Emma

This chapter tells Jane Fairfax’s story. Jane is an orphan because her father, Lieutenant Fairfax, died in an overseas war and her mother, Mrs. Bates’ younger daughter, died of tuberculosis soon after. Jane would have grown up in poverty with Mrs. and Miss Bates were it not for the intervention of her father’s friend Colonel Campbell, who raised and educated her with his similar-aged daughter. Given her lack of personal fortune, Jane must become a governess in order to support herself. Even Emma, who has never liked Jane because the latter’s accomplishments outweigh her own, feels compassion for this girl who grew up in refined society and must now sink to the position of a governess.

However, when Jane arrives, all of Emma’s good intentions expire. She finds Miss Bates’ concerns for her niece’s health exasperating and Jane “disgustingly […] reserved.” She cannot get Jane to supply any entertaining information about Mr. Dixon, the man whom Emma supposes she is secretly in love with, or Frank Churchill, whom Jane became acquainted with at Weymouth. Emma finds this caution unforgivable.

As Mr. Knightley expresses his disappointment with Emma’s attitude toward Jane, Miss Bates and Jane appear at Hartfield with news: Mr. Elton met a woman named Miss Hawkins in Bath and is to be married to her. While Emma tries to compose a polite response, Miss Bates’s lengthy stream of gossip alludes to a Highbury rumor that Mr. Elton had previously set his sights on Emma. This implies that Mr. Elton was less discreet about his intentions than Emma would have liked.

Emma worries about how to break the news to Harriet. Meanwhile, Harriet bursts in emotionally overwhelmed at meeting Robert Martin and his sister Elizabeth at Ford’s store. Elizabeth went up to talk to Harriet, and later Robert offered her advice on how best to reach Hartfield without getting soaked by the rain. Emma admits that “there had been an interesting mixture of wounded affection and genuine delicacy in their behaviour” (151). However, she believes that she was still right to separate Harriet from the Martins and uses the news of Mr. Elton’s marriage to distract her.

News of Mr. Elton’s new bride Miss Augusta Hawkins spreads through Highbury. The youngest daughter of a Bristol merchant who was involved in a line of trade of “very moderate” dignity—potentially slavery—has a 10,000-pound fortune.

Harriet continues to be tormented by the competing horrors of Mr. Elton’s news and her feelings towards the Martins. When Harriet receives an invitation from Elizabeth Martin to visit her at Abbey Mill, Emma says that it would be improper for Harriet not to go. However, the visit should be conducted in a manner that shows that Harriet does not wish to renew the acquaintance.

Emma takes Harriet to visit the Martins at Abbey Mill in her carriage, but by making the visit only 15 minutes long, Harriet indicates that her friendship with the Martins is over. Still, Harriet’s quietness on the carriage ride home indicates her heaviness of heart. On the way back, they encounter Mr. and Mrs. Weston, who tell them that Frank Churchill will arrive in Highbury tomorrow.

The next day, Emma comes home to find that Frank Churchill is already there with Mr. Weston and her father. She finds that Frank is just as handsome, agreeable, and well-informed as she imagined he would be. He praises Highbury effusively to the extent that Emma doubts his sincerity. She thinks that if Frank felt as strongly about Highbury as he claimed, he would have visited sooner. While Mr. Weston listens in on Frank and Emma’s conversation, forming hopes of a marriage, Mr. Woodhouse is blissfully unaware of such a possibility. When Mr. Weston announces that he must leave, Frank mentions that he must pass by an acquaintance he made in Weymouth: Jane Fairfax. Mr. Weston encourages him, saying that Jane, who has sunk socially, will feel it is a slight if Frank does not visit.

Emma, Mrs. Weston, and Frank Churchill go for a walk around Highbury. Frank shows an animated interest in Highbury, expressing his desire to see the whole town. At the Crown Inn, he looks upon the unused ballroom with regret and implores Emma to use her influence to have a ball there. Frank does not share Emma’s concern about the confusion of social rank in any potential ball. Emma asks him about his visit to the Bateses. He says that he only intended to stay for ten minutes, and allowing Emma to believe that chatty Miss Bates was the reason he stayed for 45.

