Summary
Mr. Knightley comes to dine with Woodhouses, and Emma wishes to restore
their friendship but has no plans to concede the argument. Mr. Weston invites
members of Highbury society to visit his family at Randalls on Christmas Eve,
but Harriet can’t attend because of a cold. Meanwhile, Emma finally realizes
that Mr. Elton has no interest in Harriet Smith and is instead infatuated with
Emma herself. After Emma rejects Mr. Elton, he leaves for a while for a sojourn
in Bath, and Harriet fancies herself heartbroken. The Westons are disappointed
that Frank Churchill has not come to Highbury though Emma has already decided
that he is a wonderful person. When she quarrels with Mr. Knightley about
Frank, she automatically assumes that Frank has good intentions and is perfectly
honorable. This leads to a disagreement with George, who thinks that Frank is
avoiding his duty to visit his own father. Then, Emma's mistakes with regard to
Harriet Smith have led her to greater self-examination. For the first time,
Emma begins to consider her own faults and attempts to improve them. When she
visits the Bates, this is an attempt to correct one of these faults: she
acknowledges that she is negligent towards Mrs. and Miss Bates. During their
visit, Emma is forced to hear about Mr. Elton, and though Emma has tried to
avoid hearing about Miss Bates’s niece, Jane Fairfax, Miss Bates produces a
letter from her. Next morning George Knightley thanks Emma for being pleasant
toward Jane and as he tells Emma that he has news for her, he is interrupted by
the arrival of Miss Bates and Miss Fairfax bursting Mr. Elton is going to be
married. Emma is sorry for how Harriet will take the news while Harriet comes
over all excited, and tells Emma that she has just seen Mr. Martin and his
sister at the store, she is pleased that they have treated her with politeness
and kindness. Emma is upset by Harriet's excitement but tells her about Elton's
marriage. Harriet is shocked at the news, but she soon recovers and expresses
her curiosity about his new acquaintance.
Very good!
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