Emma Page #10

MISS BATES:

Oh, thank you, Mr Knightley. That would be charming.

(later)

MR KNIGHTLEY:

Emma, how could you be so unfeeling to Miss Bates? How can you be so

insolent to a woman of her age and situation? I had not thought it

possible?

EMMA:

How could I help saying it? I daresay she did not understand me.

MR KNIGHTLEY:

Oh, I assure you, she felt your fool meaning. She cannot stop mentioning

it! I wish you could have heard her honor your forbearance in putting up

with her when her society is so irksome.

EMMA:

I know there is no better creature in all the world, but you must allow

that blended alongside of the good there is an equal among of ridiculous in

her.

MR KNIGHTLEY:

Were she prosperous, or a woman equal to your age and situation, I would

not quarrel with any liberties of manner. But she is poor! Even moreso than

when she was born, and should she live to be an old lady, she will sink

further still, her situation being in every way below you should secure

your compassion! Badly done, Emma. Badly done. She has watched you grow

from a time when her notice of her in honor to this, humbling her and

laughing at her in front of people who would be guided by your treatment of

her. It is not pleasant for me to say these things, but I must tell you the

truth while I still can, proving myself your friend by the most faithful

counsel, trusting that sometime you will do my faith in you greater justice

that you do it now.

SCENE 43-MISS BATES' HOUSE

MAID:

Oh, good afternoon, Miss Woodhouse. Please come in. Wait here please.

MISS BATES:

Just tell her I'm unwell and laying down upon the bed.

SCENE 44-HARTFIELD

MR WOODHOUSE:

You mean you walked all the way, and on such a cold night?

MR KNIGHTLEY:

Certainly I walked.

MR WOODHOUSE:

My dear! How did you find my old friend, and her daughter? Emma has called

on Mrs and Miss Bates. She always shows them such kindness.

EMMA:

No, father. They have been the ones to forbear and show me kindness.

MR WOODHOUSE:

Nonsense, daughter! The charity that you have given them is--

EMMA:

I have given them charity, but not kindness, a virtue which some friends

may doubt I still have.

MR KNIGHTLEY:

The truest friend does not doubt, but hope. I must go. I'm leaving town to

visit John and Isabella.

EMMA:

I'm sorry I was not here sooner so that we could have talked.

MR KNIGHTLEY:

So am I.

EMMA:

When will you be back?

MR KNIGHTLEY:

I don't know. There is a delicate and perplexing matter I must discuss with

my brother.

EMMA:

Well, then.

MR KNIGHTLEY:

Well, then.

SCENE 45-HARTFIELD

EMMA (writing in diary)

Frank Churchill's aunt has died, taking him away. This strengthens

Harriet's chances with him since the aunt was sure to object. I continue in

my efforts to make amends with Miss Bates. Though matters are not yet fully

repaired, I feel a renewal in our friendship is ahead of us. Above all, I

am most gratified to say that good Mr Knightley...Mr Knightley...had been

privy to my attempts, could he have seen into my heart, I think that he

could find nothing to reprove.

SCENE 46-RANDALL

MRS WESTON:

Frank is engaged!

EMMA:

I cannot believe it! So quickly?

MRS WESTON:

Quickly? The engagement has been in place for some time. Emma, Frank has

been secretly engaged to Jane Fairfax!

EMMA:

Good God! This cannot be the truth!

MRS WESTON:

They've been engaged since October, formed an awayment through his friend

Charles Dickson.

EMMA:

Mr Dickson...

MRS WESTON:

He kept it secret because he feared his aunt's disapproval. It has hurt

both his father and me, more importantly, because of whom else it might

hurt.

EMMA:

I cannot pretend I do not understand what you mean by that. Therefore, let

me give you all the relief in my power. There was a time when I was

attached to Frank, fortunately that ceased, for some time I have felt

nothing for him.

MRS WESTON:

This was my greatest worry. I'm certain you knew it was our wish you might

be attached. Imagine what we felt on your account.

EMMA:

There is not need to worry about that. Although how could he have come here

and treated me in this fashion? It is cruel, truly cruel!

MRS WESTON:

Yes, dear, but I thought you said you felt nothing for him.

EMMA:

Yes, but he did not know that. He is benefiting from a very lucky

coincidence.

MRS WESTON:

Now, Emma, he's a good man, however wrong this action might be. Dear, might

I entreat you to put Mr Weston's heart as ease? He's been as worried about

you as I! Could you let him know how glad you are for Frank to have found a

girl with such steady character?

EMMA:

I do not know how steady her character can be engaging herself to a man who

pretends not to be engaged, then deceives attractive and feeling young

women! Here is the luckiest father in all of England!

MRS WESTON:

Thank you!

SCENE 47-HARTFIELD

HARRIET:

Is that not the oddest news you ever heard about Mr Churchill and Miss

Fairfax? Had you any idea of it?

EMMA:

Can you imagine, if I knew, and I was encouraging you to give way to your

own feelings? Had I known I would have cautioned you!

HARRIET:

Cautioned me? Why? You do not think that I care about Frank Churchill?

EMMA:

What--What do you mean? You said that you loved a man--

HARRIET:

I hoped I had develop better taste than to choose Frank Churchill over him.

Frank Churchill.... Furthermore, I would never have even dreamed of him

except that you told me he was wonderful!

EMMA:

Yes, but I thought you meant--

HARRIET:

That raising my thoughts to him would be a sign of my very good taste,

those were your words.

EMMA:

Yes, but I meant them in reference to--

HARRIET:

And without having heard them I would never have dared to hope.

EMMA:

Harriet, please! Before we can go on, there is something that I must

clarify! Is it possible that you are speaking of ...Mr Knightley?

HARRIET:

To be sure!

EMMA:

But you spoke of the service that Frank had rendered in rescuing you from

the gypsies?

HARRIET:

Oh, I never said that!

EMMA:

I remember it with perfect clarity.

HARRIET:

If I spoke of being rescued, I was thinking Mr Knightley asking me to dance

after Mr Elton snubbed me. That was when I knew how superior a man he is.

EMMA:

Good God! What a horrible mistake! What is to be done?

HARRIET:

Must something be done about it? You must think him five hundred million

times more above me than Mr Churchill, yet you did say...?

EMMA:

Harriet, have you any idea of Mr Knightley returning your affection?

HARRIET:

Yes, I must say that I have. You told me to let his behaviour to be the

rule of min, and so I have! Am I wrong to hope as I do?

EMMA:

Harriet, I can only venture to declare that Mr Knightley is the last man on

earth who would intentionally give any woman the idea of feeling more for

her than he really does.

SCENE 48-HARTFIELD GARDEN

EMMA:

This is tragic.

MRS WESTON:

Why is it tragic that Harriet should attach herself to a man whom you

admire so much.

EMMA:

I have asked myself many times why this should have unsettled me, and I

have came to see that I do not admire Mr Knightley as I so long thought. I

love him, so dearly, so greatly. Outside of you and father, his is the

opinion that matters most.

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