In one respect Mrs. Elton grew even worse than she had appeared at first. Her feelings altered towards Emma.--Offended, probably, by the little encouragement which her proposals of intimacy met with, she drew back in her turn and gradually became much more cold and distant; and though the effect was agreeable, the ill-will which produced it was necessarily increasing Emma''s dislike. Her manners, too--and Mr. Elton''s, were unpleasant towards Harriet. They were sneering and negligent. Emma hoped it must rapidly work Harriet''s cure; but the sensations which could prompt such behaviour sunk them both very much.--It was not to be doubted that poor Harriet''s attachment had been an offering to conjugal unreserve, and her own share in the story, under a colouring the least favourable to her and the most soothing to him, had in all likelihood been given also. She was, of course, the object of their joint dislike.-- When they had nothing else to say, it must be always easy to begin abusing Miss Woodhouse; and the enmity which they dared not shew in open disrespect to her, found a broader vent in contemptuous treatment of Harriet. ◢思◢兔◢網◢文◢檔◢共◢享◢與◢在◢線◢閱◢讀◢
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