Mr Frank Churchill And Miss Fairfax example essay topic

Mr Frank Churchill was one of the boasts of Highbury, and a lively curiosity to see him prevailed, though the compliment was so little returned that he had never been there in his life. Now was the time for Mr Frank Churchill to come among them; and the hope strengthened when it was understood that he had written to his new mother on the occasion. 'I suppose you have heard of the handsome letter Mr Frank Churchill has written to Mrs Weston? Now, it so happened that in spite of Emma's resolution of never marrying, there was something in the name, in the idea of Mr Frank Churchill, which always interested her. Emma spoke with a very proper degree of pleasure; and fully assented to his proposition of Mr Frank Churchill and Miss Smith making their party quite complete. Then turning to Isabella, who had not been attending before -- 'You must know, my dear Mrs Knightley, that we are by no means so sure of seeing Mr Frank Churchill, in my opinion, as his father thinks.

Emma, in good spirits too, from the amusement afforded her mind by the expectation of Mr Frank Churchill, was willing to forget his late improprieties, and be as well satisfied with him as before, and on his making Harriet his very first subject, was ready to listen with most friendly smiles. Mr Frank Churchill did not come. Emma was not at this time in a state of spirits to care really about Mr Frank Churchill's not coming, except as a disappointment at Randalls. What has Mr Frank Churchill done, to make you suppose him such an unnatural creature?' If Frank Churchill had wanted to see his father, he would have contrived it between September and January.

It is Frank Churchill's duty to pay this attention to his father. Mr Frank Churchill to be making such a speech as that to the uncle and aunt, who have brought him up, and are to provide for him! -- Standing up in the middle of the room, I suppose, and speaking as loud as he could! -- How can you imagine such conduct practicable?' I can imagine, that if you, as you are, Mr Knightley, were to be transported and placed all at once in Mr Frank Churchill's situation, you would be able to say and do just what you have been recommending for him; and it might have a very good effect. There will be but one subject throughout the parishes of Don well and Highbury; but one interest -- one object of curiosity; it will be all Mr Frank Churchill; we shall think and speak of nobody else.

' Certain it was that she was to come; and that Highbury, instead of welcoming that perfect novelty which had been so long promised it -- Mr Frank Churchill -- must put up for the present with Jane Fairfax, who could bring only the freshness of a two years' absence. She and Mr Frank Churchill had been at Weymouth at the same time. 'Will Mr Frank Churchill pass through Bath as well as Oxford?' -- was a question, however, which did not augur much. The Frank Churchill so long talked of, so high in interest, was actually before her -- he was presented to her, and she did not think too much had been said in his praise; he was a very good looking young man; height, air, address, all were unexceptionable, and his countenance had a great deal of the spirit and liveliness of his father's; he looked quick and sensible. He could now, without the drawback of a single unpleasant surmise, without a glance forward at any possible treachery in his guest, give way to all his natural kind-hearted civility in solicitous inquiries after Mr Frank Churchill's accommodation on his journey, through the sad evils of sleeping two nights on the road, and express very genuine unmixed anxiety to know that he had certainly escaped catching cold -- which, however, he could not allow him to feel quite assured of himself till after another night. Mr Frank Churchill still declined it, looking as serious as he could, and his father gave his hearty support by calling out, 'My good friend, this is quite unnecessary; Frank knows a puddle of water when he sees it, and as to Mrs Bates's, he may get there from the Crown in a hop, step, and jump.

' The next morning brought Mr Frank Churchill again. Mr Frank Churchill hardly knows what to say when you speak of Miss Fairfax's situation in life. When the gloves were bought, and they had quitted the shop again, 'Did you ever hear the young lady we were speaking of, play?' said Frank Churchill. Emma's very good opinion of Frank Churchill was a little shaken the following day, by hearing that he was gone off to London, merely to have his hair cut. They had been speaking of it as they walked about Highbury the day before, and Frank Churchill had most earnestly lamented her absence. Frank Churchill came back again; and if he kept his father's dinner waiting, it was not known at Hartfield; for Mrs Weston was too anxious for his being a favourite with Mr Woodhouse, to betray any imperfection which could be concealed.

Miss Woodhouse made the proper acquiescence; and finding that nothing more was to be entrapped from any communication of Mrs Cole's, turned to Frank Churchill. They were soon joined by some of the gentlemen; and the very first of the early was Frank Churchill. When Mr Cole had moved away, and her attention could be restored as before, she saw Frank Churchill looking intently across the room at Miss Fairfax, who was sitting exactly opposite. Frank Churchill, of whom, in the eagerness of her conversation with Mrs Weston, she had been seeing nothing, except that he had found a seat by Miss Fairfax, followed Mr Cole, to add his very pressing entreaties; and as, in every respect, it suited Emma best to lead, she gave a very proper compliance.

