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 to keep her own counsel; she says, and truly enough, that “Too many cooks spoil the broth.”’

‘I am sorry for her anxieties,’ said Emma; ‘but I do not like her plans or her opinions. I shall be afraid of her. She must have too masculine and bold a temper. To be so bent on marriage—to pursue a man merely for the sake of situation, is a sort of thing that shocks me; I cannot understand it, Poverty is a great evil; but to a woman of education and feeling it ought not, it cannot be the greatest. I would rather be teacher at a school (and I can think of nothing worse), than marry a man I did not like,

‘I would rather do anything than be teacher at a school,’ said her sister. I have been at school, Emma, and know what a life they lead; you never have. I should not like marrying a disagreeable man any more than yourself; but I do not think there are many very disagreeable men; I think I could like any goodhumoured man with a comfortable income. I suppose my aunt brought you up to be rather refined.’

‘Indeed I do not know, My conduct must tell you how I have been brought up. I am no judge of it myself, I cannot compare my aunt’s method with any other person’s, because I know no other.’

‘But I can see in a great many things that you are very refined. I have observed it ever since you came home, and I am afraid it will not be for your happiness. Penelope will laugh at you very much,’

‘That will not be for my happiness, I am sure. If my opinions are wrong I must correct them; if they