Welcome to sleep stories with Steph your go-to podcast.
That offers you a calm and relaxing transition into sleep.
Into a great night's sleep.
It is time to relax and fully let go.
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Close your eyes.
And feel yourself sink into the support beneath you.
And let all the worries of the day go.
Drift away.
This is your time.
And your space.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And let it out with a long sigh.
That's it!
There is nothing you need to be doing now.
And know where you need to go.
Happy listening.
Volume 2,
Chapter 1.
Emma and Harriet had been walking together one morning.
And in Emma's opinion had been talking enough of Mr Elton for that day.
She could not think Harriet's solace or her own sins required more,
And she was therefore industriously getting rid of the subject as they returned.
But it burst out again when she thought she had succeeded,
And after speaking some time of what the poor must suffer in winter,
And receiving no answer other than a very plaintive,
She found something else must be done.
They were just approaching the house where lived Mrs and Miss Bates.
She determined to call upon them and seek safety in numbers.
There was always sufficient reason for such attention.
Mrs and Miss Bates loved to be called on,
And she knew she was considered,
By the very few who presumed ever to see imperfection in her,
As rather negligent in that respect.
She had had many a hint from Mr Knightley,
And some from her own heart as to this deficiency.
But none were equal to counteract the persuasion of its being very disagreeable.
A waste of time,
Tiresome women and all the horror of being in danger of falling in with a second rate and third rate of high brain.
Who were calling on them forever.
Therefore she seldom went near them.
But now she made the sudden resolution of not passing their door without going in.
The house belonged to people in business.
Mrs.
And Miss Bates occupied the drawing room floor,
And there in the very moderate-sized apartment,
Which was everything to them,
The visitors were most cordially welcomed.
The neat little old lady,
Who with her knitting was seated in the warmest corner,
Wanting even to give up her place to Miss Woodhouse.
And her more active talking daughter with anxious enquiries after Mr Woodhouse's health.
Cheerful communications about her mother's and sweet cake from the bow.
Mrs Cole had just been there.
Just called in for ten minutes,
She said,
And had been so good as to sit an hour with them.
She hoped Miss Woodhouse and Miss Smith would do them the favour to eat a piece too.
This sweet cake.
The mention of the coals as well.
It was sure to be followed by that of Mr Elton.
There was an intimacy between them and Mr Cole had heard from Mr Elton since his going away.
The mention of the calls Emma knew was coming.
They must have the letter over again,
And settle how long he had been gone,
And how much he was engaged in company,
And what a favourite he was,
Wherever he went.
And how full the Master of the Ceremonies Ball had been.
And she went through it very well with all the interest and commendation that could be requisite.
Always,
Of course,
Putting forward to prevent Harriet's being obliged to say a word.
This she had prepared for when she entered the house.
But having once talked him handsomely over to be no further,
Incommoded by any troublesome topic she meant.
She wanted to wander at large amongst all the mistresses and missus of Highbury and their card parties.
But she had not been prepared to have Jane Fairfax succeed Mr Elton.
He was actually hurried off by Miss Bates.
She jumped away from him,
Last abruptly to the coals.
To usher in a letter from her niece.
Oh yes,
Mr Elton I understand certainly as to dancing.
Mrs Cole was telling me dancing at the rooms at Bath was.
.
.
We're so kind.
Mrs.
Cole,
We're so kind as to sit sometime with us.
For as soon as she came in,
She began inquiring after her.
Jane is so very great a favourite though.
Whenever she is with us,
Mrs Cole does not know how to show her kindness enough.
And I must say,
Jane deserves it as much as anybody can.
And so she began inquiring after her directly,
Saying,
I know you cannot have heard from Jane lately because it's not her time for writing,
When I immediately said,
But indeed we have,
We've had a letter this morning.
I do not know that I ever saw anyone more surprised.
"'Have you upon your honour,
' said she.
" Well,
That is quite unexpected.
Do let me hear what she says.
Emma's politeness was at hand directly to say with smiling interest.
Have you heard from Miss Fairfax so lately?
I am extremely happy.
I do hope she's well.
Thank you,
You are so kind.
Replied the happily deceived aunt,
While eagerly hunting for the letter.
Oh,
Here it is.
I was sure it couldn't be far off,
But I'd put my housewife upon it,
You see,
Without being aware,
And so it was quite hid.
But I had it in my hand so very lately,
I was almost sure it must be on the table.
I was reading it to Mrs.
Cole and since she went away I was reading it again to my mother for it's such a pleasure to her.
A letter from Jane.
And since you are so kind as to wish to hear what she says.
.
.
But first of all I really must,
In justice to Jane,
Apologise for her writing so short a letter,
Only two pages.
In general,
She fills the whole paper and crosses half.
My mother often wonders that I can make it out so well.
She often says,
When the letter is first opened.
Well Hetty,
Now I think you will be to put it to make out all that checker work.
Don't you,
Mum?
