Chapter 13

           TherecouldhardlybeahappiercreatureintheworldthanMrs.JohnKnightley,inthisshortvisittoHartfield,goingabouteverymorningamongheroldacquaintancewithherfivechildren,andtalkingoverwhatshehaddoneeveryeveningwithherfatherandsister.Shehadnothingtowishotherwise,butthatthedaysdidnotpasssoswiftly.Itwasadelightfulvisit—perfect,inbeingmuchtooshort.

           Ingeneraltheireveningswerelessengagedwithfriendsthantheirmornings;butonecompletedinnerengagement,andoutofthehousetoo,therewasnoavoiding,thoughatChristmas.Mr.Westonwouldtakenodenial;theymustalldineatRandallsoneday—evenMr.Woodhousewaspersuadedtothinkitapossiblethinginpreferencetoadivisionoftheparty.

           Howtheywerealltobeconveyed,hewouldhavemadeadifficultyifhecould,butashissonanddaughter’scarriageandhorseswereactuallyatHartfield,hewasnotabletomakemorethanasimplequestiononthathead;ithardlyamountedtoadoubt;nordiditoccupyEmmalongtoconvincehimthattheymightinoneofthecarriagesfindroomforHarrietalso.

           Harriet,Mr.Elton,andMr.Knightley,theirownespecialset,weretheonlypersonsinvitedtomeetthem—thehoursweretobeearly,aswellasthenumbersfew;Mr.Woodhouse’shabitsandinclinationbeingconsultedineverything.

           Theeveningbeforethisgreatevent(foritwasaverygreateventthatMr.