Austen, Jane Emma

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"I am very sorry to hear, Miss Fairfax, of your being out this morning in the rain. Young ladies should
take care of themselves.-- Young ladies are delicate plants. They should take care of their health and
their complexion. My dear, did you change your stockings?"
"Yes, sir, I did indeed; and I am very much obliged by your kind solicitude about me."
"My dear Miss Fairfax, young ladies are very sure to be cared for.-- I hope your good grand-mama
and aunt are well. They are some of my very old friends. I wish my health allowed me to be a better
neighbour. You do us a great deal of honour to-day, I am sure. My daughter and I are both highly
sensible of your goodness, and have the greatest satisfaction in seeing you at Hartfield."
The kind-hearted, polite old man might then sit down and feel that he had done his duty, and made
every fair lady welcome and easy.
By this time, the walk in the rain had reached Mrs. Elton, and her remonstrances now opened upon
Jane.
"My dear Jane, what is this I hear?--Going to the post-office in the rain!--This must not be, I assure
you.--You sad girl, how could you do such a thing?--It is a sign I was not there to take care of you."
Jane very patiently assured her that she had not caught any cold.
"Oh! do not tell me. You really are a very sad girl, and do not know how to take care of
yourself.--To the post-office indeed! Mrs. Weston, did you ever hear the like? You and I must positively
exert our authority."
"My advice," said Mrs. Weston kindly and persuasively, "I certainly do feel tempted to give. Miss
Fairfax, you must not run such risks.-- Liable as you have been to severe colds, indeed you ought to be
particularly careful, especially at this time of year. The spring I always think requires more than common
care. Better wait an hour or two, or even half a day for your letters, than run the risk of bringing on your
cough again. Now do not you feel that you had? Yes, I am sure you are much too reasonable. You look
as if you would not do such a thing again."
"Oh! she shall not do such a thing again," eagerly rejoined Mrs. Elton. "We will not allow her to do
such a thing again:"-- and nodding significantly--"there must be some arrangement made, there must
indeed. I shall speak to Mr. E. The man who fetches our letters every morning (one of our men, I forget
his name) shall inquire for yours too and bring them to you. That will obviate all difficulties you know; and
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from us I really think, my dear Jane, you can have no scruple to accept such an accommodation."
"You are extremely kind," said Jane; "but I cannot give up my early walk. I am advised to be out of
doors as much as I can, I must walk somewhere, and the post-office is an object; and upon my word, I
have scarcely ever had a bad morning before."
"My dear Jane, say no more about it. The thing is determined, that is (laughing affectedly) as far as I
can presume to determine any thing without the concurrence of my lord and master. You know, Mrs.
Weston, you and I must be cautious how we express ourselves. But I do flatter myself, my dear Jane,
that my influence is not entirely worn out. If I meet with no insuperable difficulties therefore, consider that
point as settled."
"Excuse me," said Jane earnestly, "I cannot by any means consent to such an arrangement, so
needlessly troublesome to your servant. If the errand were not a pleasure to me, it could be done, as it
always is when I am not here, by my grandmama's."
"Oh! my dear; but so much as Patty has to do!--And it is a kindness to employ our men."
Jane looked as if she did not mean to be conquered; but instead of answering, she began speaking
again to Mr. John Knightley.
"The post-office is a wonderful establishment!" said she.-- "The regularity and despatch of it! If one
thinks of all that it has to do, and all that it does so well, it is really astonishing!"
"It is certainly very well regulated."
"So seldom that any negligence or blunder appears! So seldom that a letter, among the thousands
that are constantly passing about the kingdom, is even carried wrong--and not one in a million, I suppose,
actually lost! And when one considers the variety of hands, and of bad hands too, that are to be
deciphered, it increases the wonder." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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