常感激，就下楼跟威廉·拉金斯聊了起来。你可以想象，我该说的全说了。威廉·拉金斯可是老相识啦！我总是很乐意见到他。不过，事后我从帕蒂那儿得知，威廉说那种苹果他主人也只有这么多了——现在主人家一个也没留，要烤要煮都没有了。威廉好像并不在乎，一想到主人家卖了那么多，他觉得挺高兴。因为你知道，威廉把主人家的收益看得比什么都重要。可是他说，霍奇斯太太见苹果都给送走了，心里很不高兴。今年春天主人家都不能再吃一个苹果馅饼，她心里真不是滋味。威廉把这话告诉了帕蒂，不过叮嘱她别介意，还叫她千万别跟我们说起这件事，因为霍奇斯太太有时候真会发脾气的。那么多袋苹果都卖掉了，剩下的给谁吃也就无关紧要了。帕蒂是这样跟我说的，我的确是大吃了一惊呀！这件事我说什么也不能让奈特利先生知道啊！他会非常……我原来也想瞒着简，可不巧的是，我稀里糊涂地给说出来了。”
贝茨小姐刚把话说完，帕蒂就打开了门。客人们往楼上走去，也没有什么正经的话要听，只听见贝茨小姐在后面好心好意地说些提醒众人当心的话。
“请当心，韦斯顿太太，拐弯处有一个台阶。请当心，伍德豪斯小姐，我们的楼梯太暗了——又暗又窄，令人难以想象。史密斯小姐，请当心。伍德豪斯小姐，我真担心。我想你一定碰了脚了。史密斯小姐，当心拐弯处的台阶。”
收听单词发音 |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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condescension
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| n.自以为高人一等，贬低(别人) | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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recollect
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| v.回忆，想起，记起，忆起，记得 | |
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dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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seclusion
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| n.隐遁，隔离 | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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transgressed
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| v.超越( transgress的过去式和过去分词 )；越过；违反；违背 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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penetration
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| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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dawdling
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| adj.闲逛的，懒散的v.混（时间）( dawdle的现在分词 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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palatable
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| adj.可口的，美味的；惬意的 | |
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entreat
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| v.恳求，恳请 | |
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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rivet
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| n.铆钉；vt.铆接，铆牢；集中(目光或注意力) | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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medley
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| n.混合 | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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desultory
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| adj.散漫的，无方法的 | |
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