Ś wz ɖ yungist v ɖ tū dōtrz v a most afẋṇt, induljnt faɖr; n hd, in consiqns v hr sistr’z marij, bn mistris v hiz hǎs fṛm a vri rli pirịd. Hr muɖr hd daid tù loñ ago fr hr t hv mor ɖn an indistñt rmembṛns v hr c’resz; n hr ples hd bn s’plaid bî an xḷnt wmn az guṿnes, hu hd fōḷn litl śort v a muɖr in afẋn.

Sixtīn yirz hd Mis Teilr bn in Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z faṃli, les az a guṿnes ɖn a frend, vri fond v bʈ dōtrz, bt ptiklrli v Ema. Btwn ɖm it wz mor ɖ intiṃsi v sistrz. Īvn bfr Mis Teilr hd sīst t hold ɖ nominl ofis v guṿnes, ɖ mîldnis v hr tmpr hd hardli alaud hr t impoz eni rstrent; n ɖ śado v oʈoṛti biyñ nǎ loñ pást awe, ɖe hd bn livñ tgɖr az frend n frend vri ḿć̣li ataćt, n Ema dwñ jst ẃt ś lîct; hîli istimñ Mis Teilr’z jujmnt, bt d’rectd ćīfli bî hr ǒn.

Ɖ riyl īvlz, indd, v Ema’z sićueśn wr ɖ pǎr v hvñ rɖr tù mć hr ǒn we, n a disṗziśn t ʈnc a litl tù wel v hrslf; ɖz wr ɖ dis’dvantjz ẃć ʈretnd alô t hr mni injômnts. Ɖ denjr, hvr, wz at preznt so unṗsivd, ɖt ɖe dd nt bî eni mīnz ranc az msfortynz wɖ hr.

Soro cem—a jntl soro—bt nt at ol in ɖ śep v eni dis’griybl conśsnis.—Mis Teilr marid. It wz Mis Teilr’z los ẃć frst bròt grīf. It wz on ɖ wedñde v ɖs b’luvid frend ɖt Ema frst sat in mōrnfl ʈt v eni cntinẏns. Ɖ wedñ ovr, n ɖ brîd-ppl gn, hr faɖr n hrslf wr left t dîn tgɖr, wɖ no prospect v a ʈrd t ćir a loñ īvnñ. Hr faɖr cmpozd himslf t slīp aftr dinr, az yźl, n ś hd ɖen onli t sit n ʈnc v ẃt ś hd lost.

Ɖ ivnt hd evri promis v hapinis fr hr frend. Mr. Wsṭn wz a man v unixpśṇbl caṛctr, īzi fortyn, sūṭbl ej, n pleznt manrz; n ɖr wz sm saṭsfaẋn in cnsiḍrñ wɖ ẃt slf-dnayñ, jenṛs frendśp ś hd olwz wśt n pṛmotd ɖ mać; bt it wz a blac mornñ’z wrc fr hr. Ɖ wont v Mis Teilr wd b flt evri aur v evri de. Ś rcōld hr past cîndnis—ɖ cîndnis, ɖ afẋn v sixtīn yirz—hǎ ś hd tòt n hǎ ś hd pleid wɖ hr fṛm fîv yirz old—hǎ ś hd dvotd ol hr pǎrz t atać n aḿz hr in hlʈ—n hǎ nrst hr ʈru ɖ verịs ilṇsz v ćîldhd. A larj dét v grattyd wz owñ hir; bt ɖ inṭcors v ɖ last sevn yirz, ɖ īql ftñ n prfict unrizrv ẃć hd sn foloud Iẓbela’z marij, on ɖer biyñ left t ć uɖr, wz yt a dirr, tendrr rec̣leẋn. Ś hd bn a frend n cmpańn sć az fy pzest: intelijnt, wel-informd, ysfl, jntl, nwñ ol ɖ wez v ɖ faṃli, inṭrestd in ol its cnsrnz, n pkłrli inṭrestd in hrslf, in evri pleźr, evri scīm v hrz—wn t hūm ś cd spīc evri ʈt az it arouz, n hu hd sć an afẋn fr hr az cd nvr fînd fōlt.

Hǎ wz ś t ber ɖ ćenj?—It wz tru ɖt hr frend wz gwñ onli haf a mîl fṛm ɖm; bt Ema wz awer ɖt gret mst b ɖ difṛns btwn a Msz. Wsṭn, onli haf a mîl fṛm ɖm, n a Mis Teilr in ɖ hǎs; n wɖ ol hr advantjz, naćṛl n dmestic, ś wz nǎ in gret denjr v suf̣rñ fṛm inṭlecćl soḷtyd. Ś dirli luvd hr faɖr, bt h wz no cmpańn fr hr. H cd nt mīt hr in convseśn, raśnl or plêfl.

Ɖ īvl v ɖ acćl dspaṛti in ɖer ejz (n Mr. Wŭdhǎs hd nt marid rli) wz mć incrist bî hiz consttyśn n habits; fr hvñ bn a vaḷtyḍnerịn ol hiz lîf, wɖt activti v mînd or bodi, h wz a mć oldr man in wez ɖn in yirz; n ɖo evrẃr b’luvid fr ɖ frendlinis v hiz hart n hiz emịbl tmpr, hiz taḷnts cd nt hv rec̣mndd him at eni tîm.

Hr sistr, ɖo cmpaṛtivli bt litl rmuvd bî matriṃni, biyñ setld in Lundn, onli sixtīn mîlz of, wz mć bynd hr dêli rīć; n mni a loñ Octobr n Nvmbr īvnñ mst b strugld ʈru at Hārtfīld, bfr Crisṃs bròt ɖ nxt vizit fṛm Iẓbela n hr huzbnd, n ɖer litl ćildṛn, t fil ɖ hǎs, n gv hr pleznt ssayti agn.

Hîḅri, ɖ larj n popyḷs vilij, olmst amǎntñ t a tǎn, t ẃć Hārtfīld, in spît v its sepṛt lōn, n śruḅriz, n nem, dd riyli b’loñ, afordd hr no īqlz. Ɖ Wŭdhǎsz wr frst in consiqns ɖr. Ol lct p t ɖm. Ś hd mni aqentns in ɖ ples, fr hr faɖr wz yṇvrṣli sivl, bt nt wn amñ ɖm hu cd b axptd in lū v Mis Teilr fr īvn haf a de. It wz a meḷnc̣li ćenj; n Ema cd nt bt sai ovr it, n wś fr imposbl ʈñz, tl hr faɖr awouc, n md it nesṣri t b ćirfl. Hiz spirits rqîrd s’port. H wz a nrṿs man, īẓli dprest; fond v evrbdi ɖt h wz yst t, n hetñ t part wɖ ɖm; hetñ ćenj v evri cnd. Matriṃni, az ɖ oṛjin v ćenj, wz olwz dis’griybl; n h wz bî no mīnz yt recnsîld t hiz ǒn dōtr’z mariyñ, nr cd evr spīc v hr bt wɖ cmpaśn, ɖo it hd bn intîrli a mać v afẋn, ẃn h wz nǎ oblîjd t part wɖ Mis Teilr tù; n fṛm hiz habits v jntl slfiśnis, n v biyñ nvr ebl t s’poz ɖt uɖr ppl cd fīl difṛntli fṛm himslf, h wz vri mć dspozd t ʈnc Mis Teilr hd dn az sad a ʈñ fr hrslf az fr ɖm, n wd hv bn a gret dīl hapịr f ś hd spent ol ɖ rest v hr lîf at Hārtfīld. Ema smîld n ćatd az ćirf̣li az ś cd, t cīp him fṛm sć ʈts; bt ẃn ti cem, it wz imposbl fr him nt t se xacli az h hd sd at dinr,

“Pur Mis Teilr!—I wś ś wr hir agn. Ẃt a piti it z ɖt Mr. Wsṭn evr ʈt v hr!”

“I canot agri wɖ y, ppā; y nǒ I canot. Mr. Wsṭn z sć a gd-hymrd, pleznt, xḷnt man, ɖt h ʈuṛli dzrvz a gd wîf;—n y wd nt hv hd Mis Teilr liv wɖ s fr evr, n ber ol mî od hymrz, ẃn ś mt hv a hǎs v hr ǒn?”

“A hǎs v hr ǒn!—Bt ẃr z ɖ advantij v a hǎs v hr ǒn? Ɖs z ʈri tîmz az larj.—N y hv nvr eni od hymrz, mî dir.”

“Hǎ ofn w śl b gwñ t si ɖm, n ɖe cmñ t si s!—W śl b olwz mītñ! W mst bgin; w mst g n pe ǎr wedñ vizit vri sn.”

“Mî dir, hǎ am I t gt so far? Randlz z sć a distns. I cd nt wōc haf so far.”

“No, ppā, nbdi ʈt v yr wōcñ. W mst g in ɖ carij, t b śr.”

“Ɖ carij! Bt Jemz wl nt lîc t pt ɖ horsz t fr sć a litl we;—n ẃr r ɖ pur horsz t b ẃl w r peyñ ǎr vizit?”

“Ɖe r t b pt intu Mr. Wsṭn’z stebl, ppā. Y nǒ w hv setld ol ɖt olrdi. W tōct it ol ovr wɖ Mr. Wsṭn last nît. N az fr Jemz, y me b vri śr h wl olwz lîc gwñ t Randlz, bcz v hiz dōtr’z biyñ hǎsmeid ɖr. I onli dǎt ẃɖr h wl evr tec s enẃr els. Ɖt wz yr dwñ, ppā. Y got Hana ɖt gd ples. Nbdi ʈt v Hana tl y mnśnd hr—Jemz z so oblîjd t y!”

“I am vri glad I dd ʈnc v hr. It wz vri luci, fr I wd nt hv hd pur Jemz ʈnc himslf slîtd upn eni acǎnt; n I am śr ś wl mc a vri gd srvnt: ś z a sivl, priti-spocn grl; I hv a gret opińn v hr. Ẃnvr I si hr, ś olwz crtsiz n ascs m hǎ I d, in a vri priti manr; n ẃn y hv hd hr hir t d nīdlwrc, I obzrv ś olwz trnz ɖ loc v ɖ dor ɖ rît we n nvr bañz it. I am śr ś wl b an xḷnt srvnt; n it wl b a gret cumf̣t t pur Mis Teilr t hv smbdi abt hr ɖt ś z yst t si. Ẃnvr Jemz gz ovr t si hiz dōtr, y nǒ, ś wl b hírñ v s. H wl b ebl t tel hr hǎ w ol r.”

Ema sperd no xrśnz t mnten ɖs hapịr flo v îdīaz, n hopt, bî ɖ hlp v bacgamn, t gt hr faɖr tolṛbli ʈru ɖ īvnñ, n b atact bî no rgrets bt hr ǒn. Ɖ bacgaṃntebl wz plest; bt a vizitr imīɉtli aftwdz wōct in n md it uņesṣri.

Mr. Naitli, a snṣbl man abt sevn or et-n-ʈrti, wz nt onli a vri old n intiṃt frend v ɖ faṃli, bt ptiklrli cnctd wɖ it, az ɖ eldr bruɖr v Iẓbela’z huzbnd. H livd abt a mîl fṛm Hîḅri, wz a frīqnt vizitr, n olwz welcm, n at ɖs tîm mor welcm ɖn yźl, az cmñ d’recli fṛm ɖer ḿćl cnẋnz in Lundn. H hd rtrnd t a lêt dinr, aftr sm dez’ absns, n nǎ wōct p t Hārtfīld t se ɖt ol wr wel in Brunzwic Sqer. It wz a hapi srcmstans, n aṇmetd Mr. Wŭdhǎs fr sm tîm. Mr. Naitli hd a ćirfl manr, ẃć olwz dd him gd; n hiz mni inqîriz aftr “pur Iẓbela” n hr ćildṛn wr ansrd most saṭsfactṛli. Ẃn ɖs wz ovr, Mr. Wŭdhǎs gretf̣li obzrvd, “It z vri cînd v y, Mr. Naitli, t cm ǎt at ɖs lêt aur t cōl upn s. I am afreid y mst hv hd a śocñ wōc.”

“Nt at ol, sr. It z a bytifl mūnlît nît; n so mîld ɖt I mst drw bac fṛm yr gret fîr.”

“Bt y mst hv faund it vri damp n drti. I wś y me nt cać cold.”

“Drti, sr! Lc at mî śuz. Nt a spec on ɖm.”

“Wel! ɖt z qt s’prîzñ, fr w hv hd a vast dīl v ren hir. It rênd dredf̣li hard fr haf an aur ẃl w wr at brecfst. I wontd ɖm t pt of ɖ wedñ.”

“Bî ɖ bái—I hv nt wśt y jô. Biyñ priti wel awer v ẃt sort v jô y mst bʈ b fīlñ, I hv bn in no huri wɖ mî cngrać̣leśnz; bt I hop it ol wnt of tolṛbli wel. Hǎ dd y ol bhev? Hu craid most?”

“Ā! pur Mis Teilr! ‘tiz a sad biznis.”

“Pur Mr. n Mis Wŭdhǎs, f y plīz; bt I canot poṣbli se ‘pur Mis Teilr.’ I hv a gret rgard fr y n Ema; bt ẃn it cmz t ɖ qsćn v dpndns or indipndns!—At eni ret, it mst b betr t hv onli wn t plīz ɖn tū.”

“Ispeṣ́li ẃn wn v ɖoz tū z sć a fansifl, trublsm crīćr!” sd Ema plêf̣li. “Ɖt z ẃt y hv in yr hed, I nǒ—n ẃt y wd srtnli se f mî faɖr wr nt bî.”

“I b’liv it z vri tru, mî dir, indd,” sd Mr. Wŭdhǎs, wɖ a sai. “I am afreid I am smtmz vri fansifl n trublsm.”

“Mî dirist ppā! Y d nt ʈnc I cd mīn y, or s’poz Mr. Naitli t mīn y. Ẃt a hoṛbl îdīa! Ǒ no! I mnt onli mslf. Mr. Naitli luvz t fînd fōlt wɖ m, y nǒ—in a joc—it z ol a joc. W olwz se ẃt w lîc t wn anɖr.”

Mr. Naitli, in fact, wz wn v ɖ fy ppl hu cd si fōlts in Ema Wŭdhǎs, n ɖ onli wn hu evr tld hr v ɖm: n ɖo ɖs wz nt ptiklrli agriybl t Ema hrslf, ś ń it wd b so mć les so t hr faɖr, ɖt ś wd nt hv him riyli sspct sć a srcmstans az hr nt biyñ ʈt prfict bî evrbdi.

“Ema nz I nvr flatr hr,” sd Mr. Naitli, “bt I mnt no rfleẋn on enbdi. Mis Teilr hz bn yst t hv tū prsnz t plīz; ś wl nǎ hv bt wn. Ɖ ćansz r ɖt ś mst b a genr.”

“Wel,” sd Ema, wilñ t let it pas—“y wont t hír abt ɖ wedñ; n I śl b hapi t tel y, fr w ol bhevd ćarmñli. Evrbdi wz puñćl, evrbdi in ɖer bst lcs: nt a ter, n hardli a loñ fes t b sìn. Ǒ no; w ol flt ɖt w wr gwñ t b onli haf a mîl apart, n wr śr v mītñ evri de.”

“Dir Ema berz evrʈñ so wel,” sd hr faɖr. “Bt, Mr. Naitli, ś z riyli vri sori t lūz pur Mis Teilr, n I am śr ś wl mis hr mor ɖn ś ʈncs fr.”

Ema trnd awe hr hed, dvîdd btwn tirz n smîlz. “It z imposbl ɖt Ema śd nt mis sć a cmpańn,” sd Mr. Naitli. “W śd nt lîc hr so wel az w d, sr, f w cd s’poz it; bt ś nz hǎ mć ɖ marij z t Mis Teilr’z advantij; ś nz hǎ vri axptbl it mst b, at Mis Teilr’z tîm v lîf, t b setld in a hom v hr ǒn, n hǎ importnt t hr t b s’kr v a cumftbl pṛviźn, n ɖrfr canot alǎ hrslf t fīl so mć pen az pleźr. Evri frend v Mis Teilr mst b glad t hv hr so haṗli marid.”

“N y hv fgotn wn matr v jô t m,” sd Ema, “n a vri cnsidṛbl wn—ɖt I md ɖ mać mslf. I md ɖ mać, y nǒ, for yirz ago; n t hv it tec ples, n b pruvd in ɖ rît, ẃn so mni ppl sd Mr. Wsṭn wd nvr mari agn, me cumf̣t m fr enʈñ.”

Mr. Naitli śc hiz hed at hr. Hr faɖr fondli rplaid, “Ā! mî dir, I wś y wd nt mc maćz n fōrtel ʈñz, fr ẃtvr y se olwz cmz t pas. Pre d nt mc eni mor maćz.”

“I promis y t mc nn fr mslf, ppā; bt I mst, indd, fr uɖr ppl. It z ɖ gretist aḿzmnt in ɖ wrld! N aftr sć s’xes, y nǒ!—Evrbdi sd ɖt Mr. Wsṭn wd nvr mari agn. Ǒ dir, no! Mr. Wsṭn, hu hd bn a widowr so loñ, n hu sīmd so prf̣cli cumftbl wɖt a wîf, so constntli okpaid îɖr in hiz biznis in tǎn or amñ hiz frendz hir, olwz axptbl ẃrvr h wnt, olwz ćirfl—Mr. Wsṭn nīd nt spend a sngl īvnñ in ɖ yir alon f h dd nt lîc it. Ǒ no! Mr. Wsṭn srtnli wd nvr mari agn. Sm ppl īvn tōct v a promis t hiz wîf on hr deʈbed, n uɖrz v ɖ sun n ɖ uncl nt letñ him. Ol manr v soḷm nonsns wz tōct on ɖ subjict, bt I b’livd nn v it.

“Evr sins ɖ de—abt for yirz ago—ɖt Mis Teilr n I met wɖ him in Brōdwe Len, ẃn, bcz it bgan t drizl, h dartd awe wɖ so mć gaḷntri, n boroud tū umbrelaz fr s fṛm Farmr Mićl’z, I md p mî mînd on ɖ subjict. I pland ɖ mać fṛm ɖt aur; n ẃn sć s’xes hz blest m in ɖs instns, dir ppā, y canot ʈnc ɖt I śl līv of mać-mcñ.”

“I d nt unḍstand ẃt y mīn bî ‘s’xes,’” sd Mr. Naitli. “S’xes s’pozz indevr. Yr tîm hz bn proprli n delic̣tli spent, f y hv bn indeṿrñ fr ɖ last for yirz t brñ abt ɖs marij. A wrɖi implômnt fr a yuñ ledi’z mînd! Bt f, ẃć I rɖr imajin, yr mcñ ɖ mać, az y cōl it, mīnz onli yr planñ it, yr seyñ t yrslf wn îdl de, ‘I ʈnc it wd b a vri gd ʈñ fr Mis Teilr f Mr. Wsṭn wr t mari hr,’ n seyñ it agn t yrslf evri nǎ n ɖen aftwdz, ẃ d y tōc v s’xes? Ẃr z yr merit? Ẃt r y prǎd v? Y md a luci ges; n ɖt z ol ɖt cn b sd.”

“N hv y nvr noun ɖ pleźr n trîumf v a luci ges?—I piti y.—I ʈt y clevrr—fr, dpnd upn it a luci ges z nvr mirli luc. Ɖr z olwz sm taḷnt in it. N az t mî pur wrd ‘s’xes,’ ẃć y qoṛl wɖ, I d nt nǒ ɖt I am so intîrli wɖt eni clem t it. Y hv drwn tū priti picćrz; bt I ʈnc ɖr me b a ʈrd—a smʈñ btwn ɖ du-nʈñ n ɖ du-ol. F I hd nt pṛmotd Mr. Wsṭn’z vizits hir, n gvn mni litl incurijmnts, n smuɖd mni litl matrz, it mt nt hv cm t enʈñ aftr ol. I ʈnc y mst nǒ Hārtfīld inuf t comprihnd ɖt.”

“A stretfwd, opn-hartd man lîc Wsṭn, n a raśnl, un’fctd wmn lîc Mis Teilr, me b sefli left t manij ɖer ǒn cnsrnz. Y r mor lîcli t hv dn harm t yrslf, ɖn gd t ɖm, bî inṭfiṛns.”

“Ema nvr ʈncs v hrslf, f ś cn d gd t uɖrz,” rjônd Mr. Wŭdhǎs, unḍstandñ bt in part. “Bt, mî dir, pre d nt mc eni mor maćz; ɖe r sili ʈñz, n brec p wn’z faṃlisrcl grīṿsli.”

“Onli wn mor, ppā; onli fr Mr. Eltn. Pur Mr. Eltn! Y lîc Mr. Eltn, ppā,—I mst lc abt fr a wîf fr him. Ɖr z nbdi in Hîḅri hu dzrvz him—n h hz bn hir a hol yir, n hz fitd p hiz hǎs so cumftbli, ɖt it wd b a śem t hv him sngl eni longr—n I ʈt ẃn h wz jônñ ɖer handz tde, h lct so vri mć az f h wd lîc t hv ɖ sem cînd ofis dn fr him! I ʈnc vri wel v Mr. Eltn, n ɖs z ɖ onli we I hv v dwñ him a srvis.”

“Mr. Eltn z a vri priti yuñ man, t b śr, n a vri gd yuñ man, n I hv a gret rgard fr him. Bt f y wont t śo him eni atnśn, mî dir, asc him t cm n dîn wɖ s sm de. Ɖt wl b a mć betr ʈñ. I der se Mr. Naitli wl b so cînd az t mīt him.”

“Wɖ a gret dīl v pleźr, sr, at eni tîm,” sd Mr. Naitli, lafñ, “n I agri wɖ y intîrli, ɖt it wl b a mć betr ʈñ. Invît him t dinr, Ema, n hlp him t ɖ bst v ɖ fiś n ɖ ćicn, bt līv him t ćūz hiz ǒn wîf. Dpnd upn it, a man v six or sevn-n-twenti cn tec cer v himslf.”

Captin Wsṭn wz a jenṛl feṿrit; n ẃn ɖ ćansz v hiz militri lîf hd intṛdyst him t Mis Ćrćl, v a gret Yorẋr faṃli, n Mis Ćrćl fél in luv wɖ him, nbdi wz s’prîzd, xpt hr bruɖr n hiz wîf, hu hd nvr sìn him, n hu wr fl v prîd n importns, ẃć ɖ cnẋn wd ofnd.

Mis Ćrćl, hvr, biyñ v ej, n wɖ ɖ fl cmand v hr fortyn—ɖo hr fortyn bòr no pṛporśn t ɖ faṃli-istet—wz nt t b dswedd fṛm ɖ marij, n it tc ples, t ɖ infiṇt mortif̣ceśn v Mr. n Msz. Ćrćl, hu ʈrù hr of wɖ dy dcoṛm. It wz an unsūṭbl cnẋn, n dd nt pṛdys mć hapinis. Msz. Wsṭn òt t hv faund mor in it, fr ś hd a huzbnd huz worm hart n swīt tmpr md him ʈnc evrʈñ dy t hr in rtrn fr ɖ gret gdnis v biyñ in luv wɖ him; bt ɖo ś hd wn sort v spirit, ś hd nt ɖ bst. Ś hd reẓluśn inuf t psy hr ǒn wil in spît v hr bruɖr, bt nt inuf t rfren fṛm unrīzṇbl rgrets at ɖt bruɖr’z unrīzṇbl angr, nr fṛm misñ ɖ lux̣́riz v hr formr hom. Ɖe livd bynd ɖer incm, bt stl it wz nʈñ in cmparisn v Enscm: ś dd nt sīs t luv hr huzbnd, bt ś wontd at wns t b ɖ wîf v Captin Wsṭn, n Mis Ćrćl v Enscm.

Captin Wsṭn, hu hd bn cnsidrd, ispeṣ́li bî ɖ Ćrćlz, az mcñ sć an amezñ mać, wz pruvd t hv mć ɖ wrst v ɖ bargin; fr ẃn hiz wîf daid, aftr a ʈri yirz’ marij, h wz rɖr a purr man ɖn at frst, n wɖ a ćîld t mnten. Fṛm ɖ xpns v ɖ ćîld, hvr, h wz sn rlivd. Ɖ bô hd, wɖ ɖ adiśnl sof̣nñ clem v a linġrñ ilnis v hiz muɖr’z, bn ɖ mīnz v a sort v recnsilieśn; n Mr. n Msz. Ćrćl, hvñ no ćildṛn v ɖer ǒn, nr eni uɖr yuñ crīćr v īql cindrid t cer fr, ofrd t tec ɖ hol ćarj v ɖ litl Franc sn aftr hr dsis. Sm scrūplz n sm rluctns ɖ widowrfaɖr me b s’pozd t hv flt; bt az ɖe wr oṿcm bî uɖr cnsiḍreśnz, ɖ ćîld wz gvn p t ɖ cer n ɖ wlʈ v ɖ Ćrćlz, n h hd onli hiz ǒn cumf̣t t sīc, n hiz ǒn sićueśn t impruv az h cd.

A cmplit ćenj v lîf bcem dzîṛbl. H qitd ɖ mliśa n ingejd in tred, hvñ bruɖrz olrdi istabliśt in a gd we in Lundn, ẃć afordd him a fevṛbl oṗnñ. It wz a cnsrn ẃć bròt jst implômnt inuf. H hd stl a smōl hǎs in Hîḅri, ẃr most v hiz leźrdez wr spent; n btwn ysfl okpeśn n ɖ pleźrz v ssayti, ɖ nxt etīn or twenti yirz v hiz lîf pást ćirf̣li awe. H hd, bî ɖt tîm, riylîzd an īzi compitns—inuf t s’kr ɖ prćis v a litl istet ajônñ Hîḅri, ẃć h hd olwz loñd fr—inuf t mari a wmn az porśnlis īvn az Mis Teilr, n t liv acordñ t ɖ wśz v hiz ǒn frendli n sośl disṗziśn.

It wz nǎ sm tîm sins Mis Teilr hd bgun t inflụns hiz scīmz; bt az it wz nt ɖ t’ranic inflụns v yʈ on yʈ, it hd nt śecn hiz dtrṃneśn v nvr seṭlñ tl h cd prćis Randlz, n ɖ seil v Randlz wz loñ lct fwd t; bt h hd gn steḍli on, wɖ ɖz objicts in vy, tl ɖe wr acumpliśt. H hd md hiz fortyn, bòt hiz hǎs, n obtend hiz wîf; n wz bginñ a ny pirịd v xistns, wɖ evri probbiḷti v gretr hapinis ɖn in eni yt pást ʈru. H hd nvr bn an unhapi man; hiz ǒn tmpr hd s’krd him fṛm ɖt, īvn in hiz frst marij; bt hiz secnd mst śo him hǎ dlîtfl a wel-jujñ n trūli emịbl wmn cd b, n mst gv him ɖ plezntist prūf v its biyñ a gret dīl betr t ćūz ɖn t b ćozn, t xît grattyd ɖn t fīl it.

H hd onli himslf t plīz in hiz ćôs: hiz fortyn wz hiz ǒn; fr az t Franc, it wz mor ɖn biyñ taṣtli bròt p az hiz uncl’z ér, it hd bcm so avaud an adopśn az t hv him asym ɖ nem v Ćrćl on cmñ v ej. It wz most unlîcli, ɖrfr, ɖt h śd evr wont hiz faɖr’z asistns. Hiz faɖr hd no aprihnśn v it. Ɖ ānt wz a cpriśs wmn, n guvnd hr huzbnd intîrli; bt it wz nt in Mr. Wsṭn’z nećr t imajin ɖt eni cprīs cd b stroñ inuf t afct wn so dir, n, az h b’livd, so dzrvidli dir. H sw hiz sun evri yir in Lundn, n wz prǎd v him; n hiz fond rport v him az a vri fîn yuñ man hd md Hîḅri fīl a sort v prîd in him tù. H wz lct on az sfiśntli b’loññ t ɖ ples t mc hiz merits n prospects a cnd v comn cnsrn.

Mr. Franc Ćrćl wz wn v ɖ bosts v Hîḅri, n a lîvli krioṣti t si him priveld, ɖo ɖ complimnt wz so litl rtrnd ɖt h hd nvr bn ɖr in hiz lîf. Hiz cmñ t vizit hiz faɖr hd bn ofn tōct v bt nvr aćivd.

Nǎ, upn hiz faɖr’z marij, it wz vri jenṛli pṛpozd, az a most propr atnśn, ɖt ɖ vizit śd tec ples. Ɖr wz nt a dsntịnt vôs on ɖ subjict, îɖr ẃn Msz. Peri dranc ti wɖ Msz. n Mis Bêts, or ẃn Msz. n Mis Bêts rtrnd ɖ vizit. Nǎ wz ɖ tîm fr Mr. Franc Ćrćl t cm amñ ɖm; n ɖ hop streñʈnd ẃn it wz unḍstd ɖt h hd ritn t hiz ny muɖr on ɖ oceźn. Fr a fy dez, evri mornñvizit in Hîḅri includd sm mnśn v ɖ hansm letr Msz. Wsṭn hd rsivd. “I s’poz y hv hŕd v ɖ hansm letr Mr. Franc Ćrćl hz ritn t Msz. Wsṭn? I unḍstand it wz a vri hansm letr, indd. Mr. Wŭdhǎs tld m v it. Mr. Wŭdhǎs sw ɖ letr, n h sz h nvr sw sć a hansm letr in hiz lîf.”

It wz, indd, a hîli prîzd letr. Msz. Wsṭn hd, v cors, formd a vri fevṛbl îdīa v ɖ yuñ man; n sć a plizñ atnśn wz an irizistbl prūf v hiz gret gd sns, n a most welcm adiśn t evri sors n evri xpreśn v cngrać̣leśn ẃć hr marij hd olrdi s’krd. Ś flt hrslf a most forćṇt wmn; n ś hd livd loñ inuf t nǒ hǎ forćṇt ś mt wel b ʈt, ẃr ɖ onli rgret wz fr a parśl seṗreśn fṛm frendz huz frendśp fr hr hd nvr cūld, n hu cd il ber t part wɖ hr.

Ś ń ɖt at tîmz ś mst b míst; n cd nt ʈnc, wɖt pen, v Ema’z luzñ a sngl pleźr, or suf̣rñ an aur’z õwi, fṛm ɖ wont v hr cmpańṇblnis: bt dir Ema wz v no fībl caṛctr; ś wz mor īql t hr sićueśn ɖn most grlz wd hv bn, n hd sns, n eṇji, n spirits ɖt mt b hopt wd ber hr wel n haṗli ʈru its litl dificltiz n priveśnz. N ɖen ɖr wz sć cumf̣t in ɖ vri īzi distns v Randlz fṛm Hārtfīld, so cnvińnt fr īvn solitri fīmel wōcñ, n in Mr. Wsṭn’z disṗziśn n srcmstansz, ẃć wd mc ɖ aproćñ sīzn no hindṛns t ɖer spendñ haf ɖ īvnñz in ɖ wīc tgɖr.

Hr sićueśn wz oltgɖr ɖ subjict v aurz v grattyd t Msz. Wsṭn, n v momnts onli v rgret; n hr saṭsfaẋn—hr mor ɖn saṭsfaẋn—hr ćirfl injômnt, wz so just n so apaṛnt, ɖt Ema, wel az ś ń hr faɖr, wz smtmz tecn bî s’prîz at hiz biyñ stl ebl t piti ‘pur Mis Teilr,’ ẃn ɖe left hr at Randlz in ɖ sntr v evri dmestic cumf̣t, or sw hr g awe in ɖ īvnñ atndd bî hr pleznt huzbnd t a carij v hr ǒn. Bt nvr dd ś g wɖt Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z gvñ a jntl sai, n seyñ, “Ā, pur Mis Teilr! Ś wd b vri glad t ste.”

Ɖr wz no rcuṿrñ Mis Teilr—nr mć lîclihd v sīsñ t piti hr; bt a fy wīcs bròt sm alivieśn t Mr. Wŭdhǎs. Ɖ complimnts v hiz nebrz wr ovr; h wz no longr tizd bî biyñ wśt jô v so soṛfl an ivnt; n ɖ wedñcec, ẃć hd bn a gret dstres t him, wz ol ét p. Hiz ǒn stuṃc cd ber nʈñ rić, n h cd nvr b’liv uɖr ppl t b difṛnt fṛm himslf. Ẃt wz unholsm t him h rgardd az unfit fr enbdi; n h hd, ɖrfr, rṇstli traid t dswed ɖm fṛm hvñ eni wedñcec at ol, n ẃn ɖt pruvd ven, az rṇstli traid t privnt enbdi’z ītñ it. H hd bn at ɖ penz v cnsultñ Mr. Peri, ɖ apoʈ̇cri, on ɖ subjict. Mr. Peri wz an intelijnt, jntlmnlîc man, huz frīqnt vizits wr wn v ɖ cumf̣ts v Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z lîf; n upn biyñ aplaid t, h cd nt bt acnolij (ɖo it sīmd rɖr agnst ɖ bays v incḷneśn) ɖt wedñcec mt srtnli dis’gri wɖ mni—phps wɖ most ppl, unls tecn modṛtli. Wɖ sć an opińn, in conf̣meśn v hiz ǒn, Mr. Wŭdhǎs hopt t inflụns evri vizitr v ɖ nyli marid per; bt stl ɖ cec wz ītn; n ɖr wz no rest fr hiz bnevlnt nrvz tl it wz ol gn.

Ɖr wz a strenj rūmr in Hîḅri v ol ɖ litl Periz biyñ sìn wɖ a slîs v Msz. Wsṭn’z wedñcec in ɖer handz: bt Mr. Wŭdhǎs wd nvr b’liv it.

Riyl, loñ-standñ rgard bròt ɖ Wsṭnz n Mr. Naitli; n bî Mr. Eltn, a yuñ man livñ alon wɖt lîcñ it, ɖ priṿlij v xćenjñ eni vecnt īvnñ v hiz ǒn blanc soḷtyd fr ɖ elignsiz n ssayti v Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z drw̃rūm, n ɖ smîlz v hiz luvli dōtr, wz in no denjr v biyñ ʈroun awe.

Aftr ɖz cem a secnd set; amñ ɖ most cm-aṭbl v hūm wr Msz. n Mis Bêts, n Msz. Godard, ʈri lediz olmst olwz at ɖ srvis v an invteśn fṛm Hārtfīld, n hu wr fećt n carid hom so ofn, ɖt Mr. Wŭdhǎs ʈt it no hardśp fr îɖr Jemz or ɖ horsz. Hd it tecn ples onli wns a yir, it wd hv bn a grīvns.

Msz. Bêts, ɖ wido v a formr vicr v Hîḅri, wz a vri old ledi, olmst past evrʈñ bt ti n qdril. Ś livd wɖ hr sngl dōtr in a vri smōl we, n wz cnsidrd wɖ ol ɖ rgard n rspct ẃć a harmlis old ledi, undr sć unṭword srcmstansz, cn xît. Hr dōtr injoid a most uncomn dgri v popylaṛti fr a wmn nɖr yuñ, hansm, rić, nr marid. Mis Bêts std in ɖ vri wrst pridic̣mnt in ɖ wrld fr hvñ mć v ɖ public fevr; n ś hd no inṭlecćl s’pirioṛti t mc atonmnt t hrslf, or frîtn ɖoz hu mt het hr intu ǎtwd rspct. Ś hd nvr bostd îɖr byti or clevrnis. Hr yʈ hd pást wɖt dstñśn, n hr midl v lîf wz dvotd t ɖ cer v a felñ muɖr, n ɖ indevr t mc a smōl incm g az far az poṣbl. N yt ś wz a hapi wmn, n a wmn hūm nwn nemd wɖt gdwil. It wz hr ǒn yṇvrsl gdwil n cntntd tmpr ẃć wrct sć wundrz. Ś luvd evrbdi, wz inṭrestd in evrbdi’z hapinis, qc-sîtd t evrbdi’z merits; ʈt hrslf a most forćṇt crīćr, n srǎndd wɖ blesñz in sć an xḷnt muɖr, n so mni gd nebrz n frendz, n a hom ɖt wontd fr nʈñ. Ɖ simpliṣti n ćirflnis v hr nećr, hr cntntd n gretfl spirit, wr a rec̣mndeśn t evrbdi, n a mîn v f’liṣti t hrslf. Ś wz a gret tōcr upn litl matrz, ẃć xacli sūtd Mr. Wŭdhǎs, fl v trivịl cḿṇceśnz n harmlis gosip.

Msz. Godard wz ɖ mistris v a Scūl—nt v a seminri, or an istabliśmnt, or enʈñ ẃć pṛfest, in loñ sntnsz v rfînd nonsns, t cmbîn libṛl aqîrmnts wɖ elignt mraḷti, upn ny prínsiplz n ny sistmz—n ẃr yuñ lediz fr inorṃs pe mt b scrùd ǎt v hlʈ n intu vaṇti—bt a riyl, onist, old-faśnd Bordñscūl, ẃr a rīzṇbl qontti v acumpliśmnts wr sold at a rīzṇbl prîs, n ẃr grlz mt b snt t b ǎt v ɖ we, n scrambl ɖmslvz intu a litl edyceśn, wɖt eni denjr v cmñ bac proḍjiz. Msz. Godard’z scūl wz in hî rpyt—n vri dzrvidli; fr Hîḅri wz recnd a ptiklrli hlʈi spot: ś hd an ampl hǎs n gardn, gev ɖ ćildṛn plenti v holsm fūd, let ɖm run abt a gret dīl in ɖ sumr, n in wintr drest ɖer ćilblenz wɖ hr ǒn handz. It wz no wundr ɖt a tren v twenti yuñ cuplz nǎ wōct aftr hr t ćrć. Ś wz a plen, muɖrli cnd v wmn, hu hd wrct hard in hr yʈ, n nǎ ʈt hrslf intîtld t ɖ oceźnl hoḷde v a tīvizit; n hvñ formrli oud mć t Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z cîndnis, flt hiz ptiklr clem on hr t līv hr nīt parlr, huñ rnd wɖ fansi-wrc, ẃnvr ś cd, n win or lūz a fy sixpnsz bî hiz fîrsîd.

