3/18 They must not do less than others, or she should be exposed to odious suspicions, and imagined capable of pitiful resentment. After Emma had talked about it for ten minutes, Mr.Woodhouse felt no unwillingness, and only made the usual stipulation of not sitting at the bottom of the table himself, with the usual regular difficulty of deciding who should do it for him. Besides the Eltons, it must be the Westons and Mr.Knightley; so far it was all of course--and it was hardly less inevitable that poor little Harriet must be asked to make the eighth:--but this invitation was not given with equal satisfaction, and on many accounts Emma was particularly pleased by Harriet's begging to be allowed to decline it. "She would rather not be in his company more than she could help. |