One accompaniment to her song took her agreeably by surprise -- a second, slightly but correctly taken by Frank Churchill. Frank Churchill sang again. And Frank Churchill was heard to say, 'I think you could manage this without effort; the first part is so very trifling. Mrs Weston, capital in her country-dances, was seated, and beginning an irresistible waltz; and Frank Churchill, coming up with most becoming gallantry to Emma, had secured her hand, and led her up to the top. 'Perhaps it is as well,' said Frank Churchill, as he attended Emma to her carriage. She doubted whether she had not transgressed the duty of woman by woman, in betraying her suspicions of Jane Fairfax's feelings to Frank Churchill.

Mr Cole said how much taste you had; and Mr Frank Churchill talked a great deal about your taste, and that he valued taste much more than execution. ' 'And while Mrs Weston pays her visit, I may be allowed, I hope,' said Frank Churchill, 'to join your party and wait for her at Hartfield -- if you are going home. ' 'Aye, pray do,' said Mr Frank Churchill, 'Miss Woodhouse's opinion of the instrument will be worth having. ' -- But, said I, I shall be more sure of succeeding if one of you will go with me. -- So very obliging of Mr Frank Churchill! The appearance of the little sitting-room as they entered, was tranquillity itself; Mrs Bates, deprived of her usual employment, slumbering on one side of the fire, Frank Churchill, at a table near her, most occupied about her spectacles, and Jane Fairfax, standing with her back to them, intent on her pianoforte.

'Whoever Colonel Campbell might employ,' said Frank Churchill, with a smile at Emma, 'the person has not chosen ill. 'And here is Mrs Weston and Mr Frank Churchill too! -- Quite delightful; so many friends!' Was not it delightful? -- Miss Woodhouse and Mr Frank Churchill; I never saw any thing equal to it. ' 'Oh! very delightful indeed; I can say nothing less, for I suppose Miss Woodhouse and Mr Frank Churchill are hearing every thing that passes. Frank Churchill had danced once at Highbury, and longed to dance again; and the last half-hour of an evening which Mr Woodhouse was persuaded to spend with his daughter at Randalls, was passed by the two young people in schemes on the subject.

But still she had inclination enough for shewing people again how delightfully Mr Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse danced -- for doing that in which she need not blush to compare herself with Jane Fairfax -- and even for simple dancing itself, without any of the wicked aids of vanity -- to assist him first in pacing out the room they were in to see what it could be made to hold -- and then in taking the dimensions of the other parlour, in the hope of discovering, in spite of all that Mr Weston could say of their exactly equal size, that it was a little the largest. Every door was now closed, the passage plan given up, and the first scheme of dancing only in the room they were in resorted to again; and with such good-will on Frank Churchill's part, that the space which a quarter of an hour before had been deemed barely sufficient for five couple, was now endeavoured to be made out quite enough for ten. 'I was going to observe, sir,' said Frank Churchill, 'that one of the great recommendations of this change would be the very little danger of any body's catching cold -- so much less danger at the Crown than at Randalls! 'My father and Mrs Weston are at the Crown at this moment,' said Frank Churchill, 'examining the capabilities of the house. One thing only was wanting to make the prospect of the ball completely satisfactory to Emma -- its being fixed for a day within the granted term of Frank Churchill's stay in Surry; for, in spite of Mr Weston's confidence, she could not think it so very impossible that the Churchill might not allow their nephew to remain a day beyond his fortnight. A very friendly shake of the hand, a very earnest 'Good-bye,' closed the speech, and the door had soon shut out Frank Churchill.

I shall have many fellow-mourners for the ball, if not for Frank Churchill; but Mr Knightley will be happy. She had great pleasure in hearing Frank Churchill talked of; and, for his sake, greater pleasure than ever in seeing Mr and Mrs Weston; she was very often thinking of him, and quite impatient for a letter, that she might know how he was, how were his spirits, how was his aunt, and what was the chance of his coming to Randalls again this spring. As Frank Churchill's arrival had succeeded Mr Elton's engagement in the conversation of Highbury, as the latest interest had entirely borne down the first, so now upon Frank Churchill's disappearance, Mr Elton's concerns were assuming the most irresistible form. -- There was hardly time to talk over the first letter from Ens combe before 'Mr Elton and his bride' was in every body's mouth, and Frank Churchill was forgotten. Oh! what would Frank Churchill say to her, if he were here? Frank Churchill comes as regularly into my mind!' -- Mrs Weston was disengaged and Emma began again -- 'Mr Frank Churchill writes one of the best gentleman's hands I ever saw.