Ɖz wr ɖ lediz hūm Ema faund hrslf vri frīqntli ebl t c’lect; n hapi wz ś, fr hr faɖr’z sec, in ɖ pǎr; ɖo, az far az ś wz hrslf cnsrnd, it wz no reṃdi fr ɖ absns v Msz. Wsṭn. Ś wz dlîtd t si hr faɖr lc cumftbl, n vri mć plizd wɖ hrslf fr cntrîvñ ʈñz so wel; bt ɖ qayt prosings v ʈri sć wimin md hr fīl ɖt evri īvnñ so spent wz indd wn v ɖ loñ īvnñz ś hd firf̣li antiṣpetd.

Az ś sat wn mornñ, lcñ fwd t xacli sć a cloz v ɖ preznt de, a not wz bròt fṛm Msz. Godard, rqstñ, in most rspctfl trmz, t b alaud t brñ Mis Smiʈ wɖ hr; a most welcm rqst: fr Mis Smiʈ wz a grl v sevntīn, hūm Ema ń vri wel bî sît, n hd loñ flt an inṭrest in, on acǎnt v hr byti. A vri greśs invteśn wz rtrnd, n ɖ īvnñ no longr dredd bî ɖ fer mistris v ɖ manśn.

Harịt Smiʈ wz ɖ naćṛl dōtr v smbdi. Smbdi hd plest hr, sevṛl yirz bac, at Msz. Godard’z scūl, n smbdi hd lêtli rezd hr fṛm ɖ cndiśn v scolr t ɖt v parlr-bōrdr. Ɖs wz ol ɖt wz jenṛli noun v hr hisṭri. Ś hd no viẓbl frendz bt ẃt hd bn aqîrd at Hîḅri, n wz nǎ jst rtrnd fṛm a loñ vizit in ɖ cuntri t sm yuñ lediz hu hd bn at scūl ɖr wɖ hr.

Ś wz a vri priti grl, n hr byti hapnd t b v a sort ẃć Ema ptiklrli admîrd. Ś wz śort, plump, n fer, wɖ a fîn blūm, blu îz, lît her, reğlr fīćrz, n a lc v gret swītnis, n, bfr ɖ end v ɖ īvnñ, Ema wz az mć plizd wɖ hr manrz az hr prsn, n qt dtrmind t cntiny ɖ aqentns.

Ś wz nt struc bî enʈñ rmarcbli clevr in Mis Smiʈ’s convseśn, bt ś faund hr oltgɖr vri ingejñ—nt incnvińntli śî, nt unwilñ t tōc—n yt so far fṛm pśñ, śowñ so propr n bcmñ a defṛns, sīmñ so plezntli gretfl fr biyñ admitd t Hārtfīld, n so artlisli imprest bî ɖ apiṛns v evrʈñ in so s’pirịr a stîl t ẃt ś hd bn yst t, ɖt ś mst hv gd sns, n dzrv incurijmnt. Incurijmnt śd b gvn. Ɖoz soft blu îz, n ol ɖoz naćṛl gresz, śd nt b westd on ɖ infirịr ssayti v Hîḅri n its cnẋnz. Ɖ aqentns ś hd olrdi formd wr unwrɖi v hr. Ɖ frendz fṛm hūm ś hd jst partd, ɖo vri gd sort v ppl, mst b dwñ hr harm. Ɖe wr a faṃli v ɖ nem v Martin, hūm Ema wel ń bî caṛctr, az rentñ a larj farm v Mr. Naitli, n rzîdñ in ɖ pariś v Donwél—vri creditbli, ś b’livd—ś ń Mr. Naitli ʈt hîli v ɖm—bt ɖe mst b cōrs n unpoliśt, n vri unfit t b ɖ intiṃts v a grl hu wontd onli a litl mor nolij n eligns t b qt prfict. Ś wd notis hr; ś wd impruv hr; ś wd dtać hr fṛm hr bad aqentns, n intṛdys hr intu gd ssayti; ś wd form hr opińnz n hr manrz. It wd b an inṭrestñ, n srtnli a vri cînd unḍtecñ; hîli bcmñ hr ǒn sićueśn in lîf, hr leźr, n pǎrz.

Ś wz so bizi in admîrñ ɖoz soft blu îz, in tōcñ n liṣnñ, n formñ ol ɖz scīmz in ɖ in-btwnz, ɖt ɖ īvnñ flù awe at a vri unyźl ret; n ɖ suprtebl, ẃć olwz clozd sć partiz, n fr ẃć ś hd bn yst t sit n woć ɖ dy tîm, wz ol set ǎt n redi, n muvd fwdz t ɖ fîr, bfr ś wz awer. Wɖ an alacṛti bynd ɖ comn impuls v a spirit ẃć yt wz nvr indifṛnt t ɖ credit v dwñ evrʈñ wel n atntivli, wɖ ɖ riyl gdwil v a mînd dlîtd wɖ its ǒn îdīaz, dd ś ɖen d ol ɖ onrz v ɖ mīl, n hlp n rec̣mnd ɖ minst ćicn n scaḷpt ôstrz, wɖ an rjnsi ẃć ś ń wd b axptbl t ɖ rli aurz n sivl scrūplz v ɖer gests.

Upn sć oceźnz pur Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z fīlñz wr in sad worfér. H luvd t hv ɖ cloʈ leid, bcz it hd bn ɖ faśn v hiz yʈ, bt hiz cnviẋn v suprz biyñ vri unholsm md him rɖr sori t si enʈñ pt on it; n ẃl hiz hosṗtaḷti wd hv welcmd hiz vizitrz t evrʈñ, hiz cer fr ɖer hlʈ md him grīv ɖt ɖe wd īt.

Sć anɖr smōl besn v ʈin gruwl az hiz ǒn wz ol ɖt h cd, wɖ ʈura slf-apṛbeśn, rec̣mnd; ɖo h mt cnstren himslf, ẃl ɖ lediz wr cumftbli clirñ ɖ nîsr ʈñz, t se:

“Msz. Bêts, let m pṛpoz yr vnćrñ on wn v ɖz egz. An eg bôld vri soft z nt unholsm. Srl unḍstandz bôlñ an eg betr ɖn enbdi. I wd nt rec̣mnd an eg bôld bî enbdi els; bt y nīd nt b afreid, ɖe r vri smōl, y si—wn v ǎr smōl egz wl nt hrt y. Mis Bêts, let Ema hlp y t a litl bit v tart—a vri litl bit. Ǎrz r ol apl tarts. Y nīd nt b afreid v unholsm prizrvz hir. I d nt advîz ɖ custd. Msz. Godard, ẃt se y t haf a glas v wîn? A smōl haf-glas, pt intu a tumblr v wōtr? I d nt ʈnc it cd dis’gri wɖ y.”

Ema alaud hr faɖr t tōc—bt s’plaid hr vizitrz in a mć mor saṭsfactri stîl, n on ɖ preznt īvnñ hd ptiklr pleźr in sndñ ɖm awe hapi. Ɖ hapinis v Mis Smiʈ wz qt īql t hr intnśnz. Mis Wŭdhǎs wz so gret a prṣnij in Hîḅri, ɖt ɖ prospect v ɖ intṛduẋn hd gvn az mć panic az pleźr; bt ɖ humbl, gretfl litl grl wnt of wɖ hîli graṭfaid fīlñz, dlîtd wɖ ɖ afbiḷti wɖ ẃć Mis Wŭdhǎs hd trītd hr ol ɖ īvnñ, n acć̣li śecn handz wɖ hr at last!

Harịt srtnli wz nt clevr, bt ś hd a swīt, dosîl, gretfl disṗziśn, wz toṭli fri fṛm cnsit, n onli dzîrñ t b gîdd bî enwn ś lct p t. Hr rli ataćmnt t hrslf wz vri emịbl; n hr incḷneśn fr gd cumṗni, n pǎr v aprīśietñ ẃt wz elignt n clevr, śoud ɖt ɖr wz no wont v test, ɖo streñʈ v unḍstandñ mst nt b xpctd. Oltgɖr ś wz qt cnvinst v Harịt Smiʈ’s biyñ xacli ɖ yuñ frend ś wontd—xacli ɖ smʈñ ẃć hr hom rqîrd. Sć a frend az Msz. Wsṭn wz ǎt v ɖ qsćn. Tū sć cd nvr b grantd. Tū sć ś dd nt wont. It wz qt a difṛnt sort v ʈñ, a sntimnt dstñt n indipndnt. Msz. Wsṭn wz ɖ objict v a rgard ẃć hd its besis in grattyd n istim. Harịt wd b luvd az wn t hūm ś cd b ysfl. Fr Msz. Wsṭn ɖr wz nʈñ t b dn; fr Harịt evrʈñ.

Hr frst atmts at ysflnis wr in an indevr t fînd ǎt hu wr ɖ peṛnts, bt Harịt cd nt tel. Ś wz redi t tel evrʈñ in hr pǎr, bt on ɖs subjict qsćnz wr ven. Ema wz oblîjd t fansi ẃt ś lîct—bt ś cd nvr b’liv ɖt in ɖ sem sićueśn ś śd nt hv dscuvrd ɖ truʈ. Harịt hd no peṇtreśn. Ś hd bn saṭsfaid t hír n b’liv jst ẃt Msz. Godard ćouz t tel hr; n lct no farɖr.

Msz. Godard, n ɖ tīćrz, n ɖ grlz n ɖ aferz v ɖ scūl in jenṛl, formd naćṛli a gret part v ɖ convseśn—n bt fr hr aqentns wɖ ɖ Martinz v Abimil Farm, it mst hv bn ɖ hol. Bt ɖ Martinz okpaid hr ʈts a gd dīl; ś hd spent tū vri hapi munʈs wɖ ɖm, n nǎ luvd t tōc v ɖ pleźrz v hr vizit, n dscrîb ɖ mni cumf̣ts n wundrz v ɖ ples. Ema incurijd hr tōc̣tivnis—aḿzd bî sć a picćr v anɖr set v biyñz, n injoyñ ɖ yʈfl simpliṣti ẃć cd spīc wɖ so mć xlteśn v Msz. Martin’z hvñ “tū parlrz, tū vri gd parlrz, indd; wn v ɖm qt az larj az Msz. Godard’z drw̃rūm; n v hr hvñ an upr meid hu hd livd fîv-n-twenti yirz wɖ hr; n v ɖer hvñ et cǎz, tū v ɖm Ōlḍniz, n wn a litl Wlś cǎ, a vri priti litl Wlś cǎ indd; n v Msz. Martin’z seyñ az ś wz so fond v it, it śd b cōld hr cǎ; n v ɖer hvñ a vri hansm sumrhǎs in ɖer gardn, ẃr sm de nxt yir ɖe wr ol t drinc ti:—a vri hansm sumrhǎs, larj inuf t hold a duzn ppl.”

Fr sm tîm ś wz aḿzd, wɖt ʈncñ bynd ɖ imīɉt cōz; bt az ś cem t unḍstand ɖ faṃli betr, uɖr fīlñz arouz. Ś hd tecn p a roñ îdīa, fansiyñ it wz a muɖr n dōtr, a sun n sun’z wîf, hu ol livd tgɖr; bt ẃn it apird ɖt ɖ Mr. Martin, hu bòr a part in ɖ naṛtiv, n wz olwz mnśnd wɖ apṛbeśn fr hiz gret gd-nećr in dwñ smʈñ or uɖr, wz a sngl man; ɖt ɖr wz no yuñ Msz. Martin, no wîf in ɖ ces; ś dd sspct denjr t hr pur litl frend fṛm ol ɖs hosṗtaḷti n cîndnis, n ɖt, f ś wr nt tecn cer v, ś mt b rqîrd t snc hrslf fr evr.

Wɖ ɖs inspiṛtñ nośn, hr qsćnz incrist in numbr n mīnñ; n ś ptiklrli léd Harịt t tōc mor v Mr. Martin, n ɖr wz evidntli no dslîc t it. Harịt wz vri redi t spīc v ɖ śer h hd hd in ɖer mūnlît wōcs n meri īvnñ gemz; n dwelt a gd dīl upn hiz biyñ so vri gd-hymrd n oblîjñ. H hd gn ʈri mîlz rnd wn de in ordr t brñ hr sm wōlnuts, bcz ś hd sd hǎ fond ś wz v ɖm, n in evrʈñ els h wz so vri oblîjñ. H hd hiz śeṗd’z sun intu ɖ parlr wn nît on prṗs t sñ t hr. Ś wz vri fond v sññ. H cd sñ a litl himslf. Ś b’livd h wz vri clevr, n unḍstd evrʈñ. H hd a vri fîn floc, n, ẃl ś wz wɖ ɖm, h hd bn bid mor fr hiz wŭl ɖn enbdi in ɖ cuntri. Ś b’livd evrbdi spouc wel v him. Hiz muɖr n sistrz wr vri fond v him. Msz. Martin hd tld hr wn de (n ɖr wz a bluś az ś sd it,) ɖt it wz imposbl fr enbdi t b a betr sun, n ɖrfr ś wz śr, ẃnvr h marid, h wd mc a gd huzbnd. Nt ɖt ś wontd him t mari. Ś wz in no huri at ol.

“Wel dn, Msz. Martin!” ʈt Ema. “Y nǒ ẃt y r abt.”

“N ẃn ś hd cm awe, Msz. Martin wz so vri cînd az t snd Msz. Godard a bytifl gūs—ɖ fînist gūs Msz. Godard hd evr sìn. Msz. Godard hd drest it on a Súnde, n asct ol ɖ ʈri tīćrz, Mis Naś, n Mis Prins, n Mis Rićdsn, t sup wɖ hr.”

“Mr. Martin, I s’poz, z nt a man v inf̣meśn bynd ɖ lîn v hiz ǒn biznis? H dz nt rīd?”

“Ǒ yes!—ɖt z, no—I d nt nǒ—bt I b’liv h hz réd a gd dīl—bt nt ẃt y wd ʈnc enʈñ v. H rīdz ɖ Agṛculćṛl Rports, n sm uɖr bcs ɖt lei in wn v ɖ windosīts—bt h rīdz ol ɖm t himslf. Bt smtmz v an īvnñ, bfr w wnt t cardz, h wd rīd smʈñ alǎd ǎt v ɖ Elignt Xtracts, vri enttenñ. N I nǒ h hz réd ɖ Vicr v Wecfīld. H nvr réd ɖ Romans v ɖ Forist, nr Ɖ Ćildṛn v ɖ Abi. H hd nvr hŕd v sć bcs bfr I mnśnd ɖm, bt h z dtrmind t gt ɖm nǎ az sn az evr h cn.”

Ɖ nxt qsćn wz—

“Ẃt sort v lcñ man z Mr. Martin?”

“Ǒ! nt hansm—nt at ol hansm. I ʈt him vri plen at frst, bt I d nt ʈnc him so plen nǎ. Wn dz nt, y nǒ, aftr a tîm. Bt dd y nvr si him? H z in Hîḅri evri nǎ n ɖen, n h z śr t rîd ʈru evri wīc in hiz we t Cñstn. H hz pást y vri ofn.”

“Ɖt me b, n I me hv sìn him fifti tîmz, bt wɖt hvñ eni îdīa v hiz nem. A yuñ farmr, ẃɖr on horsbac or on ft, z ɖ vri last sort v prsn t rêz mî krioṣti. Ɖ yoṃnri r prisîsli ɖ ordr v ppl wɖ hūm I fīl I cn hv nʈñ t d. A dgri or tū lowr, n a creditbl apiṛns mt inṭrest m; I mt hop t b ysfl t ɖer faṃliz in sm we or uɖr. Bt a farmr cn nīd nn v mî hlp, n z, ɖrfr, in wn sns, az mć abv mî notis az in evri uɖr h z b’lo it.”

“T b śr. Ǒ yes! It z nt lîcli y śd evr hv obzrvd him; bt h nz y vri wel indd—I mīn bî sît.”

“I hv no dǎt v hiz biyñ a vri rspctbl yuñ man. I nǒ, indd, ɖt h z so, n, az sć, wś him wel. Ẃt d y imajin hiz ej t b?”

“H wz for-n-twenti ɖ 8ʈ v last Jūn, n mî brʈde z ɖ 23rd jst a fortnît n a de’z difṛns—ẃć z vri od.”

“Onli for-n-twenti. Ɖt z tù yuñ t setl. Hiz muɖr z prf̣cli rît nt t b in a huri. Ɖe sīm vri cumftbl az ɖe r, n f ś wr t tec eni penz t mari him, ś wd probbli rpnt it. Six yirz hns, f h cd mīt wɖ a gd sort v yuñ wmn in ɖ sem ranc az hiz ǒn, wɖ a litl muni, it mt b vri dzîṛbl.”

“Six yirz hns! Dir Mis Wŭdhǎs, h wd b ʈrti yirz old!”

“Wel, n ɖt z az rli az most men cn aford t mari, hu r nt born t an indipndns. Mr. Martin, I imajin, hz hiz fortyn intîrli t mc—canot b at ol bfrhnd wɖ ɖ wrld. Ẃtvr muni h mt cm intu ẃn hiz faɖr daid, ẃtvr hiz śer v ɖ faṃli proṗti, it z, I der se, ol aflot, ol imploid in hiz stoc, n so fʈ; n ɖo, wɖ dilijns n gd luc, h me b rić in tîm, it z nxt t imposbl ɖt h śd hv riylîzd enʈñ yt.”

“T b śr, so it z. Bt ɖe liv vri cumftbli. Ɖe hv no indorz man, els ɖe d nt wont fr enʈñ; n Msz. Martin tōcs v tecñ a bô anɖr yir.”

“I wś y me nt gt intu a screp, Harịt, ẃnvr h dz mari;—I mīn, az t biyñ aqentd wɖ hiz wîf—fr ɖo hiz sistrz, fṛm a s’pirịr edyceśn, r nt t b oltgɖr objctd t, it dz nt folo ɖt h mt mari enbdi at ol fit fr y t notis. Ɖ msfortyn v yr brʈ òt t mc y ptiklrli cerfl az t yr asośịts. Ɖr cn b no dǎt v yr biyñ a jntlmn’z dōtr, n y mst s’port yr clem t ɖt steśn bî evrʈñ wɖn yr ǒn pǎr, or ɖr wl b plenti v ppl hu wd tec pleźr in dgredñ y.”

“Yes, t b śr, I s’poz ɖr r. Bt ẃl I vizit at Hārtfīld, n y r so cînd t m, Mis Wŭdhǎs, I am nt afreid v ẃt enbdi cn d.”

“Y unḍstand ɖ fors v inflụns priti wel, Harịt; bt I wd hv y so frmli istabliśt in gd ssayti, az t b indipndnt īvn v Hārtfīld n Mis Wŭdhǎs. I wont t si y prṃnntli wel cnctd, n t ɖt end it wl b advîẓbl t hv az fy od aqentns az me b; n, ɖrfr, I se ɖt f y śd stl b in ɖs cuntri ẃn Mr. Martin mariz, I wś y me nt b drwn in bî yr intiṃsi wɖ ɖ sistrz, t b aqentd wɖ ɖ wîf, hu wl probbli b sm mir farmr’z dōtr, wɖt edyceśn.”

“T b śr. Yes. Nt ɖt I ʈnc Mr. Martin wd evr mari enbdi bt ẃt hd hd sm edyceśn—n bn vri wel bròt p. Hvr, I d nt mīn t set p mî opińn agnst yrz—n I am śr I śl nt wś fr ɖ aqentns v hiz wîf. I śl olwz hv a gret rgard fr ɖ Mis Martinz, ispeṣ́li Iliẓbʈ, n śd b vri sori t gv ɖm p, fr ɖe r qt az wel edycetd az m. Bt f h mariz a vri ignṛnt, vulgr wmn, srtnli I hd betr nt vizit hr, f I cn hlp it.”

Ema woćt hr ʈru ɖ flucćueśnz v ɖs spīć, n sw no alarmñ simtmz v luv. Ɖ yuñ man hd bn ɖ frst admîrr, bt ś trustd ɖr wz no uɖr hold, n ɖt ɖr wd b no sirịs dificlti, on Harịt’s sîd, t opoz eni frendli arenjmnt v hr ǒn.

Ɖe met Mr. Martin ɖ vri nxt de, az ɖe wr wōcñ on ɖ Donwél rod. H wz on ft, n aftr lcñ vri rspctf̣li at hr, lct wɖ most unfend saṭsfaẋn at hr cmpańn. Ema wz nt sori t hv sć an oṗtyṇti v srve; n wōcñ a fy yardz fwd, ẃl ɖe tōct tgɖr, sn md hr qc î sfiśntli aqentd wɖ Mr. Roḅt Martin. Hiz apiṛns wz vri nīt, n h lct lîc a snṣbl yuñ man, bt hiz prsn hd no uɖr advantij; n ẃn h cem t b cntrastd wɖ jntlṃn, ś ʈt h mst lūz ol ɖ grǎnd h hd gend in Harịt’s incḷneśn. Harịt wz nt insnsbl v manr; ś hd voḷntṛli notist hr faɖr’z jntlnis wɖ adṃreśn az wel az wundr. Mr. Martin lct az f h dd nt nǒ ẃt manr wz.

Ɖe rmend bt a fy minits tgɖr, az Mis Wŭdhǎs mst nt b cept wêtñ; n Harịt ɖen cem runñ t hr wɖ a smîlñ fes, n in a flutr v spirits, ẃć Mis Wŭdhǎs hopt vri sn t cmpoz.

“Onli ʈnc v ǎr haṗnñ t mīt him!—Hǎ vri od! It wz qt a ćans, h sd, ɖt h hd nt gn rnd bî Randlz. H dd nt ʈnc w evr wōct ɖs rod. H ʈt w wōct twdz Randlz most dez. H hz nt bn ebl t gt ɖ Romans v ɖ Forist yt. H wz so bizi ɖ last tîm h wz at Cñstn ɖt h qt fgot it, bt h gz agn tmoro. So vri od w śd hapn t mīt! Wel, Mis Wŭdhǎs, z h lîc ẃt y xpctd? Ẃt d y ʈnc v him? D y ʈnc him so vri plen?”

“H z vri plen, undǎtidli—rmarcbli plen:—bt ɖt z nʈñ cmperd wɖ hiz intîr wont v jntiḷti. I hd no rît t xpct mć, n I dd nt xpct mć; bt I hd no îdīa ɖt h cd b so vri clǎniś, so toṭli wɖt er. I hd imajind him, I cnfes, a dgri or tū nirr jntiḷti.”

“T b śr,” sd Harịt, in a morṭfaid vôs, “h z nt so jntīl az riyl jntlṃn.”

“I ʈnc, Harịt, sins yr aqentns wɖ s, y hv bn rpitidli in ɖ cumṗni v sm sć vri riyl jntlṃn, ɖt y mst yrslf b struc wɖ ɖ difṛns in Mr. Martin. At Hārtfīld, y hv hd vri gd spesimnz v wel edycetd, wel bréd men. I śd b s’prîzd f, aftr siyñ ɖm, y cd b in cumṗni wɖ Mr. Martin agn wɖt psivñ him t b a vri infirịr crīćr—n rɖr wunḍrñ at yrslf fr hvñ evr ʈt him at ol agriybl bfr. D nt y bgin t fīl ɖt nǎ? Wr nt y struc? I am śr y mst hv bn struc bî hiz ōcẉd lc n abrupt manr, n ɖ uncuʈnis v a vôs ẃć I hŕd t b hoļi unmodyletd az I std hir.”

“Srtnli, h z nt lîc Mr. Naitli. H hz nt sć a fîn er n we v wōcñ az Mr. Naitli. I si ɖ difṛns plen inuf. Bt Mr. Naitli z so vri fîn a man!”

“Mr. Naitli’z er z so rmarcbli gd ɖt it z nt fer t cmper Mr. Martin wɖ him. Y mt nt si wn in a hundṛd wɖ jntlmn so plenli ritn az in Mr. Naitli. Bt h z nt ɖ onli jntlmn y hv bn lêtli yst t. Ẃt se y t Mr. Wsṭn n Mr. Eltn? Cmper Mr. Martin wɖ îɖr v ɖm. Cmper ɖer manr v cariyñ ɖmslvz; v wōcñ; v spīcñ; v biyñ sîḷnt. Y mst si ɖ difṛns.”

“Ǒ yes!—ɖr z a gret difṛns. Bt Mr. Wsṭn z olmst an old man. Mr. Wsṭn mst b btwn forti n fifti.”

“Ẃć mcs hiz gd manrz ɖ mor vałbl. Ɖ oldr a prsn groz, Harịt, ɖ mor importnt it z ɖt ɖer manrz śd nt b bad; ɖ mor glẹrñ n dsgustñ eni lǎdnis, or cōrsnis, or ōcẉdnis bcmz. Ẃt z paṣbl in yʈ z dtstbl in lêtr ej. Mr. Martin z nǎ ōcẉd n abrupt; ẃt wl h b at Mr. Wsṭn’z tîm v lîf?”

“Ɖr z no seyñ, indd,” rplaid Harịt rɖr soḷmli.

“Bt ɖr me b priti gd gesñ. H wl b a cmplitli gros, vulgr farmr, toṭli in’tntiv t apiṛnsz, n ʈncñ v nʈñ bt profit n los.”

“Wl h, indd? Ɖt wl b vri bad.”

“Hǎ mć hiz biznis ingrosz him olrdi z vri plen fṛm ɖ srcmstans v hiz fgetñ t inqîr fr ɖ bc y rec̣mndd. H wz a gret dīl tù fl v ɖ marcit t ʈnc v enʈñ els—ẃć z jst az it śd b, fr a ʈrîvñ man. Ẃt hz h t d wɖ bcs? N I hv no dǎt ɖt h wl ʈrîv, n b a vri rić man in tîm—n hiz biyñ ilitṛt n cōrs nīd nt dstrb s.”

“I wundr h dd nt rmembr ɖ bc”—wz ol Harịt’s ansr, n spocn wɖ a dgri v grev dspleźr ẃć Ema ʈt mt b sefli left t itslf. Ś, ɖrfr, sd no mor fr sm tîm. Hr nxt bginñ wz,

“In wn rspct, phps, Mr. Eltn’z manrz r s’pirịr t Mr. Naitli’z or Mr. Wsṭn’z. Ɖe hv mor jntlnis. Ɖe mt b mor sefli hld p az a patn. Ɖr z an opņis, a qcnis, olmst a bluntnis in Mr. Wsṭn, ẃć evrbdi lîcs in him, bcz ɖr z so mć gd-hymr wɖ it—bt ɖt wd nt d t b copid. Nɖr wd Mr. Naitli’z dǎnrît, dsîdd, cmandñ sort v manr, ɖo it sūts him vri wel; hiz figr, n lc, n sićueśn in lîf sīm t alǎ it; bt f eni yuñ man wr t set abt copiyñ him, h wd nt b sufṛbl. On ɖ contrri, I ʈnc a yuñ man mt b vri sefli rec̣mndd t tec Mr. Eltn az a modl. Mr. Eltn z gd-hymrd, ćirfl, oblîjñ, n jntl. H sīmz t m t b groun ptiklrli jntl v lêt. I d nt nǒ ẃɖr h hz eni dzîn v ingreśietñ himslf wɖ îɖr v s, Harịt, bî adiśnl softnis, bt it strîcs m ɖt hiz manrz r softr ɖn ɖe yst t b. F h mīnz enʈñ, it mst b t plīz y. Dd nt I tel y ẃt h sd v y ɖ uɖr de?”

Ś ɖen rpitd sm worm prsnl prêz ẃć ś hd drwn fṛm Mr. Eltn, n nǎ dd fl justis t; n Harịt bluśt n smîld, n sd ś hd olwz ʈt Mr. Eltn vri agriybl.

Mr. Eltn wz ɖ vri prsn fixt on bî Ema fr drîvñ ɖ yuñ farmr ǎt v Harịt’s hed. Ś ʈt it wd b an xḷnt mać; n onli tù palṗbli dzîṛbl, naćṛl, n probbl, fr hr t hv mć merit in planñ it. Ś fird it wz ẃt evrbodi els mst ʈnc v n pridict. It wz nt lîcli, hvr, ɖt enbdi śd hv īqld hr in ɖ det v ɖ plan, az it hd entrd hr bren jrñ ɖ vri frst īvnñ v Harịt’s cmñ t Hārtfīld. Ɖ longr ś cnsidrd it, ɖ gretr wz hr sns v its xpīdịnsi. Mr. Eltn’z sićueśn wz most sūṭbl, qt ɖ jntlmn himslf, n wɖt lo cnẋnz; at ɖ sem tîm, nt v eni faṃli ɖt cd ferli objict t ɖ dǎtfl brʈ v Harịt. H hd a cumftbl hom fr hr, n Ema imajind a vri sfiśnt incm; fr ɖo ɖ vic̣rij v Hîḅri wz nt larj, h wz noun t hv sm indipndnt proṗti; n ś ʈt vri hîli v him az a gd-hymrd, wel-mīnñ, rspctbl yuñ man, wɖt eni dfiśnsi v ysfl unḍstandñ or nolij v ɖ wrld.

Ś hd olrdi saṭsfaid hrslf ɖt h ʈt Harịt a bytifl grl, ẃć ś trustd, wɖ sć frīqnt mītñz at Hārtfīld, wz fǎndeśn inuf on hiz sîd; n on Harịt’s ɖr cd b litl dǎt ɖt ɖ îdīa v biyñ prifŕd bî him wd hv ol ɖ yźl weit n efic̣si. N h wz riyli a vri plizñ yuñ man, a yuñ man hūm eni wmn nt fstidịs mt lîc. H wz recnd vri hansm; hiz prsn mć admîrd in jenṛl, ɖo nt bî hr, ɖr biyñ a wont v eligns v fīćr ẃć ś cd nt dspns wɖ:—bt ɖ grl hu cd b graṭfaid bî a Roḅt Martin’z rîdñ abt ɖ cuntri t gt wōlnuts fr hr mt vri wel b concrd bî Mr. Eltn’z adṃreśn.

“A bad ʈñ! D y riyli ʈnc it a bad ʈñ?—ẃ so?”

“I ʈnc ɖe wl nɖr v ɖm d ɖ uɖr eni gd.”

“Y s’prîz m! Ema mst d Harịt gd: n bî s’playñ hr wɖ a ny objict v inṭrest, Harịt me b sd t d Ema gd. I hv bn siyñ ɖer intiṃsi wɖ ɖ gretist pleźr. Hǎ vri difṛntli w fīl!—Nt ʈnc ɖe wl d ć uɖr eni gd! Ɖs wl srtnli b ɖ bginñ v wn v ǎr qoṛlz abt Ema, Mr. Naitli.”

“Phps y ʈnc I am cm on prṗs t qoṛl wɖ y, nwñ Wsṭn t b ǎt, n ɖt y mst stl fît yr ǒn batl.”

“Mr. Wsṭn wd undǎtidli s’port m, f h wr hir, fr h ʈncs xacli az I d on ɖ subjict. W wr spīcñ v it onli yesṭde, n agriyñ hǎ forćṇt it wz fr Ema, ɖt ɖr śd b sć a grl in Hîḅri fr hr t asośiet wɖ. Mr. Naitli, I śl nt alǎ y t b a fer juj in ɖs ces. Y r so mć yst t liv alon, ɖt y d nt nǒ ɖ valy v a cmpańn; n, phps no man cn b a gd juj v ɖ cumf̣t a wmn fīlz in ɖ ssayti v wn v hr ǒn sx, aftr biyñ yst t it ol hr lîf. I cn imajin yr objẋn t Harịt Smiʈ. Ś z nt ɖ s’pirịr yuñ wmn ẃć Ema’z frend òt t b. Bt on ɖ uɖr hand, az Ema wonts t si hr betr informd, it wl b an indysmnt t hr t rīd mor hrslf. Ɖe wl rīd tgɖr. Ś mīnz it, I nǒ.”

“Ema hz bn mīnñ t rīd mor evr sins ś wz twelv yirz old. I hv sìn a gret mni lists v hr drw̃-up at verịs tîmz v bcs ɖt ś mnt t rīd reğlrli ʈru—n vri gd lists ɖe wr—vri wel ćozn, n vri nītli arenjd—smtmz alfbéticli, n smtmz bî sm uɖr rūl. Ɖ list ś drù p ẃn onli fortīn—I rmembr ʈncñ it dd hr jujmnt so mć credit, ɖt I prizrvd it sm tîm; n I der se ś me hv md ǎt a vri gd list nǎ. Bt I hv dn wɖ xpctñ eni cors v stedi rīdñ fṛm Ema. Ś wl nvr sbmit t enʈñ rqîrñ inḍstri n peśns, n a sbjẋn v ɖ fansi t ɖ unḍstandñ. Ẃr Mis Teilr feld t stiḿlet, I me sefli afrm ɖt Harịt Smiʈ wl d nʈñ.—Y nvr cd pswed hr t rīd haf so mć az y wśt.—Y nǒ y cd nt.”

“I der se,” rplaid Msz. Wsṭn, smîlñ, “ɖt I ʈt so ɖen;—bt sins w hv partd, I cn nvr rmembr Ema’z omitñ t d enʈñ I wśt.”

“Ɖr z hardli eni dzîrñ t rfreś sć a meṃri az ɖt,”—sd Mr. Naitli, fīlñli; n fr a momnt or tū h hd dn. “Bt I,” h sn add, “hu hv hd no sć ćarm ʈroun ovr mî snsz, mst stl si, hír, n rmembr. Ema z spôld bî biyñ ɖ cleṿrist v hr faṃli. At ten yirz old, ś hd ɖ msfortyn v biyñ ebl t ansr qsćnz ẃć puzld hr sistr at sevntīn. Ś wz olwz qc n aśurd: Iẓbela slo n difidnt. N evr sins ś wz twelv, Ema hz bn mistris v ɖ hǎs n v y ol. In hr muɖr ś lost ɖ onli prsn ebl t cǒp wɖ hr. Ś inherits hr muɖr’z taḷnts, n mst hv bn undr sbjẋn t hr.”

“I śd hv bn sori, Mr. Naitli, t b dpndnt on yr rec̣mndeśn, hd I qitd Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z faṃli n wontd anɖr sićueśn; I d nt ʈnc y wd hv spocn a gd wrd fr m t enbdi. I am śr y olwz ʈt m unfit fr ɖ ofis I hld.”

“Yes,” sd h, smîlñ. “Y r betr plest hir; vri fit fr a wîf, bt nt at ol fr a guṿnes. Bt y wr pripẹrñ yrslf t b an xḷnt wîf ol ɖ tîm y wr at Hārtfīld. Y mt nt gv Ema sć a cmplit edyceśn az yr pǎrz wd sīm t promis; bt y wr rsivñ a vri gd edyceśn fṛm hr, on ɖ vri mtirịl matṛmonịl pônt v sbmitñ yr ǒn wil, n dwñ az y wr bid; n f Wsṭn hd asct m t rec̣mnd him a wîf, I śd srtnli hv nemd Mis Teilr.”

“Ʈanc y. Ɖr wl b vri litl merit in mcñ a gd wîf t sć a man az Mr. Wsṭn.”

“Ẃ, t ǒn ɖ truʈ, I am afreid y r rɖr ʈroun awe, n ɖt wɖ evri disṗziśn t ber, ɖr wl b nʈñ t b bòrn. W wl nt dsper, hvr. Wsṭn me gro cros fṛm ɖ wontņis v cumf̣t, or hiz sun me pleg him.”

“I hop nt ɖt.—It z nt lîcli. No, Mr. Naitli, d nt fōrtel vxeśn fṛm ɖt qortr.”

“Nt I, indd. I onli nem posbiḷtiz. I d nt pritnd t Ema’z jīńs fr fōrtelñ n gesñ. I hop, wɖ ol mî hart, ɖ yuñ man me b a Wsṭn in merit, n a Ćrćl in fortyn.—Bt Harịt Smiʈ—I hv nt haf dn abt Harịt Smiʈ. I ʈnc hr ɖ vri wrst sort v cmpańn ɖt Ema cd poṣbli hv. Ś nz nʈñ hrslf, n lcs upn Ema az nwñ evrʈñ. Ś z a flatrr in ol hr wez; n so mć ɖ wrs, bcz undizînd. Hr ignṛns z aurli flaṭri. Hǎ cn Ema imajin ś hz enʈñ t lrn hrslf, ẃl Harịt z prizntñ sć a dlîtfl infirioṛti? N az fr Harịt, I wl vnćr t se ɖt ś canot gen bî ɖ aqentns. Hārtfīld wl onli pt hr ǎt v cnsit wɖ ol ɖ uɖr plesz ś b’loñz t. Ś wl gro jst rfînd inuf t b uncumftbl wɖ ɖoz amñ hūm brʈ n srcmstansz hv plest hr hom. I am mć mstecn f Ema’z doctrinz gv eni streñʈ v mînd, or tnd at ol t mc a grl adapt hrslf raśṇli t ɖ vraytiz v hr sićueśn in lîf.—Ɖe onli gv a litl poliś.”

“I îɖr dpnd mor upn Ema’z gd sns ɖn y d, or am mor añśs fr hr preznt cumf̣t; fr I canot l’mnt ɖ aqentns. Hǎ wel ś lct last nît!”

“Ǒ! y wd rɖr tōc v hr prsn ɖn hr mînd, wd y? Vri wel; I śl nt atmt t dnî Ema’z biyñ priti.”

“Priti! se bytifl rɖr. Cn y imajin enʈñ nirr prfict byti ɖn Ema oltgɖr—fes n figr?”

“I d nt nǒ ẃt I cd imajin, bt I cnfes ɖt I hv sldm sìn a fes or figr mor plizñ t m ɖn hrz. Bt I am a parśl old frend.”

“Sć an î!—ɖ tru hezl î—n so briłnt! reğlr fīćrz, opn cǎntinns, wɖ a cmpleẋn! ǒ! ẃt a blūm v fl hlʈ, n sć a priti hît n sîz; sć a frm n uprît figr! Ɖr z hlʈ, nt mirli in hr blūm, bt in hr er, hr hed, hr glans. Wn hírz smtmz v a ćîld biyñ ‘ɖ picćr v hlʈ;’ nǎ, Ema olwz gvz m ɖ îdīa v biyñ ɖ cmplit picćr v groun-up hlʈ. Ś z luvlinis itslf. Mr. Naitli, z nt ś?”