Frank says that Miss Fairfax is not attractive to him, given her “most deplorable want of complexion” (169). When Emma tries to ask Frank how well acquainted he is with Jane, he answers coyly that it is the lady’s role to state her degree of acquaintance with a gentleman. He thus defers his answer until he knows how well Emma is acquainted with Jane. Emma confesses that despite their similar age, she and Jane are not close because the latter is so reserved. When the subject shifts to Jane’s accomplishments, Frank lets slip that Mr. Dixon preferred Jane’s piano-playing to his fiancée’s. This boosts Emma’s suspicions that Jane and Mr. Dixon are in love, an assumption Frank neither encourages nor discourages When they pass Mr. Elton’s house and Frank says that any man who can live with the woman he loves will be happy, Emma thinks that he will settle early in life.

Emma’s good opinion of Frank Churchill is marred by his going to London to get a haircut. She judges him as vain and restless for the act. While she likes that people are romantically associating her with Frank, she retains her intention of never marrying. She thinks that while Frank is not yet in love with her, he is on the road to being so.

The Coles, a Highbury family who have made their wealth by trade and therefore do not have the genteel status of Emma, invite all of her friends to an evening party. Emma, a snob who enjoys having the distinction of rank maintained, intends to refuse the invitation. However, her invitation does not arrive with the ones for Mr. Knightley and the Westons do. She begins to regret that she has not been invited. However, the Coles only delayed their invitation to Hartfield because they were awaiting the arrival of a screen that would protect Mr. Woodhouse from draughts. Mr. Woodhouse, who dislikes socializing at late hours politely declines; however, Emma eagerly accepts the invitation.

Frank Churchill shows no remorse for going to London to get a haircut. When Emma arrives at the Coles’ party she is happy that Mr. Knightley arrived in his carriage, as befits a gentleman, rather than on foot. While Mr. Knightley and the family at Randalls are to come for dinner, the Bateses and Harriet will arrive later in the evening, owing to their inferior social rank.

At dinner, the topic of conversation is the pianoforte which arrived at the Bateses’ house for Jane Fairfax. The sender, is mysterious and while the general opinion is that Colonel Campbell is responsible, Emma shares her suspicion that the surprise is the work of Mr. Dixon, whom she suspects of being secretly in love with Jane. Frank praises Emma’s powers of observation and conjecture, while relating the fact that Mr. Dixon’s rescue of Jane Fairfax from falling overboard at Weymouth was a matter-of-fact affair.

Later, after Harriet, Jane and Miss Bates arrive, Frank finds an excuse to talk to Jane Fairfax, and Mrs. Weston sits by Emma. Mrs. Weston shares her own suspicion that Mr. Knightley is in love with Jane, as he brought his carriage to carry her and Miss Bates to and from the party. Emma exclaims and protests over the fact, saying that Mr. Knightley must not marry and that her nephew, little Henry, must not be cheated out of inheriting Donwell. She claims that Mr. Knightley has no need of marrying and that he is perfectly happy on his own. Mrs. Weston points out that Mr. Knightley greatly admires Jane and that he may have been the giver of the piano. Emma refutes this claim, stating, “Mr. Knightley does nothing mysteriously” (192).

Emma is the first young lady invited to try out the Coles’ pianoforte. She obliges, playing a song that is within her skill range. Frank accompanies her. Then, Jane, a far superior performer, is invited to play. Frank sings with her also, and Emma suspects that they must have sung together at Weymouth. Emma, who is sitting by Mr. Knightley, asks for his opinion on the pianoforte gift, and he says that while it was a thoughtful gesture, he does not approve of the surprise element. He does, however, regret that Jane is straining her voice because Frank is making her sing song after song. He implores Miss Bates to put an end to the proceedings. After this, Mrs. Weston sits down at the piano and Frank leads Emma in a dance. At the end of two dances, Frank tells Emma that he was grateful he did not have to dance with Jane.

