CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Emma thought constantly of Harriet that night. Such a disappointment for Harriet!

"If I had not persuaded Harriet into liking Mr Elton, he would not have begun to like me—but poor Harriet!" she thought to herself.

He proclaimed that he had never thought of Harriet as a lover, but he was so eager about the drawing of Harriet! She realized that Mr John Knightley was right about Mr Elton's feelings toward her. She now knew that Mr Elton was not who she believed him to be.

She began to think more about his feelings toward her. Miss Woodhouse of Hartfield, with a fortune of thirty thousand pounds, is well above him in society. Although, he was rejecting Harriet Smith because he felt he was above her in society. The Woodhouses are famous in Highbury, but the Eltons have no name in Highbury. She realized that her error was in her attempt to bring two people together. She believed it would be a simple task, but it hurt two people deeply. At that moment, she was concerned for her friend, and ashamed of herself, so she decided to do such things no more. "I actually talked poor Harriet into being very much in love with this man. She would never have thought of him otherwise; she is so modest and humble. I was right in persuading her not to marry Mr Martin, but there I should have stopped. I should have let her meet someone on her own," she thought. She went to bed worried about how to tell Harriet what had happened.

The next morning, the ground was covered in snow. Emma was not permitted to leave the house, and could only send Harriet notes. Emma was content with the snow; therefore, she had no need to find excuses for Mr Elton's absence. Though, she was still uneasy because she knew she would soon have to explain what happened to Harriet.

(end of section)