“I hv nt a fōlt t fînd wɖ hr prsn,” h rplaid. “I ʈnc hr ol y dscrîb. I luv t lc at hr; n I wl ad ɖs prêz, ɖt I d nt ʈnc hr prsṇli ven. Cnsiḍrñ hǎ vri hansm ś z, ś apirz t b litl okpaid wɖ it; hr vaṇti lîz anɖr we. Msz. Wsṭn, I am nt t b tōct ǎt v mî dslîc v Harịt Smiʈ, or mî dred v its dwñ ɖm bʈ harm.”

“N I, Mr. Naitli, am īqli stǎt in mî confidns v its nt dwñ ɖm eni harm. Wɖ ol dir Ema’z litl fōlts, ś z an xḷnt crīćr. Ẃr śl w si a betr dōtr, or a cîndr sistr, or a truwr frend? No, no; ś hz qoḷtz ẃć me b trustd; ś wl nvr līd enwn riyli roñ; ś wl mc no lastñ blundr; ẃr Ema ŕz wns, ś z in ɖ rît a hundṛd tîmz.”

“Vri wel; I wl nt pleg y eni mor. Ema śl b an enjl, n I wl cīp mî splīn t mslf tl Crisṃs brñz Jon n Iẓbela. Jon luvz Ema wɖ a rīzṇbl n ɖrfr nt a blînd afẋn, n Iẓbela olwz ʈncs az h dz; xpt ẃn h z nt qt frîtnd inuf abt ɖ ćildṛn. I am śr v hvñ ɖer opińnz wɖ m.”

“I nǒ ɖt y ol luv hr riyli tù wel t b unjust or uncînd; bt xkz m, Mr. Naitli, f I tec ɖ liḅti (I cnsidr mslf, y nǒ, az hvñ smẃt v ɖ priṿlij v spīć ɖt Ema’z muɖr mt hv hd) ɖ liḅti v hintñ ɖt I d nt ʈnc eni poṣbl gd cn arîz fṛm Harịt Smiʈ’s intiṃsi biyñ md a matr v mć dscuśn amñ y. Pre xkz m; bt s’pozñ eni litl incnvińns me b aprihndd fṛm ɖ intiṃsi, it canot b xpctd ɖt Ema, acǎntbl t nbdi bt hr faɖr, hu prf̣cli apruvz ɖ aqentns, śd pt an end t it, so loñ az it z a sors v pleźr t hrslf. It hz bn so mni yirz mî provins t gv advîs, ɖt y canot b s’prîzd, Mr. Naitli, at ɖs litl rmenz v ofis.”

“Nt at ol,” craid h; “I am mć oblîjd t y fr it. It z vri gd advîs, n it śl hv a betr fet ɖn yr advîs hz ofn faund; fr it śl b atndd t.”

“Msz. Jon Naitli z īẓli alarmd, n mt b md unhapi abt hr sistr.”

“B saṭsfaid,” sd h, “I wl nt rêz eni ǎtcrî. I wl cīp mî il hymr t mslf. I hv a vri snsir inṭrest in Ema. Iẓbela dz nt sīm mor mî sistr; hz nvr xîtd a gretr inṭrest; phps hardli so gret. Ɖr z an añzayti, a krioṣti in ẃt wn fīlz fr Ema. I wundr ẃt wl bcm v hr!”

“So d I,” sd Msz. Wsṭn jntli, “vri mć.”

“Ś olwz dclerz ś wl nvr mari, ẃć, v cors, mīnz jst nʈñ at ol. Bt I hv no îdīa ɖt ś hz yt evr sìn a man ś cerd fr. It wd nt b a bad ʈñ fr hr t b vri mć in luv wɖ a propr objict. I śd lîc t si Ema in luv, n in sm dǎt v a rtrn; it wd d hr gd. Bt ɖr z nbdi hir’bts t atać hr; n ś gz so sldm fṛm hom.”

“Ɖr dz, indd, sīm az litl t tmt hr t brec hr reẓluśn at preznt,” sd Msz. Wsṭn, “az cn wel b; n ẃl ś z so hapi at Hārtfīld, I canot wś hr t b formñ eni ataćmnt ẃć wd b crietñ sć dificltiz on pur Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z acǎnt. I d nt rec̣mnd matriṃni at preznt t Ema, ɖo I mīn no slît t ɖ stet, I aśur y.”

Part v hr mīnñ wz t cnsil sm feṿrit ʈts v hr ǒn n Mr. Wsṭn’z on ɖ subjict, az mć az poṣbl. Ɖr wr wśz at Randlz rspctñ Ema’z desṭni, bt it wz nt dzîṛbl t hv ɖm sspctd; n ɖ qayt trnziśn ẃć Mr. Naitli sn aftwdz md t “Ẃt dz Wsṭn ʈnc v ɖ weɖr; śl w hv ren?” cnvinst hr ɖt h hd nʈñ mor t se or s’mîz abt Hārtfīld.

“Y hv gvn Mis Smiʈ ol ɖt ś rqîrd,” sd h; “y hv md hr gresfl n īzi. Ś wz a bytifl crīćr ẃn ś cem t y, bt, in mî opińn, ɖ atraẋnz y hv add r infiṇtli s’pirịr t ẃt ś rsivd fṛm nećr.”

“I am glad y ʈnc I hv bn ysfl t hr; bt Harịt onli wontd drw̃ ǎt, n rsivñ a fy, vri fy hints. Ś hd ol ɖ naćṛl gres v swītnis v tmpr n artlisnis in hrslf. I hv dn vri litl.”

“F it wr admisbl t contṛdict a ledi,” sd ɖ gaḷnt Mr. Eltn—

“I hv phps gvn hr a litl mor dsiźn v caṛctr, hv tòt hr t ʈnc on pônts ẃć hd nt fōḷn in hr we bfr.”

“Xacli so; ɖt z ẃt prinsipli strîcs m. So mć sūṗadd dsiźn v caṛctr! Scilfl hz bn ɖ hand!”

“Gret hz bn ɖ pleźr, I am śr. I nvr met wɖ a disṗziśn mor trūli emịbl.”

“I hv no dǎt v it.” N it wz spocn wɖ a sort v sayñ aṇmeśn, ẃć hd a vast dīl v ɖ luvr. Ś wz nt les plizd anɖr de wɖ ɖ manr in ẃć h secndd a sudn wś v hrz, t hv Harịt’s picćr.

“Dd y evr hv yr lîcnis tecn, Harịt?” sd ś: “dd y evr sit fr yr picćr?”

Harịt wz on ɖ pônt v līvñ ɖ rūm, n onli stopt t se, wɖ a vri inṭrestñ nîīvte,

“Ǒ! dir, no, nvr.”

No snr wz ś ǎt v sît, ɖn Ema xclemd,

“Ẃt an xqizit pześn a gd picćr v hr wd b! I wd gv eni muni fr it. I olmst loñ t atmt hr lîcnis mslf. Y d nt nǒ it I der se, bt tū or ʈri yirz ago I hd a gret paśn fr tecñ lîcnisz, n atmtd sevṛl v mî frendz, n wz ʈt t hv a tolṛbl î in jenṛl. Bt fṛm wn cōz or anɖr, I gev it p in dsgust. Bt riyli, I cd olmst vnćr, f Harịt wd sit t m. It wd b sć a dlît t hv hr picćr!”

“Let m intrit y,” craid Mr. Eltn; “it wd indd b a dlît! Let m intrit y, Mis Wŭdhǎs, t x’sîz so ćarmñ a taḷnt in fevr v yr frend. I nǒ ẃt yr drw̃z r. Hǎ cd y s’poz m ignṛnt? Z nt ɖs rūm rić in spesimnz v yr lansceps n flǎrz; n hz nt Msz. Wsṭn sm inimitbl figrpìsz in hr drw̃rūm, at Randlz?”

Yes, gd man!—ʈt Ema—bt ẃt hz ol ɖt t d wɖ tecñ lîcnisz? Y nǒ nʈñ v drw̃. D’nt pritnd t b in rapćrz abt mîn. Cīp yr rapćrz fr Harịt’s fes. “Wel, f y gv m sć cînd incurijmnt, Mr. Eltn, I b’liv I śl trî ẃt I cn d. Harịt’s fīćrz r vri delic̣t, ẃć mcs a lîcnis dificlt; n yt ɖr z a pkliaṛti in ɖ śep v ɖ î n ɖ lînz abt ɖ mǎʈ ẃć wn òt t cać.”

“Xacli so—Ɖ śep v ɖ î n ɖ lînz abt ɖ mǎʈ—I hv nt a dǎt v yr s’xes. Pre, pre atmt it. Az y wl d it, it wl indd, t yz yr ǒn wrdz, b an xqizit pześn.”

“Bt I am afreid, Mr. Eltn, Harịt wl nt lîc t sit. Ś ʈncs so litl v hr ǒn byti. Dd nt y obzrv hr manr v anṣrñ m? Hǎ cmplitli it mnt, ‘ẃ śd mî picćr b drwn?’”

“Ǒ! yes, I obzrvd it, I aśur y. It wz nt lost on m. Bt stl I canot imajin ś wd nt b pswedd.”

Harịt wz sn bac agn, n ɖ pṛpozl olmst imīɉtli md; n ś hd no scrūplz ẃć cd stand mni minits agnst ɖ rnist presñ v bʈ ɖ uɖrz. Ema wśt t g t wrc d’recli, n ɖrfr pṛdyst ɖ portfolio cntenñ hr verịs atmts at portrits, fr nt wn v ɖm hd evr bn finiśt, ɖt ɖe mt dsîd tgɖr on ɖ bst sîz fr Harịt. Hr mni bginñz wr dspleid. Miṇćrz, haf-leñʈs, hol-leñʈs, pensl, creon, n wōtrculrz hd bn ol traid in trn. Ś hd olwz wontd t d evrʈñ, n hd md mor progres bʈ in drw̃ n ḿzic ɖn mni mt hv dn wɖ so litl lebr az ś wd evr sbmit t. Ś pleid n sañ;—n drù in olmst evri stîl; bt stedinis hd olwz bn wontñ; n in nʈñ hd ś aproćt ɖ dgri v x’ḷns ẃć ś wd hv bn glad t cmand, n òt nt t hv feld v. Ś wz nt mć dsivd az t hr ǒn scil îɖr az an artist or a ḿziśn, bt ś wz nt unwilñ t hv uɖrz dsivd, or sori t nǒ hr repyteśn fr acumpliśmnt ofn hayr ɖn it dzrvd.

Ɖr wz merit in evri drw̃—in ɖ līst finiśt, phps ɖ most; hr stîl wz spiṛtd; bt hd ɖr bn mć les, or hd ɖr bn ten tîmz mor, ɖ dlît n adṃreśn v hr tū cmpańnz wd hv bn ɖ sem. Ɖe wr bʈ in xṭsiz. A lîcnis plizz evrbdi; n Mis Wŭdhǎs’z pformnsz mst b capitl.

“No gret vrayti v fesz fr y,” sd Ema. “I hd onli mî ǒn faṃli t studi fṛm. Ɖr z mî faɖr—anɖr v mî faɖr—bt ɖ îdīa v sitñ fr hiz picćr md him so nrṿs, ɖt I cd onli tec him bî stelʈ; nɖr v ɖm vri lîc ɖrfr. Msz. Wsṭn agn, n agn, n agn, y si. Dir Msz. Wsṭn! olwz mî cîndist frend on evri oceźn. Ś wd sit ẃnvr I asct hr. Ɖr z mî sistr; n riyli qt hr ǒn litl elignt figr!—n ɖ fes nt unlîc. I śd hv md a gd lîcnis v hr, f ś wd hv sat longr, bt ś wz in sć a huri t hv m drw hr for ćildṛn ɖt ś wd nt b qayt. Ɖen, hir cm ol mî atmts at ʈri v ɖoz for ćildṛn;—ɖr ɖe r, Õri n Jon n Bela, fṛm wn end v ɖ śīt t ɖ uɖr, n enwn v ɖm mt d fr enwn v ɖ rest. Ś wz so īgr t hv ɖm drwn ɖt I cd nt rfyz; bt ɖr z no mcñ ćildṛn v ʈri or for yirz old stand stil y nǒ; nr cn it b vri īzi t tec eni lîcnis v ɖm, bynd ɖ er n cmpleẋn, unls ɖe r cōrsr fīćrd ɖn eni v m’mā’z ćildṛn evr wr. Hir z mî sceć v ɖ forʈ, hu wz a bebi. I tc him az h wz slīpñ on ɖ sofa, n it z az stroñ a lîcnis v hiz cced az y wd wś t si. H hd nesld dǎn hiz hed most cnvińntli. Ɖt’s vri lîc. I am rɖr prǎd v litl Jorj. Ɖ cornr v ɖ sofa z vri gd. Ɖen hir z mî last,”—unclozñ a priti sceć v a jntlmn in smōl sîz, hol-leñʈ—“mî last n mî bst—mî bruɖr, Mr. Jon Naitli.—Ɖs dd nt wont mć v biyñ finiśt, ẃn I pt it awe in a pet, n vaud I wd nvr tec anɖr lîcnis. I cd nt hlp biyñ pṛvoct; fr aftr ol mî penz, n ẃn I hd riyli md a vri gd lîcnis v it—(Msz. Wsṭn n I wr qt agrìd in ʈncñ it vri lîc)—onli tù hansm—tù flaṭrñ—bt ɖt wz a fōlt on ɖ rît sîd”—aftr ol ɖs, cem pur dir Iẓbela’z cold apṛbeśn v—“Yes, it wz a litl lîc—bt t b śr it dd nt d him justis. W hd hd a gret dīl v trubl in pswedñ him t sit at ol. It wz md a gret fevr v; n oltgɖr it wz mor ɖn I cd ber; n so I nvr wd finiś it, t hv it apoḷjîzd ovr az an unfevṛbl lîcnis, t evri mornñ vizitr in Brunzwic Sqer;—n, az I sd, I dd ɖen forswer evr drw̃ enbdi agn. Bt fr Harịt’s sec, or rɖr fr mî ǒn, n az ɖr r no huzbndz n wîvz in ɖ ces at preznt, I wl brec mî reẓluśn nǎ.”

Mr. Eltn sīmd vri proprli struc n dlîtd bî ɖ îdīa, n wz rpitñ, “No huzbndz n wîvz in ɖ ces at preznt indd, az y obzrv. Xacli so. No huzbndz n wîvz,” wɖ so inṭrestñ a conśsnis, ɖt Ema bgan t cnsidr ẃɖr ś hd nt betr līv ɖm tgɖr at wns. Bt az ś wontd t b drw̃, ɖ decḷreśn mst wêt a litl longr.

Ś hd sn fixt on ɖ sîz n sort v portrit. It wz t b a hol-leñʈ in wōtrculrz, lîc Mr. Jon Naitli’z, n wz destind, f ś cd plīz hrslf, t hold a vri onṛbl steśn ovr ɖ mantlpìs.

Ɖ sitñ bgan; n Harịt, smîlñ n bluśñ, n afreid v nt cīpñ hr attyd n cǎntinns, prizntd a vri swīt mixćr v yʈfl xpreśn t ɖ stedi îz v ɖ artist. Bt ɖr wz no dwñ enʈñ, wɖ Mr. Eltn fiɉtñ bhnd hr n woćñ evri tuć. Ś gev him credit fr steṣ́nñ himslf ẃr h mt gêz n gêz agn wɖt ofns; bt wz riyli oblîjd t pt an end t it, n rqst him t ples himslf elsẃr. It ɖen ocŕd t hr t implô him in rīdñ.

“F h wd b so gd az t rīd t ɖm, it wd b a cîndnis indd! It wd aḿz awe ɖ dificltiz v hr part, n lesn ɖ ŕcsmnis v Mis Smiʈ’s.”

Mr. Eltn wz onli tù hapi. Harịt lisnd, n Ema drù in pīs. Ś mst alǎ him t b stl frīqntli cmñ t lc; enʈñ les wd srtnli hv bn tù litl in a luvr; n h wz redi at ɖ smōlist inṭmiśn v ɖ pensl, t jump p n si ɖ progres, n b ćarmd.—Ɖr wz no biyñ dsplizd wɖ sć an incurijr, fr hiz adṃreśn md him dsrn a lîcnis olmst bfr it wz poṣbl. Ś cd nt rspct hiz î, bt hiz luv n hiz cmplesns wr unixpśṇbl.

Ɖ sitñ wz oltgɖr vri saṭsfactri; ś wz qt inuf plizd wɖ ɖ frst de’z sceć t wś t g on. Ɖr wz no wont v lîcnis, ś hd bn forćṇt in ɖ attyd, n az ś mnt t ʈro in a litl impruvmnt t ɖ figr, t gv a litl mor hît, n cnsidṛbli mor eligns, ś hd gret confidns v its biyñ in evri we a priti drw̃ at last, n v its filñ its destind ples wɖ credit t ɖm bʈ—a standñ mmorịl v ɖ byti v wn, ɖ scil v ɖ uɖr, n ɖ frendśp v bʈ; wɖ az mni uɖr agriybl asośieśnz az Mr. Eltn’z vri proṃsñ ataćmnt wz lîcli t ad.

Harịt wz t sit agn ɖ nxt de; n Mr. Eltn, jst az h òt, intritd fr ɖ pmiśn v atndñ n rīdñ t ɖm agn.

“Bî ol mīnz. W śl b most hapi t cnsidr y az wn v ɖ parti.”

Ɖ sem sviḷtiz n crṭsiz, ɖ sem s’xes n saṭsfaẋn, tc ples on ɖ moro, n acumṗnid ɖ hol progres v ɖ picćr, ẃć wz rapid n hapi. Evrbdi hu sw it wz plizd, bt Mr. Eltn wz in cntińl rapćrz, n dfndd it ʈru evri criṭsizm.

“Mis Wŭdhǎs hz gvn hr frend ɖ onli byti ś wontd,”—obzrvd Msz. Wsṭn t him—nt in ɖ līst sspctñ ɖt ś wz adresñ a luvr.—“Ɖ xpreśn v ɖ î z most c’rect, bt Mis Smiʈ hz nt ɖoz îbrǎz n îlaśz. It z ɖ fōlt v hr fes ɖt ś hz ɖm nt.”

“D y ʈnc so?” rplaid h. “I canot agri wɖ y. It apirz t m a most prfict rzmbḷns in evri fīćr. I nvr sw sć a lîcnis in mî lîf. W mst alǎ fr ɖ ifct v śêd, y nǒ.”

“Y hv md hr tù tōl, Ema,” sd Mr. Naitli.

Ema ń ɖt ś hd, bt wd nt ǒn it; n Mr. Eltn wormli add,

“Ǒ no! srtnli nt tù tōl; nt in ɖ līst tù tōl. Cnsidr, ś z sitñ dǎn—ẃć naćṛli preznts a difṛnt—ẃć in śort gvz xacli ɖ îdīa—n ɖ pṛporśnz mst b prizrvd, y nǒ. Pṛporśnz, fōrśorṭnñ.—Ǒ no! it gvz wn xacli ɖ îdīa v sć a hît az Mis Smiʈ’s. Xacli so indd!”

“It z vri priti,” sd Mr. Wŭdhǎs. “So priṭli dn! Jst az yr drw̃z olwz r, mî dir. I d nt nǒ enbdi hu drwz so wel az y d. Ɖ onli ʈñ I d nt ʈuṛli lîc z, ɖt ś sīmz t b sitñ ǎt v dorz, wɖ onli a litl śōl ovr hr śoldrz—n it mcs wn ʈnc ś mst cać cold.”

“Bt, mî dir ppā, it z s’pozd t b sumr; a worm de in sumr. Lc at ɖ tri.”

“Bt it z nvr sef t sit ǎt v dorz, mî dir.”

“Y, sr, me se enʈñ,” craid Mr. Eltn, “bt I mst cnfes ɖt I rgard it az a most hapi ʈt, ɖ plesñ v Mis Smiʈ ǎt v dorz; n ɖ tri z tućt wɖ sć inimitbl spirit! Eni uɖr sićueśn wd hv bn mć les in caṛctr. Ɖ nîīvte v Mis Smiʈ’s manrz—n oltgɖr—Ǒ, it z most admṛbl! I canot cīp mî îz fṛm it. I nvr sw sć a lîcnis.”

Ɖ nxt ʈñ wontd wz t gt ɖ picćr fremd; n hir wr a fy dificltiz. It mst b dn d’recli; it mst b dn in Lundn; ɖ ordr mst g ʈru ɖ handz v sm intelijnt prsn huz test cd b dpndd on; n Iẓbela, ɖ yźl duwr v ol cmiśnz, mst nt b aplaid t, bcz it wz Dsmbr, n Mr. Wŭdhǎs cd nt ber ɖ îdīa v hr stŕñ ǎt v hr hǎs in ɖ fogz v Dsmbr. Bt no snr wz ɖ dstres noun t Mr. Eltn, ɖn it wz rmuvd. Hiz gaḷntri wz olwz on ɖ alrt. “Mt h b trustd wɖ ɖ cmiśn, ẃt infiṇt pleźr śd h hv in x’ktñ it! h cd rîd t Lundn at eni tîm. It wz imposbl t se hǎ mć h śd b graṭfaid bî biyñ imploid on sć an eṛnd.”

“H wz tù gd!—ś cd nt indyr ɖ ʈt!—ś wd nt gv him sć a trublsm ofis fr ɖ wrld,”—bròt on ɖ dzîrd reṗtiśn v intritiz n aśuṛnsz,—n a vri fy minits setld ɖ biznis.

Mr. Eltn wz t tec ɖ drw̃ t Lundn, ćūz ɖ frem, n gv ɖ d’reẋnz; n Ema ʈt ś cd so pac it az t enśur its sefti wɖt mć incmodñ him, ẃl h sīmd mostli firfl v nt biyñ inc̣modd inuf.

“Ẃt a preśs dpozit!” sd h wɖ a tndr sai, az h rsivd it.

“Ɖs man z olmst tù gaḷnt t b in luv,” ʈt Ema. “I śd se so, bt ɖt I s’poz ɖr me b a hundṛd difṛnt wez v biyñ in luv. H z an xḷnt yuñ man, n wl sūt Harịt xacli; it wl b an ‘Xacli so,’ az h sz himslf; bt h dz sai n lanḡś, n studi fr complimnts rɖr mor ɖn I cd indyr az a prinsipl. I cm in fr a priti gd śer az a secnd. Bt it z hiz grattyd on Harịt’s acǎnt.”

“Upn mî wrd,” ś craid, “ɖ yuñ man z dtrmind nt t lūz enʈñ fr wont v ascñ. H wl cnct himslf wel f h cn.”

“Wl y rīd ɖ letr?” craid Harịt. “Pre d. I’d rɖr y wd.”

Ema wz nt sori t b prest. Ś réd, n wz s’prîzd. Ɖ stîl v ɖ letr wz mć abv hr xpcteśn. Ɖr wr nt mirli no gṛmaticl errz, bt az a compziśn it wd nt hv dsgrest a jntlmn; ɖ lanḡj, ɖo plen, wz stroñ n un’fctd, n ɖ sntimnts it cnveid vri mć t ɖ credit v ɖ raitr. It wz śort, bt xprest gd sns, worm ataćmnt, liḅraḷti, pṛprayti, īvn delic̣si v fīlñ. Ś pōzd ovr it, ẃl Harịt std añśsli woćñ fr hr opińn, wɖ a “Wel, wel,” n wz at last forst t ad, “Z it a gd letr? or z it tù śort?”

“Yes, indd, a vri gd letr,” rplaid Ema rɖr slǒli—“so gd a letr, Harịt, ɖt evrʈñ cnsidrd, I ʈnc wn v hiz sistrz mst hv hlpt him. I cn hardli imajin ɖ yuñ man hūm I sw tōcñ wɖ y ɖ uɖr de cd xpres himslf so wel, f left qt t hiz ǒn pǎrz, n yt it z nt ɖ stîl v a wmn; no, srtnli, it z tù stroñ n cnsîs; nt dfys inuf fr a wmn. No dǎt h z a snṣbl man, n I s’poz me hv a naćṛl taḷnt fr—ʈncs stroñli n clirli—n ẃn h tecs a pén in hand, hiz ʈts naćṛli fînd propr wrdz. It z so wɖ sm men. Yes, I unḍstand ɖ sort v mînd. Vigṛs, dsîdd, wɖ sntimnts t a srtn pônt, nt cōrs. A betr ritn letr, Harịt (rtrnñ it,) ɖn I hd xpctd.”

“Wel,” sd ɖ stl wêtñ Harịt;—“wel—n—n ẃt śl I d?”

“Ẃt śl y d! In ẃt rspct? D y mīn wɖ rgard t ɖs letr?”

“Yes.”

“Bt ẃt r y in dǎt v? Y mst ansr it v cors—n spīḍli.”

“Yes. Bt ẃt śl I se? Dir Mis Wŭdhǎs, d advîz m.”

“Ǒ no, no! ɖ letr hd mć betr b ol yr ǒn. Y wl xpres yrslf vri proprli, I am śr. Ɖr z no denjr v yr nt biyñ inteliɉbl, ẃć z ɖ frst ʈñ. Yr mīnñ mst b uniqivcl; no dǎts or dḿrz: n sć xpreśnz v grattyd n cnsrn fr ɖ pen y r inflictñ az pṛprayti rqîrz, wl priznt ɖmslvz unbidn t yr mînd, I am pswedd. Y nīd nt b promtd t rait wɖ ɖ apiṛns v soro fr hiz dis’pôntmnt.”

“Y ʈnc I òt t rfyz him ɖen,” sd Harịt, lcñ dǎn.

“Òt t rfyz him! Mî dir Harịt, ẃt d y mīn? R y in eni dǎt az t ɖt? I ʈt—bt I beg yr pardn, phps I hv bn undr a mstec. I srtnli hv bn misunḍstandñ y, f y fīl in dǎt az t ɖ pport v yr ansr. I hd imajind y wr cnsultñ m onli az t ɖ wrdñ v it.”

Harịt wz sîḷnt. Wɖ a litl rzrv v manr, Ema cntinyd:

“Y mīn t rtrn a fevṛbl ansr, I c’lect.”

“No, I d nt; ɖt z, I d nt mīn—Ẃt śl I d? Ẃt wd y advîz m t d? Pre, dir Mis Wŭdhǎs, tel m ẃt I òt t d.”

“I śl nt gv y eni advîs, Harịt. I wl hv nʈñ t d wɖ it. Ɖs z a pônt ẃć y mst setl wɖ yr fīlñz.”

“I hd no nośn ɖt h lîct m so vri mć,” sd Harịt, contmpletñ ɖ letr. Fr a litl ẃl Ema prṣvird in hr sîḷns; bt bginñ t aprihnd ɖ bwićñ flaṭri v ɖt letr mt b tù pǎrfl, ś ʈt it bst t se,

“I le it dǎn az a jenṛl rūl, Harịt, ɖt f a wmn dǎts az t ẃɖr ś śd axpt a man or nt, ś srtnli òt t rfyz him. F ś cn heẓtet az t ‘Yes,’ ś òt t se ‘No’ d’recli. It z nt a stet t b sefli entrd intu wɖ dǎtfl fīlñz, wɖ haf a hart. I ʈt it mî dyti az a frend, n oldr ɖn yrslf, t se ɖus mć t y. Bt d nt imajin ɖt I wont t inflụns y.”

“Ǒ! no, I am śr y r a gret dīl tù cînd t—bt f y wd jst advîz m ẃt I hd bst d—No, no, I d nt mīn ɖt—Az y se, wn’z mînd òt t b qt md p—Wn śd nt b heztetñ—It z a vri sirịs ʈñ.—It wl b sefr t se ‘No,’ phps.—D y ʈnc I hd betr se ‘No?’”

“Nt fr ɖ wrld,” sd Ema, smîlñ greśsli, “wd I advîz y îɖr we. Y mst b ɖ bst juj v yr ǒn hapinis. F y prifŕ Mr. Martin t evri uɖr prsn; f y ʈnc him ɖ most agriybl man y hv evr bn in cumṗni wɖ, ẃ śd y heẓtet? Y bluś, Harịt.—Dz enbdi els ocŕ t y at ɖs momnt undr sć a def̣niśn? Harịt, Harịt, d nt dsiv yrslf; d nt b run awe wɖ bî grattyd n cmpaśn. At ɖs momnt hūm r y ʈncñ v?”

Ɖ simtmz wr fevṛbl.—Instd v anṣrñ, Harịt trnd awe cnfyzd, n std ʈtf̣li bî ɖ fîr; n ɖo ɖ letr wz stl in hr hand, it wz nǎ mcanicli twistd abt wɖt rgard. Ema wêtd ɖ rzult wɖ impeśns, bt nt wɖt stroñ hops. At last, wɖ sm hezteśn, Harịt sd—

“Mis Wŭdhǎs, az y wl nt gv m yr opińn, I mst d az wel az I cn bî mslf; n I hv nǎ qt dtrmind, n riyli olmst md p mî mînd—t rfyz Mr. Martin. D y ʈnc I am rît?”

“Prf̣cli, prf̣cli rît, mî dirist Harịt; y r dwñ jst ẃt y òt. Ẃl y wr at ol in sspns I cept mî fīlñz t mslf, bt nǎ ɖt y r so cmplitli dsîdd I hv no hezteśn in apruvñ. Dir Harịt, I gv mslf jô v ɖs. It wd hv grīvd m t lūz yr aqentns, ẃć mst hv bn ɖ consiqns v yr mariyñ Mr. Martin. Ẃl y wr in ɖ smōlist dgri weṿrñ, I sd nʈñ abt it, bcz I wd nt inflụns; bt it wd hv bn ɖ los v a frend t m. I cd nt hv viẓtd Msz. Roḅt Martin, v Abimil Farm. Nǎ I am s’kr v y fr evr.”

Harịt hd nt s’mîzd hr ǒn denjr, bt ɖ îdīa v it struc hr forṣbli.

“Y cd nt hv viẓtd m!” ś craid, lcñ agast. “No, t b śr y cd nt; bt I nvr ʈt v ɖt bfr. Ɖt wd hv bn tù dredfl!—Ẃt an iscep!—Dir Mis Wŭdhǎs, I wd nt gv p ɖ pleźr n onr v biyñ intiṃt wɖ y fr enʈñ in ɖ wrld.”

“Indd, Harịt, it wd hv bn a svir pañ t lūz y; bt it mst hv bn. Y wd hv ʈroun yrslf ǎt v ol gd ssayti. I mst hv gvn y p.”

“Dir m!—Hǎ śd I evr hv bòrn it! It wd hv cild m nvr t cm t Hārtfīld eni mor!”

“Dir afẋṇt crīćr!—Y baniśt t Abimil Farm!—Y cnfînd t ɖ ssayti v ɖ ilitṛt n vulgr ol yr lîf! I wundr hǎ ɖ yuñ man cd hv ɖ aśuṛns t asc it. H mst hv a priti gd opińn v himslf.”

“I d nt ʈnc h z cnsitd îɖr, in jenṛl,” sd Harịt, hr conśns opozñ sć snśr; “at līst, h z vri gd natured, n I śl olwz fīl mć oblîjd t him, n hv a gret rgard fr—bt ɖt z qt a difṛnt ʈñ fṛm—n y nǒ, ɖo h me lîc m, it dz nt folo ɖt I śd—n srtnli I mst cnfes ɖt sins mî viẓtñ hir I hv sìn ppl—n f wn cmz t cmper ɖm, prsn n manrz, ɖr z no cmparisn at ol, wn z so vri hansm n agriybl. Hvr, I d riyli ʈnc Mr. Martin a vri emịbl yuñ man, n hv a gret opińn v him; n hiz biyñ so mć ataćt t m—n hiz raitñ sć a letr—bt az t līvñ y, it z ẃt I wd nt d upn eni cnsiḍreśn.”

“Ʈanc y, ʈanc y, mî ǒn swīt litl frend. W wl nt b partd. A wmn z nt t mari a man mirli bcz ś z asct, or bcz h z ataćt t hr, n cn rait a tolṛbl letr.”

“Ǒ no;—n it z bt a śort letr tù.”

Ema flt ɖ bad test v hr frend, bt let it pas wɖ a “vri tru; n it wd b a smōl conṣleśn t hr, fr ɖ clǎniś manr ẃć mt b ofndñ hr evri aur v ɖ de, t nǒ ɖt hr huzbnd cd rait a gd letr.”

“Ǒ! yes, vri. Nbdi cerz fr a letr; ɖ ʈñ z, t b olwz hapi wɖ pleznt cmpańnz. I am qt dtrmind t rfyz him. Bt hǎ śl I d? Ẃt śl I se?”

Ema aśurd hr ɖr wd b no dificlti in ɖ ansr, n advîzd its biyñ ritn d’recli, ẃć wz agrìd t, in ɖ hop v hr asistns; n ɖo Ema cntinyd t pṛtst agnst eni asistns biyñ wontd, it wz in fact gvn in ɖ formeśn v evri sntns. Ɖ lcñ ovr hiz letr agn, in rplayñ t it, hd sć a sof̣nñ tndnsi, ɖt it wz ptiklrli nesṣri t bres hr p wɖ a fy dsîsiv xpreśnz; n ś wz so vri mć cnsrnd at ɖ îdīa v mcñ him unhapi, n ʈt so mć v ẃt hiz muɖr n sistrz wd ʈnc n se, n wz so añśs ɖt ɖe śd nt fansi hr ungretfl, ɖt Ema b’livd f ɖ yuñ man hd cm in hr we at ɖt momnt, h wd hv bn axptd aftr ol.

Ɖs letr, hvr, wz ritn, n sìld, n snt. Ɖ biznis wz finiśt, n Harịt sef. Ś wz rɖr lo ol ɖ īvnñ, bt Ema cd alǎ fr hr emịbl rgrets, n smtmz rlivd ɖm bî spīcñ v hr ǒn afẋn, smtmz bî brññ fwd ɖ îdīa v Mr. Eltn.

“I śl nvr b invîtd t Abimil agn,” wz sd in rɖr a soṛfl ton.

“Nr, f y wr, cd I evr ber t part wɖ y, mî Harịt. Y r a gret dīl tù nesṣri at Hārtfīld t b sperd t Abimil.”

“N I am śr I śd nvr wont t g ɖr; fr I am nvr hapi bt at Hārtfīld.”

Sm tîm aftwdz it wz, “I ʈnc Msz. Godard wd b vri mć s’prîzd f ś ń ẃt hd hapnd. I am śr Mis Naś wd—fr Mis Naś ʈncs hr ǒn sistr vri wel marid, n it z onli a linndrepr.”

“Wn śd b sori t si gretr prîd or rfînmnt in ɖ tīćr v a scūl, Harịt. I der se Mis Naś wd envi y sć an oṗtyṇti az ɖs v biyñ marid. Īvn ɖs conqest wd apir vałbl in hr îz. Az t enʈñ s’pirịr fr y, I s’poz ś z qt in ɖ darc. Ɖ atnśnz v a srtn prsn cn hardli b amñ ɖ titl-tatl v Hîḅri yt. Hiɖrtu I fansi y n I r ɖ onli ppl t hūm hiz lcs n manrz hv xplend ɖmslvz.”

Harịt bluśt n smîld, n sd smʈñ abt wunḍrñ ɖt ppl śd lîc hr so mć. Ɖ îdīa v Mr. Eltn wz srtnli ćirñ; bt stl, aftr a tîm, ś wz tndr-hartd agn twdz ɖ rjctd Mr. Martin.

“Nǎ h hz got mî letr,” sd ś softli. “I wundr ẃt ɖe r ol dwñ—ẃɖr hiz sistrz nǒ—f h z unhapi, ɖe wl b unhapi tù. I hop h wl nt mînd it so vri mć.”

“Let s ʈnc v ɖoz amñ ǎr absnt frendz hu r mor ćirf̣li imploid,” craid Ema. “At ɖs momnt, phps, Mr. Eltn z śowñ yr picćr t hiz muɖr n sistrz, telñ hǎ mć mor bytifl z ɖ orijinl, n aftr biyñ asct fr it fîv or six tîmz, alawñ ɖm t hír yr nem, yr ǒn dir nem.”

“Mî picćr!—Bt h hz left mî picćr in Bond Strīt.”

“Hz h so!—Ɖen I nǒ nʈñ v Mr. Eltn. No, mî dir litl modist Harịt, dpnd upn it ɖ picćr wl nt b in Bond Strīt tl jst bfr h mǎnts hiz hors tmoro. It z hiz cmpańn ol ɖs īvnñ, hiz solis, hiz dlît. It opnz hiz dzînz t hiz faṃli, it intṛdysz y amñ ɖm, it dfyzz ʈru ɖ parti ɖoz plezntist fīlñz v ǎr nećr, īgr krioṣti n worm prīṗześn. Hǎ ćirfl, hǎ aṇmetd, hǎ sspiśs, hǎ bizi ɖer imaɉneśnz ol r!”

Harịt smîld agn, n hr smîlz grù strongr.

Ẃl ś wz gn, Mr. Naitli cōld, n sat sm tîm wɖ Mr. Wŭdhǎs n Ema, tl Mr. Wŭdhǎs, hu hd prīvịsli md p hiz mînd t wōc ǎt, wz pswedd bî hiz dōtr nt t dfŕ it, n wz indyst bî ɖ intritiz v bʈ, ɖo agnst ɖ scrūplz v hiz ǒn sviḷti, t līv Mr. Naitli fr ɖt prṗs. Mr. Naitli, hu hd nʈñ v seriṃni abt him, wz of̣rñ bî hiz śort, dsîdd ansrz, an aḿzñ contrast t ɖ pṛtractd apoḷjiz n sivl heẓteśnz v ɖ uɖr.

“Wel, I b’liv, f y wl xkz m, Mr. Naitli, f y wl nt cnsidr m az dwñ a vri rūd ʈñ, I śl tec Ema’z advîs n g ǎt fr a qortr v an aur. Az ɖ sún z ǎt, I b’liv I hd betr tec mî ʈri trnz ẃl I cn. I trīt y wɖt seriṃni, Mr. Naitli. W inṿlidz ʈnc w r priṿlijd ppl.”

