“And do you see her, sir, tolerably often?” asked Isabella in the plaintive tone which just suited her father.

Mr. Woodhouse hesitated.—­“Not near so often, my dear, as I could wish.”

“Oh! papa, we have missed seeing them but one entire day since they married.  Either in the morning or evening of every day, excepting one, have we seen either Mr. Weston or Mrs. Weston, and generally both, either at Randalls or here—­and as you may suppose, Isabella, most frequently here.  They are very, very kind in their visits.  Mr. Weston is really as kind as herself.  Papa, if you speak in that melancholy way, you will be giving Isabella a false idea of us all.  Every body must be aware that Miss Taylor must be missed, but every body ought also to be assured that Mr. and Mrs. Weston do really prevent our missing her by any means to the extent we ourselves anticipated—­which is the exact truth.”

“Just as it should be,” said Mr. John Knightley, “and just as I hoped it was from your letters.  Her wish of shewing you attention could not be doubted, and his being a disengaged and social man makes it all easy.  I have been always telling you, my love, that I had no idea of the change being so very material to Hartfield as you apprehended; and now you have Emma’s account, I hope you will be satisfied.”

“Why, to be sure,” said Mr. Woodhouse—­“yes, certainly—­I cannot deny that Mrs. Weston, poor Mrs. Weston, does come and see us pretty often—­ but then—­she is always obliged to go away again.”

“It would be very hard upon Mr. Weston if she did not, papa.—­ You quite forget poor Mr. Weston.”

“I think, indeed,” said John Knightley pleasantly, “that Mr. Weston has some little claim.  You and I, Emma, will venture to take the part of the poor husband.  I, being a husband, and you not being a wife, the claims of the man may very likely strike us with equal force.  As for Isabella, she has been married long enough to see the convenience of putting all the Mr. Westons aside as much as she can.”

“Me, my love,” cried his wife, hearing and understanding only in part.—­ “Are you talking about me?—­I am sure nobody ought to be, or can be, a greater advocate for matrimony than I am; and if it had not been for the misery of her leaving Hartfield, I should never have thought of Miss Taylor but as the most fortunate woman in the world; and as to slighting Mr. Weston, that excellent Mr. Weston, I think there is nothing he does not deserve.  I believe he is one of the very best-tempered men that ever existed.  Excepting yourself and your brother, I do not know his equal for temper.  I shall never forget his flying Henry’s kite for him that very windy day last Easter—­and ever since his particular kindness last September twelvemonth in writing that note, at twelve o’clock at night, on purpose to assure me that there was no scarlet fever at Cobham, I have been convinced there could not be a more feeling heart nor a better man in existence.—­If any body can deserve him, it must be Miss Taylor.”