Chapter 11

           "Harriet,poorHarriet!"—Thosewerethewords;inthemlaythetormentingideaswhichEmmacouldnotgetridof,andwhichconstitutedtherealmiseryofthebusinesstoher.FrankChurchillhadbehavedveryillbyherself—veryillinmanyways—butitwasnotsomuchhisbehaviourasherown,whichmadehersoangrywithhim.ItwasthescrapewhichhehaddrawnherintoonHarriet’saccount,thatgavethedeepesthuetohisoffence.—PoorHarriet!tobeasecondtimethedupeofhermisconceptionsandflattery.Mr.Knightleyhadspokenprophetically,whenheoncesaid,"Emma,youhavebeennofriendtoHarrietSmith."—Shewasafraidshehaddonehernothingbutdisservice.—Itwastruethatshehadnottochargeherself,inthisinstanceasintheformer,withbeingthesoleandoriginalauthorofthemischief;withhavingsuggestedsuchfeelingsasmightotherwiseneverhaveenteredHarriet’simagination;forHarriethadacknowledgedheradmirationandpreferenceofFrankChurchillbeforeshehadevergivenherahintonthesubject;butshefeltcompletelyguiltyofhavingencouragedwhatshemighthaverepressed.Shemighthavepreventedtheindulgenceandincreaseofsuchsentiments.Herinfluencewouldhavebeenenough.Andnowshewasveryconsciousthatsheoughttohavepreventedthem.—Shefeltthatshehadbeenriskingherfriend’shappinessonmostinsufficientgrounds.