“Mî dir sr, d nt mc a strenjr v m.”

“I līv an xḷnt substtyt in mî dōtr. Ema wl b hapi t entten y. N ɖrfr I ʈnc I wl beg yr xks n tec mî ʈri trnz—mî wintrwōc.”

“Y canot d betr, sr.”

“I wd asc fr ɖ pleźr v yr cumṗni, Mr. Naitli, bt I am a vri slo wōcr, n mî pes wd b tīdịs t y; n, bsdz, y hv anɖr loñ wōc bfr y, t Donwél Abi.”

“Ʈanc y, sr, ʈanc y; I am gwñ ɖs momnt mslf; n I ʈnc ɖ snr y g ɖ betr. I wl feć yr gretcot n opn ɖ gardn dor fr y.”

Mr. Wŭdhǎs at last wz of; bt Mr. Naitli, instd v biyñ imīɉtli of lîcwz, sat dǎn agn, sīmñli inclînd fr mor ćat. H bgan spīcñ v Harịt, n spīcñ v hr wɖ mor voḷntri prêz ɖn Ema hd evr hŕd bfr.

“I canot ret hr byti az y d,” sd h; “bt ś z a priti litl crīćr, n I am inclînd t ʈnc vri wel v hr disṗziśn. Hr caṛctr dpndz upn ɖoz ś z wɖ; bt in gd handz ś wl trn ǎt a vałbl wmn.”

“I am glad y ʈnc so; n ɖ gd handz, I hop, me nt b wontñ.”

“Cm,” sd h, “y r añśs fr a complimnt, so I wl tel y ɖt y hv impruvd hr. Y hv krd hr v hr scūlgrl’z gigl; ś riyli dz y credit.”

“Ʈanc y. I śd b morṭfaid indd f I dd nt b’liv I hd bn v sm ys; bt it z nt evrbdi hu wl bsto prêz ẃr ɖe me. Y d nt ofn oṿpǎr m wɖ it.”

“Y r xpctñ hr agn, y se, ɖs mornñ?”

“Olmst evri momnt. Ś hz bn gn longr olrdi ɖn ś intndd.”

“Smʈñ hz hapnd t dle hr; sm vizitrz phps.”

“Hîḅri gosips!—Tîrsm rećz!”

“Harịt me nt cnsidr evrbdi tîrsm ɖt y wd.”

Ema ń ɖs wz tù tru fr contṛdiẋn, n ɖrfr sd nʈñ. H prezntli add, wɖ a smîl,

“I d nt pritnd t fix on tîmz or plesz, bt I mst tel y ɖt I hv gd rīzn t b’liv yr litl frend wl sn hír v smʈñ t hr advantij.”

“Indd! hǎ so? v ẃt sort?”

“A vri sirịs sort, I aśur y;” stl smîlñ.

“Vri sirịs! I cn ʈnc v bt wn ʈñ—Hu z in luv wɖ hr? Hu mcs y ɖer conf̣dant?”

Ema wz mor ɖn haf in hops v Mr. Eltn’z hvñ dropt a hint. Mr. Naitli wz a sort v jenṛl frend n advîzr, n ś ń Mr. Eltn lct p t him.

“I hv rīzn t ʈnc,” h rplaid, “ɖt Harịt Smiʈ wl sn hv an ofr v marij, n fṛm a most unixpśṇbl qortr:—Roḅt Martin z ɖ man. Hr vizit t Abimil, ɖs sumr, sīmz t hv dn hiz biznis. H z despṛtli in luv n mīnz t mari hr.”

“H z vri oblîjñ,” sd Ema; “bt z h śr ɖt Harịt mīnz t mari him?”

“Wel, wel, mīnz t mc hr an ofr ɖen. Wl ɖt d? H cem t ɖ Abi tū īvnñz ago, on prṗs t cnsult m abt it. H nz I hv a ʈura rgard fr him n ol hiz faṃli, n, I b’liv, cnsidrz m az wn v hiz bst frendz. H cem t asc m ẃɖr I ʈt it wd b imprūdnt in him t setl so rli; ẃɖr I ʈt hr tù yuñ: in śort, ẃɖr I apruvd hiz ćôs oltgɖr; hvñ sm aprihnśn phps v hr biyñ cnsidrd (ispeṣ́li sins yr mcñ so mć v hr) az in a lîn v ssayti abv him. I wz vri mć plizd wɖ ol ɖt h sd. I nvr hír betr sns fṛm enwn ɖn Roḅt Martin. H olwz spīcs t ɖ prṗs; opn, stretfwd, n vri wel jujñ. H tld m evrʈñ; hiz srcmstansz n planz, n ẃt ɖe ol pṛpozd dwñ in ɖ ivnt v hiz marij. H z an xḷnt yuñ man, bʈ az sun n bruɖr. I hd no hezteśn in advîzñ him t mari. H pruvd t m ɖt h cd aford it; n ɖt biyñ ɖ ces, I wz cnvinst h cd nt d betr. I prezd ɖ fer ledi tù, n oltgɖr snt him awe vri hapi. F h hd nvr istimd mî opińn bfr, h wd hv ʈt hîli v m ɖen; n, I der se, left ɖ hǎs ʈncñ m ɖ bst frend n cǎnslr man evr hd. Ɖs hapnd ɖ nît bfr last. Nǎ, az w me ferli s’poz, h wd nt alǎ mć tîm t pas bfr h spouc t ɖ ledi, n az h dz nt apir t hv spocn yesṭde, it z nt unlîcli ɖt h śd b at Msz. Godard’z tde; n ś me b dtend bî a vizitr, wɖt ʈncñ him at ol a tîrsm reć.”

“Pre, Mr. Naitli,” sd Ema, hu hd bn smîlñ t hrslf ʈru a gret part v ɖs spīć, “hǎ d y nǒ ɖt Mr. Martin dd nt spīc yesṭde?”

“Srtnli,” rplaid h, s’prîzd, “I d nt abṣlutli nǒ it; bt it me b infŕd. Wz nt ś ɖ hol de wɖ y?”

“Cm,” sd ś, “I wl tel y smʈñ, in rtrn fr ẃt y hv tld m. H dd spīc yesṭde—ɖt z, h rout, n wz rfyzd.”

Ɖs wz oblîjd t b rpitd bfr it cd b b’livd; n Mr. Naitli acć̣li lct red wɖ s’prîz n dspleźr, az h std p, in tōl inḍgneśn, n sd,

“Ɖen ś z a gretr simpltn ɖn I evr b’livd hr. Ẃt z ɖ fūliś grl abt?”

“Ǒ! t b śr,” craid Ema, “it z olwz incomprihnsbl t a man ɖt a wmn śd evr rfyz an ofr v marij. A man olwz imajinz a wmn t b redi fr enbdi hu ascs hr.”

“Nonsns! a man dz nt imajin eni sć ʈñ. Bt ẃt z ɖ mīnñ v ɖs? Harịt Smiʈ rfyz Roḅt Martin? madnis, f it z so; bt I hop y r mstecn.”

“I sw hr ansr!—nʈñ cd b clirr.”

“Y sw hr ansr!—y rout hr ansr tù. Ema, ɖs z yr dwñ. Y pswedd hr t rfyz him.”

“N f I dd, (ẃć, hvr, I am far fṛm alawñ) I śd nt fīl ɖt I hd dn roñ. Mr. Martin z a vri rspctbl yuñ man, bt I canot admit him t b Harịt’s īql; n am rɖr s’prîzd indd ɖt h śd hv vnćrd t adres hr. Bî yr acǎnt, h dz sīm t hv hd sm scrūplz. It z a piti ɖt ɖe wr evr got ovr.”

“Nt Harịt’s īql!” xclemd Mr. Naitli lǎdli n wormli; n wɖ cāmr aspeṛti, add, a fy momnts aftwdz, “No, h z nt hr īql indd, fr h z az mć hr s’pirịr in sns az in sićueśn. Ema, yr infaćueśn abt ɖt grl blîndz y. Ẃt r Harịt Smiʈ’s clemz, îɖr v brʈ, nećr or edyceśn, t eni cnẋn hayr ɖn Robt Martin? Ś z ɖ naćṛl dōtr v nbdi nz hūm, wɖ probbli no setld pṛviźn at ol, n srtnli no rspctbl rleśnz. Ś z noun onli az parlrbōrdr at a comn scūl. Ś z nt a snṣbl grl, nr a grl v eni inf̣meśn. Ś hz bn tòt nʈñ ysfl, n z tù yuñ n tù simpl t hv aqîrd enʈñ hrslf. At hr ej ś cn hv no xpirịns, n wɖ hr litl wit, z nt vri lîcli evr t hv eni ɖt cn avel hr. Ś z priti, n ś z gd-tmprd, n ɖt z ol. Mî onli scrūpl in advîzñ ɖ mać wz on hiz acǎnt, az biyñ bnʈ hiz dzrts, n a bad cnẋn fr him. I flt ɖt, az t fortyn, in ol probbiḷti h mt d mć betr; n ɖt az t a raśnl cmpańn or ysfl hlpmêt, h cd nt d wrs. Bt I cd nt rīzn so t a man in luv, n wz wilñ t trust t ɖr biyñ no harm in hr, t hr hvñ ɖt sort v disṗziśn, ẃć, in gd handz, lîc hiz, mt b īẓli léd arît n trn ǎt vri wel. Ɖ advantij v ɖ mać I flt t b ol on hr sîd; n hd nt ɖ smōlist dǎt (nr hv I nǎ) ɖt ɖr wd b a jenṛl crî-ǎt upn hr xtrim gd luc. Īvn yr saṭsfaẋn I md śr v. It crost mî mînd imīɉtli ɖt y wd nt rgret yr frend’z līvñ Hîḅri, fr ɖ sec v hr biyñ setld so wel. I rmembr seyñ t mslf, ‘Īvn Ema, wɖ ol hr parśiaḷti fr Harịt, wl ʈnc ɖs a gd mać.’”

“I canot hlp wunḍrñ at yr nwñ so litl v Ema az t se eni sć ʈñ. Ẃt! ʈnc a farmr, (n wɖ ol hiz sns n ol hiz merit Mr. Martin z nʈñ mor,) a gd mać fr mî intiṃt frend! Nt rgret hr līvñ Hîḅri fr ɖ sec v mariyñ a man hūm I cd nvr admit az an aqentns v mî ǒn! I wundr y śd ʈnc it poṣbl fr m t hv sć fīlñz. I aśur y mîn r vri difṛnt. I mst ʈnc yr stetmnt bî no mīnz fer. Y r nt just t Harịt’s clemz. Ɖe wd b esṭmetd vri difṛntli bî uɖrz az wel az mslf; Mr. Martin me b ɖ rićist v ɖ tū, bt h z undǎtidli hr infirịr az t ranc in ssayti.—Ɖ sfir in ẃć ś muvz z mć abv hiz.—It wd b a degṛdeśn.”

“A degṛdeśn t iḷjitiṃsi n ignṛns, t b marid t a rspctbl, intelijnt jntlmnfarmr!”

“Az t ɖ srcmstansz v hr brʈ, ɖo in a līgl sns ś me b cōld Nbdi, it wl nt hold in comn-sns. Ś z nt t pe fr ɖ ofns v uɖrz, bî biyñ hld b’lo ɖ levl v ɖoz wɖ hūm ś z bròt p.—Ɖr cn scersli b a dǎt ɖt hr faɖr z a jntlmn—n a jntlmn v fortyn.—Hr alawns z vri libṛl; nʈñ hz evr bn grujd fr hr impruvmnt or cumf̣t.—Ɖt ś z a jntlmn’z dōtr, z indybitbl t m; ɖt ś asośịts wɖ jntlṃn’z dōtrz, nwn, I aprihnd, wl dnî.—Ś z s’pirịr t Mr. Roḅt Martin.”

“Huevr mt b hr peṛnts,” sd Mr. Naitli, “huevr me hv hd ɖ ćarj v hr, it dz nt apir t hv bn eni part v ɖer plan t intṛdys hr intu ẃt y wd cōl gd ssayti. Aftr rsivñ a vri indifṛnt edyceśn ś z left in Msz. Godard’z handz t śift az ś cn;—t muv, in śort, in Msz. Godard’z lîn, t hv Msz. Godard’z aqentns. Hr frendz evidntli ʈt ɖs gd inuf fr hr; n it wz gd inuf. Ś dzîrd nʈñ betr hrslf. Tl y ćouz t trn hr intu a frend, hr mînd hd no dstest fr hr ǒn set, nr eni ambiśn bynd it. Ś wz az hapi az poṣbl wɖ ɖ Martinz in ɖ sumr. Ś hd no sns v s’pirioṛti ɖen. F ś hz it nǎ, y hv gvn it. Y hv bn no frend t Harịt Smiʈ, Ema. Roḅt Martin wd nvr hv pṛsidd so far, f h hd nt flt pswedd v hr nt biyñ disinclînd t him. I nǒ him wel. H hz tù mć riyl fīlñ t adres eni wmn on ɖ haphaẓd v slfiś paśn. N az t cnsit, h z ɖ farɖist fṛm it v eni man I nǒ. Dpnd upn it h hd incurijmnt.”

It wz most cnvińnt t Ema nt t mc a d’rect rplî t ɖs asrśn; ś ćouz rɖr t tec p hr ǒn lîn v ɖ subjict agn.

“Y r a vri worm frend t Mr. Martin; bt, az I sd bfr, r unjust t Harịt. Harịt’s clemz t mari wel r nt so cntmtbl az y repriznt ɖm. Ś z nt a clevr grl, bt ś hz betr sns ɖn y r awer v, n dz nt dzrv t hv hr unḍstandñ spocn v so slîtñli. Weivñ ɖt pônt, hvr, n s’pozñ hr t b, az y dscrîb hr, onli priti n gd-nećrd, let m tel y, ɖt in ɖ dgri ś pzesz ɖm, ɖe r nt trivịl rec̣mndeśnz t ɖ wrld in jenṛl, fr ś z, in fact, a bytifl grl, n mst b ʈt so bî nînti-nîn ppl ǎt v an hundṛd; n tl it apirz ɖt men r mć mor fiḷsofic on ɖ subjict v byti ɖn ɖe r jenṛli s’pozd; tl ɖe d fōl in luv wɖ wel-informd mîndz instd v hansm fesz, a grl, wɖ sć luvlinis az Harịt, hz a srtnti v biyñ admîrd n sòt aftr, v hvñ ɖ pǎr v ćuzñ fṛm amñ mni, consiqntli a clem t b nîs. Hr gd-nećr, tù, z nt so vri slît a clem, comprihndñ, az it dz, riyl, ʈura swītnis v tmpr n manr, a vri humbl opińn v hrslf, n a gret redinis t b plizd wɖ uɖr ppl. I am vri mć mstecn f yr sx in jenṛl wd nt ʈnc sć byti, n sć tmpr, ɖ hîist clemz a wmn cd pzes.”

“Upn mî wrd, Ema, t hír y abyzñ ɖ rīzn y hv, z olmst inuf t mc m ʈnc so tù. Betr b wɖt sns, ɖn mis’plî it az y d.”

“T b śr!” craid ś plêf̣li. “I nǒ ɖt z ɖ fīlñ v y ol. I nǒ ɖt sć a grl az Harịt z xacli ẃt evri man dlîts in—ẃt at wns bwićz hiz snsz n saṭsfîz hiz jujmnt. Ǒ! Harịt me pic n ćūz. Wr y, yrslf, evr t mari, ś z ɖ vri wmn fr y. N z ś, at sevntīn, jst enṭrñ intu lîf, jst bginñ t b noun, t b wundrd at bcz ś dz nt axpt ɖ frst ofr ś rsivz? No—pre let hr hv tîm t lc abt hr.”

“I hv olwz ʈt it a vri fūliś intiṃsi,” sd Mr. Naitli prezntli, “ɖo I hv cept mî ʈts t mslf; bt I nǎ psiv ɖt it wl b a vri unforćṇt wn fr Harịt. Y wl puf hr p wɖ sć îdīaz v hr ǒn byti, n v ẃt ś hz a clem t, ɖt, in a litl ẃl, nbdi wɖn hr rīć wl b gd inuf fr hr. Vaṇti wrcñ on a wìc hed, pṛdysz evri sort v misćif. Nʈñ so īzi az fr a yuñ ledi t rêz hr xpcteśnz tù hî. Mis Harịt Smiʈ me nt fînd ofrz v marij flo in so fast, ɖo ś z a vri priti grl. Men v sns, ẃtvr y me ćūz t se, d nt wont sili wîvz. Men v faṃli wd nt b vri fond v cnctñ ɖmslvz wɖ a grl v sć obskṛti—n most prūdnt men wd b afreid v ɖ incnvińns n dsgres ɖe mt b involvd in, ẃn ɖ misṭri v hr peṛntij cem t b rvild. Let hr mari Roḅt Martin, n ś z sef, rspctbl, n hapi fr evr; bt f y incurij hr t xpct t mari gretli, n tīć hr t b saṭsfaid wɖ nʈñ les ɖn a man v consiqns n larj fortyn, ś me b a parlrbōrdr at Msz. Godard’z ol ɖ rest v hr lîf—or, at līst, (fr Harịt Smiʈ z a grl hu wl mari smbdi or uɖr,) tl ś gro despṛt, n z glad t cać at ɖ old raitñmastr’z sun.”

“W ʈnc so vri difṛntli on ɖs pônt, Mr. Naitli, ɖt ɖr cn b no ys in cánvsñ it. W śl onli b mcñ ć uɖr mor angri. Bt az t mî letñ hr mari Roḅt Martin, it z imposbl; ś hz rfyzd him, n so dsîdidli, I ʈnc, az mst privnt eni secnd apḷceśn. Ś mst abîd bî ɖ īvl v hvñ rfyzd him, ẃtvr it me b; n az t ɖ rfyzl itslf, I wl nt pritnd t se ɖt I mt nt inflụns hr a litl; bt I aśur y ɖr wz vri litl fr m or fr enbdi t d. Hiz apiṛns z so mć agnst him, n hiz manr so bad, ɖt f ś evr wr dspozd t fevr him, ś z nt nǎ. I cn imajin, ɖt bfr ś hd sìn enbdi s’pirịr, ś mt toḷret him. H wz ɖ bruɖr v hr frendz, n h tc penz t plīz hr; n oltgɖr, hvñ sìn nbdi betr (ɖt mst hv bn hiz gret asistnt) ś mt nt, ẃl ś wz at Abimil, fînd him dis’griybl. Bt ɖ ces z oltrd nǎ. Ś nz nǎ ẃt jntlṃn r; n nʈñ bt a jntlmn in edyceśn n manr hz eni ćans wɖ Harịt.”

“Nonsns, eṛnt nonsns, az evr wz tōct!” craid Mr. Naitli.—“Robt Martin’z manrz hv sns, snseṛti, n gd-hymr t rec̣mnd ɖm; n hiz mînd hz mor tru jntiḷti ɖn Harịt Smiʈ cd unḍstand.”

Ema md no ansr, n traid t lc ćirf̣li uncnsrnd, bt wz riyli fīlñ uncumftbl n wontñ him vri mć t b gn. Ś dd nt rpnt ẃt ś hd dn; ś stl ʈt hrslf a betr juj v sć a pônt v fīmel rît n rfînmnt ɖn h cd b; bt yt ś hd a sort v hbićl rspct fr hiz jujmnt in jenṛl, ẃć md hr dslîc hvñ it so lǎdli agnst hr; n t hv him sitñ jst oṗzit t hr in angri stet, wz vri dis’griybl. Sm minits pást in ɖs unpleznt sîḷns, wɖ onli wn atmt on Ema’z sîd t tōc v ɖ weɖr, bt h md no ansr. H wz ʈncñ. Ɖ rzult v hiz ʈts apird at last in ɖz wrdz.

“Roḅt Martin hz no gret los—f h cn bt ʈnc so; n I hop it wl nt b loñ bfr h dz. Yr vyz fr Harịt r bst noun t yrslf; bt az y mc no sīcrit v yr luv v mać-mcñ, it z fer t s’poz ɖt vyz, n planz, n projects y hv;—n az a frend I śl jst hint t y ɖt f Eltn z ɖ man, I ʈnc it wl b ol lebr in ven.”

Ema laft n dsclemd. H cntinyd,

“Dpnd upn it, Eltn wl nt d. Eltn z a vri gd sort v man, n a vri rspctbl vicr v Hîḅri, bt nt at ol lîcli t mc an imprūdnt mać. H nz ɖ valy v a gd incm az wel az enbdi. Eltn me tōc snṭmnṭli, bt h wl act raśṇli. H z az wel aqentd wɖ hiz ǒn clemz, az y cn b wɖ Harịt’s. H nz ɖt h z a vri hansm yuñ man, n a gret feṿrit ẃrvr h gz; n fṛm hiz jenṛl we v tōcñ in unrizrvd momnts, ẃn ɖr r onli men preznt, I am cnvinst ɖt h dz nt mīn t ʈro himslf awe. I hv hŕd him spīc wɖ gret aṇmeśn v a larj faṃli v yuñ lediz ɖt hiz sistrz r intiṃt wɖ, hu hv ol twenti ʈǎznd pǎndz apis.”

“I am vri mć oblîjd t y,” sd Ema, lafñ agn. “F I hd set mî hart on Mr. Eltn’z mariyñ Harịt, it wd hv bn vri cînd t opn mî îz; bt at preznt I onli wont t cīp Harịt t mslf. I hv dn wɖ mać-mcñ indd. I cd nvr hop t īql mî ǒn dwñz at Randlz. I śl līv of ẃl I am wel.”

“Gd mornñ t y,”—sd h, rîzñ n wōcñ of abrupli. H wz vri mć vxt. H flt ɖ dis’pôntmnt v ɖ yuñ man, n wz morṭfaid t hv bn ɖ mīnz v pṛmotñ it, bî ɖ sañśn h hd gvn; n ɖ part ẃć h wz pswedd Ema hd tecn in ɖ afer, wz pṛvocñ him xidñli.

Ema rmend in a stet v vxeśn tù; bt ɖr wz mor indistñtnis in ɖ cōzz v hr’z, ɖn in hiz. Ś dd nt olwz fīl so abṣlutli saṭsfaid wɖ hrslf, so intîrli cnvinst ɖt hr opińnz wr rît n hr advrṣri’z roñ, az Mr. Naitli. H wōct of in mor cmplit slf-apṛbeśn ɖn h left fr hr. Ś wz nt so mtirịli cast dǎn, hvr, bt ɖt a litl tîm n ɖ rtrn v Harịt wr vri adiqt rstoṛtivz. Harịt’s steyñ awe so loñ wz bginñ t mc hr unīzi. Ɖ posbiḷti v ɖ yuñ man’z cmñ t Msz. Godard’z ɖt mornñ, n mītñ wɖ Harịt n plīdñ hiz ǒn cōz, gev alarmñ îdīaz. Ɖ dred v sć a fełr aftr ol bcem ɖ prominnt unīzinis; n ẃn Harịt apird, n in vri gd spirits, n wɖt hvñ eni sć rīzn t gv fr hr loñ absns, ś flt a saṭsfaẋn ẃć setld hr wɖ hr ǒn mînd, n cnvinst hr, ɖt let Mr. Naitli ʈnc or se ẃt h wd, ś hd dn nʈñ ẃć wmn’z frendśp n wmn’z fīlñz wd nt jusṭfî.

H hd frîtnd hr a litl abt Mr. Eltn; bt ẃn ś cnsidrd ɖt Mr. Naitli cd nt hv obzrvd him az ś hd dn, nɖr wɖ ɖ inṭrest, nr (ś mst b alaud t tel hrslf, in spît v Mr. Naitli’z pritnśnz) wɖ ɖ scil v sć an obzrvr on sć a qsćn az hrslf, ɖt h hd spocn it hesṭli n in angr, ś wz ebl t b’liv, ɖt h hd rɖr sd ẃt h wśt rzntf̣li t b tru, ɖn ẃt h ń enʈñ abt. H srtnli mt hv hŕd Mr. Eltn spīc wɖ mor unrizrv ɖn ś hd evr dn, n Mr. Eltn mt nt b v an imprūdnt, incnsidṛt disṗziśn az t munimatrz; h mt naćṛli b rɖr atntiv ɖn uɖ̇wz t ɖm; bt ɖen, Mr. Naitli dd nt mc dy alawns fr ɖ inflụns v a stroñ paśn at wor wɖ ol inṭrestd motivz. Mr. Naitli sw no sć paśn, n v cors ʈt nʈñ v its ifcts; bt ś sw tù mć v it t fīl a dǎt v its oṿcmñ eni heẓteśnz ɖt a rīzṇbl prūdns mt orijiṇli sjst; n mor ɖn a rīzṇbl, bcmñ dgri v prūdns, ś wz vri śr dd nt b’loñ t Mr. Eltn.

Harịt’s ćirfl lc n manr istabliśt hrz: ś cem bac, nt t ʈnc v Mr. Martin, bt t tōc v Mr. Eltn. Mis Naś hd bn telñ hr smʈñ, ẃć ś rpitd imīɉtli wɖ gret dlît. Mr. Peri hd bn t Msz. Godard’z t atnd a sic ćîld, n Mis Naś hd sìn him, n h hd tld Mis Naś, ɖt az h wz cmñ bac yesṭde fṛm Cletn Parc, h hd met Mr. Eltn, n faund t hiz gret s’prîz, ɖt Mr. Eltn wz acć̣li on hiz rod t Lundn, n nt mīnñ t rtrn tl ɖ moro, ɖo it wz ɖ ẃistclub nît, ẃć h hd bn nvr noun t mis bfr; n Mr. Peri hd remnstretd wɖ him abt it, n tld him hǎ śabi it wz in him, ɖer bst pleyr, t absnt himslf, n traid vri mć t pswed him t pt of hiz jrni onli wn de; bt it wd nt d; Mr. Eltn hd bn dtrmind t g on, n hd sd in a vri ptiklr we indd, ɖt h wz gwñ on biznis ẃć h wd nt pt of fr eni indysmnt in ɖ wrld; n smʈñ abt a vri envịbl cmiśn, n biyñ ɖ berr v smʈñ xidñli preśs. Mr. Peri cd nt qt unḍstand him, bt h wz vri śr ɖr mst b a ledi in ɖ ces, n h tld him so; n Mr. Eltn onli lct vri conśs n smîlñ, n roud of in gret spirits. Mis Naś hd tld hr ol ɖs, n hd tōct a gret dīl mor abt Mr. Eltn; n sd, lcñ so vri sgnificntli at hr, “ɖt ś dd nt pritnd t unḍstand ẃt hiz biznis mt b, bt ś onli ń ɖt eni wmn hūm Mr. Eltn cd prifŕ, ś śd ʈnc ɖ luciist wmn in ɖ wrld; fr, bynd a dǎt, Mr. Eltn hd nt hiz īql fr byti or agriyblnis.”

Ɖ Picćr, eligntli fremd, cem sefli t hand sn aftr Mr. Eltn’z rtrn, n biyñ huñ ovr ɖ mantlpìs v ɖ comn sitñrūm, h got p t lc at it, n said ǎt hiz haf sntnsz v adṃreśn jst az h òt; n az fr Harịt’s fīlñz, ɖe wr viẓbli formñ ɖmslvz intu az stroñ n stedi an ataćmnt az hr yʈ n sort v mînd admitd. Ema wz sn prf̣cli saṭsfaid v Mr. Martin’z biyñ no uɖ̇wz rmembrd, ɖn az h frniśt a contrast wɖ Mr. Eltn, v ɖ utmost advantij t ɖ latr.

Hr vyz v impruvñ hr litl frend’z mînd, bî a gret dīl v ysfl rīdñ n convseśn, hd nvr yt léd t mor ɖn a fy frst ćaptrz, n ɖ intnśn v gwñ on tmoro. It wz mć īzịr t ćat ɖn t studi; mć plezntr t let hr imaɉneśn renj n wrc at Harịt’s fortyn, ɖn t b leḅrñ t inlarj hr comprihnśn or x’sîz it on sobr facts; n ɖ onli litrri psyt ẃć ingejd Harịt at preznt, ɖ onli mntl pṛviźn ś wz mcñ fr ɖ īvnñ v lîf, wz ɖ c’lectñ n trnscrîbñ ol ɖ ridlz v evri sort ɖt ś cd mīt wɖ, intu a ʈin qorto v hot-prest pepr, md p bî hr frend, n orṇmntd wɖ sîfrz n trofiz.

In ɖs ej v litṛćr, sć c’leẋnz on a vri grand scel r nt uncomn. Mis Naś, hed-tīćr at Msz. Godard’z, hd ritn ǎt at līst ʈri hundṛd; n Harịt, hu hd tecn ɖ frst hint v it fṛm hr, hopt, wɖ Mis Wŭdhǎs’z hlp, t gt a gret mni mor. Ema asistd wɖ hr invnśn, meṃri n test; n az Harịt rout a vri priti hand, it wz lîcli t b an arenjmnt v ɖ frst ordr, in form az wel az qontti.

Mr. Wŭdhǎs wz olmst az mć inṭrestd in ɖ biznis az ɖ grlz, n traid vri ofn t rec̣lect smʈñ wrʈ ɖer ptñ in. “So mni clevr ridlz az ɖr yst t b ẃn h wz yuñ—h wundrd h cd nt rmembr ɖm! bt h hopt h śd in tîm.” N it olwz endd in “Citi, a fer bt frozn meid.”

Hiz gd frend Peri, tù, hūm h hd spocn t on ɖ subjict, dd nt at preznt rec̣lect enʈñ v ɖ ridl cnd; bt h hd dzîrd Peri t b upn ɖ woć, n az h wnt abt so mć, smʈñ, h ʈt, mt cm fṛm ɖt qortr.

It wz bî no mīnz hiz dōtr’z wś ɖt ɖ inṭlects v Hîḅri in jenṛl śd b pt undr reqziśn. Mr. Eltn wz ɖ onli wn huz asistns ś asct. H wz invîtd t cntribyt eni riyli gd inigmaz, ś’redz, or cnundṛmz ɖt h mt rec̣lect; n ś hd ɖ pleźr v siyñ him most intntli at wrc wɖ hiz rec̣leẋnz; n at ɖ sem tîm, az ś cd psiv, most rṇstli cerfl ɖt nʈñ ungaḷnt, nʈñ ɖt dd nt briɖ a complimnt t ɖ sx śd pas hiz lips. Ɖe oud t him ɖer tū or ʈri p’lîtist puzlz; n ɖ jô n xlteśn wɖ ẃć at last h rcōld, n rɖr snṭmnṭli rsîtd, ɖt wel-noun ś’red,

Mî frst duʈ afliẋn dnot,

Ẃć mî secnd z dstind t fīl

N mî hol z ɖ bst antidot

Ɖt afliẋn t sofn n hīl.—

md hr qt sori t acnolij ɖt ɖe hd trnscrîbd it sm pejz ago olrdi.

“Ẃ wl nt y rait wn yrslf fr s, Mr. Eltn?” sd ś; “ɖt z ɖ onli s’kṛti fr its freśnis; n nʈñ cd b īzịr t y.”

“Ǒ no! h hd nvr ritn, hardli evr, enʈñ v ɖ cnd in hiz lîf. Ɖ styṗdist felo! H wz afreid nt īvn Mis Wŭdhǎs”—h stopt a momnt—“or Mis Smiʈ cd inspîr him.”

Ɖ vri nxt de hvr pṛdyst sm prūf v insṗreśn. H cōld fr a fy momnts, jst t līv a pìs v pepr on ɖ tebl cntenñ, az h sd, a ś’red, ẃć a frend v hiz hd adrest t a yuñ ledi, ɖ objict v hiz adṃreśn, bt ẃć, fṛm hiz manr, Ema wz imīɉtli cnvinst mst b hiz ǒn.

“I d nt ofr it fr Mis Smiʈ’s c’leẋn,” sd h. “Biyñ mî frend’z, I hv no rît t xpoz it in eni dgri t ɖ public î, bt phps y me nt dslîc lcñ at it.”

Ɖ spīć wz mor t Ema ɖn t Harịt, ẃć Ema cd unḍstand. Ɖr wz dīp conśsnis abt him, n h faund it īzịr t mīt hr î ɖn hr frend’z. H wz gn ɖ nxt momnt:—aftr anɖr momnt’s pōz,

“Tec it,” sd Ema, smîlñ, n pśñ ɖ pepr twdz Harịt—“it z fr y. Tec yr ǒn.”

Bt Harịt wz in a tremr, n cd nt tuć it; n Ema, nvr loʈ t b frst, wz oblîjd t xamin it hrslf.

T Mis—

Ś’RED.

Mî frst dsplez ɖ wlʈ n pomp v cñz,

Lordz v ɖ rʈ! ɖer lux̣́ri n īz.

Anɖr vy v man, mî secnd brñz,

Bhold him ɖr, ɖ moṇc v ɖ sìz!

Bt ā! ynîtd, ẃt rvrs w hv!

Man’z bostd pǎr n frīdm, ol r floun;

Lord v ɖ rʈ n sì, h bndz a slev,

N wmn, luvli wmn, rênz alon.

Ɖî redi wit ɖ wrd wl sn s’plî,

Me its apruvl bīm in ɖt soft î!

Ś cast hr î ovr it, pondrd, còt ɖ mīnñ, réd it ʈru agn t b qt srtn, n qt mistris v ɖ lînz, n ɖen pasñ it t Harịt, sat haṗli smîlñ, n seyñ t hrslf, ẃl Harịt wz puẓlñ ovr ɖ pepr in ol ɖ cnfyźn v hop n dulnis, “Vri wel, Mr. Eltn, vri wel indd. I hv réd wrs ś’redz. Cortśp—a vri gd hint. I gv y credit fr it. Ɖs z fīlñ yr we. Ɖs z seyñ vri plenli—‘Pre, Mis Smiʈ, gv m līv t pe mî adresz t y. Apruv mî ś’red n mî intnśnz in ɖ sem glans.’

Me its apruvl bīm in ɖt soft î!

Harịt xacli. Soft z ɖ vri wrd fr hr î—v ol epiʈets, ɖ justist ɖt cd b gvn.

Ɖî redi wit ɖ wrd wl sn s’plî.

Humf—Harịt’s redi wit! Ol ɖ betr. A man mst b vri mć in luv, indd, t dscrîb hr so. Ā! Mr. Naitli, I wś y hd ɖ beṇfit v ɖs; I ʈnc ɖs wd cnvins y. Fr wns in yr lîf y wd b oblîjd t ǒn yrslf mstecn. An xḷnt ś’red indd! n vri mć t ɖ prṗs. Ʈñz mst cm t a crîsis sn nǎ.”

Ś wz oblîjd t brec of fṛm ɖz vri pleznt obẓveśnz, ẃć wr uɖ̇wz v a sort t run intu gret leñʈ, bî ɖ īgrnis v Harịt’s wunḍrñ qsćnz.

“Ẃt cn it b, Mis Wŭdhǎs?—ẃt cn it b? I hv nt an îdīa—I canot ges it in ɖ līst. Ẃt cn it poṣbli b? D trî t fînd it ǎt, Mis Wŭdhǎs. D hlp m. I nvr sw enʈñ so hard. Z it cñdm? I wundr hu ɖ frend wz—n hu cd b ɖ yuñ ledi. D y ʈnc it z a gd wn? Cn it b wmn?

N wmn, luvli wmn, rênz alon.

Cn it b Neptyn?

Bhold him ɖr, ɖ moṇc v ɖ sìz!

Or a trîdnt? or a mrmeid? or a śarc? Ǒ, no! śarc z onli wn siḷbl. It mst b vri clevr, or h wd nt hv bròt it. Ǒ! Mis Wŭdhǎs, d y ʈnc w śl evr fînd it ǎt?”

“Mrmeidz n śarcs! Nonsns! Mî dir Harịt, ẃt r y ʈncñ v? Ẃr wd b ɖ ys v hiz brññ s a ś’red md bî a frend upn a mrmeid or a śarc? Gv m ɖ pepr n lisn.

Fr Mis ———, réd Mis Smiʈ.

Mî frst dsplez ɖ wlʈ n pomp v cñz,

Lordz v ɖ rʈ! ɖer lux̣́ri n īz.

Ɖt z cort.

Anɖr vy v man, mî secnd brñz;

Bhold him ɖr, ɖ moṇc v ɖ sìz!

Ɖt z śip;—plen az it cn b.—Nǎ fr ɖ crīm.

Bt ā! ynîtd, (cortśp, y nǒ,) ẃt rvrs w hv!

Man’z bostd pǎr n frīdm, ol r floun.

Lord v ɖ rʈ n sì, h bndz a slev,

N wmn, luvli wmn, rênz alon.

A vri propr complimnt!—n ɖen foloz ɖ apḷceśn, ẃć I ʈnc, mî dir Harịt, y canot fînd mć dificlti in comprihndñ. Rīd it in cumf̣t t yrslf. Ɖr cn b no dǎt v its biyñ ritn fr y n t y.”

Harịt cd nt loñ rzist so dlîtfl a psweźn. Ś réd ɖ cncludñ lînz, n wz ol flutr n hapinis. Ś cd nt spīc. Bt ś wz nt wontd t spīc. It wz inuf fr hr t fīl. Ema spouc fr hr.

“Ɖr z so pôntd, n so ptiklr a mīnñ in ɖs complimnt,” sd ś, “ɖt I canot hv a dǎt az t Mr. Eltn’z intnśnz. Y r hiz objict—n y wl sn rsiv ɖ cmplitist prūf v it. I ʈt it mst b so. I ʈt I cd nt b so dsivd; bt nǎ, it z clir; ɖ stet v hiz mînd z az clir n dsîdd, az mî wśz on ɖ subjict hv bn evr sins I ń y. Yes, Harịt, jst so loñ hv I bn wontñ ɖ vri srcmstans t hapn ɖt hz hapnd. I cd nvr tel ẃɖr an ataćmnt btwn y n Mr. Eltn wr most dzîṛbl or most naćṛl. Its probbiḷti n its eliɉbiḷti hv riyli so īqld ć uɖr! I am vri hapi. I cngrać̣let y, mî dir Harịt, wɖ ol mî hart. Ɖs z an ataćmnt ẃć a wmn me wel fīl prîd in crietñ. Ɖs z a cnẋn ẃć ofrz nʈñ bt gd. It wl gv y evrʈñ ɖt y wont—cnsiḍreśn, indipndns, a propr hom—it wl fix y in ɖ sntr v ol yr riyl frendz, clos t Hārtfīld n t m, n cnfrm ǎr intiṃsi fr evr. Ɖs, Harịt, z an alayns ẃć cn nvr rêz a bluś in îɖr v s.”

