第17章

In his chamber, Emma was at peace from the dreadful mortifications of unequal Society, and family Discord—from the immediate endurance of Hard-hearted prosperity, low-minded Conceit, and wrong-headed folly, engrafted on an untoward Disposition.—She still suffered from them in the Contemplation of their existence; in memory and in prospect, but for the moment, she ceased to be tortured by their effects.—She was at leisure, she could read and think,—tho'her situation was hardly such as to make reflection very soothing.The Evils arising from the loss of her Uncle, were neither trifling, nor likely to lessen; and when Thought had been freely indulged, in contrasting the past and the present, the employment of mind, the dissipation of unpleasant ideas which only reading could produce, made her thankfully turn to a book.—The change in her home society, and stile of Life in consequence of the death of one friend and the imprudence of another had indeed been striking.—From being the first object of Hope and Solicitude of an Uncle who had formed her mind with the care of a Parent, and of Tenderness to an Aunt whose amiable temper had delighted to give her every indulgence, from being the Life and Spirit of a House, where all had been comfort and Elegance, and the expected Heiress of an easy Independance, shewas become of importance to no one, a burden on those, whose affection she could not expect, an addition in an House, already overstocked, surrounded by inferior minds with little chance of domestic comfort, and as little hope of future support.—It was well for her that she was naturally chearful;—for the Change had been such as might have plunged weak spirits in Despondence.

She was very much pressed by Robert and Jane to return withthem to Croydon, and had some difficulty in getting a refusal accepted; as they thought too highly of their own kindness and situation, to suppose the offer could appear in a less advantageous light to anybody else.—Elizabeth gave them her interest, tho'evidently against her own, in privately urging Emma to go—'You do not know what you refuse Emma'—said she—'nor what you have to bear at home.—I would advise you by all means to accept the invitation, there is always something lively going on at Croydon, you will be in company almost every day, and Robert and Jane will be very kind to you.—As for me, I shall be no worse off without you, than I have been used to be; but poor Margaret's disagreable ways are new to you, and they would vex you more than you think for, if you stay at home.'Emma was of course uninfluenced, except to greater esteem for Elizabeth, by such representations—and the Visitors departed without her.