As soon as Joey arrived at the metropolis, he went to the correspondent
of the house at Portsmouth to inquire for letters. He found one of the
greatest interest from Mr Small, who, after some preliminaries relative
to the business and certain commissions for him to transact in town,
proceeded as follows:--
"Your health has been a source of great anxiety to us all, not only in
the counting-house, but in the drawing-room; the cause of your illness
was ascribed to over-exertion in your duties, and it must be admitted,
that until you were ill there was no relaxation on your part; but we
have reason to suppose that there have been other causes which may
have occasioned your rapid change from activity and cheerfulness to
such a total prostration of body and mind. You may feel grieved when
I tell you that Emma has been very unwell since you left, and the
cause of her illness is beyond the skill of Mr Taylor, our medical
man. She has, however, confided so much to her mother as to let us
know that you are the party who has been the chief occasion of it.
She has acknowledged that she has not behaved well to you, and has not
done you justice; and I really believe that it is this conviction
which is the chief ground of her altered state of health. I certainly
have been too much in the counting-house to know what has been going
on in the parlour, but I think that you ought to know us better than
to suppose that we should not in every point be most anxious for your
happiness, and your being constantly with us. That Emma blames
herself is certain; that she is very amiable, is equally so; your
return would give us the greatest satisfaction. I hardly need say I
love my niece, and am anxious for her happiness; I love you, my dear
friend, and am equally anxious for yours; and I do trust that any
trifling disagreement between you (for surely you must be on intimate
terms to quarrel, and for her to feel the quarrel so severely) will be
speedily overcome. From what her mother says, I think that her
affections are seriously engaged (I treat you with the confidence I am
sure you deserve), and I am sure that there is no one upon whom I
would so willingly bestow my niece; or as I find by questioning, no
one to whom Mrs Phillips would so willingly entrust her daughter.
If; then, I am right in my supposition, you will be received with open
arms by all, not even excepting Emma--she has no coquetry in her
composition. Like all the rest of us, she has her faults; but if she
has her faults, she is not too proud to acknowledge them, and that you
will allow when you read the enclosed, which she has requested me to
send to you, and at the same time desired me to read it first. I
trust this communication will accelerate your recovery, and that we
shall soon see you again. At all events, answer my letter, and if I
am in error, let me know, that I may undeceive others."
The enclosure from Emma was then opened by our hero; it was in few
words:--
"My dear friend,--On reflection, I consider that I have treated you
unjustly; I intended to tell you so, if I had had an opportunity,
before you quitted us so hastily. My fault has preyed upon my mind
ever since, and I cannot lose this first opportunity of requesting
your forgiveness, and hoping that when we meet we shall be on the same
friendly terms that we always had been previous to my unfortunate
ebullition of temper.--Yours truly, EMMA."
That this letter was a source of unqualified delight to our hero, may be
easily imagined. He was at once told by the uncle, and certainly Emma
did not leave him to suppose the contrary, that he might aspire and
obtain her hand. Our hero could not reply to it by return of post. If
distress had occasioned his illness, joy now prostrated him still more;
and he was compelled to return to his bed; but he was happy, almost too
happy, and he slept at last, and he dreamt such visions as only can be
conjured up by those who have in anticipation every wish of their heart
gratified. The next day he replied to Mr Small's, acknowledging, with
frankness, his feelings towards his niece, which a sense of his own
humble origin and unworthiness had prevented him from venturing to
disclose, and requesting him to use his influence in his favour, as he
dared not speak himself; until he had received such assurance of his
unmerited good fortune as might encourage him so to do. To Emma, his
reply was in a few words; he thanked her for her continued good opinion
of him, the idea of having lost which had made him very miserable,
assuring her that he was ashamed of the petulance which he had shown,
and that it was for him to have asked pardon, and not one who had
behaved so kindly, and protected him for so long a period; that he felt
much better already, and hoped to be able to shorten the time of absence
which had been demanded by him and kindly granted by his patrons.
Having concluded and despatched these epistles, our hero determined that
he would take a stroll about the metropolis.