“Dir Mis Wŭdhǎs!”—n “Dir Mis Wŭdhǎs,” wz ol ɖt Harịt, wɖ mni tndr imbresz cd artikḷt at frst; bt ẃn ɖe dd arîv at smʈñ mor lîc convseśn, it wz sfiśntli clir t hr frend ɖt ś sw, flt, antiṣpetd, n rmembrd jst az ś òt. Mr. Eltn’z s’pirioṛti hd vri ampl acnolijmnt.

“Ẃtvr y se z olwz rît,” craid Harịt, “n ɖrfr I s’poz, n b’liv, n hop it mst b so; bt uɖ̇wz I cd nt hv imajind it. It z so mć bynd enʈñ I dzrv. Mr. Eltn, hu mt mari enbdi! Ɖr canot b tū opińnz abt him. H z so vri s’pirịr. Onli ʈnc v ɖoz swīt vrsz—‘T Mis ———.’ Dir m, hǎ clevr!—Cd it riyli b mnt fr m?”

“I canot mc a qsćn, or lisn t a qsćn abt ɖt. It z a srtnti. Rsiv it on mî jujmnt. It z a sort v prolog t ɖ ple, a moto t ɖ ćaptr; n wl b sn foloud bî matr-v-fact prǒz.”

“It z a sort v ʈñ ẃć nbdi cd hv xpctd. I am śr, a munʈ ago, I hd no mor îdīa mslf!—Ɖ strenjist ʈñz d tec ples!”

“Ẃn Mis Smiʈs n Mr. Eltnz gt aqentd—ɖe d indd—n riyli it z strenj; it z ǎt v ɖ comn cors ɖt ẃt z so evidntli, so palṗbli dzîṛbl—ẃt corts ɖ pri’renjmnt v uɖr ppl, śd so imīɉtli śep itslf intu ɖ propr form. Y n Mr. Eltn r bî sićueśn cōld tgɖr; y b’loñ t wn anɖr bî evri srcmstans v yr rspctiv homz. Yr mariyñ wl b īql t ɖ mać at Randlz. Ɖr dz sīm t b a smʈñ in ɖ er v Hārtfīld ẃć gvz luv xacli ɖ rît d’reẋn, n sndz it intu ɖ vri ćanl ẃr it òt t flo.

Ɖ cors v tru luv nvr dd run smuɖ—

A Hārtfīld idiśn v Śecspir wd hv a loñ not on ɖt pasij.”

“Ɖt Mr. Eltn śd riyli b in luv wɖ m,—m, v ol ppl, hu dd nt nǒ him, t spīc t him, at Miclms! N h, ɖ vri hanṣmist man ɖt evr wz, n a man ɖt evrbdi lcs p t, qt lîc Mr. Naitli! Hiz cumṗni so sòt aftr, ɖt evrbdi sz h nīd nt īt a sngl mīl bî himslf f h dz nt ćūz it; ɖt h hz mor invteśnz ɖn ɖr r dez in ɖ wīc. N so xḷnt in ɖ Ćrć! Mis Naś hz pt dǎn ol ɖ txts h hz evr prīćt fṛm sins h cem t Hîḅri. Dir m! Ẃn I lc bac t ɖ frst tîm I sw him! Hǎ litl dd I ʈnc!—Ɖ tū Aḅts n I ran intu ɖ frunt rūm n pīpt ʈru ɖ blînd ẃn w hŕd h wz gwñ bî, n Mis Naś cem n scoldd s awe, n steid t lc ʈru hrslf; hvr, ś cōld m bac prezntli, n let m lc tù, ẃć wz vri gd-nećrd. N hǎ bytifl w ʈt h lct! H wz arm-in-arm wɖ Mr. Coul.”

“Ɖs z an alayns ẃć, huevr—ẃtvr yr frendz me b, mst b agriybl t ɖm, pṛvîdd at līst ɖe hv comn-sns; n w r nt t b adresñ ǎr conduct t fūlz. F ɖe r añśs t si y haṗli marid, hir z a man huz emịbl caṛctr gvz evri aśuṛns v it;—f ɖe wś t hv y setld in ɖ sem cuntri n srcl ẃć ɖe hv ćozn t ples y in, hir it wl b acumpliśt; n f ɖer onli objict z ɖt y śd, in ɖ comn frêz, b wel marid, hir z ɖ cumftbl fortyn, ɖ rspctbl istabliśmnt, ɖ rîz in ɖ wrld ẃć mst saṭsfî ɖm.”

“Yes, vri tru. Hǎ nîsli y tōc; I luv t hír y. Y unḍstand evrʈñ. Y n Mr. Eltn r wn az clevr az ɖ uɖr. Ɖs ś’red!—F I hd studid a twelvmunʈ, I cd nvr hv md enʈñ lîc it.”

“I ʈt h mnt t trî hiz scil, bî hiz manr v dclînñ it yesṭde.”

“I d ʈnc it z, wɖt xpśn, ɖ bst ś’red I evr réd.”

“I nvr réd wn mor t ɖ prṗs, srtnli.”

“It z az loñ agn az olmst ol w hv hd bfr.”

“I d nt cnsidr its leñʈ az ptiklrli in its fevr. Sć ʈñz in jenṛl canot b tù śort.”

Harịt wz tù intnt on ɖ lînz t hír. Ɖ most saṭsfactri cmparisnz wr rîzñ in hr mînd.

“It z wn ʈñ,” sd ś, prezntli—hr ćīcs in a glo—“t hv vri gd sns in a comn we, lîc evrbdi els, n f ɖr z enʈñ t se, t sit dǎn n rait a letr, n se jst ẃt y mst, in a śort we; n anɖr, t rait vrsz n ś’redz lîc ɖs.”

Ema cd nt hv dzîrd a mor spiṛtd rjẋn v Mr. Martin’z prǒz.

“Sć swīt lînz!” cntinyd Harịt—“ɖz tū last!—Bt hǎ śl I evr b ebl t rtrn ɖ pepr, or se I hv faund it ǎt?—Ǒ! Mis Wŭdhǎs, ẃt cn w d abt ɖt?”

“Līv it t m. Y d nʈñ. H wl b hir ɖs īvnñ, I der se, n ɖen I wl gv it him bac, n sm nonsns or uɖr wl pas btwn s, n y śl nt b cmitd.—Yr soft îz śl ćūz ɖer ǒn tîm fr bīmñ. Trust t m.”

“Ǒ! Mis Wŭdhǎs, ẃt a piti ɖt I mst nt rait ɖs bytifl ś’red intu mî bc! I am śr I hv nt got wn haf so gd.”

“Līv ǎt ɖ tū last lînz, n ɖr z no rīzn ẃ y śd nt rait it intu yr bc.”

“Ǒ! bt ɖoz tū lînz r”—

—“Ɖ bst v ol. Grantd;—fr prîṿt injômnt; n fr prîṿt injômnt cīp ɖm. Ɖe r nt at ol ɖ les ritn y nǒ, bcz y dvîd ɖm. Ɖ cuplit dz nt sīs t b, nr dz its mīnñ ćenj. Bt tec it awe, n ol aproprieśn sīsz, n a vri priti gaḷnt ś’red rmenz, fit fr eni c’leẋn. Dpnd upn it, h wd nt lîc t hv hiz ś’red slîtd, mć betr ɖn hiz paśn. A powt in luv mst b incurijd in bʈ cpaṣtiz, or nɖr. Gv m ɖ bc, I wl rait it dǎn, n ɖen ɖr cn b no poṣbl rfleẋn on y.”

Harịt sbmitd, ɖo hr mînd cd hardli seṗret ɖ parts, so az t fīl qt śr ɖt hr frend wr nt raitñ dǎn a decḷreśn v luv. It sīmd tù preśs an of̣rñ fr eni dgri v pbliṣti.

“I śl nvr let ɖt bc g ǎt v mî ǒn handz,” sd ś.

“Vri wel,” rplaid Ema; “a most naćṛl fīlñ; n ɖ longr it lasts, ɖ betr I śl b plizd. Bt hir z mî faɖr cmñ: y wl nt objict t mî rīdñ ɖ ś’red t him. It wl b gvñ him so mć pleźr! H luvz enʈñ v ɖ sort, n ispeṣ́li enʈñ ɖt pez wmn a complimnt. H hz ɖ tenḍrist spirit v gaḷntri twdz s ol!—Y mst let m rīd it t him.”

Harịt lct grev.

“Mî dir Harịt, y mst nt rfîn tù mć upn ɖs ś’red.—Y wl btre yr fīlñz improprli, f y r tù conśs n tù qc, n apir t afix mor mīnñ, or īvn qt ol ɖ mīnñ ẃć me b afixt t it. D nt b oṿpǎrd bî sć a litl tribyt v adṃreśn. F h hd bn añśs fr sīcṛsi, h wd nt hv left ɖ pepr ẃl I wz bî; bt h rɖr pśt it twdz m ɖn twdz y. D nt let s b tù soḷm on ɖ biznis. H hz incurijmnt inuf t pṛsid, wɖt ǎr sayñ ǎt ǎr soulz ovr ɖs ś’red.”

“Ǒ! no—I hop I śl nt b r’dikḷs abt it. D az y plīz.”

Mr. Wŭdhǎs cem in, n vri sn léd t ɖ subjict agn, bî ɖ rcuṛns v hiz vri frīqnt inqîri v “Wel, mî dirz, hǎ dz yr bc g on?—Hv y got enʈñ freś?”

“Yes, ppā; w hv smʈñ t rīd y, smʈñ qt freś. A pìs v pepr wz faund on ɖ tebl ɖs mornñ—(dropt, w s’poz, bî a fẹri)—cntenñ a vri priti ś’red, n w hv jst copid it in.”

Ś réd it t him, jst az h lîct t hv enʈñ réd, slǒli n dstñtli, n tū or ʈri tîmz ovr, wɖ xpḷneśnz v evri part az ś pṛsidd—n h wz vri mć plizd, n, az ś hd fsin, ispeṣ́li struc wɖ ɖ compḷmntri cncluźn.

“Ai, ɖt’s vri just, indd, ɖt’s vri proprli sd. Vri tru. ‘Wmn, luvli wmn.’ It z sć a priti ś’red, mî dir, ɖt I cn īẓli ges ẃt fẹri bròt it.—Nbdi cd hv ritn so priṭli, bt y, Ema.”

Ema onli nodd, n smîld.—Aftr a litl ʈncñ, n a vri tndr sai, h add,

“Ā! it z no dificlti t si hu y tec aftr! Yr dir muɖr wz so clevr at ol ɖoz ʈñz! F I hd bt hr meṃri! Bt I cn rmembr nʈñ;—nt īvn ɖt ptiklr ridl ẃć y hv hŕd m mnśn; I cn onli rec̣lect ɖ frst stanza; n ɖr r sevṛl.

Citi, a fer bt frozn meid,

Cindld a flem I yt dplor,

Ɖ hdwnct bô I cōld t ed,

Ɖo v hiz nir aproć afreid,

So fetl t mî sūt bfr.

N ɖt z ol ɖt I cn rec̣lect v it—bt it z vri clevr ol ɖ we ʈru. Bt I ʈnc, mî dir, y sd y hd got it.”

“Yes, ppā, it z ritn ǎt in ǎr secnd pej. W copid it fṛm ɖ Elignt Xtracts. It wz Garic’s, y nǒ.”

“Ai, vri tru.—I wś I cd rec̣lect mor v it.

Citi, a fer bt frozn meid.

Ɖ nem mcs m ʈnc v pur Iẓbela; fr ś wz vri nir biyñ crisnd Caʈrin aftr hr granṃmā. I hop w śl hv hr hir nxt wīc. Hv y ʈt, mî dir, ẃr y śl pt hr—n ẃt rūm ɖr wl b fr ɖ ćildṛn?”

“Ǒ! yes—ś wl hv hr ǒn rūm, v cors; ɖ rūm ś olwz hz;—n ɖr z ɖ nrṣri fr ɖ ćildṛn,—jst az yźl, y nǒ. Ẃ śd ɖr b eni ćenj?”

“I d nt nǒ, mî dir—bt it z so loñ sins ś wz hir!—nt sins last Īstr, n ɖen onli fr a fy dez.—Mr. Jon Naitli’z biyñ a loyr z vri incnvińnt.—Pur Iẓbela!—ś z sadli tecn awe fṛm s ol!—n hǎ sori ś wl b ẃn ś cmz, nt t si Mis Teilr hir!”

“Ś wl nt b s’prîzd, ppā, at līst.”

“I d nt nǒ, mî dir. I am śr I wz vri mć s’prîzd ẃn I frst hŕd ś wz gwñ t b marid.”

“W mst asc Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn t dîn wɖ s, ẃl Iẓbela z hir.”

“Yes, mî dir, f ɖr z tîm.—Bt—(in a vri dprest ton)—ś z cmñ fr onli wn wīc. Ɖr wl nt b tîm fr enʈñ.”

“It z unforćṇt ɖt ɖe canot ste longr—bt it sīmz a ces v nseṣti. Mr. Jon Naitli mst b in tǎn agn on ɖ 28ʈ, n w òt t b ʈancfl, ppā, ɖt w r t hv ɖ hol v ɖ tîm ɖe cn gv t ɖ cuntri, ɖt tū or ʈri dez r nt t b tecn ǎt fr ɖ Abi. Mr. Naitli proṃsz t gv p hiz clem ɖs Crisṃs—ɖo y nǒ it z longr sins ɖe wr wɖ him, ɖn wɖ s.”

“It wd b vri hard, indd, mî dir, f pur Iẓbela wr t b enẃr bt at Hārtfīld.”

Mr. Wŭdhǎs cd nvr alǎ fr Mr. Naitli’z clemz on hiz bruɖr, or enbdi’z clemz on Iẓbela, xpt hiz ǒn. H sat ḿzñ a litl ẃl, n ɖen sd,

“Bt I d nt si ẃ pur Iẓbela śd b oblîjd t g bac so sn, ɖo h dz. I ʈnc, Ema, I śl trî n pswed hr t ste longr wɖ s. Ś n ɖ ćildṛn mt ste vri wel.”

“Ā! ppā—ɖt z ẃt y nvr hv bn ebl t acumpliś, n I d nt ʈnc y evr wl. Iẓbela canot ber t ste bhnd hr huzbnd.”

Ɖs wz tù tru fr contṛdiẋn. Unwelcm az it wz, Mr. Wŭdhǎs cd onli gv a sbmisiv sai; n az Ema sw hiz spirits afctd bî ɖ îdīa v hiz dōtr’z ataćmnt t hr huzbnd, ś imīɉtli léd t sć a branć v ɖ subjict az mst rêz ɖm.

“Harịt mst gv s az mć v hr cumṗni az ś cn ẃl mî bruɖr n sistr r hir. I am śr ś wl b plizd wɖ ɖ ćildṛn. W r vri prǎd v ɖ ćildṛn, r nt w, ppā? I wundr ẃć ś wl ʈnc ɖ hanṣmist, Õri or Jon?”

“Ai, I wundr ẃć ś wl. Pur litl dirz, hǎ glad ɖe wl b t cm. Ɖe r vri fond v biyñ at Hārtfīld, Harịt.”

“I der se ɖe r, sr. I am śr I d nt nǒ hu z nt.”

“Õri z a fîn bô, bt Jon z vri lîc hiz m’mā. Õri z ɖ eldist, h wz nemd aftr m, nt aftr hiz faɖr. Jon, ɖ secnd, z nemd aftr hiz faɖr. Sm ppl r s’prîzd, I b’liv, ɖt ɖ eldist wz nt, bt Iẓbela wd hv him cōld Õri, ẃć I ʈt vri priti v hr. N h z a vri clevr bô, indd. Ɖe r ol rmarcbli clevr; n ɖe hv so mni priti wez. Ɖe wl cm n stand bî mî ćer, n se, ‘Granppā, cn y gv m a bit v strñ?’ n wns Õri asct m fr a nîf, bt I tld him nîvz wr onli md fr granppāz. I ʈnc ɖer faɖr z tù ruf wɖ ɖm vri ofn.”

“H apirz ruf t y,” sd Ema, “bcz y r so vri jntl yrslf; bt f y cd cmper him wɖ uɖr ppāz, y wd nt ʈnc him ruf. H wśz hiz bôz t b activ n hardi; n f ɖe misbhev, cn gv ɖm a śarp wrd nǎ n ɖen; bt h z an afẋṇt faɖr—srtnli Mr. Jon Naitli z an afẋṇt faɖr. Ɖ ćildṛn r ol fond v him.”

“N ɖen ɖer uncl cmz in, n tosz ɖm p t ɖ sīlñ in a vri frîtfl we!”

“Bt ɖe lîc it, ppā; ɖr z nʈñ ɖe lîc so mć. It z sć injômnt t ɖm, ɖt f ɖer uncl dd nt le dǎn ɖ rūl v ɖer tecñ trnz, ẃćvr bgan wd nvr gv we t ɖ uɖr.”

“Wel, I canot unḍstand it.”

“Ɖt z ɖ ces wɖ s ol, ppā. Wn haf v ɖ wrld canot unḍstand ɖ pleźrz v ɖ uɖr.”

Lêtr in ɖ mornñ, n jst az ɖ grlz wr gwñ t seṗret in preṗreśn fr ɖ reğlr for o’cloc dinr, ɖ hiro v ɖs inimitbl ś’red wōct in agn. Harịt trnd awe; bt Ema cd rsiv him wɖ ɖ yźl smîl, n hr qc î sn dsrnd in hiz ɖ conśsnis v hvñ md a pś—v hvñ ʈroun a dî; n ś imajind h wz cm t si hǎ it mt trn p. Hiz ostnsbl rīzn, hvr, wz t asc ẃɖr Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z parti cd b md p in ɖ īvnñ wɖt him, or ẃɖr h śd b in ɖ smōlist dgri nesṣri at Hārtfīld. F h wr, evrʈñ els mst gv we; bt uɖ̇wz hiz frend Coul hd bn seyñ so mć abt hiz dînñ wɖ him—hd md sć a pônt v it, ɖt h hd promist him cndiśṇli t cm.

Ema ʈanct him, bt cd nt alǎ v hiz dis’pôntñ hiz frend on ɖer acǎnt; hr faɖr wz śr v hiz rubr. H ri-rjd—ś rīdiclînd; n h sīmd ɖen abt t mc hiz bǎ, ẃn tecñ ɖ pepr fṛm ɖ tebl, ś rtrnd it—

“Ǒ! hir z ɖ ś’red y wr so oblîjñ az t līv wɖ s; ʈanc y fr ɖ sît v it. W admîrd it so mć, ɖt I hv vnćrd t rait it intu Mis Smiʈ’s c’leẋn. Yr frend wl nt tec it amis I hop. V cors I hv nt trnscrîbd bynd ɖ frst et lînz.”

Mr. Eltn srtnli dd nt vri wel nǒ ẃt t se. H lct rɖr dǎtñli—rɖr cnfyzd; sd smʈñ abt “onr,”—glanst at Ema n at Harịt, n ɖen siyñ ɖ bc opn on ɖ tebl, tc it p, n xamind it vri atntivli. Wɖ ɖ vy v pasñ of an ōcẉd momnt, Ema smîlñli sd,

“Y mst mc mî apoḷjiz t yr frend; bt so gd a ś’red mst nt b cnfînd t wn or tū. H me b śr v evri wmn’z apṛbeśn ẃl h raits wɖ sć gaḷntri.”

“I hv no hezteśn in seyñ,” rplaid Mr. Eltn, ɖo heztetñ a gd dīl ẃl h spouc; “I hv no hezteśn in seyñ—at līst f mî frend fīlz at ol az I d—I hv nt ɖ smōlist dǎt ɖt, cd h si hiz litl ifyźn onrd az I si it, (lcñ at ɖ bc agn, n rplesñ it on ɖ tebl), h wd cnsidr it az ɖ prǎdist momnt v hiz lîf.”

Aftr ɖs spīć h wz gn az sn az poṣbl. Ema cd nt ʈnc it tù sn; fr wɖ ol hiz gd n agriybl qoḷtz, ɖr wz a sort v p’red in hiz spīćz ẃć wz vri apt t inclîn hr t laf. Ś ran awe t indulj ɖ incḷneśn, līvñ ɖ tndr n ɖ sblîm v pleźr t Harịt’s śer.

Ɖer rod t ɖs dtaćt cotij wz dǎn Vic̣rij Len, a len līdñ at rît anglz fṛm ɖ brōd, ɖo ireğlr, mn strīt v ɖ ples; n, az me b infŕd, cntenñ ɖ blest abod v Mr. Eltn. A fy infirịr dwelñz wr frst t b pást, n ɖen, abt a qortr v a mîl dǎn ɖ len rouz ɖ Vic̣rij, an old n nt vri gd hǎs, olmst az clos t ɖ rod az it cd b. It hd no advantij v sićueśn; bt hd bn vri mć smartnd p bî ɖ preznt pṛpraytr; n, sć az it wz, ɖr cd b no posbiḷti v ɖ tū frendz pasñ it wɖt a slacnd pes n obzrvñ îz.—Ema’z rmarc wz—

“Ɖr it z. Ɖr g y n yr ridl-bc wn v ɖz dez.”—Harịt’s wz—

“Ǒ, ẃt a swīt hǎs!—Hǎ vri bytifl!—Ɖr r ɖ yelo crtnz ɖt Mis Naś admîrz so mć.”

“I d nt ofn wōc ɖs we nǎ,” sd Ema, az ɖe pṛsidd, “bt ɖen ɖr wl b an indysmnt, n I śl graɉli gt intiṃtli aqentd wɖ ol ɖ hejz, gets, pūlz n polardz v ɖs part v Hîḅri.”

Harịt, ś faund, hd nvr in hr lîf bn insd ɖ Vic̣rij, n hr krioṣti t si it wz so xtrim, ɖt, cnsiḍrñ xtirịrz n probbiḷtiz, Ema cd onli clas it, az a prūf v luv, wɖ Mr. Eltn’z siyñ redi wit in hr.

“I wś w cd cntrîv it,” sd ś; “bt I canot ʈnc v eni tolṛbl pritns fr gwñ in;—no srvnt ɖt I wont t inqîr abt v hiz hǎscīpr—no mesij fṛm mî faɖr.”

Ś pondrd, bt cd ʈnc v nʈñ. Aftr a ḿćl sîḷns v sm minits, Harịt ɖus bgan agn—

“I d so wundr, Mis Wŭdhǎs, ɖt y śd nt b marid, or gwñ t b marid! so ćarmñ az y r!”—

Ema laft, n rplaid,

“Mî biyñ ćarmñ, Harịt, z nt qt inuf t indys m t mari; I mst fînd uɖr ppl ćarmñ—wn uɖr prsn at līst. N I am nt onli, nt gwñ t b marid, at preznt, bt hv vri litl intnśn v evr mariyñ at ol.”

“Ā!—so y se; bt I canot b’liv it.”

“I mst si smbdi vri s’pirịr t enwn I hv sìn yt, t b tmtd; Mr. Eltn, y nǒ, (rec̣lectñ hrslf,) z ǎt v ɖ qsćn: n I d nt wś t si eni sć prsn. I wd rɖr nt b tmtd. I canot riyli ćenj fr ɖ betr. F I wr t mari, I mst xpct t rpnt it.”

“Dir m!—it z so od t hír a wmn tōc so!”—

“I hv nn v ɖ yźl indysmnts v wimin t mari. Wr I t fōl in luv, indd, it wd b a difṛnt ʈñ! bt I nvr hv bn in luv; it z nt mî we, or mî nećr; n I d nt ʈnc I evr śl. N, wɖt luv, I am śr I śd b a fūl t ćenj sć a sićueśn az mîn. Fortyn I d nt wont; implômnt I d nt wont; consiqns I d nt wont: I b’liv fy marid wimin r haf az mć mistris v ɖer huzbnd’z hǎs az I am v Hārtfīld; n nvr, nvr cd I xpct t b so trūli b’luvid n importnt; so olwz frst n olwz rît in eni man’z îz az I am in mî faɖr’z.”

“Bt ɖen, t b an old meid at last, lîc Mis Bêts!”

“Ɖt z az formiḍbl an imij az y cd priznt, Harịt; n f I ʈt I śd evr b lîc Mis Bêts! so sili—so saṭsfaid—so smîlñ—so prozñ—so undistnḡśñ n unf̣stidịs—n so apt t tel evrʈñ reḷtiv t evrbdi abt m, I wd mari tmoro. Bt btwn s, I am cnvinst ɖr nvr cn b eni lîcnis, xpt in biyñ unmarid.”

“Bt stl, y wl b an old meid! n ɖt’s so dredfl!”

“Nvr mînd, Harịt, I śl nt b a pur old meid; n it z poṿti onli ẃć mcs seliḅsi cntmtbl t a jenṛs public! A sngl wmn, wɖ a vri naro incm, mst b a r’dikḷs, dis’griybl old meid! ɖ propr sport v bôz n grlz, bt a sngl wmn, v gd fortyn, z olwz rspctbl, n me b az snṣbl n pleznt az enbdi els. N ɖ dstñśn z nt qt so mć agnst ɖ candr n comn-sns v ɖ wrld az apirz at frst; fr a vri naro incm hz a tndnsi t contract ɖ mînd, n sǎr ɖ tmpr. Ɖoz hu cn bérli liv, n hu liv pfors in a vri smōl, n jenṛli vri infirịr, ssayti, me wel b ilibṛl n cros. Ɖs dz nt aplî, hvr, t Mis Bêts; ś z onli tù gd nećrd n tù sili t sūt m; bt, in jenṛl, ś z vri mć t ɖ test v evrbdi, ɖo sngl n ɖo pur. Poṿti srtnli hz nt cntractd hr mînd: I riyli b’liv, f ś hd onli a śilñ in ɖ wrld, ś wd b vri lîcli t gv awe sixpns v it; n nbdi z afreid v hr: ɖt z a gret ćarm.”

“Dir m! bt ẃt śl y d? hǎ śl y implô yrslf ẃn y gro old?”

“F I nǒ mslf, Harịt, mîn z an activ, bizi mînd, wɖ a gret mni indipndnt rzorsz; n I d nt psiv ẃ I śd b mor in wont v implômnt at forti or fifti ɖn wn-n-twenti. Wmn’z yźl okpeśnz v hand n mînd wl b az opn t m ɖen az ɖe r nǎ; or wɖ no importnt verieśn. F I drw les, I śl rīd mor; f I gv p ḿzic, I śl tec t carpitwrc. N az fr objicts v inṭrest, objicts fr ɖ afẋnz, ẃć z in truʈ ɖ gret pônt v infirioṛti, ɖ wont v ẃć z riyli ɖ gret īvl t b avôdd in nt mariyñ, I śl b vri wel of, wɖ ol ɖ ćildṛn v a sistr I luv so mć, t cer abt. Ɖr wl b inuf v ɖm, in ol probbiḷti, t s’plî evri sort v snseśn ɖt dclînñ lîf cn nīd. Ɖr wl b inuf fr evri hop n evri fir; n ɖo mî ataćmnt t nn cn īql ɖt v a peṛnt, it sūts mî îdīaz v cumf̣t betr ɖn ẃt z wormr n blîndr. Mî nefyz n nīsz!—I śl ofn hv a nīs wɖ m.”

“D y nǒ Mis Bêts’z nīs? Ɖt z, I nǒ y mst hv sìn hr a hundṛd tîmz—bt r y aqentd?”

“Ǒ! yes; w r olwz forst t b aqentd ẃnvr ś cmz t Hîḅri. Bî ɖ bái, ɖt z olmst inuf t pt wn ǎt v cnsit wɖ a nīs. Hevn fbid! at līst, ɖt I śd evr bòr ppl haf so mć abt ol ɖ Naitliz tgɖr, az ś dz abt Jen Ferfax. Wn z sic v ɖ vri nem v Jen Ferfax. Evri letr fṛm hr z réd forti tîmz ovr; hr complimnts t ol frendz g rnd n rnd agn; n f ś dz bt snd hr ānt ɖ patn v a stuṃcr, or nit a per v gartrz fr hr granmuɖr, wn hírz v nʈñ els fr a munʈ. I wś Jen Ferfax vri wel; bt ś tîrz m t deʈ.”

Ɖe wr nǎ aproćñ ɖ cotij, n ol îdl topics wr sūṗsidd. Ema wz vri cmpaśṇt; n ɖ dstresz v ɖ pur wr az śr v rlif fṛm hr prsnl atnśn n cîndnis, hr cǎnsl n hr peśns, az fṛm hr prs. Ś unḍstd ɖer wez, cd alǎ fr ɖer ignṛns n ɖer tmteśnz, hd no r’mantic xpcteśnz v xtrordnri vrću fṛm ɖoz fr hūm edyceśn hd dn so litl; entrd intu ɖer trublz wɖ redi simṗʈi, n olwz gev hr asistns wɖ az mć intelijns az gdwil. In ɖ preznt instns, it wz sicnis n poṿti tgɖr ẃć ś cem t vizit; n aftr rmenñ ɖr az loñ az ś cd gv cumf̣t or advîs, ś qitd ɖ cotij wɖ sć an impreśn v ɖ sīn az md hr se t Harịt, az ɖe wōct awe,

“Ɖz r ɖ sîts, Harịt, t d wn gd. Hǎ trîf̣lñ ɖe mc evrʈñ els apir!—I fīl nǎ az f I cd ʈnc v nʈñ bt ɖz pur crīćrz ol ɖ rest v ɖ de; n yt, hu cn se hǎ sn it me ol vaniś fṛm mî mînd?”

“Vri tru,” sd Harịt. “Pur crīćrz! wn cn ʈnc v nʈñ els.”

“N riyli, I d nt ʈnc ɖ impreśn wl sn b ovr,” sd Ema, az ś crost ɖ lo hej, n toṭrñ ftstep ẃć endd ɖ naro, sliṗri paʈ ʈru ɖ cotij gardn, n bròt ɖm intu ɖ len agn. “I d nt ʈnc it wl,” stopñ t lc wns mor at ol ɖ ǎtwd rećidnis v ɖ ples, n rcōl ɖ stl gretr wɖn.

“Ǒ! dir, no,” sd hr cmpańn.

Ɖe wōct on. Ɖ len md a slît bnd; n ẃn ɖt bnd wz pást, Mr. Eltn wz imīɉtli in sît; n so nir az t gv Ema tîm onli t se farɖr,

“Ā! Harịt, hir cmz a vri sudn trîl v ǎr stbiḷti in gd ʈts. Wel, (smîlñ,) I hop it me b alaud ɖt f cmpaśn hz pṛdyst xrśn n rlif t ɖ sufrrz, it hz dn ol ɖt z trūli importnt. F w fīl fr ɖ rećid, inuf t d ol w cn fr ɖm, ɖ rest z emti simṗʈi, onli dstresñ t ǎrslvz.”

Harịt cd jst ansr, “Ǒ! dir, yes,” bfr ɖ jntlmn jônd ɖm. Ɖ wonts n suf̣rñz v ɖ pur faṃli, hvr, wr ɖ frst subjict on mītñ. H hd bn gwñ t cōl on ɖm. Hiz vizit h wd nǎ dfŕ; bt ɖe hd a vri inṭrestñ parli abt ẃt cd b dn n śd b dn. Mr. Eltn ɖen trnd bac t acumṗni ɖm.

“T fōl in wɖ ć uɖr on sć an eṛnd az ɖs,” ʈt Ema; “t mīt in a ćaritbl scīm; ɖs wl brñ a gret incrīs v luv on ć sîd. I śd nt wundr f it wr t brñ on ɖ decḷreśn. It mst, f I wr nt hir. I wś I wr enẃr els.”

Añśs t seṗret hrslf fṛm ɖm az far az ś cd, ś sn aftwdz tc pześn v a naro ftpaʈ, a litl rezd on wn sîd v ɖ len, līvñ ɖm tgɖr in ɖ mn rod. Bt ś hd nt bn ɖr tū minits ẃn ś faund ɖt Harịt’s habits v dpndns n iṃteśn wr brññ hr p tù, n ɖt, in śort, ɖe wd bʈ b sn aftr hr. Ɖs wd nt d; ś imīɉtli stopt, undr pritns v hvñ sm olṭreśn t mc in ɖ lêsñ v hr haf-būt, n stūpñ dǎn in cmplit okpeśn v ɖ ftpaʈ, begd ɖm t hv ɖ gdnis t wōc on, n ś wd folo in haf a minit. Ɖe dd az ɖe wr dzîrd; n bî ɖ tîm ś jujd it rīzṇbl t hv dn wɖ hr būt, ś hd ɖ cumf̣t v farɖr dle in hr pǎr, biyñ oṿtecn bî a ćîld fṛm ɖ cotij, setñ ǎt, acordñ t ordrz, wɖ hr pićr, t feć broʈ fṛm Hārtfīld. T wōc bî ɖ sîd v ɖs ćîld, n tōc t n qsćn hr, wz ɖ most naćṛl ʈñ in ɖ wrld, or wd hv bn ɖ most naćṛl, hd ś bn actñ jst ɖen wɖt dzîn; n bî ɖs mīnz ɖ uɖrz wr stl ebl t cīp ahd, wɖt eni obḷgeśn v wêtñ fr hr. Ś gend on ɖm, hvr, invoḷntṛli: ɖ ćîld’z pes wz qc, n ɖerz rɖr slo; n ś wz ɖ mor cnsrnd at it, fṛm ɖer biyñ evidntli in a convseśn ẃć inṭrestd ɖm. Mr. Eltn wz spīcñ wɖ aṇmeśn, Harịt liṣnñ wɖ a vri plizd atnśn; n Ema, hvñ snt ɖ ćîld on, wz bginñ t ʈnc hǎ ś mt drw bac a litl mor, ẃn ɖe bʈ lct arnd, n ś wz oblîjd t jôn ɖm.

Mr. Eltn wz stl tōcñ, stl ingejd in sm inṭrestñ dītel; n Ema xpirịnst sm dis’pôntmnt ẃn ś faund ɖt h wz onli gvñ hiz fer cmpańn an acǎnt v ɖ yesṭde’z parti at hiz frend Coul’z, n ɖt ś wz cm in hrslf fr ɖ Stiltn ćīz, ɖ norʈ Wiltśr, ɖ butr, ɖ seḷri, ɖ bītrūt, n ol ɖ dzrt.

“Ɖs wd sn hv léd t smʈñ betr, v cors,” wz hr cnsolñ rfleẋn; “enʈñ inṭrests btwn ɖoz hu luv; n enʈñ wl srv az intṛduẋn t ẃt z nir ɖ hart. F I cd bt hv cept longr awe!”

Ɖe nǎ wōct on tgɖr qaytli, tl wɖn vy v ɖ vic̣rijpelz, ẃn a sudn reẓluśn, v at līst gtñ Harịt intu ɖ hǎs, md hr agn fînd smʈñ vri mć amis abt hr būt, n fōl bhnd t arenj it wns mor. Ś ɖen brouc ɖ lês of śort, n dxtṛsli ʈrowñ it intu a dić, wz prezntli oblîjd t intrit ɖm t stop, n acnolijd hr in’biḷti t pt hrslf t rîts so az t b ebl t wōc hom in tolṛbl cumf̣t.

“Part v mî lês z gn,” sd ś, “n I d nt nǒ hǎ I am t cntrîv. I riyli am a most trublsm cmpańn t y bʈ, bt I hop I am nt ofn so il-iqipt. Mr. Eltn, I mst beg līv t stop at yr hǎs, n asc yr hǎscīpr fr a bit v ribnd or strñ, or enʈñ jst t cīp mî būt on.”

Mr. Eltn lct ol hapinis at ɖs propziśn; n nʈñ cd xid hiz alrtnis n atnśn in cnductñ ɖm intu hiz hǎs n indeṿrñ t mc evrʈñ apir t advantij. Ɖ rūm ɖe wr tecn intu wz ɖ wn h ćīfli okpaid, n lcñ fwdz; bhnd it wz anɖr wɖ ẃć it imīɉtli cḿṇcetd; ɖ dor btwn ɖm wz opn, n Ema pást intu it wɖ ɖ hǎscīpr t rsiv hr asistns in ɖ most cumftbl manr. Ś wz oblîjd t līv ɖ dor ajar az ś faund it; bt ś fŭli intndd ɖt Mr. Eltn śd cloz it. It wz nt clozd, hvr, it stl rmend ajar; bt bî ingejñ ɖ hǎscīpr in insesnt convseśn, ś hopt t mc it practicbl fr him t ćūz hiz ǒn subjict in ɖ ajônñ rūm. Fr ten minits ś cd hír nʈñ bt hrslf. It cd b pṛtractd no longr. Ś wz ɖen oblîjd t b finiśt, n mc hr apiṛns.

Ɖ luvrz wr standñ tgɖr at wn v ɖ windoz. It hd a most fevṛbl aspect; n, fr haf a minit, Ema flt ɖ glori v hvñ scīmd s’xesf̣li. Bt it wd nt d; h hd nt cm t ɖ pônt. H hd bn most agriybl, most dlîtfl; h hd tld Harịt ɖt h hd sìn ɖm g bî, n hd prṗsli foloud ɖm; uɖr litl gaḷntriz n aluźnz hd bn dropt, bt nʈñ sirịs.

“Cōśs, vri cōśs,” ʈt Ema; “h advansz inć bî inć, n wl haẓd nʈñ tl h b’livz himslf s’kr.”

