Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/161

 by-and-bye; no hurry. Oh, here it comes. Everything is so good.

The secret of Frank Churchill's engagement at last comes out unexpectedly, and is a very startling revelation to a good many people, even to Emma, though not in the way she might have expected. In his effort to conceal his real attachment, Frank Churchill has flirted with Emma to an extent that has exasperated Jane Fairfax, whose nerves are over-wrought and irritable beyond measure, and she at length hastily decides on taking a situation as a governess which has been offered to her by friends of Mrs. Elton. She has carefully concealed this step from her lover up to the last moment; but when he learns it, all his better feelings are roused, and he announces the engagement to his family, determined to brave all possible consequences. Emma, in addition to being much displeased at this secrecy, which is so repugnant to her whole nature, is sincerely grieved for Harriet Smith, who, she believes, is as much attached to Frank Churchill as she can be to any one. For some time past it has been clear that there is a successor to Mr. Elton in Harriet's somewhat unstable affections; and though Emma, taught by experience, has resolutely held her tongue on the subject, she has been delighted at a prospect which promised so much happiness to her friend. Now, when the truth is known, she is preparing to pity and sympathise with Harriet over Frank Churchill's unjustifiable concealment, when, to her amazement, she finds herself again completely mistaken, and learns with dismay that Mr. Knightley is the man on whom Harriet's present ideas are fixed.

"A mind like hers, once opening to suspicion, made rapid progress; she touched, she admitted, she