' 'Oh! when a gallant young man, like Mr Frank Churchill,' said Mr Knightley dryly, 'writes to a fair lady like Miss Woodhouse, he will, of course, put forth his best. ' 'You have heard of a certain Frank Churchill, I presume,' he continued -- 'and know him to be my son, though he does not bear my name. ' I have heard so much in praise of Mr Frank Churchill. -- A very little quiet reflection was enough to satisfy Emma as to the nature of her agitation on hearing this news of Frank Churchill. It was not very long, though rather longer than Mr Weston had foreseen, before she had the power of forming some opinion of Frank Churchill's feelings. This was the only visit from Frank Churchill in the course of ten days.

The day approached, the day arrived; and after a morning of some anxious watching, Frank Churchill, in all the certainty of his own self, reached Randalls before dinner, and every thing was safe. Frank Churchill seemed to have been on the watch; and though he did not say much, his eyes declared that he meant to have a delightful evening. My dear Jane, are you sure you did not wet your feet? -- It was but a drop or two, but I am so afraid: -- but Mr Frank Churchill was so extremely -- and there was a mat to step upon -- I shall never forget his extreme politeness. -- Mr Frank Churchill, I must tell you my mother's spectacles have never been in fault since; the rivet never came out again. Does not she, Jane?

-- Do not we often talk of Mr Frank Churchill? -- Frank Churchill returned to his station by Emma; and as soon as Miss Bates was quiet, she found herself necessarily overhearing the discourse of Mrs Elton and Miss Fairfax, who were standing a little way behind her. -- So Frank Churchill is a capital dancer, I understand. -- A fine young man certainly is Frank Churchill.

'Jane!' -- repeated Frank Churchill, with a look of surprise and displeasure. -- Mr Weston and Mrs Elton led the way, Mr Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse followed. Mrs Elton had undoubtedly the advantage, at this time, in vanity completely gratified; for though she had intended to begin with Frank Churchill, she could not lose by the change. She wished he could love a ballroom better, and could like Frank Churchill better.

-- That Frank Churchill thought less of her than he had done, was indubitable. Harriet rational, Frank Churchill not too much in love, and Mr Knightley not wanting to quarrel with her, how very happy a summer must be before her! She was not to see Frank Churchill this morning. Having arranged all these matters, looked them through, and put them all to rights, she was just turning to the house with spirits freshened up for the demands of the two little boys, as well as of their grandpapa, when the great iron sweep-gate opened, and two persons entered whom she had never less expected to see together -- Frank Churchill, with Harriet leaning on his arm -- actually Harriet! -- A moment sufficed to convince her that something extraordinary had happened. In this state Frank Churchill had found her, she trembling and conditioning, they loud and insolent.

And secretly she added to herself, 'Lord bless me! when should I ever have thought of putting by in cotton a piece of court-plaster that Frank Churchill had been pulling about! Mr Knightley, who, for some reason best known to himself, had certainly taken an early dislike to Frank Churchill, was only growing to dislike him more. 'Myself creating what I saw,' brought him yet stronger suspicion of there being a something of private liking, of private understanding even, between Frank Churchill and Jane. 'By the bye,' said Frank Churchill to Mrs Weston presently, 'what became of Mr Perry's plan of setting up his carriage?' 'Why, to own the truth,' cried Miss Bates, who had been trying in vain to be heard the last two minutes, 'if I must speak on this subject, there is no denying that Mr Frank Churchill might have -- I do not mean to say that he did not dream it -- I am sure I have sometimes the oddest dreams in the world -- but if I am questioned about it, I must acknowledge that there was such an idea last spring; for Mrs Perry herself mentioned it to my mother, and the Coles knew of it as well as ourselves -- but it was quite a secret, known to nobody else, and only thought of about three days. From Frank Churchill's face, where he thought he saw confusion suppressed or laughed away, he had involuntarily turned to hers; but she was indeed behind, and too busy with her shawl. Mr Knightley suspected in Frank Churchill the determination of catching her eye -- he seemed watching her intently -- in vain, however, if it were so -- Jane passed between them into the hall, and looked at neither.

