Emma 爱玛 - Chapter 8

Harriet slept at Hartfield that night. For some weeks past she had been spending more than half her time there, and gradually getting to have a bed-room appropriated to herself; and Emma judged it best in every respect, safest and kindest, to keep her with them as much as possible just at present. She was obliged to go the next morning for an hour or two to Mrs. Goddard's, but it was then to be settled that she should return to Hartfield, to make a regular visit of some days., ,While she was gone, Mr. Knightley called, and sat some time with Mr. Woodhouse and Emma, till Mr. Woodhouse, who had previously ¹ made up his mind to walk out, was persuaded by his daughter not to defer ² it, and was induced by the entreaties ³ of both, though against the scruples ⁴ of his own civility, to leave Mr. Knightley for that purpose. Mr. Knightley, who had nothing of ceremony about him, was offering by his short, decided ⁶ answers, an amusing contrast to the protracted ⁷ apologies and civil hesitations ⁸ of the other. , ,"Well, I believe, if you will excuse me, Mr. Knightley, if you will not consider me as doing a very rude thing, I shall take Emma's advice and go out for a quarter of an hour. As the sun is out, I believe I had better take my three turns while I can. I treat you without ceremony, Mr. Knightley. We invalids ¹⁰ think we are privileged people." , , ,"I leave an excellent substitute in my daughter. Emma will be happy to entertain you. And therefore I think I will beg your excuse and take my three turns--my winter walk." , ,"You cannot do better, sir." , ,Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。,We wish to defer our decision until next week.我们希望推迟到下星期再作出决定 。