Chapter 5

           "Idonotknowwhatyouropinionmaybe,Mrs.Weston,"saidMr.Knightley,"ofthisgreatintimacybetweenEmmaandHarrietSmith,butIthinkitabadthing."

           "Abadthing!Doyoureallythinkitabadthing?—whyso?"

           "Ithinktheywillneitherofthemdotheotheranygood."

           "Yousurprizeme!EmmamustdoHarrietgood:andbysupplyingherwithanewobjectofinterest,HarrietmaybesaidtodoEmmagood.Ihavebeenseeingtheirintimacywiththegreatestpleasure.Howverydifferentlywefeel!—Notthinktheywilldoeachotheranygood!ThiswillcertainlybethebeginningofoneofourquarrelsaboutEmma,Mr.Knightley."

           "PerhapsyouthinkIamcomeonpurposetoquarrelwithyou,knowingWestontobeout,andthatyoumuststillfightyourownbattle."

           "Mr.Westonwouldundoubtedlysupportme,ifhewerehere,forhethinksexactlyasIdoonthesubject.Wewerespeakingofitonlyyesterday,andagreeinghowfortunateitwasforEmma,thatthereshouldbesuchagirlinHighburyforhertoassociatewith.Mr.Knightley,Ishallnotallowyoutobeafairjudgeinthiscase.Youaresomuchusedtolivealone,thatyoudonotknowthevalueofacompanion;and,perhapsnomancanbeagoodjudgeofthecomfortawomanfeelsinthesocietyofoneofherownsex,afterbeingusedtoitallherlife.IcanimagineyourobjectiontoHarrietSmith.SheisnotthesuperioryoungwomanwhichEmma’sfriendoughttobe.