'Miss Woodhouse,' said Frank Churchill, after examining a table behind him, which he could reach as he sat, 'have your nephews taken away their alphabets -- their box of letters? Frank Churchill placed a word before Miss Fairfax. It was a child's play, chosen to conceal a deeper game on Frank Churchill's part. He heard Frank Churchill next say, with a glance towards Jane, 'I will give it to her -- shall I?' -- and as clearly heard Emma opposing it with eager laughing warmth. She was afterwards looking for her shawl -- Frank Churchill was looking also -- it was growing dusk, and the room was in confusion; and how they parted, Mr Knightley could not tell.

'Between Mr Frank Churchill and Miss Fairfax? The whole party were assembled, excepting Frank Churchill, who was expected every moment from Richmond; and Mrs Elton, in all her apparatus of happiness, her large bonnet and her basket, was very ready to lead the way in gathering, accepting, or talking -- strawberries, and only strawberries, could now be thought or spoken of. -- The next remove was to the house; they must all go in and eat; -- and they were all seated and busy, and still Frank Churchill did not come. Jane had not been gone a quarter of an hour, and they had only accomplished some views of St Mark's Place, Venice, when Frank Churchill entered the room.

Emma listened, and looked, and soon perceived that Frank Churchill's state might be best defined by the expressive phrase of being out of humour. With some there was great joy at the sight of Frank Churchill; others took it very composedly; but there was a very general distress and disturbance on Miss Fairfax's disappearance being explained. Frank Churchill's little inclination to exclude himself increased so much, that his last words to Emma were, The Elton walked together; Mr Knightley took charge of Miss Bates and Jane; and Emma and Harriet belonged to Frank Churchill. She had never seen Frank Churchill so silent and stupid. When they all sat down it was better; to her taste a great deal better, for Frank Churchill grew talkative and gay, making her his first object. 'Mr Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse flirted together excessively.

' 'Happy couple!' said Frank Churchill, as soon as they were out of hearing: -- 'How well they suit one another! -- Very lucky -- marrying as they did, upon an acquaintance formed only in a public place! -- They only knew each other, I think, a few weeks in Bath! Frank Churchill turned towards her to listen.

And poor John's son came to talk to Mr Elton about relief from the parish; he is very well to do himself, you know, being head man at the Crown, ostler, and every thing of that sort, but still he cannot keep his father without some help; and so, when Mr Elton came back, he told us what John ostler had been telling him, and then it came out about the chaise having been sent to Randalls to take Mr Frank Churchill to Richmond. Miss Bates would hardly give Emma time to say how perfectly new this circumstance was to her; but as without supposing it possible that she could be ignorant of any of the particulars of Mr Frank Churchill's going, she proceeded to give them all, it was of no consequence. What Mr Elton had learned from the ostler on the subject, being the accumulation of the ostler's own knowledge, and the knowledge of the servants at Randalls, was, that a messenger had come over from Richmond soon after the return of the party from Box Hill -- which messenger, however, had been no more than was expected; and that Mr Churchill had sent his nephew a few lines, containing, upon the whole, a tolerable account of Mrs Churchill, and only wishing him not to delay coming back beyond the next morning early; but that Mr Frank Churchill having resolved to go home directly, without waiting at all, and his horse seeming to have got a cold, Tom had been sent off immediately for the Crown chaise, and the ostler had stood out and seen it pass by, the boy going a good pace, and driving very steady. 'So far as that it relates to Mr Frank Churchill, I do guess.

' What will you say, Emma -- what will any body say, when it is known that Frank Churchill and Miss Fairfax are engaged; -- nay, that they have been long engaged!' Frank Churchill had behaved very ill by herself -- very ill in many ways, -- but it was not so much his behaviour as her own, which made her so angry with him. It was true that she had not to charge herself, in this instance as in the former, with being the sole and original author of the mischief; with having suggested such feelings as might otherwise never have entered Harriet's imagination; for Harriet had acknowledged her admiration and preference of Frank Churchill before she had ever given her a hint on the subject; but she felt completely guilty of having encouraged what she might have repressed. If she could not have been angry with Frank Churchill too, it would have been dreadful. -- 'Oh! he told me all about it; that Jane Fairfax and Mr Frank Churchill are to be married, and that they have been privately engaged to one another this long while. Can you seriously ask me, Harriet, whether I imagined him attached to another woman at the very time that I was -- tacitly, if not openly -- encouraging you to give way to your own feelings?

-- I never had the slightest suspicion, till within the last hour, of Mr Frank Churchill's having the least regard for Jane Fairfax. 'Why should you caution me? -- You do not think I care about Mr Frank Churchill. ' Mr Frank Churchill, indeed! I hope I have a better taste than to think of Mr Frank Churchill, who is like nobody by his side. I could almost assert that you had named Mr Frank Churchill.