Emma had a good time at the Coles’; however, she feels guilty about having betrayed her suspicions of Jane’s involvement with Mr. Dixon to Frank. She also laments that her playing is so inferior to Jane’s. Regretting “the idleness of her childhood,” she sits down to a vigorous hour and a half of piano practice (197).

Harriet enters with the news that the Cox girls would be happy to marry Robert Martin. Emma thinks it best to accompany Harriet to Ford’s so that she does not chance running into Robert Martin unaccompanied. While waiting outside Ford’s, Emma spots Mrs. Weston and Frank Churchill on their way to the Bateses. Mrs. Weston explains that Frank reminded her of a promise to Miss Bates to go over and hear Jane’s new instrument. Frank feigns indifference about going himself, but Mrs. Weston encourages him to come along. Before long, Miss Bates returns, and Emma and Harriet are all swept up in an invitation to hear the instrument. Meanwhile, Frank has been alone with Jane, on the pretense of mending old Mrs. Bates’ spectacles. On their way to the Bateses’ house, Miss Bates says that Mr. Knightley sent them his entire supply of apples after hearing that Jane liked them.

Frank is eager to secure another dance during his stay in Highbury, and Emma, who fancies herself at least as good a dancer as Jane, agrees. While they first think of having the dance at Randalls, it will be too small for the proposed numbers. Mr. Weston thus suggests The Crown Inn, which was used as a ballroom in former years. On a visit to the Inn, while he, his wife and Emma are discussing the suitability of the venue, Frank enlists Miss Bates and Jane for their opinion. Mr. Weston is satisfied that Frank has asked Emma for the first two dances. However, Emma now truly believes that she will never marry Frank because she is put off by the restlessness in his character.

The young people of Highbury eagerly anticipate the ball. Even normally cool Jane Fairfax lets Emma know that she hopes nothing will happen to prevent the occasion from taking place. However, their plans are overthrown when Mrs. Churchill summons Frank back to Enscombe on account of her extremely ill health. When he comes by Hartfield to say his goodbyes, he has already been by the Bateses and had time alone with Jane, on account of Miss Bates’s absence. When he takes leave of Emma, she worries that he will declare sentiments she cannot return. He begins a sentence with “perhaps Miss Woodhouse — I think you can hardly be quite without suspicion” (222). While he tries to gauge whether Emma knows about him and Jane, Emma attempts to redirect what she fears will be a declaration of love by commenting that he has done his duty by the Bateses. When Frank looks disappointed, she figures that “he was more in love with her than Emma supposed” (222). After Frank leaves, she wonders if her listlessness and unwillingness to employ herself in any useful activity are symptoms of having been in love. She is disappointed to miss the ball and the amusements of Frank’s society. However, she thinks that Mr. Knightley will be pleased that the ball is cancelled. While Jane is composed about the ball’s cancellation, her health takes a turn for the worse.

Emma continues to hold onto the notion that she is in love. She enjoys perusing the letter that Frank wrote to Mrs. Weston, in which he compares Highbury favorably to Enscombe and mentions Emma with a great deal of praise. She forms “a thousand amusing schemes for the progress and close of their attachment”, which all end in her rejecting him elegantly and them becoming friends (224). Emma thinks she is happy to have been in love and will now be done with the predicament for the rest of her life. She cannot help forming another scheme when she reads Frank’s address to Harriet as “Miss Woodhouse’s beautiful little friend,” believing that there may be the chance to match-make Frank and Harriet (226). Though she tries to warn herself against indulging such speculations, she cannot help but wish for a remedy to Harriet’s frequent mentions of Mr. Elton, who is due to return to the neighborhood with his new bride. Emma finds herself guilt-tripping Harriet for rubbing her face in her misjudgment of Mr. Elton’s affections. Harriet, who cannot bear to have caused Emma pain, resolves to make more of an effort to forget him.

