Эмма. Уровень 3 / Emma

I must tell you that I have good reason to believe your little friend will soon hear of something to her advantage,” Mr. Knightley said with a smile.

“Indeed! how so? of what sort?”

“A very serious sort, I assure you;” still smiling.

“Very serious! I can think of but one thing-Who is in love with her?

“I have reason to think, that Harriet Smith will soon have an offer of marriage, Robert Martin is the man. He is desperately in love and means to marry her.

”

“Is he sure,” said Emma; “that Harriet means to marry him?”

“Well, well, means to make her an offer then. Robert Martin came to the Abbey two evenings ago, on purpose to consult me about it. He came to ask me whether I approved his choice. I was very much pleased with all that he said. He told me everything; his circumstances and plans, and what they all proposed doing in the event of his marriage. He is an excellent young man, both as son and brother.

I had no hesitation in advising him to marry.”

“Pray, Mr. Knightley,” said Emma, who had been smiling to herself through a great part of this speech, “he wrote a letter, and was refused.”

Mr. Knightley looked red with surprise and displeasure. He stood up and said,

“Then she is more stupid than I ever believed her. What does the foolish girl think about?”

“Oh!” cried Emma, “A man always imagines a woman to be ready for anybody who asks her.

”

“Nonsense! a man does not imagine any such thing. But what is the meaning of this? Harriet Smith refused Robert Martin? Madness, if it is so; but I hope you are mistaken.”

“I saw her answer! – nothing could be clearer.”

“You saw her answer! – you wrote her answer too. Emma, this is your doing. You persuaded her to refuse him.”

“And if I did, I should not feel that I had done wrong.

Mr. Martin is a very respectable young man, but I cannot admit him to be Harriet's equal; and am rather surprised indeed that he should have had enough courage to ask her.”

“Not Harriet's equal!” exclaimed Mr. Knightley loudly and warmly; and added, a few moments afterwards, “No, he is not her equal indeed, for he is as much her superior in sense as in situation. Emma, your infatuation about that girl blinds you.