Stl, hvr, ɖo evrʈñ hd nt bn acumpliśt bî hr injīńs dvîs, ś cd nt bt flatr hrslf ɖt it hd bn ɖ oceźn v mć preznt injômnt t bʈ, n mst b līdñ ɖm fwd t ɖ gret ivnt.

Mr. n Msz. Jon Naitli, fṛm hvñ bn longr ɖn yźl absnt fṛm Suri, wr xîtñ v cors rɖr mor ɖn ɖ yźl inṭrest. Tl ɖs yir, evri loñ vceśn sins ɖer marij hd bn dvîdd btwn Hārtfīld n Donwél Abi; bt ol ɖ hoḷdez v ɖs ōtm hd bn gvn t sìbeɖñ fr ɖ ćildṛn, n it wz ɖrfr mni munʈs sins ɖe hd bn sìn in a reğlr we bî ɖer Suri cnẋnz, or sìn at ol bî Mr. Wŭdhǎs, hu cd nt b indyst t gt so far az Lundn, īvn fr pur Iẓbela’z sec; n hu consiqntli wz nǎ most nrṿsli n aprihnsivli hapi in fōrstōlñ ɖs tù śort vizit.

H ʈt mć v ɖ īvlz v ɖ jrni fr hr, n nt a litl v ɖ ftīgz v hiz ǒn horsz n coćmn hu wr t brñ sm v ɖ parti ɖ last haf v ɖ we; bt hiz alarmz wr nīdlis; ɖ sixtīn mîlz biyñ haṗli acumpliśt, n Mr. n Msz. Jon Naitli, ɖer fîv ćildṛn, n a compitnt numbr v nrṣrimeidz, ol rīćñ Hārtfīld in sefti. Ɖ busl n jô v sć an arîvl, ɖ mni t b tōct t, welcmd, incurijd, n verịsli dsprst n dspozd v, pṛdyst a nôz n cnfyźn ẃć hiz nrvz cd nt hv bòrn undr eni uɖr cōz, nr hv indyrd mć longr īvn fr ɖs; bt ɖ wez v Hārtfīld n ɖ fīlñz v hr faɖr wr so rspctd bî Msz. Jon Naitli, ɖt in spît v mtrnl s’liṣtyd fr ɖ imīɉt injômnt v hr litl wnz, n fr ɖer hvñ instntli ol ɖ liḅti n atndns, ol ɖ ītñ n drincñ, n slīpñ n pleyñ, ẃć ɖe cd poṣbli wś fr, wɖt ɖ smōlist dle, ɖ ćildṛn wr nvr alaud t b loñ a dstrbns t him, îɖr in ɖmslvz or in eni restlis atndns on ɖm.

Msz. Jon Naitli wz a priti, elignt litl wmn, v jntl, qayt manrz, n a disṗziśn rmarcbli emịbl n afẋṇt; rápt p in hr faṃli; a dvotd wîf, a dǒtñ muɖr, n so tndrli ataćt t hr faɖr n sistr ɖt, bt fr ɖz hayr tîz, a wormr luv mt hv sīmd imposbl. Ś cd nvr si a fōlt in eni v ɖm. Ś wz nt a wmn v stroñ unḍstandñ or eni qcnis; n wɖ ɖs rzmbḷns v hr faɖr, ś inheṛtd olso mć v hiz consttyśn; wz delic̣t in hr ǒn hlʈ, oṿcerfl v ɖt v hr ćildṛn, hd mni firz n mni nrvz, n wz az fond v hr ǒn Mr. Wñfīld in tǎn az hr faɖr cd b v Mr. Peri. Ɖe wr alîc tù, in a jenṛl bnevḷns v tmpr, n a stroñ habit v rgard fr evri old aqentns.

Mr. Jon Naitli wz a tōl, jntlmnlîc, n vri clevr man; rîzñ in hiz pṛfeśn, dmestic, n rspctbl in hiz prîṿt caṛctr; bt wɖ rzrvd manrz ẃć privntd hiz biyñ jenṛli plizñ; n ceṗbl v biyñ smtmz ǎt v hymr. H wz nt an il-tmprd man, nt so ofn unrīzṇbli cros az t dzrv sć a rproć; bt hiz tmpr wz nt hiz gret pfẋn; n, indd, wɖ sć a wrṣ́pñ wîf, it wz hardli poṣbl ɖt eni naćṛl dīfects in it śd nt b incrist. Ɖ xtrim swītnis v hr tmpr mst hrt hiz. H hd ol ɖ clirnis n qcnis v mînd ẃć ś wontd, n h cd smtmz act an ungreśs, or se a svir ʈñ.

H wz nt a gret feṿrit wɖ hiz fer sistr-in-lw. Nʈñ roñ in him iscept hr. Ś wz qc in fīlñ ɖ litl inɉriz t Iẓbela, ẃć Iẓbela nvr flt hrslf. Phps ś mt hv pást ovr mor hd hiz manrz bn flaṭrñ t Iẓbela’z sistr, bt ɖe wr onli ɖoz v a cāmli cînd bruɖr n frend, wɖt prêz n wɖt blîndnis; bt hardli eni dgri v prsnl complimnt cd hv md hr rgardlis v ɖt gretist fōlt v ol in hr îz ẃć h smtmz fél intu, ɖ wont v rspctfl fōrbeṛns twdz hr faɖr. Ɖr h hd nt olwz ɖ peśns ɖt cd hv bn wśt. Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z pkliaṛtiz n fijtinis wr smtmz pṛvocñ him t a raśnl rmonstṛns or śarp rtort īqli il-bstoud. It dd nt ofn hapn; fr Mr. Jon Naitli hd riyli a gret rgard fr hiz faɖr-in-lw, n jenṛli a stroñ sns v ẃt wz dy t him; bt it wz tù ofn fr Ema’z ćaṛti, ispeṣ́li az ɖr wz ol ɖ pen v aprihnśn frīqntli t b indyrd, ɖo ɖ ofns cem nt. Ɖ bginñ, hvr, v evri vizit dspleid nn bt ɖ proṗrist fīlñz, n ɖs biyñ v nseṣti so śort mt b hopt t pas awe in unsulid cordiaḷti. Ɖe hd nt bn loñ sītd n cmpozd ẃn Mr. Wŭdhǎs, wɖ a meḷnc̣li śec v ɖ hed n a sai, cōld hiz dōtr’z atnśn t ɖ sad ćenj at Hārtfīld sins ś hd bn ɖr last.

“Ā, mî dir,” sd h, “pur Mis Teilr—It z a grīṿs biznis.”

“Ǒ yes, sr,” craid ś wɖ redi simṗʈi, “hǎ y mst mis hr! N dir Ema, tù!—Ẃt a dredfl los t y bʈ!—I hv bn so grīvd fr y.—I cd nt imajin hǎ y cd poṣbli d wɖt hr.—It z a sad ćenj indd.—Bt I hop ś z priti wel, sr.”

“Priti wel, mî dir—I hop—priti wel.—I d nt nǒ bt ɖt ɖ ples agriz wɖ hr tolṛbli.”

Mr. Jon Naitli hir asct Ema qaytli ẃɖr ɖr wr eni dǎts v ɖ er v Randlz.

“Ǒ! no—nn in ɖ līst. I nvr sw Msz. Wsṭn betr in mî lîf—nvr lcñ so wel. Ppā z onli spīcñ hiz ǒn rgret.”

“Vri mć t ɖ onr v bʈ,” wz ɖ hansm rplî.

“N d y si hr, sr, tolṛbli ofn?” asct Iẓbela in ɖ plentiv ton ẃć jst sūtd hr faɖr.

Mr. Wŭdhǎs heztetd.—“Nt nir so ofn, mî dir, az I cd wś.”

“Ǒ! ppā, w hv míst siyñ ɖm bt wn intîr de sins ɖe marid. Îɖr in ɖ mornñ or īvnñ v evri de, xptñ wn, hv w sìn îɖr Mr. Wsṭn or Msz. Wsṭn, n jenṛli bʈ, îɖr at Randlz or hir—n az y me s’poz, Iẓbela, most frīqntli hir. Ɖe r vri, vri cînd in ɖer vizits. Mr. Wsṭn z riyli az cînd az hrslf. Ppā, f y spīc in ɖt meḷnc̣li we, y wl b gvñ Iẓbela a fōls îdīa v s ol. Evrbdi mst b awer ɖt Mis Teilr mst b míst, bt evrbdi òt olso t b aśurd ɖt Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn d riyli privnt ǎr misñ hr bî eni mīnz t ɖ xtnt w ǎrslvz antiṣpetd—ẃć z ɖ xact truʈ.”

“Jst az it śd b,” sd Mr. Jon Naitli, “n jst az I hopt it wz fṛm yr letrz. Hr wś v śowñ y atnśn cd nt b dǎtd, n hiz biyñ a disingejd n sośl man mcs it ol īzi. I hv bn olwz telñ y, mî luv, ɖt I hd no îdīa v ɖ ćenj biyñ so vri mtirịl t Hārtfīld az y aprihndd; n nǎ y hv Ema’z acǎnt, I hop y wl b saṭsfaid.”

“Ẃ, t b śr,” sd Mr. Wŭdhǎs—“yes, srtnli—I canot dnî ɖt Msz. Wsṭn, pur Msz. Wsṭn, dz cm n si s priti ofn—bt ɖen—ś z olwz oblîjd t g awe agn.”

“It wd b vri hard upn Mr. Wsṭn f ś dd nt, ppā.—Y qt fget pur Mr. Wsṭn.”

“I ʈnc, indd,” sd Jon Naitli plezntli, “ɖt Mr. Wsṭn hz sm litl clem. Y n I, Ema, wl vnćr t tec ɖ part v ɖ pur huzbnd. I, biyñ a huzbnd, n y nt biyñ a wîf, ɖ clemz v ɖ man me vri lîcli strîc s wɖ īql fors. Az fr Iẓbela, ś hz bn marid loñ inuf t si ɖ cnvińns v ptñ ol ɖ Mr. Wsṭnz asd az mć az ś cn.”

“M, mî luv,” craid hiz wîf, hírñ n unḍstandñ onli in part.— “R y tōcñ abt m?—I am śr nbdi òt t b, or cn b, a gretr advc̣t fr matriṃni ɖn I am; n f it hd nt bn fr ɖ miẓri v hr līvñ Hārtfīld, I śd nvr hv ʈt v Mis Teilr bt az ɖ most forćṇt wmn in ɖ wrld; n az t slîtñ Mr. Wsṭn, ɖt xḷnt Mr. Wsṭn, I ʈnc ɖr z nʈñ h dz nt dzrv. I b’liv h z wn v ɖ vri bst-tmprd men ɖt evr xistd. Xptñ yrslf n yr bruɖr, I d nt nǒ hiz īql fr tmpr. I śl nvr fget hiz flayñ Õri’z cît fr him ɖt vri windi de last Īstr—n evr sins hiz ptiklr cîndnis last Sptmbr twelvmunʈ in raitñ ɖt not, at twelv o’cloc at nît, on prṗs t aśur m ɖt ɖr wz no scarlit fīvr at Cobm, I hv bn cnvinst ɖr cd nt b a mor fīlñ hart nr a betr man in xistns.—F enbdi cn dzrv him, it mst b Mis Teilr.”

“Ẃr z ɖ yuñ man?” sd Jon Naitli. “Hz h bn hir on ɖs oceźn—or hz h nt?”

“H hz nt bn hir yt,” rplaid Ema. “Ɖr wz a stroñ xpcteśn v hiz cmñ sn aftr ɖ marij, bt it endd in nʈñ; n I hv nt hŕd him mnśnd lêtli.”

“Bt y śd tel ɖm v ɖ letr, mî dir,” sd hr faɖr. “H rout a letr t pur Msz. Wsṭn, t cngrać̣let hr, n a vri propr, hansm letr it wz. Ś śoud it t m. I ʈt it vri wel dn v him indd. Ẃɖr it wz hiz ǒn îdīa y nǒ, wn canot tel. H z bt yuñ, n hiz uncl, phps—”

“Mî dir ppā, h z ʈri-n-twenti. Y fget hǎ tîm pasz.”

“Ʈri-n-twenti!—z h indd?—Wel, I cd nt hv ʈt it—n h wz bt tū yirz old ẃn h lost hiz pur muɖr! Wel, tîm dz flî indd!—n mî meṃri z vri bad. Hvr, it wz an xidñ gd, priti letr, n gev Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn a gret dīl v pleźr. I rmembr it wz ritn fṛm Weṃʈ, n detd Sept. 28ʈ—n bgan, ‘Mî dir Madm,’ bt I fget hǎ it wnt on; n it wz sînd ‘F. C. Wsṭn Ćrćl.’—I rmembr ɖt prf̣cli.”

“Hǎ vri plizñ n propr v him!” craid ɖ gd-hartd Msz. Jon Naitli. “I hv no dǎt v hiz biyñ a most emịbl yuñ man. Bt hǎ sad it z ɖt h śd nt liv at hom wɖ hiz faɖr! Ɖr z smʈñ so śocñ in a ćîld’z biyñ tecn awe fṛm hiz peṛnts n naćṛl hom! I nvr cd comprihnd hǎ Mr. Wsṭn cd part wɖ him. T gv p wn’z ćîld! I riyli nvr cd ʈnc wel v enbdi hu pṛpozd sć a ʈñ t enbdi els.”

“Nbdi evr dd ʈnc wel v ɖ Ćrćlz, I fansi,” obzrvd Mr. Jon Naitli cūli. “Bt y nīd nt imajin Mr. Wsṭn t hv flt ẃt y wd fīl in gvñ p Õri or Jon. Mr. Wsṭn z rɖr an īzi, ćirfl-tmprd man, ɖn a man v stroñ fīlñz; h tecs ʈñz az h fîndz ɖm, n mcs injômnt v ɖm smhǎ or uɖr, dpndñ, I sspct, mć mor upn ẃt z cōld ssayti fr hiz cumf̣ts, ɖt z, upn ɖ pǎr v ītñ n drincñ, n pleyñ ẃist wɖ hiz nebrz fîv tîmz a wīc, ɖn upn faṃli’fẋn, or enʈñ ɖt hom afordz.”

Ema cd nt lîc ẃt bordrd on a rfleẋn on Mr. Wsṭn, n hd haf a mînd t tec it p; bt ś strugld, n let it pas. Ś wd cīp ɖ pīs f poṣbl; n ɖr wz smʈñ onṛbl n vałbl in ɖ stroñ dmestic habits, ɖ ol-sfiśnsi v hom t himslf, ẃns rzultd hr bruɖr’z disṗziśn t lc dǎn on ɖ comn ret v sośl inṭcors, n ɖoz t hūm it wz importnt.—It hd a hî clem t fōrbeṛns.

Ś hopt ɖe mt nǎ bcm frendz agn. Ś ʈt it wz tîm t mc p. Mcñ-up indd wd nt d. Ś srtnli hd nt bn in ɖ roñ, n h wd nvr ǒn ɖt h hd. Cnseśn mst b ǎt v ɖ qsćn; bt it wz tîm t apir t fget ɖt ɖe hd evr qoṛld; n ś hopt it mt rɖr asist ɖ resṭreśn v frendśp, ɖt ẃn h cem intu ɖ rūm ś hd wn v ɖ ćildṛn wɖ hr—ɖ yungist, a nîs litl grl abt et munʈs old, hu wz nǎ mcñ hr frst vizit t Hārtfīld, n vri hapi t b danst abt in hr ānt’s armz. It dd asist; fr ɖo h bgan wɖ grev lcs n śort qsćnz, h wz sn léd on t tōc v ɖm ol in ɖ yźl we, n t tec ɖ ćîld ǎt v hr armz wɖ ol ɖ unseṛmonịsnis v prfict aṃti. Ema flt ɖe wr frendz agn; n ɖ cnviẋn gvñ hr at frst gret saṭsfaẋn, n ɖen a litl sōsinis, ś cd nt hlp seyñ, az h wz admîrñ ɖ bebi,

“Ẃt a cumf̣t it z, ɖt w ʈnc alîc abt ǎr nefyz n nīsz. Az t men n wimin, ǎr opińnz r smtmz vri difṛnt; bt wɖ rgard t ɖz ćildṛn, I obzrv w nvr dis’gri.”

“F y wr az mć gîdd bî nećr in yr esṭmet v men n wimin, n az litl undr ɖ pǎr v fansi n ẃim in yr dīlñz wɖ ɖm, az y r ẃr ɖz ćildṛn r cnsrnd, w mt olwz ʈnc alîc.”

“T b śr—ǎr dscordnsiz mst olwz arîz fṛm mî biyñ in ɖ roñ.”

“Yes,” sd h, smîlñ—“n rīzn gd. I wz sixtīn yirz old ẃn y wr born.”

“A mtirịl difṛns ɖen,” ś rplaid—“n no dǎt y wr mć mî s’pirịr in jujmnt at ɖt pirịd v ǎr livz; bt dz nt ɖ laps v wn-n-twenti yirz brñ ǎr unḍstandñz a gd dīl nirr?”

“Yes—a gd dīl nirr.”

“Bt stl, nt nir inuf t gv m a ćans v biyñ rît, f w ʈnc difṛntli.”

“I hv stl ɖ advantij v y bî sixtīn yirz’ xpirịns, n bî nt biyñ a priti yuñ wmn n a spôld ćîld. Cm, mî dir Ema, let s b frendz, n se no mor abt it. Tel yr ānt, litl Ema, ɖt ś òt t set y a betr xampl ɖn t b rnywñ old grīvnsz, n ɖt f ś wr nt roñ bfr, ś z nǎ.”

“Ɖt’s tru,” ś craid—“vri tru. Litl Ema, gro p a betr wmn ɖn yr ānt. B infiṇtli clevrr n nt haf so cnsitd. Nǎ, Mr. Naitli, a wrd or tū mor, n I hv dn. Az far az gd intnśnz wnt, w wr bʈ rît, n I mst se ɖt no ifcts on mî sîd v ɖ arğmnt hv yt pruvd roñ. I onli wont t nǒ ɖt Mr. Martin z nt vri, vri bitrli dis’pôntd.”

“A man canot b mor so,” wz hiz śort, fl ansr.

“Ā!—Indd I am vri sori.—Cm, śec handz wɖ m.”

Ɖs hd jst tecn ples n wɖ gret cordiaḷti, ẃn Jon Naitli md hiz apiṛns, n “Hǎ d’yi d, Jorj?” n “Jon, hǎ r y?” s’xidd in ɖ tru Ñgliś stîl, beriyñ undr a cāmnis ɖt sīmd ol bt indifṛns, ɖ riyl ataćmnt ẃć wd hv léd îɖr v ɖm, f reqzit, t d evrʈñ fr ɖ gd v ɖ uɖr.

Ɖ īvnñ wz qayt n cnvrsbl, az Mr. Wŭdhǎs dclînd cardz intîrli fr ɖ sec v cumftbl tōc wɖ hiz dir Iẓbela, n ɖ litl parti md tū naćṛl dviźnz; on wn sîd h n hiz dōtr; on ɖ uɖr ɖ tū Mr. Naitliz; ɖer subjicts toṭli dstñt, or vri rerli mixñ—n Ema onli oceźṇli jônñ in wn or ɖ uɖr.

Ɖ bruɖrz tōct v ɖer ǒn cnsrnz n psyts, bt prinsipli v ɖoz v ɖ eldr, huz tmpr wz bî mć ɖ most cḿnic̣tiv, n hu wz olwz ɖ gretr tōcr. Az a maɉstret, h hd jenṛli sm pônt v lw t cnsult Jon abt, or, at līst, sm krịs aṇcdot t gv; n az a farmr, az cīpñ in hand ɖ homfarm at Donwél, h hd t tel ẃt evri fīld wz t ber nxt yir, n t gv ol sć locl inf̣meśn az cd nt fel v biyñ inṭrestñ t a bruɖr huz hom it hd īqli bn ɖ longist part v hiz lîf, n huz ataćmnts wr stroñ. Ɖ plan v a dren, ɖ ćenj v a fns, ɖ félñ v a tri, n ɖ desṭneśn v evri ecr fr ẃīt, trnips, or sprñcorn, wz entrd intu wɖ az mć iqoḷti v inṭrest bî Jon, az hiz cūlr manrz rendrd poṣbl; n f hiz wilñ bruɖr evr left him enʈñ t inqîr abt, hiz inqîriz īvn aproćt a ton v īgrnis.

Ẃl ɖe wr ɖus cumftbli okpaid, Mr. Wŭdhǎs wz injoyñ a fl flo v hapi rgrets n firfl afẋn wɖ hiz dōtr.

“Mî pur dir Iẓbela,” sd h, fondli tecñ hr hand, n inṭruptñ, fr a fy momnts, hr bizi lebrz fr smwn v hr fîv ćildṛn—“Hǎ loñ it z, hǎ teṛbli loñ sins y wr hir! N hǎ tîrd y mst b aftr yr jrni! Y mst g t bed rli, mî dir—n I rec̣mnd a litl gruwl t y bfr y g.—Y n I wl hv a nîs besn v gruwl tgɖr. Mî dir Ema, s’poz w ol hv a litl gruwl.”

Ema cd nt s’poz eni sć ʈñ, nwñ az ś dd, ɖt bʈ ɖ Mr. Naitliz wr az unṗsweḍbl on ɖt articl az hrslf;—n tū besnz onli wr ordrd. Aftr a litl mor discors in prêz v gruwl, wɖ sm wunḍrñ at its nt biyñ tecn evri īvnñ bî evrbdi, h pṛsidd t se, wɖ an er v grev rfleẋn,

“It wz an ōcẉd biznis, mî dir, yr spendñ ɖ ōtm at Sǎʈ End instd v cmñ hir. I nvr hd mć opińn v ɖ sì-er.”

“Mr. Wñfīld most strenẏsli rec̣mndd it, sr—or w śd nt hv gn. H rec̣mndd it fr ol ɖ ćildṛn, bt ptiklrli fr ɖ wìcnis in litl Bela’z ʈrot,—bʈ sì-er n beɖñ.”

“Ā! mî dir, bt Peri hd mni dǎts abt ɖ sì dwñ hr eni gd; n az t mslf, I hv bn loñ prf̣cli cnvinst, ɖo phps I nvr tld y so bfr, ɖt ɖ sì z vri rerli v ys t enbdi. I am śr it olmst cild m wns.”

“Cm, cm,” craid Ema, fīlñ ɖs t b an unsef subjict, “I mst beg y nt t tōc v ɖ sì. It mcs m envịs n mizṛbl;—I hu hv nvr sìn it! Sǎʈ End z pṛhibtd, f y plīz. Mî dir Iẓbela, I hv nt hŕd y mc wn inqîri abt Mr. Peri yt; n h nvr fgets y.”

“Ǒ! gd Mr. Peri—hǎ z h, sr?”

“Ẃ, priti wel; bt nt qt wel. Pur Peri z biłs, n h hz nt tîm t tec cer v himslf—h tlz m h hz nt tîm t tec cer v himslf—ẃć z vri sad—bt h z olwz wontd ol rnd ɖ cuntri. I s’poz ɖr z nt a man in sć practis enẃr. Bt ɖen ɖr z nt so clevr a man enẃr.”

“N Msz. Peri n ɖ ćildṛn, hǎ r ɖe? d ɖ ćildṛn gro? I hv a gret rgard fr Mr. Peri. I hop h wl b cōlñ sn. H wl b so plizd t si mî litl wnz.”

“I hop h wl b hir tmoro, fr I hv a qsćn or tū t asc him abt mslf v sm consiqns. N, mî dir, ẃnvr h cmz, y hd betr let him lc at litl Bela’z ʈrot.”

“Ǒ! mî dir sr, hr ʈrot z so mć betr ɖt I hv hardli eni unīzinis abt it. Îɖr beɖñ hz bn v ɖ gretist srvis t hr, or els it z t b atribytd t an xḷnt embṛceśn v Mr. Wñfīld’z, ẃć w hv bn aplayñ at tîmz evr sins Ōġst.”

“It z nt vri lîcli, mî dir, ɖt beɖñ śd hv bn v ys t hr—n f I hd noun y wr wontñ an embṛceśn, I wd hv spocn t—

“Y sīm t m t hv fgotn Msz. n Mis Bêts,” sd Ema, “I hv nt hŕd wn inqîri aftr ɖm.”

“Ǒ! ɖ gd Bêtsz—I am qt aśemd v mslf—bt y mnśn ɖm in most v yr letrz. I hop ɖe r qt wel. Gd old Msz. Bêts—I wl cōl upn hr tmoro, n tec mî ćildṛn.—Ɖe r olwz so plizd t si mî ćildṛn.—N ɖt xḷnt Mis Bêts!—sć ʈura wrɖi ppl!—Hǎ r ɖe, sr?”

“Ẃ, priti wel, mî dir, upn ɖ hol. Bt pur Msz. Bêts hd a bad cold abt a munʈ ago.”

“Hǎ sori I am! Bt coldz wr nvr so prevḷnt az ɖe hv bn ɖs ōtm. Mr. Wñfīld tld m ɖt h hz nvr noun ɖm mor jenṛl or hevi—xpt ẃn it hz bn qt an influenza.”

“Ɖt hz bn a gd dīl ɖ ces, mî dir; bt nt t ɖ dgri y mnśn. Peri sz ɖt coldz hv bn vri jenṛl, bt nt so hevi az h hz vri ofn noun ɖm in Nvmbr. Peri dz nt cōl it oltgɖr a sicli sīzn.”

“No, I d nt nǒ ɖt Mr. Wñfīld cnsidrz it vri sicli xpt—

“Ā! mî pur dir ćîld, ɖ truʈ z, ɖt in Lundn it z olwz a sicli sīzn. Nbdi z hlʈi in Lundn, nbdi cn b. It z a dredfl ʈñ t hv y forst t liv ɖr! so far of!—n ɖ er so bad!”

“No, indd—w r nt at ol in a bad er. Ǎr part v Lundn z vri s’pirịr t most uɖrz!—Y mst nt cnfǎnd s wɖ Lundn in jenṛl, mî dir sr. Ɖ nebrhd v Brunzwic Sqer z vri difṛnt fṛm olmst ol ɖ rest. W r so vri e’ri! I śd b unwilñ, I ǒn, t liv in eni uɖr part v ɖ tǎn;—ɖr z hardli eni uɖr ɖt I cd b saṭsfaid t hv mî ćildṛn in: bt w r so rmarcbli e’ri!—Mr. Wñfīld ʈncs ɖ vsiṇti v Brunzwic Sqer dsîdidli ɖ most fevṛbl az t er.”

“Ā! mî dir, it z nt lîc Hārtfīld. Y mc ɖ bst v it—bt aftr y hv bn a wīc at Hārtfīld, y r ol v y difṛnt crīćrz; y d nt lc lîc ɖ sem. Nǎ I canot se, ɖt I ʈnc y r eni v y lcñ wel at preznt.”

“I am sori t hír y se so, sr; bt I aśur y, xptñ ɖoz litl nrṿs hed-ecs n palṗteśnz ẃć I am nvr intîrli fri fṛm enẃr, I am qt wel mslf; n f ɖ ćildṛn wr rɖr pel bfr ɖe wnt t bed, it wz onli bcz ɖe wr a litl mor tîrd ɖn yźl, fṛm ɖer jrni n ɖ hapinis v cmñ. I hop y wl ʈnc betr v ɖer lcs tmoro; fr I aśur y Mr. Wñfīld tld m, ɖt h dd nt b’liv h hd evr snt s of oltgɖr, in sć gd ces. I trust, at līst, ɖt y d nt ʈnc Mr. Naitli lcñ il,” trnñ hr îz wɖ afẋṇt añzayti twdz hr huzbnd.

“Miḍlñ, mî dir; I canot complimnt y. I ʈnc Mr. Jon Naitli vri far fṛm lcñ wel.”

“Ẃt z ɖ matr, sr?—Dd y spīc t m?” craid Mr. Jon Naitli, hírñ hiz ǒn nem.

“I am sori t fînd, mî luv, ɖt mî faɖr dz nt ʈnc y lcñ wel—bt I hop it z onli fṛm biyñ a litl ftīgd. I cd hv wśt, hvr, az y nǒ, ɖt y hd sìn Mr. Wñfīld bfr y left hom.”

“Mî dir Iẓbela,”—xclemd h hesṭli—“pre d nt cnsrn yrslf abt mî lcs. B saṭsfaid wɖ docṭrñ n coḍlñ yrslf n ɖ ćildṛn, n let m lc az I ćūz.”

“I dd nt ʈuṛli unḍstand ẃt y wr telñ yr bruɖr,” craid Ema, “abt yr frend Mr. Greym’z intndñ t hv a beilif fṛm Scotḷnd, t lc aftr hiz ny istet. Ẃt wl it ansr? Wl nt ɖ old preɉdis b tù stroñ?”

N ś tōct in ɖs we so loñ n s’xesf̣li ɖt, ẃn forst t gv hr atnśn agn t hr faɖr n sistr, ś hd nʈñ wrs t hír ɖn Iẓbela’z cînd inqîri aftr Jen Ferfax; n Jen Ferfax, ɖo no gret feṿrit wɖ hr in jenṛl, ś wz at ɖt momnt vri hapi t asist in prezñ.

“Ɖt swīt, emịbl Jen Ferfax!” sd Msz. Jon Naitli.—“It z so loñ sins I hv sìn hr, xpt nǎ n ɖen fr a momnt axdnṭli in tǎn! Ẃt hapinis it mst b t hr gd old granmuɖr n xḷnt ānt, ẃn ś cmz t vizit ɖm! I olwz rgret xesivli on dir Ema’z acǎnt ɖt ś canot b mor at Hîḅri; bt nǎ ɖer dōtr z marid, I s’poz Crnl n Msz. Cambl wl nt b ebl t part wɖ hr at ol. Ś wd b sć a dlîtfl cmpańn fr Ema.”

Mr. Wŭdhǎs agrìd t it ol, bt add,

“Ǎr litl frend Harịt Smiʈ, hvr, z jst sć anɖr priti cnd v yuñ prsn. Y wl lîc Harịt. Ema cd nt hv a betr cmpańn ɖn Harịt.”

“I am most hapi t hír it—bt onli Jen Ferfax wn nz t b so vri acumpliśt n s’pirịr!—n xacli Ema’z ej.”

Ɖs topic wz dscust vri haṗli, n uɖrz s’xidd v similr momnt, n pást awe wɖ similr harṃni; bt ɖ īvnñ dd nt cloz wɖt a litl rtrn v ajteśn. Ɖ gruwl cem n s’plaid a gret dīl t b sd—mć prêz n mni coments—undǎtñ dsiźn v its holṣmnis fr evri consttyśn, n priti svir F’lipics upn ɖ mni hǎzz ẃr it wz nvr met wɖ tolṛbli;—bt, unforćṇtli, amñ ɖ fełrz ẃć ɖ dōtr hd t instns, ɖ most rīsnt, n ɖrfr most prominnt, wz in hr ǒn cc at Sǎʈ End, a yuñ wmn hîrd fr ɖ tîm, hu nvr hd bn ebl t unḍstand ẃt ś mnt bî a besn v nîs smuɖ gruwl, ʈin, bt nt tù ʈin. Ofn az ś hd wśt fr n ordrd it, ś hd nvr bn ebl t gt enʈñ tolṛbl. Hir wz a denjṛs oṗnñ.

“Ā!” sd Mr. Wŭdhǎs, śecñ hiz hed n fixñ hiz îz on hr wɖ tndr cnsrn.—Ɖ ijakleśn in Ema’z ir xprest, “Ā! ɖr z no end v ɖ sad consiqnsz v yr gwñ t Sǎʈ End. It dz nt ber tōcñ v.” N fr a litl ẃl ś hopt h wd nt tōc v it, n ɖt a sîḷnt rūṃneśn mt sfîs t rstor him t ɖ reliś v hiz ǒn smuɖ gruwl. Aftr an inṭvl v sm minits, hvr, h bgan wɖ,

“I śl olwz b vri sori ɖt y wnt t ɖ sì ɖs ōtm, instd v cmñ hir.”

“Bt ẃ śd y b sori, sr?—I aśur y, it dd ɖ ćildṛn a gret dīl v gd.”

“N, morovr, f y mst g t ɖ sì, it hd betr nt hv bn t Sǎʈ End. Sǎʈ End z an unhlʈi ples. Peri wz s’prîzd t hír y hd fixt upn Sǎʈ End.”

“I nǒ ɖr z sć an îdīa wɖ mni ppl, bt indd it z qt a mstec, sr.—W ol hd ǎr hlʈ prf̣cli wel ɖr, nvr faund ɖ līst incnvińns fṛm ɖ mud; n Mr. Wñfīld sz it z intîrli a mstec t s’poz ɖ ples unhlʈi; n I am śr h me b dpndd on, fr h ʈuṛli unḍstandz ɖ nećr v ɖ er, n hiz ǒn bruɖr n faṃli hv bn ɖr rpitidli.”

“Y śd hv gn t Cromr, mî dir, f y wnt enẃr.—Peri wz a wīc at Cromr wns, n h holdz it t b ɖ bst v ol ɖ sìbeɖñ-plesz. A fîn opn sì, h sz, n vri pyr er. N, bî ẃt I unḍstand, y mt hv hd lojñz ɖr qt awe fṛm ɖ sì—a qortr v a mîl of—vri cumftbl. Y śd hv cnsultd Peri.”

“Bt, mî dir sr, ɖ difṛns v ɖ jrni;—onli cnsidr hǎ gret it wd hv bn.—An hundṛd mîlz, phps, instd v forti.”

“Ā! mî dir, az Peri sz, ẃr hlʈ z at stec, nʈñ els śd b cnsidrd; n f wn z t travl, ɖr z nt mć t ćūz btwn forti mîlz n an hundṛd.—Betr nt muv at ol, betr ste in Lundn oltgɖr ɖn travl forti mîlz t gt intu a wrs er. Ɖs z jst ẃt Peri sd. It sīmd t him a vri il-jujd meźr.”

Ema’z atmts t stop hr faɖr hd bn ven; n ẃn h hd rīćt sć a pônt az ɖs, ś cd nt wundr at hr bruɖr-in-lw’z brecñ ǎt.

“Mr. Peri,” sd h, in a vôs v vri stroñ dspleźr, “wd d az wel t cīp hiz opińn tl it z asct fr. Ẃ dz h mc it eni biznis v hiz, t wundr at ẃt I d?—at mî tecñ mî faṃli t wn part v ɖ cǒst or anɖr?—I me b alaud, I hop, ɖ ys v mî jujmnt az wel az Mr. Peri.—I wont hiz d’reẋnz no mor ɖn hiz drugz.” H pōzd—n growñ cūlr in a momnt, add, wɖ onli sarcastic drînis, “F Mr. Peri cn tel m hǎ t cnve a wîf n fîv ćildṛn a distns v an hundṛd n ʈrti mîlz wɖ no gretr xpns or incnvińns ɖn a distns v forti, I śd b az wilñ t prifŕ Cromr t Sǎʈ End az h cd himslf.”

“Tru, tru,” craid Mr. Naitli, wɖ most redi inṭpziśn—“vri tru. Ɖt’s a cnsiḍreśn indd.—Bt Jon, az t ẃt I wz telñ y v mî îdīa v muvñ ɖ paʈ t Lañm, v trnñ it mor t ɖ rît ɖt it me nt cut ʈru ɖ hom̦edoz, I canot cnsiv eni dificlti. I śd nt atmt it, f it wr t b ɖ mīnz v incnvińns t ɖ Hîḅri ppl, bt f y cōl t mînd xacli ɖ preznt lîn v ɖ paʈ…. Ɖ onli we v pruvñ it, hvr, wl b t trn t ǎr maps. I śl si y at ɖ Abi tmoro-mornñ I hop, n ɖen w wl lc ɖm ovr, n y śl gv m yr opińn.”

Mr. Wŭdhǎs wz rɖr ajtetd bî sć harś rfleẋnz on hiz frend Peri, t hūm h hd, in fact, ɖo unconśsli, bn atribytñ mni v hiz ǒn fīlñz n xpreśnz;—bt ɖ suɖñ atnśnz v hiz dōtrz graɉli rmuvd ɖ preznt īvl, n ɖ imīɉt alrtnis v wn bruɖr, n betr rec̣leẋnz v ɖ uɖr, privntd eni rnywl v it.

In jenṛl ɖer īvnñz wr les ingejd wɖ frendz ɖn ɖer mornñz; bt wn cmplit dinr-ingejmnt, n ǎt v ɖ hǎs tù, ɖr wz no avôdñ, ɖo at Crisṃs. Mr. Wsṭn wd tec no dnayl; ɖe mst ol dîn at Randlz wn de;—īvn Mr. Wŭdhǎs wz pswedd t ʈnc it a poṣbl ʈñ in prefṛns t a dviźn v ɖ parti.

Hǎ ɖe wr ol t b cnveid, h wd hv md a dificlti f h cd, bt az hiz sun n dōtr’z carij n horsz wr acć̣li at Hārtfīld, h wz nt ebl t mc mor ɖn a simpl qsćn on ɖt hed; it hardli amǎntd t a dǎt; nr dd it okpî Ema loñ t cnvins him ɖt ɖe mt in wn v ɖ caṛjz fînd rūm fr Harịt olso.

Harịt, Mr. Eltn, n Mr. Naitli, ɖer ǒn ispeśl set, wr ɖ onli prsnz invîtd t mīt ɖm;—ɖ aurz wr t b rli, az wel az ɖ numbrz fy; Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z habits n incḷneśn biyñ cnsultd in evrʈñ.

Ɖ īvnñ bfr ɖs gret ivnt (fr it wz a vri gret ivnt ɖt Mr. Wŭdhǎs śd dîn ǎt, on ɖ 24ʈ v Dsmbr) hd bn spent bî Harịt at Hārtfīld, n ś hd gn hom so mć indispozd wɖ a cold, ɖt, bt fr hr ǒn rnist wś v biyñ nrst bî Msz. Godard, Ema cd nt hv alaud hr t līv ɖ hǎs. Ema cōld on hr ɖ nxt de, n faund hr dūm olrdi sînd wɖ rgard t Randlz. Ś wz vri fīṿriś n hd a bad sor ʈrot: Msz. Godard wz fl v cer n afẋn, Mr. Peri wz tōct v, n Harịt hrslf wz tù il n lo t rzist ɖ oʈoṛti ẃć xcludd hr fṛm ɖs dlîtfl ingejmnt, ɖo ś cd nt spīc v hr los wɖt mni tirz.