Emma determines that for propriety’s sake she and Harriet will not be the last to pay Mrs. Elton the visit that is her due as a new bride. That visit is too brief for Emma to get a clear idea of Mrs. Elton’s character; however, when Mrs. Elton comes to visit Hartfield, Emma is overwhelmed by her pert and familiar manners and her disregard for the differences of social rank. Mrs. Elton’s first social crime is to brag about the wealth of her sister, Selina Suckling, who resides in a large house Maple Grove and drives a fancy barouche-landeau carriage. Then, she presumes herself Emma’s social equal, even though Emma is an established member of the gentry and Mrs. Elton’s roots are in trade. Finally, she commits the offense of calling Mr. Knightley merely by his last name, a custom that only gentlemen are permitted. Emma believes that Mrs. Elton is far worse than she expected. She congratulates herself in thinking that Harriet would have been a better match for Mr. Elton, as despite her weak mind and illegitimacy, he would have risen through Harriet’s connections, whereas Mrs. Elton will sink him into vulgarity.

Mrs. Elton continues to reinforce her bad impression on Emma. When she notices that Emma’s reception of her is cool, she and Mr. Elton channel their feelings of resentment and enmity towards Emma through “sneering and negligent” treatment of Harriet (240). Mrs. Elton then proceeds to adopt Jane as her protégée, raving about her talents and promising that she will find a suitable governess position for her.

Emma is surprised that Jane accepts the Eltons’ attentions and does not go to Ireland, where the Campbells and Dixons have offered to host her. Emma maintains the idea that Jane is undertaking a self-imposed penance owing to her feelings for Mr. Dixon. Mr. Knightley, however, points out that Jane “receives attentions from Mrs. Elton, which nobody else pays her,” thus hinting that Emma has been remiss in her treatment of Jane (244). Emma then changes the subject to test the notion that Mr. Knightley may be in love with Jane. He informs Emma that Mr. Cole asked whether that might be the case a few weeks ago. However, while he admires Jane, he could not marry her, as she lacks “the open temper” a man would want in a wife” (247).

Emma feels obligated to have a dinner at Hartfield for Mrs. Elton, so that no one will suspect her of holding some resentment. At the dinner are Mr. Knightley, Mrs. Weston, the Eltons, Jane, and Mr. John Knightley, who happens to be visiting with his two eldest boys. Wishing to amend her prior negligence, Emma has invited Jane as Harriet has declined.

Mr. John Knightley tells Jane that he saw her headed out to the post-office in the rain, and that in future she should take better care of her health. She replies that it is her habit to walk there before breakfast and collect the family letters. Mr. John Knightley jokes that when Jane is his age, she will not care so much for letters. She states with some feeling that she does not hope to be as fortunate as Mr. John Knightley, who is surrounded by his dearest connections at home and will therefore never tire of receiving letters. Emma has her suspicions about the letters being from Mr. Dixon, but summons every ounce of discretion to not mention him. When the subject turns to handwriting, Emma comments that Frank Churchill has nice handwriting for a man, but Mr. Knightley who has also seen a sample, describes it as diminutive and feminine.

After dinner in the drawing room, Mrs. Elton occupies Jane’s attention. Although Jane makes it clear that she does not yet wish to begin the search for a governess post, Mrs. Elton insists that she will begin making inquiries with her Maple Grove connections in order to procure one of the best families. Jane makes her cynicism about what she calls the “governess-trade” clear and resents that her intellect will be put on the market.

When the gentlemen join the ladies in the drawing room, Mr. Weston enters with the announcement that Frank will soon be among them in Highbury. He will return with the Churchills to London and spend half his time in Highbury. The reactions of the group are mixed. Neither Mr. Knightley nor Mr. Woodhouse looks pleased, Mrs. Weston looks delighted, and Emma is unsure of how she feels. Jane’s reaction is unclear, as she is in deep conversation with Mr. John Knightley.

Mr. Weston and Mrs. Elton begin a lengthy conversation in which the former talks about his son and his difficulties with the Churchills, and the latter about Maple Grove.

Meanwhile, Mr. John Knightley remarks to Emma that her life seems so full of social engagements that she may have to send her two nephews back to London. He hints at a change from Randalls, alluding to Frank Churchill’s influence. Emma protests against the idea of such change and notes that she is freer than Mr. Knightley to look after the two little boys. She emphasizes her point by stipulating that she is barely ever two hours away from Hartfield, whereas Mr. Knightley can be away for five.