CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

Mrs Weston's friends were happy to know she was in good health, and would soon have a little girl. She had wished for a Miss Weston.

"She will indulge her even more than she did you," Mr Knightley told Emma.

"Poor child!" cried Emma, "what will become of her?"

"Nothing very bad. She will be disagreeable as a child, and will later become a loving, intelligent woman. My dearest Emma, who was a spoiled child, is now my happiness. I have been in love with you ever since you were thirteen."

"I am sure you did me good."

"'Mr Knightley,' you always called me 'Mr Knightley', so formal. I want you to call me something else, but I do know what."

"I remember once calling you 'George', but you did not get angry, so I never did it again."

"Cannot you call me 'George' now?"

"Impossible! I can never call you anything but 'Mr Knightley'. I will call you by your first name once. Can you guess where—in the building where N. takes M. for better and for worse."

Emma worried about how to tell her father about the engagement. She decided she must announce it soon, and would speak with joyful words. Her father would agree, and she and Mr Knightley would be married, and Mr Knightley would soon move to Hartfield, a man Mr Woodhouse loved dearly.

Poor man! At first, Mr Woodhouse was shocked, and tried to persuade her not to marry. He reminded her that she had always assured her father she would never marry. She told her father that she would remain in Hartfield, and there would be little change. Mr Woodhouse was never fond of change, however. After some time, Mr Woodhouse agreed to the marriage, although he worried about how their lives would change.

(end of section)