Ema sat wɖ hr az loñ az ś cd, t atnd hr in Msz. Godard’z un’vôḍbl absnsz, n rêz hr spirits bî reprizntñ hǎ mć Mr. Eltn’z wd b dprest ẃn h ń hr stet; n left hr at last tolṛbli cumftbl, in ɖ swīt dpndns v hiz hvñ a most cumf̣tlis vizit, n v ɖer ol misñ hr vri mć. Ś hd nt advanst mni yardz fṛm Msz. Godard’z dor, ẃn ś wz met bî Mr. Eltn himslf, evidntli cmñ twdz it, n az ɖe wōct on slǒli tgɖr in convseśn abt ɖ inṿlid—v hūm h, on ɖ rūmr v cnsidṛbl ilnis, hd bn gwñ t inqîr, ɖt h mt cari sm rport v hr t Hārtfīld—ɖe wr oṿtecn bî Mr. Jon Naitli rtrnñ fṛm ɖ dêli vizit t Donwél, wɖ hiz tū eldist bôz, huz hlʈi, glowñ fesz śoud ol ɖ beṇfit v a cuntrirun, n sīmd t enśur a qc dspać v ɖ rost mutn n rîs pŭdñ ɖe wr heṣnñ hom fr. Ɖe jônd cumṗni n pṛsidd tgɖr. Ema wz jst dscrîbñ ɖ nećr v hr frend’z cmplent;—“a ʈrot vri mć inflemd, wɖ a gret dīl v hīt abt hr, a qc, lo puls, ets. n ś wz sori t fînd fṛm Msz. Godard ɖt Harịt wz laybl t vri bad sor ʈrots, n hd ofn alarmd hr wɖ ɖm.” Mr. Eltn lct ol alarm on ɖ oceźn, az h xclemd,

“A sor ʈrot!—I hop nt infẋs. I hop nt v a pytrid infẋs sort. Hz Peri sìn hr? Indd y śd tec cer v yrslf az wel az v yr frend. Let m intrit y t run no riscs. Ẃ dz nt Peri si hr?”

Ema, hu wz nt riyli at ol frîtnd hrslf, tranqlîzd ɖs xes v aprihnśn bî aśuṛnsz v Msz. Godard’z xpirịns n cer; bt az ɖr mst stl rmen a dgri v unīzinis ẃć ś cd nt wś t rīzn awe, ẃć ś wd rɖr fīd n asist ɖn nt, ś add sn aftwdz—az f qt anɖr subjict,

“It z so cold, so vri cold—n lcs n fīlz so vri mć lîc sno, ɖt f it wr t eni uɖr ples or wɖ eni uɖr parti, I śd riyli trî nt t g ǎt tde—n dswed mî faɖr fṛm vnćrñ; bt az h hz md p hiz mînd, n dz nt sīm t fīl ɖ cold himslf, I d nt lîc t inṭfir, az I nǒ it wd b so gret a dis’pôntmnt t Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn. Bt, upn mî wrd, Mr. Eltn, in yr ces, I śd srtnli xkz mslf. Y apir t m a litl hōrs olrdi, n ẃn y cnsidr ẃt dmand v vôs n ẃt ftīgz tmoro wl brñ, I ʈnc it wd b no mor ɖn comn prūdns t ste at hom n tec cer v yrslf tnît.”

Mr. Eltn lct az f h dd nt vri wel nǒ ẃt ansr t mc; ẃć wz xacli ɖ ces; fr ɖo vri mć graṭfaid bî ɖ cînd cer v sć a fer ledi, n nt lîcñ t rzist eni advîs v hr’z, h hd nt riyli ɖ līst incḷneśn t gv p ɖ vizit;—bt Ema, tù īgr n bizi in hr ǒn prīvịs cnspśnz n vyz t hír him imparṣ́li, or si him wɖ clir viźn, wz vri wel saṭsfaid wɖ hiz muṭrñ acnolijmnt v its biyñ “vri cold, srtnli vri cold,” n wōct on, rjôsñ in hvñ xtṛcetd him fṛm Randlz, n s’krd him ɖ pǎr v sndñ t inqîr aftr Harịt evri aur v ɖ īvnñ.

“Y d qt rît,” sd ś;—“w wl mc yr apoḷjiz t Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn.”

Bt hardli hd ś so spocn, ẃn ś faund hr bruɖr wz siṿli of̣rñ a sīt in hiz carij, f ɖ weɖr wr Mr. Eltn’z onli objẋn, n Mr. Eltn acć̣li axptñ ɖ ofr wɖ mć promt saṭsfaẋn. It wz a dn ʈñ; Mr. Eltn wz t g, n nvr hd hiz brōd hansm fes xprest mor pleźr ɖn at ɖs momnt; nvr hd hiz smîl bn strongr, nr hiz îz mor xultñ ɖn ẃn h nxt lct at hr.

“Wel,” sd ś t hrslf, “ɖs z most strenj!—Aftr I hd got him of so wel, t ćūz t g intu cumṗni, n līv Harịt il bhnd!—Most strenj indd!—Bt ɖr z, I b’liv, in mni men, ispeṣ́li sngl men, sć an incḷneśn—sć a paśn fr dînñ ǎt—a dinr-ingejmnt z so hî in ɖ clas v ɖer pleźrz, ɖer implômnts, ɖer digṇtiz, olmst ɖer dytiz, ɖt enʈñ gvz we t it—n ɖs mst b ɖ ces wɖ Mr. Eltn; a most vałbl, emịbl, plizñ yuñ man undǎtidli, n vri mć in luv wɖ Harịt; bt stl, h canot rfyz an invteśn, h mst dîn ǎt ẃrvr h z asct. Ẃt a strenj ʈñ luv z! h cn si redi wit in Harịt, bt wl nt dîn alon fr hr.”

Sn aftwdz Mr. Eltn qitd ɖm, n ś cd nt bt d him ɖ justis v fīlñ ɖt ɖr wz a gret dīl v sntimnt in hiz manr v nemñ Harịt at partñ; in ɖ ton v hiz vôs ẃl aśurñ hr ɖt h śd cōl at Msz. Godard’z fr nyz v hr fer frend, ɖ last ʈñ bfr h priperd fr ɖ hapinis v mītñ hr agn, ẃn h hopt t b ebl t gv a betr rport; n h said n smîld himslf of in a we ɖt left ɖ baḷns v apṛbeśn mć in hiz fevr.

Aftr a fy minits v intîr sîḷns btwn ɖm, Jon Naitli bgan wɖ—

“I nvr in mî lîf sw a man mor intnt on biyñ agriybl ɖn Mr. Eltn. It z dǎnrît lebr t him ẃr lediz r cnsrnd. Wɖ men h cn b raśnl n un’fctd, bt ẃn h hz lediz t plīz, evri fīćr wrcs.”

“Mr. Eltn’z manrz r nt prfict,” rplaid Ema; “bt ẃr ɖr z a wś t plīz, wn òt t oṿlc, n wn dz oṿlc a gret dīl. Ẃr a man dz hiz bst wɖ onli modṛt pǎrz, h wl hv ɖ advantij ovr neglijnt s’pirioṛti. Ɖr z sć prfict gd-tmpr n gdwil in Mr. Eltn az wn canot bt valy.”

“Yes,” sd Mr. Jon Naitli prezntli, wɖ sm slînis, “h sīmz t hv a gret dīl v gdwil twdz y.”

“M!” ś rplaid wɖ a smîl v astoniśmnt, “r y imaɉnñ m t b Mr. Eltn’z objict?”

“Sć an imaɉneśn hz crost m, I ǒn, Ema; n f it nvr ocŕd t y bfr, y me az wel tec it intu cnsiḍreśn nǎ.”

“Mr. Eltn in luv wɖ m!—Ẃt an îdīa!”

“I d nt se it z so; bt y wl d wel t cnsidr ẃɖr it z so or nt, n t reğlet yr bhevyr acordñli. I ʈnc yr manrz t him incuṛjñ. I spīc az a frend, Ema. Y hd betr lc abt y, n aṣten ẃt y d, n ẃt y mīn t d.”

“I ʈanc y; bt I aśur y y r qt mstecn. Mr. Eltn n I r vri gd frendz, n nʈñ mor;” n ś wōct on, aḿzñ hrslf in ɖ cnsiḍreśn v ɖ blundrz ẃć ofn arîz fṛm a parśl nolij v srcmstansz, v ɖ mstecs ẃć ppl v hî pritnśnz t jujmnt r fr evr fōlñ intu; n nt vri wel plizd wɖ hr bruɖr fr imaɉnñ hr blînd n ignṛnt, n in wont v cǎnsl. H sd no mor.

Mr. Wŭdhǎs hd so cmplitli md p hiz mînd t ɖ vizit, ɖt in spît v ɖ incrisñ coldnis, h sīmd t hv no îdīa v śrincñ fṛm it, n set fwd at last most puñć̣li wɖ hiz eldist dōtr in hiz ǒn carij, wɖ les apaṛnt conśsnis v ɖ weɖr ɖn îɖr v ɖ uɖrz; tù fl v ɖ wundr v hiz ǒn gwñ, n ɖ pleźr it wz t aford at Randlz t si ɖt it wz cold, n tù wel rápt p t fīl it. Ɖ cold, hvr, wz svir; n bî ɖ tîm ɖ secnd carij wz in mośn, a fy flecs v sno wr fîndñ ɖer we dǎn, n ɖ scî hd ɖ apiṛns v biyñ so oṿćarjd az t wont onli a mîldr er t pṛdys a vri ẃît wrld in a vri śort tîm.

Ema sn sw ɖt hr cmpańn wz nt in ɖ hapiist hymr. Ɖ pripẹrñ n ɖ gwñ abrōd in sć weɖr, wɖ ɖ sacṛfîs v hiz ćildṛn aftr dinr, wr īvlz, wr dis’griyblz at līst, ẃć Mr. Jon Naitli dd nt bî eni mīnz lîc; h antiṣpetd nʈñ in ɖ vizit ɖt cd b at ol wrʈ ɖ prćis; n ɖ hol v ɖer drîv t ɖ vic̣rij wz spent bî him in xpresñ hiz discntnt.

“A man,” sd h, “mst hv a vri gd opińn v himslf ẃn h ascs ppl t līv ɖer ǒn fîrsîd, n incǎntr sć a de az ɖs, fr ɖ sec v cmñ t si him. H mst ʈnc himslf a most agriybl felo; I cd nt d sć a ʈñ. It z ɖ gretist absrdti—Acć̣li snowñ at ɖs momnt!—Ɖ foli v nt alawñ ppl t b cumftbl at hom—n ɖ foli v ppl’z nt steyñ cumftbli at hom ẃn ɖe cn! F w wr oblîjd t g ǎt sć an īvnñ az ɖs, bî eni cōl v dyti or biznis, ẃt a hardśp w śd dīm it;—n hir r w, probbli wɖ rɖr ʈinr cloɖñ ɖn yźl, setñ fwd voḷntṛli, wɖt xks, in dfayns v ɖ vôs v nećr, ẃć tlz man, in evrʈñ gvn t hiz vy or hiz fīlñz, t ste at hom himslf, n cīp ol undr śltr ɖt h cn;—hir r w setñ fwd t spend fîv dul aurz in anɖr man’z hǎs, wɖ nʈñ t se or t hír ɖt wz nt sd n hŕd yesṭde, n me nt b sd n hŕd agn tmoro. Gwñ in dizṃl weɖr, t rtrn probbli in wrs;—for horsz n for srvnts tecn ǎt fr nʈñ bt t cnve fîv îdl, śiṿrñ crīćrz intu coldr rūmz n wrs cumṗni ɖn ɖe mt hv hd at hom.”

Ema dd nt fînd hrslf īql t gv ɖ plizd asnt, ẃć no dǎt h wz in ɖ habit v rsivñ, t eḿlet ɖ “Vri tru, mî luv,” ẃć mst hv bn yẓ́li administrd bî hiz traṿlñ cmpańn; bt ś hd reẓluśn inuf t rfren fṛm mcñ eni ansr at ol. Ś cd nt b cmplayñ, ś dredd biyñ qoṛlsm; hr herǒizm rīćt onli t sîḷns. Ś alaud him t tōc, n arenjd ɖ glasz, n rápt hrslf p, wɖt oṗnñ hr lips.

Ɖe arîvd, ɖ carij trnd, ɖ step wz let dǎn, n Mr. Eltn, sprūs, blac, n smîlñ, wz wɖ ɖm instntli. Ema ʈt wɖ pleźr v sm ćenj v subjict. Mr. Eltn wz ol obḷgeśn n ćirflnis; h wz so vri ćirfl in hiz sviḷtiz indd, ɖt ś bgan t ʈnc h mst hv rsivd a difṛnt acǎnt v Harịt fṛm ẃt hd rīćt hr. Ś hd snt ẃl dresñ, n ɖ ansr hd bn, “Mć ɖ sem—nt betr.”

“Mî rport fṛm Msz. Godard’z,” sd ś prezntli, “wz nt so pleznt az I hd hopt—‘Nt betr’ wz mî ansr.”

Hiz fes leñʈnd imīɉtli; n hiz vôs wz ɖ vôs v sntimnt az h ansrd.

“Ǒ! no—I am grīvd t fînd—I wz on ɖ pônt v telñ y ɖt ẃn I cōld at Msz. Godard’z dor, ẃć I dd ɖ vri last ʈñ bfr I rtrnd t dres, I wz tld ɖt Mis Smiʈ wz nt betr, bî no mīnz betr, rɖr wrs. Vri mć grīvd n cnsrnd—I hd flatrd mslf ɖt ś mst b betr aftr sć a cordịl az I ń hd bn gvn hr in ɖ mornñ.”

Ema smîld n ansrd—“Mî vizit wz v ys t ɖ nrṿs part v hr cmplent, I hop; bt nt īvn I cn ćarm awe a sor ʈrot; it z a most svir cold indd. Mr. Peri hz bn wɖ hr, az y probbli hŕd.”

“Yes—I imajind—ɖt z—I dd nt—”

“H hz bn yst t hr in ɖz cmplents, n I hop tmoro-mornñ wl brñ s bʈ a mor cumftbl rport. Bt it z imposbl nt t fīl unīzinis. Sć a sad los t ǎr parti tde!”

“Dredfl!—Xacli so, indd.—Ś wl b míst evri momnt.”

Ɖs wz vri propr; ɖ sai ẃć acumṗnid it wz riyli estiṃbl; bt it śd hv lastd longr. Ema wz rɖr in dsme ẃn onli haf a minit aftwdz h bgan t spīc v uɖr ʈñz, n in a vôs v ɖ gretist alacṛti n injômnt.

“Ẃt an xḷnt dvîs,” sd h, “ɖ ys v a śīpscin fr caṛjz. Hǎ vri cumftbl ɖe mc it;—imposbl t fīl cold wɖ sć pricōśnz. Ɖ cntrîvnsz v modn dez indd hv rendrd a jntlmn’z carij prf̣cli cmplit. Wn z so fnst n gardd fṛm ɖ weɖr, ɖt nt a breʈ v er cn fînd its we unṗmitd. Weɖr bcmz abṣlutli v no consiqns. It z a vri cold afṭnun—bt in ɖs carij w nǒ nʈñ v ɖ matr.—Ha! snoz a litl I si.”

“Yes,” sd Jon Naitli, “n I ʈnc w śl hv a gd dīl v it.”

“Crisṃsweɖr,” obzrvd Mr. Eltn. “Qt sīzṇbl; n xtrimli forćṇt w me ʈnc ǎrslvz ɖt it dd nt bgin yesṭde, n privnt ɖs de’z parti, ẃć it mt vri poṣbli hv dn, fr Mr. Wŭdhǎs wd hardli hv vnćrd hd ɖr bn mć sno on ɖ grǎnd; bt nǎ it z v no consiqns. Ɖs z qt ɖ sīzn indd fr frendli mītñz. At Crisṃs evrbdi invîts ɖer frendz abt ɖm, n ppl ʈnc litl v īvn ɖ wrst weɖr. I wz snoud p at a frend’z hǎs wns fr a wīc. Nʈñ cd b plezntr. I wnt fr onli wn nît, n cd nt gt awe tl ɖt vri de senît.”

Mr. Jon Naitli lct az f h dd nt comprihnd ɖ pleźr, bt sd onli, cūli,

“I canot wś t b snoud p a wīc at Randlz.”

At anɖr tîm Ema mt hv bn aḿzd, bt ś wz tù mć astoniśt nǎ at Mr. Eltn’z spirits fr uɖr fīlñz. Harịt sīmd qt fgotn in ɖ xpcteśn v a pleznt parti.

“W r śr v xḷnt fîrz,” cntinyd h, “n evrʈñ in ɖ gretist cumf̣t. Ćarmñ ppl, Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn;—Msz. Wsṭn indd z mć bynd prêz, n h z xacli ẃt wn valyz, so hspitbl, n so fond v ssayti;—it wl b a smōl parti, bt ẃr smōl partiz r s’lect, ɖe r phps ɖ most agriybl v eni. Mr. Wsṭn’z dînñrūm dz nt acoṃdet mor ɖn ten cumftbli; n fr mî part, I wd rɖr, undr sć srcmstansz, fōl śort bî tū ɖn xid bî tū. I ʈnc y wl agri wɖ m, (trnñ wɖ a soft er t Ema,) I ʈnc I śl srtnli hv yr apṛbeśn, ɖo Mr. Naitli phps, fṛm biyñ yst t ɖ larj partiz v Lundn, me nt qt entr intu ǎr fīlñz.”

“I nǒ nʈñ v ɖ larj partiz v Lundn, sr—I nvr dîn wɖ enbdi.”

“Indd! (in a ton v wundr n piti,) I hd no îdīa ɖt ɖ lw hd bn so gret a sleṿri. Wel, sr, ɖ tîm mst cm ẃn y wl b peid fr ol ɖs, ẃn y wl hv litl lebr n gret injômnt.”

“Mî frst injômnt,” rplaid Jon Naitli, az ɖe pást ʈru ɖ swīpget, “wl b t fînd mslf sef at Hārtfīld agn.”

Ema, in gd spirits tù, fṛm ɖ aḿzmnt afordd hr mînd bî ɖ xpcteśn v Mr. Franc Ćrćl, wz wilñ t fget hiz lêt impṛpraytiz, n b az wel saṭsfaid wɖ him az bfr, n on hiz mcñ Harịt hiz vri frst subjict, wz redi t lisn wɖ most frendli smîlz.

H pṛfest himslf xtrimli añśs abt hr fer frend—hr fer, luvli, emịbl frend. “Dd ś nǒ?—hd ś hŕd enʈñ abt hr, sins ɖer biyñ at Randlz?—h flt mć añzayti—h mst cnfes ɖt ɖ nećr v hr cmplent alarmd him cnsidṛbli.” N in ɖs stîl h tōct on fr sm tîm vri proprli, nt mć atndñ t eni ansr, bt oltgɖr sfiśntli awec t ɖ terr v a bad sor ʈrot; n Ema wz qt in ćaṛti wɖ him.

Bt at last ɖr sīmd a pvrs trn; it sīmd ol at wns az f h wr mor afreid v its biyñ a bad sor ʈrot on hr acǎnt, ɖn on Harịt’s—mor añśs ɖt ś śd iscep ɖ infẋn, ɖn ɖt ɖr śd b no infẋn in ɖ cmplent. H bgan wɖ gret rṇstnis t intrit hr t rfren fṛm viẓtñ ɖ sicćembr agn, fr ɖ preznt—t intrit hr t promis him nt t vnćr intu sć haẓd tl h hd sìn Mr. Peri n lrnt hiz opińn; n ɖo ś traid t laf it of n brñ ɖ subjict bac intu its propr cors, ɖr wz no ptñ an end t hiz xtrim s’liṣtyd abt hr. Ś wz vxt. It dd apir—ɖr wz no cnsilñ it—xacli lîc ɖ pritns v biyñ in luv wɖ hr, instd v Harịt; an inconstnsi, f riyl, ɖ most cntmtbl n abomiṇbl! n ś hd dificlti in bhevñ wɖ tmpr. H trnd t Msz. Wsṭn t implor hr asistns, “Wd nt ś gv him hr s’port?—wd nt ś ad hr psweźnz t hiz, t indys Mis Wŭdhǎs nt t g t Msz. Godard’z tl it wr srtn ɖt Mis Smiʈ’s dsordr hd no infẋn? H cd nt b saṭsfaid wɖt a promis—wd nt ś gv him hr inflụns in pṛkrñ it?”

“So scrūpyḷs fr uɖrz,” h cntinyd, “n yt so cerlis fr hrslf! Ś wontd m t nrs mî cold bî steyñ at hom tde, n yt wl nt promis t avôd ɖ denjr v caćñ an ulṣretd sor ʈrot hrslf. Z ɖs fer, Msz. Wsṭn?—Juj btwn s. Hv nt I sm rît t cmplen? I am śr v yr cînd s’port n ed.”

Ema sw Msz. Wsṭn’z s’prîz, n flt ɖt it mst b gret, at an adres ẃć, in wrdz n manr, wz asymñ t himslf ɖ rît v frst inṭrest in hr; n az fr hrslf, ś wz tù mć pṛvoct n ofndd t hv ɖ pǎr v d’recli seyñ enʈñ t ɖ prṗs. Ś cd onli gv him a lc; bt it wz sć a lc az ś ʈt mst rstor him t hiz snsz, n ɖen left ɖ sofa, rmuvñ t a sīt bî hr sistr, n gvñ hr ol hr atnśn.

Ś hd nt tîm t nǒ hǎ Mr. Eltn tc ɖ rprūf, so rapidli dd anɖr subjict s’xid; fr Mr. Jon Naitli nǎ cem intu ɖ rūm fṛm xaṃnñ ɖ weɖr, n opnd on ɖm ol wɖ ɖ inf̣meśn v ɖ grǎnd biyñ cuvrd wɖ sno, n v its stl snowñ fast, wɖ a stroñ driftñ wind; cncludñ wɖ ɖz wrdz t Mr. Wŭdhǎs:

“Ɖs wl pruv a spiṛtd bginñ v yr wintr-ingejmnts, sr. Smʈñ ny fr yr coćmn n horsz t b mcñ ɖer we ʈru a storm v sno.”

Pur Mr. Wŭdhǎs wz sîḷnt fṛm consṭneśn; bt evrbdi els hd smʈñ t se; evrbdi wz îɖr s’prîzd or nt s’prîzd, n hd sm qsćn t asc, or sm cumf̣t t ofr. Msz. Wsṭn n Ema traid rṇstli t ćir him n trn hiz atnśn fṛm hiz sun-in-lw, hu wz psywñ hiz trîumf rɖr unfīlñli.

“I admîrd yr reẓluśn vri mć, sr,” sd h, “in vnćrñ ǎt in sć weɖr, fr v cors y sw ɖr wd b sno vri sn. Evrbdi mst hv sìn ɖ sno cmñ on. I admîrd yr spirit; n I der se w śl gt hom vri wel. Anɖr aur or tū’z sno cn hardli mc ɖ rod impaṣbl; n w r tū caṛjz; f wn z bloun ovr in ɖ blīc part v ɖ comn fīld ɖr wl b ɖ uɖr at hand. I der se w śl b ol sef at Hārtfīld bfr midnît.”

Mr. Wsṭn, wɖ trîumf v a difṛnt sort, wz cnfesñ ɖt h hd noun it t b snowñ sm tîm, bt hd nt sd a wrd, lest it śd mc Mr. Wŭdhǎs uncumftbl, n b an xks fr hiz huriyñ awe. Az t ɖr biyñ eni qontti v sno fōḷn or lîcli t fōl t impid ɖer rtrn, ɖt wz a mir joc; h wz afreid ɖe wd fînd no dificlti. H wśt ɖ rod mt b impaṣbl, ɖt h mt b ebl t cīp ɖm ol at Randlz; n wɖ ɖ utmost gdwil wz śr ɖt acoṃdeśn mt b faund fr evrbdi, cōlñ on hiz wîf t agri wɖ him, ɖt wɖ a litl cntrîvns, evrbdi mt b lojd, ẃć ś hardli ń hǎ t d, fṛm ɖ conśsnis v ɖr biyñ bt tū sper rūmz in ɖ hǎs.

“Ẃt z t b dn, mî dir Ema?—ẃt z t b dn?” wz Mr. Wŭdhǎs’z frst xcḷmeśn, n ol ɖt h cd se fr sm tîm. T hr h lct fr cumf̣t; n hr aśuṛnsz v sefti, hr repriznteśn v ɖ x’ḷns v ɖ horsz, n v Jemz, n v ɖer hvñ so mni frendz abt ɖm, rvîvd him a litl.

Hiz eldist dōtr’z alarm wz īql t hiz ǒn. Ɖ horr v biyñ bloct p at Randlz, ẃl hr ćildṛn wr at Hārtfīld, wz fl in hr imaɉneśn; n fansiyñ ɖ rod t b nǎ jst paṣbl fr advnćṛs ppl, bt in a stet ɖt admitd no dle, ś wz īgr t hv it setld, ɖt hr faɖr n Ema śd rmen at Randlz, ẃl ś n hr huzbnd set fwd instntli ʈru ol ɖ poṣbl akḿleśnz v driftd sno ɖt mt impid ɖm.

“Y hd betr ordr ɖ carij d’recli, mî luv,” sd ś; “I der se w śl b ebl t gt alñ, f w set of d’recli; n f w d cm t enʈñ vri bad, I cn gt ǎt n wōc. I am nt at ol afreid. I śd nt mînd wōcñ haf ɖ we. I cd ćenj mî śuz, y nǒ, ɖ momnt I got hom; n it z nt ɖ sort v ʈñ ɖt gvz m cold.”

“Indd!” rplaid h. “Ɖen, mî dir Iẓbela, it z ɖ most xtrordnri sort v ʈñ in ɖ wrld, fr in jenṛl evrʈñ dz gv y cold. Wōc hom!—y r priṭli śod fr wōcñ hom, I der se. It wl b bad inuf fr ɖ horsz.”

Iẓbela trnd t Msz. Wsṭn fr hr apṛbeśn v ɖ plan. Msz. Wsṭn cd onli apruv. Iẓbela ɖen wnt t Ema; bt Ema cd nt so intîrli gv p ɖ hop v ɖer biyñ ol ebl t gt awe; n ɖe wr stl dscusñ ɖ pônt, ẃn Mr. Naitli, hu hd left ɖ rūm imīɉtli aftr hiz bruɖr’z frst rport v ɖ sno, cem bac agn, n tld ɖm ɖt h hd bn ǎt v dorz t xamin, n cd ansr fr ɖr nt biyñ ɖ smōlist dificlti in ɖer gtñ hom, ẃnvr ɖe lîct it, îɖr nǎ or an aur hns. H hd gn bynd ɖ swīp—sm we alñ ɖ Hîḅri rod—ɖ sno wz nẃr abv haf an inć dīp—in mni plesz hardli inuf t ẃîtn ɖ grǎnd; a vri fy flecs wr fōlñ at preznt, bt ɖ clǎdz wr partñ, n ɖr wz evri apiṛns v its biyñ sn ovr. H hd sìn ɖ coćṃn, n ɖe bʈ agrìd wɖ him in ɖr biyñ nʈñ t aprihnd.

T Iẓbela, ɖ rlif v sć tîdñz wz vri gret, n ɖe wr scersli les axptbl t Ema on hr faɖr’z acǎnt, hu wz imīɉtli set az mć at īz on ɖ subjict az hiz nrṿs consttyśn alaud; bt ɖ alarm ɖt hd bn rezd cd nt b apizd so az t admit v eni cumf̣t fr him ẃl h cntinyd at Randlz. H wz saṭsfaid v ɖr biyñ no preznt denjr in rtrnñ hom, bt no aśuṛnsz cd cnvins him ɖt it wz sef t ste; n ẃl ɖ uɖrz wr verịsli rjñ n rec̣mndñ, Mr. Naitli n Ema setld it in a fy brīf sntnsz: ɖus—

“Yr faɖr wl nt b īzi; ẃ d nt y g?”

“I am redi, f ɖ uɖrz r.”

“Śl I rñ ɖ bel?”

“Yes, d.”

N ɖ bel wz ruñ, n ɖ caṛjz spocn fr. A fy minits mor, n Ema hopt t si wn trublsm cmpańn dpoztd in hiz ǒn hǎs, t gt sobr n cūl, n ɖ uɖr rcuvr hiz tmpr n hapinis ẃn ɖs vizit v hardśp wr ovr.

Ɖ carij cem: n Mr. Wŭdhǎs, olwz ɖ frst objict on sć oceźnz, wz cerf̣li atndd t hiz ǒn bî Mr. Naitli n Mr. Wsṭn; bt nt ol ɖt îɖr cd se cd privnt sm rnywl v alarm at ɖ sît v ɖ sno ẃć hd acć̣li fōḷn, n ɖ dscuṿri v a mć darcr nît ɖn h hd bn priperd fr. “H wz afreid ɖe śd hv a vri bad drîv. H wz afreid pur Iẓbela wd nt lîc it. N ɖr wd b pur Ema in ɖ carij bhnd. H dd nt nǒ ẃt ɖe hd bst d. Ɖe mst cīp az mć tgɖr az ɖe cd;” n Jemz wz tōct t, n gvn a ćarj t g vri slo n wêt fr ɖ uɖr carij.

Iẓbela stept in aftr hr faɖr; Jon Naitli, fgetñ ɖt h dd nt b’loñ t ɖer parti, stept in aftr hiz wîf vri naćṛli; so ɖt Ema faund, on biyñ iscortd n foloud intu ɖ secnd carij bî Mr. Eltn, ɖt ɖ dor wz t b lwf̣li śut on ɖm, n ɖt ɖe wr t hv a tête-à-tête drîv. It wd nt hv bn ɖ ōcẉdnis v a momnt, it wd hv bn rɖr a pleźr, prīvịs t ɖ sspiśnz v ɖs vri de; ś cd hv tōct t him v Harịt, n ɖ ʈri-qortrs v a mîl wd hv sīmd bt wn. Bt nǎ, ś wd rɖr it hd nt hapnd. Ś b’livd h hd bn drincñ tù mć v Mr. Wsṭn’z gd wîn, n flt śr ɖt h wd wont t b tōcñ nonsns.

T rstren him az mć az mt b, bî hr ǒn manrz, ś wz imīɉtli pripẹrñ t spīc wɖ xqizit cāmnis n graṿti v ɖ weɖr n ɖ nît; bt scersli hd ś bgun, scersli hd ɖe pást ɖ swīpget n jônd ɖ uɖr carij, ɖn ś faund hr subjict cut p—hr hand sizd—hr atnśn dmandd, n Mr. Eltn acć̣li mcñ vayḷnt luv t hr: avelñ himslf v ɖ preśs oṗtyṇti, dclerñ sntimnts ẃć mst b olrdi wel noun, hopñ—firñ—adorñ—redi t dî f ś rfyzd him; bt flaṭrñ himslf ɖt hiz ardnt ataćmnt n unīqld luv n unixampld paśn cd nt fel v hvñ sm ifct, n in śort, vri mć rzolvd on biyñ sirịsli axptd az sn az poṣbl. It riyli wz so. Wɖt scrūpl—wɖt apoḷji—wɖt mć apaṛnt difidns, Mr. Eltn, ɖ luvr v Harịt, wz pṛfesñ himslf hr luvr. Ś traid t stop him; bt venli; h wd g on, n se it ol. Angri az ś wz, ɖ ʈt v ɖ momnt md hr rzolv t rstren hrslf ẃn ś dd spīc. Ś flt ɖt haf ɖs foli mst b druncņis, n ɖrfr cd hop ɖt it mt b’loñ onli t ɖ pasñ aur. Acordñli, wɖ a mixćr v ɖ sirịs n ɖ plêfl, ẃć ś hopt wd bst sūt hiz haf n haf stet, ś rplaid,

“I am vri mć astoniśt, Mr. Eltn. Ɖs t m! y fget yrslf—y tec m fr mî frend—eni mesij t Mis Smiʈ I śl b hapi t dlivr; bt no mor v ɖs t m, f y plīz.”

“Mis Smiʈ!—mesij t Mis Smiʈ!—Ẃt cd ś poṣbli mīn!”—N h rpitd hr wrdz wɖ sć aśuṛns v axnt, sć bostfl pritns v amezmnt, ɖt ś cd nt hlp rplayñ wɖ qcnis,

“Mr. Eltn, ɖs z ɖ most xtrordnri conduct! n I cn acǎnt fr it onli in wn we; y r nt yrslf, or y cd nt spīc îɖr t m, or v Harịt, in sć a manr. Cmand yrslf inuf t se no mor, n I wl indevr t fget it.”

Bt Mr. Eltn hd onli drunc wîn inuf t eḷvet hiz spirits, nt at ol t cnfyz hiz inṭlects. H prf̣cli ń hiz ǒn mīnñ; n hvñ wormli pṛtstd agnst hr sspiśn az most injurịs, n slîtli tućt upn hiz rspct fr Mis Smiʈ az hr frend,—bt acnoḷjñ hiz wundr ɖt Mis Smiʈ śd b mnśnd at ol,—h rzymd ɖ subjict v hiz ǒn paśn, n wz vri rjnt fr a fevṛbl ansr.

Az ś ʈt les v hiz inībrịti, ś ʈt mor v hiz inconstnsi n prizumśn; n wɖ fywr struglz fr p’lîtnis, rplaid,

“It z imposbl fr m t dǎt eni longr. Y hv md yrslf tù clir. Mr. Eltn, mî astoniśmnt z mć bynd enʈñ I cn xpres. Aftr sć bhevyr, az I hv witnist jrñ ɖ last munʈ, t Mis Smiʈ—sć atnśnz az I hv bn in ɖ dêli habit v obzrvñ—t b adresñ m in ɖs manr—ɖs z an unstedinis v caṛctr, indd, ẃć I hd nt s’pozd poṣbl! B’liv m, sr, I am far, vri far, fṛm graṭfaid in biyñ ɖ objict v sć pṛfeśnz.”

“Gd Hevn!” craid Mr. Eltn, “ẃt cn b ɖ mīnñ v ɖs?—Mis Smiʈ!—I nvr ʈt v Mis Smiʈ in ɖ hol cors v mî xistns—nvr peid hr eni atnśnz, bt az yr frend: nvr cerd ẃɖr ś wr ded or alîv, bt az yr frend. F ś hz fansid uɖ̇wz, hr ǒn wśz hv msléd hr, n I am vri sori—xtrimli sori—Bt, Mis Smiʈ, indd!—Ǒ! Mis Wŭdhǎs! hu cn ʈnc v Mis Smiʈ, ẃn Mis Wŭdhǎs z nir! No, upn mî onr, ɖr z no unstedinis v caṛctr. I hv ʈt onli v y. I pṛtst agnst hvñ peid ɖ smōlist atnśn t enwn els. Evrʈñ ɖt I hv sd or dn, fr mni wīcs past, hz bn wɖ ɖ sol vy v marcñ mî aḍreśn v yrslf. Y canot riyli, sirịsli, dǎt it. No!—(in an axnt mnt t b insińuetñ)—I am śr y hv sìn n unḍstd m.”

It wd b imposbl t se ẃt Ema flt, on hírñ ɖs—ẃć v ol hr unpleznt snseśnz wz uṗmost. Ś wz tù cmplitli oṿpǎrd t b imīɉtli ebl t rplî: n tū momnts v sîḷns biyñ ampl incurijmnt fr Mr. Eltn’z sanḡn stet v mînd, h traid t tec hr hand agn, az h joysli xclemd—

“Ćarmñ Mis Wŭdhǎs! alǎ m t intrprit ɖs inṭrestñ sîḷns. It cnfesz ɖt y hv loñ unḍstd m.”

“No, sr,” craid Ema, “it cnfesz no sć ʈñ. So far fṛm hvñ loñ unḍstd y, I hv bn in a most cmplit err wɖ rspct t yr vyz, tl ɖs momnt. Az t mslf, I am vri sori ɖt y śd hv bn gvñ we t eni fīlñz—Nʈñ cd b farɖr fṛm mî wśz—yr ataćmnt t mî frend Harịt—yr psyt v hr, (psyt, it apird,) gev m gret pleźr, n I hv bn vri rṇstli wśñ y s’xes: bt hd I s’pozd ɖt ś wr nt yr atraẋn t Hārtfīld, I śd srtnli hv ʈt y jujd il in mcñ yr vizits so frīqnt. Am I t b’liv ɖt y hv nvr sòt t rec̣mnd yrslf ptiklrli t Mis Smiʈ?—ɖt y hv nvr ʈt sirịsli v hr?”

“Nvr, madm,” craid h, afruntd in hiz trn: “nvr, I aśur y. I ʈnc sirịsli v Mis Smiʈ!—Mis Smiʈ z a vri gd sort v grl; n I śd b hapi t si hr rspctbli setld. I wś hr xtrimli wel: n, no dǎt, ɖr r men hu mt nt objict t—Evrbdi hz ɖer levl: bt az fr mslf, I am nt, I ʈnc, qt so mć at a los. I nīd nt so toṭli dsper v an īql alayns, az t b adresñ mslf t Mis Smiʈ!—No, madm, mî vizits t Hārtfīld hv bn fr yrslf onli; n ɖ incurijmnt I rsivd—”

“Incurijmnt!—I gv y incurijmnt!—Sr, y hv bn intîrli mstecn in s’pozñ it. I hv sìn y onli az ɖ admîrr v mî frend. In no uɖr lît cd y hv bn mor t m ɖn a comn aqentns. I am xidñli sori: bt it z wel ɖt ɖ mstec endz ẃr it dz. Hd ɖ sem bhevyr cntinyd, Mis Smiʈ mt hv bn léd intu a miscnspśn v yr vyz; nt biyñ awer, probbli, eni mor ɖn mslf, v ɖ vri gret iniqoḷti ẃć y r so snṣbl v. Bt, az it z, ɖ dis’pôntmnt z sngl, n, I trust, wl nt b lastñ. I hv no ʈts v matriṃni at preznt.”