I am sure the service Mr Frank Churchill had rendered you, in protecting you from the gipsies, was spoken of. ' It was not the gipsies -- it was not Mr Frank Churchill that I meant. But you know they were your own words, that more wonderful things had happened, matches of greater disparity had taken place than between Mr Frank Churchill and me; and, therefore, it seems as if such a thing even as this, may have occurred before -- and if I should be so fortunate, beyond expression, as to -- if Mr Knightley should really -- if he does not mind the disparity, I hope, dear Miss Woodhouse, you will not set yourself against it, and try to put difficulties in the way. Why was it so much worse that Harriet should be in love with Mr Knightley, than with Frank Churchill?

When had he succeeded to that place in her affection, which Frank Churchill had once, for a short period, occupied? -- She looked back; she compared the two -- compared them, as they had always stood in her estimation, from the time of the latter's becoming known to her -- and as they must at any time have been compared by her, had it -- oh! had it, by any blessed felicity, occurred to her, to institute the comparison. -- She saw, that in persuading herself, in fancying, in acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under a delusion, totally ignorant of her own heart -- and, in short, that she had never really cared for Frank Churchill at all! The attachment of Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax became commonplace, threadbare, stale in the comparison, exciting no surprise, presenting no disparity, affording nothing to be said or thought. -- Birth, abilities, and education, had been equally marking one as an associate for her, to be received with gratitude; and the other -- what was she?

-- Supposing even that they had never become intimate friends; that she had never been admitted into Miss Fairfax's confidence on this important matter -- which was most probable -- still, in knowing her as she ought, and as she might, she must have been preserved from the abominable suspicions of an improper attachment to Mr Dixon, which she had not only so foolishly fashioned and harboured herself, but had so unpardonably imparted; an idea which she greatly feared had been made a subject of material distress to the delicacy of Jane's feelings, by the levity or carelessness of Frank Churchill's. Frank Churchill would return among them no more; and Miss Fairfax, it was reasonable to suppose, would soon cease to belong to Highbury. 'If you mean Miss Fairfax and Frank Churchill, I have heard that already. ' 'I have never had a high opinion of Frank Churchill.

-- Frank Churchill is, indeed, the favourite of fortune. He had come, in his anxiety to see how she bore Frank Churchill's engagement, with no selfish view, no view at all, but of endeavouring, if she allowed him an opening, to soothe or to counsel her. -- The delightful assurance of her total indifference towards Frank Churchill, of her having a heart completely disengaged from him, had given birth to the hope, that, in time, he might gain her affection himself; -- but it had been no present hope -- he had only, in the momentary conquest of eagerness over judgment, aspired to be told that she did not forbid his attempt to attach her. -- On his side, there had been a long-standing jealousy, old as the arrival, or even the expectation, of Frank Churchill. -- He had been in love with Emma, and jealous of Frank Churchill, from about the same period, one sentiment having probably enlightened him as to the other. It was his jealousy of Frank Churchill that had taken him from the country.

-- Then, with the gladness which must be felt, nay, which he did not scruple to feel, having never believed Frank Churchill to be at all deserving Emma, was there so much fond solicitude, so much keen anxiety for her, that he could stay no longer. Frank Churchill was a villain. -- Frank Churchill's character was not desperate. -- She was his own Emma, by hand and word, when they returned into the house; and if he could have thought of Frank Churchill then, he might have deemed him a very good sort of fellow.

She was now in perfect charity with Frank Churchill; she wanted no explanations, she wanted only to have her thoughts to herself -- and as for understanding any thing he wrote, she was sure she was incapable of it. -- Frank Churchill's confession of having behaved shamefully was the first thing to call for more than a word in passing. I have another person's interest at present so much at heart, that I cannot think any longer about Frank Churchill. They met readily and smiling, but with a consciousness which at first allowed little to be said; and having all sat down again, there was for some time such a blank in the circle, that Emma began to doubt whether the wish now indulged, which she had long felt, of seeing Frank Churchill once more, and of seeing him with Jane, would yield its proportion of pleasure. When Mr Weston joined the party, however, and when the baby was fetched, there was no longer a want of subject or animation -- or of courage and opportunity for Frank Churchill to draw near her and say, Frank Churchill caught the name.

He had a great deal to say in return, and very entertainingly; but Emma's feelings were chiefly with Jane, in the argument; and on leaving Randalls, and falling naturally into a comparison of the two men, she felt, that pleased as she had been to see Frank Churchill, and really regarding him as she did with friendship, she had never been more sensible of Mr Knightley's high superiority of character.