I am sorry for _her_.

She deserves a better fate." Emma understood him; and as soon as she could recover from the flutter of pleasure, excited by such tender consideration, replied, "You are very kind--but you are mistaken--and I must set you right .-- I am not in want of that sort of compassion.

My blindness to what was going on, led me to act by them in a way that I must always be ashamed of, and I was very foolishly tempted to say and do many things which may well lay me open to unpleasant conjectures, but I have no other reason to regret that I was not in the secret earlier." "Emma!" cried he, looking eagerly at her, "are you, indeed ?"--but checking himself--"No, no, I understand you--forgive me--I am pleased that you can say even so much .-- He is no object of regret, indeed! and it will not be very long, I hope, before that becomes the acknowledgment of more than your reason .-- Fortunate that your affections were not farther entangled!--I could never, I confess, from your manners, assure myself as to the degree of what you felt--I could only be certain that there was a preference--and a preference which I never believed him to deserve .-- He is a disgrace to the name of man .-- And is he to be rewarded with that sweet young woman ?--Jane, Jane, you will be a miserable creature." "Mr.Knightley," said Emma, trying to be lively, but really confused--"I am in a very extraordinary situation.

I cannot let you continue in your error; and yet, perhaps, since my manners gave such an impression, I have as much reason to be ashamed of confessing that I never have been at all attached to the person we are speaking of, as it might be natural for a woman to feel in confessing exactly the reverse .-- But I never have." He listened in perfect silence.

She wished him to speak, but he would not.