H wz tù angri t se anɖr wrd; hr manr tù dsîdd t invît supḷceśn; n in ɖs stet v swelñ rzntmnt, n ḿć̣li dīp mortif̣ceśn, ɖe hd t cntiny tgɖr a fy minits longr, fr ɖ firz v Mr. Wŭdhǎs hd cnfînd ɖm t a ft-pes. F ɖr hd nt bn so mć angr, ɖr wd hv bn despṛt ōcẉdnis; bt ɖer stretfwd imośnz left no rūm fr ɖ litl zigzagz v imbaṛsmnt. Wɖt nwñ ẃn ɖ carij trnd intu Vic̣rij Len, or ẃn it stopt, ɖe faund ɖmslvz, ol at wns, at ɖ dor v hiz hǎs; n h wz ǎt bfr anɖr siḷbl pást.—Ema ɖen flt it indispnsbl t wś him a gd nît. Ɖ complimnt wz jst rtrnd, coldli n prǎdli; n, undr indiscrîbbl iṛteśn v spirits, ś wz ɖen cnveid t Hārtfīld.

Ɖr ś wz welcmd, wɖ ɖ utmost dlît, bî hr faɖr, hu hd bn tremḅlñ fr ɖ denjrz v a solitri drîv fṛm Vic̣rij Len—trnñ a cornr ẃć h cd nvr ber t ʈnc v—n in strenj handz—a mir comn coćmn—no Jemz; n ɖr it sīmd az f hr rtrn onli wr wontd t mc evrʈñ g wel: fr Mr. Jon Naitli, aśemd v hiz il hymr, wz nǎ ol cîndnis n atnśn; n so ptiklrli s’lisiṭs fr ɖ cumf̣t v hr faɖr, az t sīm—f nt qt redi t jôn him in a besn v gruwl—prf̣cli snṣbl v its biyñ xidñli holsm; n ɖ de wz cncludñ in pīs n cumf̣t t ol ɖer litl parti, xpt hrslf.—Bt hr mînd hd nvr bn in sć prtbeśn; n it nīdd a vri stroñ ef̣t t apir atntiv n ćirfl tl ɖ yźl aur v seṗretñ alaud hr ɖ rlif v qayt rfleẋn.

“F I hd nt pswedd Harịt intu lîcñ ɖ man, I cd hv bòrn enʈñ. H mt hv dubld hiz prizumśn t m—bt pur Harịt!”

Hǎ ś cd hv bn so dsivd!—H pṛtstd ɖt h hd nvr ʈt sirịsli v Harịt—nvr! Ś lct bac az wel az ś cd; bt it wz ol cnfyźn. Ś hd tecn p ɖ îdīa, ś s’pozd, n md evrʈñ bnd t it. Hiz manrz, hvr, mst hv bn unmarct, weṿrñ, dybịs, or ś cd nt hv bn so msléd.

Ɖ picćr!—Hǎ īgr h hd bn abt ɖ picćr!—n ɖ ś’red!—n an hundṛd uɖr srcmstansz;—hǎ clirli ɖe hd sīmd t pônt at Harịt. T b śr, ɖ ś’red, wɖ its “redi wit”—bt ɖen ɖ “soft îz”—in fact it sūtd nɖr; it wz a jumbl wɖt test or truʈ. Hu cd hv sìn ʈru sć ʈic-hedd nonsns?

Srtnli ś hd ofn, ispeṣ́li v lêt, ʈt hiz manrz t hrslf uņessṛli gaḷnt; bt it hd pást az hiz we, az a mir err v jujmnt, v nolij, v test, az wn prūf amñ uɖrz ɖt h hd nt olwz livd in ɖ bst ssayti, ɖt wɖ ol ɖ jntlnis v hiz adres, tru eligns wz smtmz wontñ; bt, tl ɖs vri de, ś hd nvr, fr an instnt, sspctd it t mīn enʈñ bt gretfl rspct t hr az Harịt’s frend.

T Mr. Jon Naitli wz ś indétd fr hr frst îdīa on ɖ subjict, fr ɖ frst start v its posbiḷti. Ɖr wz no dnayñ ɖt ɖoz bruɖrz hd peṇtreśn. Ś rmembrd ẃt Mr. Naitli hd wns sd t hr abt Mr. Eltn, ɖ cōśn h hd gvn, ɖ cnviẋn h hd pṛfest ɖt Mr. Eltn wd nvr mari indiscritli; n bluśt t ʈnc hǎ mć truwr a nolij v hiz caṛctr hd bn ɖr śoun ɖn eni ś hd rīćt hrslf. It wz dredf̣li morṭfayñ; bt Mr. Eltn wz pruvñ himslf, in mni rspcts, ɖ vri rvrs v ẃt ś hd mnt n b’livd him; prǎd, asymñ, cnsitd; vri fl v hiz ǒn clemz, n litl cnsrnd abt ɖ fīlñz v uɖrz.

Contrri t ɖ yźl cors v ʈñz, Mr. Eltn’z wontñ t pe hiz adresz t hr hd sunc him in hr opińn. Hiz pṛfeśnz n hiz pṛpozlz dd him no srvis. Ś ʈt nʈñ v hiz ataćmnt, n wz insultd bî hiz hops. H wontd t mari wel, n hvñ ɖ aṛgns t rêz hiz îz t hr, pritndd t b in luv; bt ś wz prf̣cli īzi az t hiz nt suf̣rñ eni dis’pôntmnt ɖt nīd b cerd fr. Ɖr hd bn no riyl afẋn îɖr in hiz lanḡj or manrz. Saiz n fîn wrdz hd bn gvn in abundns; bt ś cd hardli dvîz eni set v xpreśnz, or fansi eni ton v vôs, les alaid wɖ riyl luv. Ś nīd nt trubl hrslf t piti him. H onli wontd t agrandîz n inrić himslf; n f Mis Wŭdhǎs v Hārtfīld, ɖ éres v ʈrti ʈǎznd pǎndz, wr nt qt so īẓli obtend az h hd fansid, h wd sn trî fr Mis Smbdi-Els wɖ twenti, or wɖ ten.

Bt—ɖt h śd tōc v incurijmnt, śd cnsidr hr az awer v hiz vyz, axptñ hiz atnśnz, mīnñ (in śort), t mari him!—śd s’poz himslf hr īql in cnẋn or mînd!—lc dǎn upn hr frend, so wel unḍstandñ ɖ gṛdeśnz v ranc b’lo him, n b so blînd t ẃt rouz abv, az t fansi himslf śowñ no prizumśn in adresñ hr!—It wz most pṛvocñ.

Phps it wz nt fer t xpct him t fīl hǎ vri mć h wz hr infirịr in taḷnt, n ol ɖ elignsiz v mînd. Ɖ vri wont v sć iqoḷti mt privnt hiz pspśn v it; bt h mst nǒ ɖt in fortyn n consiqns ś wz gretli hiz s’pirịr. H mst nǒ ɖt ɖ Wŭdhǎsz hd bn setld fr sevṛl jeṇreśnz at Hārtfīld, ɖ yungr branć v a vri enćnt faṃli—n ɖt ɖ Eltnz wr nbdi. Ɖ landd proṗti v Hārtfīld srtnli wz incnsidṛbl, biyñ bt a sort v noć in ɖ Donwél Abi istet, t ẃć ol ɖ rest v Hîḅri b’loñd; bt ɖer fortyn, fṛm uɖr sorsz, wz sć az t mc ɖm scersli secnḍri t Donwél Abi itslf, in evri uɖr cnd v consiqns; n ɖ Wŭdhǎsz hd loñ hld a hî ples in ɖ cnsiḍreśn v ɖ nebrhd ẃć Mr. Eltn hd frst entrd nt tū yirz ago, t mc hiz we az h cd, wɖt eni alaynsz bt in tred, or enʈñ t rec̣mnd him t notis bt hiz sićueśn n hiz sviḷti.—Bt h hd fansid hr in luv wɖ him; ɖt evidntli mst hv bn hiz dpndns; n aftr revñ a litl abt ɖ sīmñ incngruwti v jntl manrz n a cnsitd hed, Ema wz oblîjd in comn oṇsti t stop n admit ɖt hr ǒn bhevyr t him hd bn so cmplesnt n oblîjñ, so fl v crṭsi n atnśn, az (s’pozñ hr riyl motiv unṗsivd) mt woṛnt a man v ordnri obẓveśn n delic̣si, lîc Mr. Eltn, in fansiyñ himslf a vri dsîdd feṿrit. F ś hd so misintrpṛtd hiz fīlñz, ś hd litl rît t wundr ɖt h, wɖ slf-inṭrest t blînd him, śd hv mstecn hrz.

Ɖ frst err n ɖ wrst lei at hr dor. It wz fūliś, it wz roñ, t tec so activ a part in brññ eni tū ppl tgɖr. It wz advnćrñ tù far, asymñ tù mć, mcñ lît v ẃt òt t b sirịs, a tric v ẃt òt t b simpl. Ś wz qt cnsrnd n aśemd, n rzolvd t d sć ʈñz no mor.

“Hir hv I,” sd ś, “acć̣li tōct pur Harịt intu biyñ vri mć ataćt t ɖs man. Ś mt nvr hv ʈt v him bt fr m; n srtnli nvr wd hv ʈt v him wɖ hop, f I hd nt aśurd hr v hiz ataćmnt, fr ś z az modist n humbl az I yst t ʈnc him. Ǒ! ɖt I hd bn saṭsfaid wɖ pswedñ hr nt t axpt yuñ Martin. Ɖr I wz qt rît. Ɖt wz wel dn v m; bt ɖr I śd hv stopt, n left ɖ rest t tîm n ćans. I wz intṛdysñ hr intu gd cumṗni, n gvñ hr ɖ oṗtyṇti v plizñ smwn wrʈ hvñ; I òt nt t hv atmtd mor. Bt nǎ, pur grl, hr pīs z cut p fr sm tîm. I hv bn bt haf a frend t hr; n f ś wr nt t fīl ɖs dis’pôntmnt so vri mć, I am śr I hv nt an îdīa v enbdi els hu wd b at ol dzîṛbl fr hr;—Wiłm Cǒx—Ǒ! no, I cd nt indyr Wiłm Cǒx—a prt yuñ loyr.”

Ś stopt t bluś n laf at hr ǒn rlaps, n ɖen rzymd a mor sirịs, mor dspiṛtñ cojteśn upn ẃt hd bn, n mt b, n mst b. Ɖ dstresñ xpḷneśn ś hd t mc t Harịt, n ol ɖt pur Harịt wd b suf̣rñ, wɖ ɖ ōcẉdnis v fyćr mītñz, ɖ dificltiz v cntinywñ or discntinywñ ɖ aqentns, v sbdywñ fīlñz, cnsilñ rzntmnt, n avôdñ eclā, wr inuf t okpî hr in most unmrʈfl rfleẋnz sm tîm longr, n ś wnt t bed at last wɖ nʈñ setld bt ɖ cnviẋn v hr hvñ blundrd most dredf̣li.

T yʈ n naćṛl ćirflnis lîc Ema’z, ɖo undr temprri glūm at nît, ɖ rtrn v de wl hardli fel t brñ rtrn v spirits. Ɖ yʈ n ćirflnis v mornñ r in hapi anaḷji, n v pǎrfl oṗreśn; n f ɖ dstres b nt pôńnt inuf t cīp ɖ îz unclozd, ɖe wl b śr t opn t snseśnz v sofnd pen n brîtr hop.

Ema got p on ɖ moro mor dspozd fr cumf̣t ɖn ś hd gn t bed, mor redi t si alivieśnz v ɖ īvl bfr hr, n t dpnd on gtñ tolṛbli ǎt v it.

It wz a gret conṣleśn ɖt Mr. Eltn śd nt b riyli in luv wɖ hr, or so ptiklrli emịbl az t mc it śocñ t dis’pônt him—ɖt Harịt’s nećr śd nt b v ɖt s’pirịr sort in ẃć ɖ fīlñz r most akt n rtntiv—n ɖt ɖr cd b no nseṣti fr enbdi’z nwñ ẃt hd pást xpt ɖ ʈri prinsiplz, n ispeṣ́li fr hr faɖr’z biyñ gvn a momnt’s unīzinis abt it.

Ɖz wr vri ćirñ ʈts; n ɖ sît v a gret dīl v sno on ɖ grǎnd dd hr frɖr srvis, fr enʈñ wz welcm ɖt mt jusṭfî ɖer ol ʈri biyñ qt asundr at preznt.

Ɖ weɖr wz most fevṛbl fr hr; ɖo Crisṃs De, ś cd nt g t ćrć. Mr. Wŭdhǎs wd hv bn mizṛbl hd hiz dōtr atmtd it, n ś wz ɖrfr sef fṛm îɖr xîtñ or rsivñ unpleznt n most unsūṭbl îdīaz. Ɖ grǎnd cuvrd wɖ sno, n ɖ atṃsfir in ɖt unsetld stet btwn frost n ʈw, ẃć z v ol uɖrz ɖ most unfrendli fr x’sîz, evri mornñ bginñ in ren or sno, n evri īvnñ setñ in t frīz, ś wz fr mni dez a most onṛbl priznr. No inṭcors wɖ Harịt poṣbl bt bî not; no ćrć fr hr on Súnde eni mor ɖn on Crisṃs De; n no nīd t fînd xksz fr Mr. Eltn’z absntñ himslf.

It wz weɖr ẃć mt ferli cnfîn evrbdi at hom; n ɖo ś hopt n b’livd him t b riyli tecñ cumf̣t in sm ssayti or uɖr, it wz vri pleznt t hv hr faɖr so wel saṭsfaid wɖ hiz biyñ ol alon in hiz ǒn hǎs, tù wîz t str ǎt; n t hír him se t Mr. Naitli, hūm no weɖr cd cīp intîrli fṛm ɖm,—

“Ā! Mr. Naitli, ẃ d nt y ste at hom lîc pur Mr. Eltn?”

Ɖz dez v cnfînmnt wd hv bn, bt fr hr prîṿt pplex̣tiz, rmarcbli cumftbl, az sć s’cluźn xacli sūtd hr bruɖr, huz fīlñz mst olwz b v gret importns t hiz cmpańnz; n h hd, bsdz, so ʈuṛli clird of hiz il hymr at Randlz, ɖt hiz amịblnis nvr feld him jrñ ɖ rest v hiz ste at Hārtfīld. H wz olwz agriybl n oblîjñ, n spīcñ plezntli v evrbdi. Bt wɖ ol ɖ hops v ćirflnis, n ol ɖ preznt cumf̣t v dle, ɖr wz stl sć an īvl haññ ovr hr in ɖ aur v xpḷneśn wɖ Harịt, az md it imposbl fr Ema t b evr prf̣cli at īz.

Ɖ īvnñ v ɖ vri de on ẃć ɖe wnt bròt a not fṛm Mr. Eltn t Mr. Wŭdhǎs, a loñ, sivl, seṛmońs not, t se, wɖ Mr. Eltn’z bst complimnts, “ɖt h wz pṛpozñ t līv Hîḅri ɖ folowñ mornñ in hiz we t Baʈ; ẃr, in cmplayns wɖ ɖ presñ intritiz v sm frendz, h hd ingejd t spend a fy wīcs, n vri mć rgretd ɖ imposbiḷti h wz undr, fṛm verịs srcmstansz v weɖr n biznis, v tecñ a prsnl līv v Mr. Wŭdhǎs, v huz frendli sviḷtiz h śd evr rten a gretfl sns—n hd Mr. Wŭdhǎs eni cmandz, śd b hapi t atnd t ɖm.”

Ema wz most agriybli s’prîzd.—Mr. Eltn’z absns jst at ɖs tîm wz ɖ vri ʈñ t b dzîrd. Ś admîrd him fr cntrîvñ it, ɖo nt ebl t gv him mć credit fr ɖ manr in ẃć it wz anǎnst. Rzntmnt cd nt hv bn mor plenli spocn ɖn in a sviḷti t hr faɖr, fṛm ẃć ś wz so pôntidli xcludd. Ś hd nt īvn a śer in hiz oṗnñ complimnts.—Hr nem wz nt mnśnd;—n ɖr wz so strîcñ a ćenj in ol ɖs, n sć an il-jujd s’lemṇti v līvtecñ in hiz gresfl acnolijmnts, az ś ʈt, at frst, cd nt iscep hr faɖr’z sspiśn.

It dd, hvr.—Hr faɖr wz qt tecn p wɖ ɖ s’prîz v so sudn a jrni, n hiz firz ɖt Mr. Eltn mt nvr gt sefli t ɖ end v it, n sw nʈñ xtrordnri in hiz lanḡj. It wz a vri ysfl not, fr it s’plaid ɖm wɖ freś matr fr ʈt n convseśn jrñ ɖ rest v ɖer lonli īvnñ. Mr. Wŭdhǎs tōct ovr hiz alarmz, n Ema wz in spirits t pswed ɖm awe wɖ ol hr yźl promttyd.

Ś nǎ rzolvd t cīp Harịt no longr in ɖ darc. Ś hd rīzn t b’liv hr nirli rcuvrd fṛm hr cold, n it wz dzîṛbl ɖt ś śd hv az mć tîm az poṣbl fr gtñ ɖ betr v hr uɖr cmplent bfr ɖ jntlmn’z rtrn. Ś wnt t Msz. Godard’z acordñli ɖ vri nxt de, t unḍgo ɖ nesṣri penns v cḿṇceśn; n a svir wn it wz.—Ś hd t dstrô ol ɖ hops ẃć ś hd bn so industrịsli fīdñ—t apir in ɖ ungreśs caṛctr v ɖ wn prifŕd—n acnolij hrslf grosli mstecn n mis-jujñ in ol hr îdīaz on wn subjict, ol hr obẓveśnz, ol hr cnviẋnz, ol hr prof̣siz fr ɖ last six wīcs.

Ɖ cnfeśn cmplitli rnyd hr frst śem—n ɖ sît v Harịt’s tirz md hr ʈnc ɖt ś śd nvr b in ćaṛti wɖ hrslf agn.

Harịt bòr ɖ intelijns vri wel—blemñ nbdi—n in evrʈñ tsṭfayñ sć an injenẏsnis v disṗziśn n loli opińn v hrslf, az mst apir wɖ ptiklr advantij at ɖt momnt t hr frend.

Ema wz in ɖ hymr t valy simpliṣti n moḍsti t ɖ utmost; n ol ɖt wz emịbl, ol ɖt òt t b ataćñ, sīmd on Harịt’s sîd, nt hr ǒn. Harịt dd nt cnsidr hrslf az hvñ enʈñ t cmplen v. Ɖ afẋn v sć a man az Mr. Eltn wd hv bn tù gret a dstñśn.—Ś nvr cd hv dzrvd him—n nbdi bt so parśl n cînd a frend az Mis Wŭdhǎs wd hv ʈt it poṣbl.

Hr tirz fél abundntli—bt hr grīf wz so trūli artlis, ɖt no digṇti cd hv md it mor rspctbl in Ema’z îz—n ś lisnd t hr n traid t cnsol hr wɖ ol hr hart n unḍstandñ—riyli fr ɖ tîm cnvinst ɖt Harịt wz ɖ s’pirịr crīćr v ɖ tū—n ɖt t rzmbl hr wd b mor fr hr ǒn welfér n hapinis ɖn ol ɖt jīńs or intelijns cd d.

It wz rɖr tù lêt in ɖ de t set abt biyñ simpl-mîndd n ignṛnt; bt ś left hr wɖ evri prīvịs reẓluśn cnfrmd v biyñ humbl n dscrit, n rpresñ imaɉneśn ol ɖ rest v hr lîf. Hr secnd dyti nǎ, infirịr onli t hr faɖr’z clemz, wz t pṛmot Harịt’s cumf̣t, n indevr t pruv hr ǒn afẋn in sm betr meʈ̇d ɖn bî mać-mcñ. Ś got hr t Hārtfīld, n śoud hr ɖ most unvẹriyñ cîndnis, strîvñ t okpî n aḿz hr, n bî bcs n convseśn, t drîv Mr. Eltn fṛm hr ʈts.

Tîm, ś ń, mst b alaud fr ɖs biyñ ʈuṛli dn; n ś cd s’poz hrslf bt an indifṛnt juj v sć matrz in jenṛl, n vri inadiqt t simṗʈîz in an ataćmnt t Mr. Eltn in ptiklr; bt it sīmd t hr rīzṇbl ɖt at Harịt’s ej, n wɖ ɖ intîr xtñśn v ol hop, sć a progres mt b md twdz a stet v cmpoźr bî ɖ tîm v Mr. Eltn’z rtrn, az t alǎ ɖm ol t mīt agn in ɖ comn rūtīn v aqentns, wɖt eni denjr v btreyñ sntimnts or incrisñ ɖm.

Harịt dd ʈnc him ol pfẋn, n mntend ɖ non-xistns v enbdi īql t him in prsn or gdnis—n dd, in truʈ, pruv hrslf mor reẓlutli in luv ɖn Ema hd fsin; bt yt it apird t hr so naćṛl, so inevitbl t strîv agnst an incḷneśn v ɖt sort unriqîtd, ɖt ś cd nt comprihnd its cntinywñ vri loñ in īql fors.

F Mr. Eltn, on hiz rtrn, md hiz ǒn indifṛns az evidnt n indybitbl az ś cd nt dǎt h wd añśsli d, ś cd nt imajin Harịt’s psistñ t ples hr hapinis in ɖ sît or ɖ rec̣leẋn v him.

Ɖer biyñ fixt, so abṣlutli fixt, in ɖ sem ples, wz bad fr ć, fr ol ʈri. Nt wn v ɖm hd ɖ pǎr v rmuvl, or v ifctñ eni mtirịl ćenj v ssayti. Ɖe mst incǎntr ć uɖr, n mc ɖ bst v it.

Harịt wz farɖr unforćṇt in ɖ ton v hr cmpańnz at Msz. Godard’z; Mr. Eltn biyñ ɖ aḍreśn v ol ɖ tīćrz n gret grlz in ɖ scūl; n it mst b at Hārtfīld onli ɖt ś cd hv eni ćans v hírñ him spocn v wɖ cūlñ moḍreśn or rpeḷnt truʈ. Ẃr ɖ wūnd hd bn gvn, ɖr mst ɖ kr b faund f enẃr; n Ema flt ɖt, tl ś sw hr in ɖ we v kr, ɖr cd b no tru pīs fr hrslf.

Ɖz fīlñz rapidli rstord hiz cumf̣t, ẃl Msz. Wsṭn, v a mor aprihnsiv disṗziśn, fōrsw nʈñ bt a reṗtiśn v xksz n dlez; n aftr ol hr cnsrn fr ẃt hr huzbnd wz t sufr, sufrd a gret dīl mor hrslf.

Ema wz nt at ɖs tîm in a stet v spirits t cer riyli abt Mr. Franc Ćrćl’z nt cmñ, xpt az a dis’pôntmnt at Randlz. Ɖ aqentns at preznt hd no ćarm fr hr. Ś wontd, rɖr, t b qayt, n ǎt v tmteśn; bt stl, az it wz dzîṛbl ɖt ś śd apir, in jenṛl, lîc hr yźl slf, ś tc cer t xpres az mć inṭrest in ɖ srcmstans, n entr az wormli intu Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn’z dis’pôntmnt, az mt naćṛli b’loñ t ɖer frendśp.

Ś wz ɖ frst t anǎns it t Mr. Naitli; n xclemd qt az mć az wz nesṣri, (or, biyñ actñ a part, phps rɖr mor,) at ɖ conduct v ɖ Ćrćlz, in cīpñ him awe. Ś ɖen pṛsidd t se a gd dīl mor ɖn ś flt, v ɖ advantij v sć an adiśn t ɖer cnfînd ssayti in Suri; ɖ pleźr v lcñ at smbdi ny; ɖ gāḷde t Hîḅri intîr, ẃć ɖ sît v him wd hv md; n endñ wɖ rfleẋnz on ɖ Ćrćlz agn, faund hrslf d’recli involvd in a dis’grīmnt wɖ Mr. Naitli; n, t hr gret aḿzmnt, psivd ɖt ś wz tecñ ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ qsćn fṛm hr riyl opińn, n mcñ ys v Msz. Wsṭn’z arğmnts agnst hrslf.

“Ɖ Ćrćlz r vri lîcli in fōlt,” sd Mr. Naitli, cūli; “bt I der se h mt cm f h wd.”

“I d nt nǒ ẃ y śd se so. H wśz xidñli t cm; bt hiz uncl n ānt wl nt sper him.”

“I canot b’liv ɖt h hz nt ɖ pǎr v cmñ, f h md a pônt v it. It z tù unlîcli, fr m t b’liv it wɖt prūf.”

“Hǎ od y r! Ẃt hz Mr. Franc Ćrćl dn, t mc y s’poz him sć an uņaćṛl crīćr?”

“I am nt s’pozñ him at ol an uņaćṛl crīćr, in sspctñ ɖt h me hv lrnt t b abv hiz cnẋnz, n t cer vri litl fr enʈñ bt hiz ǒn pleźr, fṛm livñ wɖ ɖoz hu hv olwz set him ɖ xampl v it. It z a gret dīl mor naćṛl ɖn wn cd wś, ɖt a yuñ man, bròt p bî ɖoz hu r prǎd, l’gźurịs, n slfiś, śd b prǎd, l’gźurịs, n slfiś tù. F Franc Ćrćl hd wontd t si hiz faɖr, h wd hv cntrîvd it btwn Sptmbr n Jańri. A man at hiz ej—ẃt z h?—ʈri or for-n-twenti—canot b wɖt ɖ mīnz v dwñ az mć az ɖt. It z imposbl.”

“Ɖt’s īẓli sd, n īẓli flt bî y, hu hv olwz bn yr ǒn mastr. Y r ɖ wrst juj in ɖ wrld, Mr. Naitli, v ɖ dificltiz v dpndns. Y d nt nǒ ẃt it z t hv tmprz t manij.”

“It z nt t b cnsivd ɖt a man v ʈri or for-n-twenti śd nt hv liḅti v mînd or lim t ɖt amǎnt. H canot wont muni—h canot wont leźr. W nǒ, on ɖ contrri, ɖt h hz so mć v bʈ, ɖt h z glad t gt rid v ɖm at ɖ îdlist hōnts in ɖ cñdm. W hír v him fr evr at sm wōṭrñples or uɖr. A litl ẃl ago, h wz at Weṃʈ. Ɖs pruvz ɖt h cn līv ɖ Ćrćlz.”

“Yes, smtmz h cn.”

“N ɖoz tîmz r ẃnvr h ʈncs it wrʈ hiz ẃl; ẃnvr ɖr z eni tmteśn v pleźr.”

“It z vri unfer t juj v enbdi’z conduct, wɖt an intiṃt nolij v ɖer sićueśn. Nbdi, hu hz nt bn in ɖ intirịr v a faṃli, cn se ẃt ɖ dificltiz v eni indivijl v ɖt faṃli me b. W òt t b aqentd wɖ Enscm, n wɖ Msz. Ćrćl’z tmpr, bfr w pritnd t dsîd upn ẃt hr nefy cn d. H me, at tîmz, b ebl t d a gret dīl mor ɖn h cn at uɖrz.”

“Ɖr z wn ʈñ, Ema, ẃć a man cn olwz d, f h ćuzz, n ɖt z, hiz dyti; nt bî mnuṿrñ n finesñ, bt bî vigr n reẓluśn. It z Franc Ćrćl’z dyti t pe ɖs atnśn t hiz faɖr. H nz it t b so, bî hiz proṃsz n meṣjz; bt f h wśt t d it, it mt b dn. A man hu flt rîtli wd se at wns, simpli n reẓlutli, t Msz. Ćrćl—‘Evri sacṛfîs v mir pleźr y wl olwz fînd m redi t mc t yr cnvińns; bt I mst g n si mî faɖr imīɉtli. I nǒ h wd b hrt bî mî felñ in sć a marc v rspct t him on ɖ preznt oceźn. I śl, ɖrfr, set of tmoro.’—F h wd se so t hr at wns, in ɖ ton v dsiźn bcmñ a man, ɖr wd b no opziśn md t hiz gwñ.”

“No,” sd Ema, lafñ; “bt phps ɖr mt b sm md t hiz cmñ bac agn. Sć lanḡj fr a yuñ man intîrli dpndnt, t yz!—Nbdi bt y, Mr. Naitli, wd imajin it poṣbl. Bt y hv nt an îdīa v ẃt z reqzit in sićueśnz d’recli oṗzit t yr ǒn. Mr. Franc Ćrćl t b mcñ sć a spīć az ɖt t ɖ uncl n ānt, hu hv bròt him p, n r t pṛvîd fr him!—Standñ p in ɖ midl v ɖ rūm, I s’poz, n spīcñ az lǎd az h cd!—Hǎ cn y imajin sć conduct practicbl?”

“Dpnd upn it, Ema, a snṣbl man wd fînd no dificlti in it. H wd fīl himslf in ɖ rît; n ɖ decḷreśn—md, v cors, az a man v sns wd mc it, in a propr manr—wd d him mor gd, rêz him hayr, fix hiz inṭrest strongr wɖ ɖ ppl h dpndd on, ɖn ol ɖt a lîn v śifts n xpīdịnts cn evr d. Rspct wd b add t afẋn. Ɖe wd fīl ɖt ɖe cd trust him; ɖt ɖ nefy hu hd dn rîtli bî hiz faɖr, wd d rîtli bî ɖm; fr ɖe nǒ, az wel az h dz, az wel az ol ɖ wrld mst nǒ, ɖt h òt t pe ɖs vizit t hiz faɖr; n ẃl mīnli xrtñ ɖer pǎr t dle it, r in ɖer hārts nt ʈncñ ɖ betr v him fr sbmitñ t ɖer ẃimz. Rspct fr rît conduct z flt bî evrbdi. F h wd act in ɖs sort v manr, on prínsipl, cnsistntli, reğlrli, ɖer litl mîndz wd bnd t hiz.”

“I rɖr dǎt ɖt. Y r vri fond v bndñ litl mîndz; bt ẃr litl mîndz b’loñ t rić ppl in oʈoṛti, I ʈnc ɖe hv a nac v swelñ ǎt, tl ɖe r qt az unmaniɉbl az gret wnz. I cn imajin, ɖt f y, az y r, Mr. Naitli, wr t b trnsportd n plest ol at wns in Mr. Franc Ćrćl’z sićueśn, y wd b ebl t se n d jst ẃt y hv bn rec̣mndñ fr him; n it mt hv a vri gd ifct. Ɖ Ćrćlz mt nt hv a wrd t se in rtrn; bt ɖen, y wd hv no habits v rli obīdịns n loñ obzrvns t brec ʈru. T him hu hz, it mt nt b so īzi t brst fʈ at wns intu prfict indipndns, n set ol ɖer clemz on hiz grattyd n rgard at nòt. H me hv az stroñ a sns v ẃt wd b rît, az y cn hv, wɖt biyñ so īql, undr ptiklr srcmstansz, t act p t it.”

“Ɖen it wd nt b so stroñ a sns. F it feld t pṛdys īql xrśn, it cd nt b an īql cnviẋn.”

“Ǒ, ɖ difṛns v sićueśn n habit! I wś y wd trî t unḍstand ẃt an emịbl yuñ man me b lîcli t fīl in d’recli opozñ ɖoz, hūm az ćîld n bô h hz bn lcñ p t ol hiz lîf.”

“Ǎr emịbl yuñ man z a vri wìc yuñ man, f ɖs b ɖ frst oceźn v hiz cariyñ ʈru a reẓluśn t d rît agnst ɖ wl v uɖrz. It òt t hv bn a habit wɖ him bî ɖs tîm, v folowñ hiz dyti, instd v cnsultñ xpīdịnsi. I cn alǎ fr ɖ firz v ɖ ćîld, bt nt v ɖ man. Az h bcem raśnl, h òt t hv rǎzd himslf n śecn of ol ɖt wz unwrɖi in ɖer oʈoṛti. H òt t hv opozd ɖ frst atmt on ɖer sîd t mc him slît hiz faɖr. Hd h bgun az h òt, ɖr wd hv bn no dificlti nǎ.”

“W śl nvr agri abt him,” craid Ema; “bt ɖt z nʈñ xtrordnri. I hv nt ɖ līst îdīa v hiz biyñ a wìc yuñ man: I fīl śr ɖt h z nt. Mr. Wsṭn wd nt b blînd t foli, ɖo in hiz ǒn sun; bt h z vri lîcli t hv a mor yīldñ, cmplayñ, mîld disṗziśn ɖn wd sūt yr nośnz v man’z pfẋn. I der se h hz; n ɖo it me cut him of fṛm sm advantjz, it wl s’kr him mni uɖrz.”

“Yes; ol ɖ advantjz v sitñ stil ẃn h òt t muv, n v līdñ a lîf v mir îdl pleźr, n fansiyñ himslf xtrimli xprt in fîndñ xksz fr it. H cn sit dǎn n rait a fîn fluṛśñ letr, fl v pṛfeśnz n fōlshdz, n pswed himslf ɖt h hz hit upn ɖ vri bst meʈ̇d in ɖ wrld v prizrvñ pīs at hom n privntñ hiz faɖr’z hvñ eni rît t cmplen. Hiz letrz dsgust m.”

“Yr fīlñz r snğlr. Ɖe sīm t saṭsfî evrbdi els.”

“I sspct ɖe d nt saṭsfî Msz. Wsṭn. Ɖe hardli cn saṭsfî a wmn v hr gd sns n qc fīlñz: standñ in a muɖr’z ples, bt wɖt a muɖr’z afẋn t blînd hr. It z on hr acǎnt ɖt atnśn t Randlz z dubli dy, n ś mst dubli fīl ɖ omiśn. Hd ś bn a prsn v consiqns hrslf, h wd hv cm I der se; n it wd nt hv sigṇfaid ẃɖr h dd or no. Cn y ʈnc yr frend bhnd-hand in ɖz sort v cnsiḍreśnz? D y s’poz ś dz nt ofn se ol ɖs t hrslf? No, Ema, yr emịbl yuñ man cn b emịbl onli in Frenć, nt in Ñgliś. H me b vri aimable, hv vri gd manrz, n b vri agriybl; bt h cn hv no Ñgliś delic̣si twdz ɖ fīlñz v uɖr ppl: nʈñ riyli emịbl abt him.”

“Y sīm dtrmind t ʈnc il v him.”

“M!—nt at ol,” rplaid Mr. Naitli, rɖr dsplizd; “I d nt wont t ʈnc il v him. I śd b az redi t acnolij hiz merits az eni uɖr man; bt I hír v nn, xpt ẃt r mirli prsnl; ɖt h z wel-groun n gd-lcñ, wɖ smuɖ, plōẓbl manrz.”

“Wel, f h hv nʈñ els t rec̣mnd him, h wl b a treźr at Hîḅri. W d nt ofn lc upn fîn yuñ men, wel-bréd n agriybl. W mst nt b nîs n asc fr ol ɖ vrćuz intu ɖ bargin. Canot y imajin, Mr. Naitli, ẃt a snseśn hiz cmñ wl pṛdys? Ɖr wl b bt wn subjict ʈrt ɖ paṛśz v Donwél n Hîḅri; bt wn inṭrest—wn objict v krioṣti; it wl b ol Mr. Franc Ćrćl; w śl ʈnc n spīc v nbdi els.”

“Y wl xkz mî biyñ so mć ovr-pǎrd. F I fînd him cnvrsbl, I śl b glad v hiz aqentns; bt f h z onli a ćaṭrñ cocscom, h wl nt okpî mć v mî tîm or ʈts.”

“Mî îdīa v him z, ɖt h cn adapt hiz convseśn t ɖ test v evrbdi, n hz ɖ pǎr az wel az ɖ wś v biyñ yṇvrṣli agriybl. T y, h wl tōc v farmñ; t m, v drw̃ or ḿzic; n so on t evrbdi, hvñ ɖt jenṛl inf̣meśn on ol subjicts ẃć wl inebl him t folo ɖ līd, or tec ɖ līd, jst az pṛprayti me rqîr, n t spīc xtrimli wel on ć; ɖt z mî îdīa v him.”

“N mîn,” sd Mr. Naitli wormli, “z, ɖt f h trn ǎt enʈñ lîc it, h wl b ɖ most insufṛbl felo briɖñ! Ẃt! at ʈri-n-twenti t b ɖ cñ v hiz cumṗni—ɖ gret man—ɖ practist poḷtiśn, hu z t rīd evrbdi’z caṛctr, n mc evrbdi’z taḷnts cndys t ɖ dsple v hiz ǒn s’pirioṛti; t b dspnsñ hiz flaṭriz arnd, ɖt h me mc ol apir lîc fūlz cmperd wɖ himslf! Mî dir Ema, yr ǒn gd sns cd nt indyr sć a pupi ẃn it cem t ɖ pônt.”

“I wl se no mor abt him,” craid Ema, “y trn evrʈñ t īvl. W r bʈ preɉdist; y agnst, I fr him; n w hv no ćans v agriyñ tl h z riyli hir.”

“Preɉdist! I am nt preɉdist.”

“Bt I am vri mć, n wɖt biyñ at ol aśemd v it. Mî luv fr Mr. n Msz. Wsṭn gvz m a dsîdd preɉdis in hiz fevr.”

“H z a prsn I nvr ʈnc v fṛm wn munʈ’s end t anɖr,” sd Mr. Naitli, wɖ a dgri v vxeśn, ẃć md Ema imīɉtli tōc v smʈñ els, ɖo ś cd nt comprihnd ẃ h śd b angri.

T tec a dslîc t a yuñ man, onli bcz h apird t b v a difṛnt disṗziśn fṛm himslf, wz unwrɖi ɖ riyl liḅraḷti v mînd ẃć ś wz olwz yst t acnolij in him; fr wɖ ol ɖ hî opińn v himslf, ẃć ś hd ofn leid t hiz ćarj, ś hd nvr bfr fr a momnt s’pozd it cd mc him unjust t ɖ merit v anɖr.