Emma (The Complete Works of Jane Austen)

Author: (British) Jane Austen translated by Sun Yi
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1997-08-01
Features: Excerpt: This important matter of a lifetime, to her friends, was full of happy hopes. Mr. Weston was of good character, wealthy, cheerful, and of the right age, and she felt contented in knowing she had helped arrange this marriage, sacrificing her own interests for the sake of friendship. But to her, it was still a case of making a match for others and causing herself trouble. She thought of Miss Taylor every moment of every day. She recalled the sixteen years of love she had given her! From the age of five, how she had educated her, how she had played with her. When she was healthy, how she had done her best to make her happy, and when she was sick in childhood, how she had cared for her—this was already a great debt that was hard to repay. The last seven years, especially after Isabella's marriage, when they treated each other as equals and were open with each other, were particularly precious memories. Miss Taylor was a rare friend and companion—intelligent, knowledgeable, helpful, gentle, skilled in household matters, enthusiastic about domestic chores, and especially interested in her and her every joy and plan. She talked about everything with her, and she cared for her deeply. How could she bear this change? Although her friend lived only half a mile away, Emma felt that a Mrs. Weston half a mile away was not the same as Miss Taylor living in her own home. She was naturally blessed with many advantages, but now, she felt spiritually lonely. She certainly loved her father, but he was not suited to be her companion. Whether discussing serious matters or joking, he could not meet her needs. His physique and habits only deepened the gap caused by their age difference. Mr. Woodhouse married too late in life and had been a sickly man all his life, lacking physical and mental activity, aging prematurely. Although kind-hearted, gentle, and beloved, he could only be considered an ordinary man. Her married sister, who lived in London, was only sixteen miles away, though she was not distant from the family, she could not visit every day. Before Isabella and her husband and their little one came for Christmas, she had to endure many long evenings in October and November for that joyous day.
Heberley was a large village with a large population, and Hartfield, though it had its own meadows, shrubs, and a name, was actually part of Heberley, and there was no place in Heberley that could compare to it. The Woodhouses were a respected family there, and everyone treated them differently. Emma had many acquaintances there because her father was very polite to everyone. But among them, not a single one could replace Miss Taylor, not even for half a day. This was a distressing change, and Emma could only sigh and worry until her father woke up, then she would regain her spirits. His spirits needed support; he was a nervous person, easily upset. He liked the people he knew and did not want to be separated from them; he hated any change. Marriage, as the cause of change, always made him unhappy. When he had to separate from Miss Taylor, he also expressed regret about his eldest daughter's marriage, though it was a happy one. He was somewhat selfish, so he never thought that others' feelings might be different from his own. He assumed that Miss Taylor had done a foolish thing not only for them but also for herself. If she had spent her life in Hartfield, she would have been happier. To avoid his worries, Emma tried to talk to him cheerfully and with a smile. But when tea was served, it was impossible to stop him from repeating the things he had said during dinner.
"Poor Miss Taylor! I wish she could come back. It's really a shame that Mr. Weston should think of her!"
"I can't agree with you, Father, really. A man like Mr. Weston, so kind, interesting, and outstanding, is naturally worthy of a good wife. Besides, when Miss Taylor has her own home, you won't let her live with us forever, enduring my quirks, will you?"
"Her own home! What's so good about her own home? Our home is three times larger than hers, and you've never had any quirks, dear."
"We'll visit them often, and they'll visit us often too! We'll see each other often! We must go first, we should go to congratulate them right away."