Then I tell her I'm sure she would contrive to make it out herself.
She had nobody do it for her.
Every word of it.
I'm sure she would pour over it till she'd made out every word.
And indeed,
Though my mother's eyes are not as good as they were,
She can see amazingly well still,
Thank God,
With the help of spectacles.
It is such a blessing.
My mother's a relic very good indeed.
Jane often says when she's here,
I'm sure,
Grandmama,
You must have very strong eyes to see as you do.
And so much fine work as you've done too.
I only wish my eyes might last me as well.
All this spoken extremely fast obliged Miss Bates to stop for breath,
And Emma said something very civil about the excellence of Miss Fairfax's handwriting.
You are extremely kind,
" replied Miss Bates.
You who are such a judge and write so beautifully yourself.
I'm sure there's nobody praise I could give so much pleasure to as Miss Woodhouse's.
My mother doesn't hear she's a little deaf,
You know.
Mom?
Addressing her.
Do you hear what Miss Woodhouse is so obliging to say about Jane's handwriting?
Emma had the advantage of hearing her own silly compliment repeated twice over.
She was pondering in the meanwhile upon the possibility,
Without seeming very rude,
Of making her escape from Jane Fairfax's letter.
And had almost resolved on hurrying away directly under some slight excuse.
When Miss Bates turned to her again and seized her attention.
My mother's deafness is very driving,
You see,
But nothing at all.
By only raising my voice and saying anything two or three times over she's sure to hear.
But then she's so used to my voice.
Jane speaks so distinctly.
However,
She will not find her grandmama at all deafer than she was two years ago.
Which is saying a great deal at my mother's time of life.
It really is two years,
You know,
Since she was here.
We were never so long without seeing her before.
And as I was telling Mrs.
Cole.
.
.
You shall hardly know how to make enough of her now.
Are you expecting Miss Fairfax here soon?
" said Emma.
Oh yes,
Next week!
That must be a very great pleasure.
Thank you,
You're very kind.
Next week,
Yes.
Friday or Saturday next,
That's what she writes about.
That is the reason of her writing out a rule,
For in the common course we should not have heard from her before next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Yes,
So I imagined,
" said Emma.
I was afraid there could be little chance of my hearing anything of Miss Fairfax today.
So obliging of you.
No,
We should not have heard if it had not been for this particular circumstance of being to come here so soon.
My mother is delighted.
She is to be three months with us at least.
Three months,
She says.
The case is,
You see,
The Campbells are going to Ireland.
Mrs Dixon has persuaded her father and mother to come over and see her directly.
They had not intended to go over to the summer,
But she's so patient to see them again.
But till she married last October she was never away from them so much as a week.
Which must make it very strange to be in different kingdoms,
I was going to say.
But different countries.
And she wrote a very urgent letter to her mother or her father,
I dare not know which.
But we shall see presently in Jane's letter.
She wrote it in Mr.
Dixon's name,
As well as her own,
To press their coming over directly.
And they would give them the meeting in Dublin and take them back to their country seat.
Ballycraig,
A beautiful place,
I fancy.
Jane has heard a great deal of its beauty.
From Mr.
Dixon,
I mean.
I do not know that she ever heard from it about from everyone else.
But it was very natural,
You know,
That he should like to speak of his own place when he was paying his addresses.
And as Jane used to be very often walking out with them,
The Colonel and Mrs.
Campbell were very particular about their daughters not walking out often with only Mr.
Dixon,
Which of course I do not blame at all.
Of course she heard everything he might be telling Miss Campbell about his own house in Ireland.
And I think she wrote us word that he'd been shown some drawings of the place,
Views he'd taken himself.
Mr.
Dixon is the most amiable,
Charming young man I believe.
Jane was quite longing to go to Ireland for all his account of things.
At this moment an ingenious and animating suspicion entered Emma's brain with regard to Jane Fairfax.
This charming Mr.
Dixon and they're not going to Ireland,
She said,
With the insidious design of further discovery.
You must feel very fortunate that Miss Fairfax should be allowed to come to you at such a time.
Considering the very particular friendship between her and Mrs.
Dixon,
You could hardly have expected her to be excused from accompanying Colonel and Mrs.
Campbell.
Very true,
Very true indeed.
They want Mr and Mrs Dixon want excessively to come over with Colonel and Mrs Campbell.
They're quite dependent upon it.
Jane says,
As you will hear presently,
Mr.
Dixon does not seem the least backward in any attention.
He is a most charming young man.
Ever since the service he rendered Jane at Weymouth when they were out in that party on the water,
And she by the sudden whirling round of something or other among the sails would have been dashed out into the sea at once,
If he had not,
With a great presence of mind,
Caught hold of her habit,
I can never think of it without trembling.
But ever since we had the history of that day,
I've been so fond of Mr.
Dixon.
In spite of all her friend's urgency and her own wish of seeing Ireland,
Miss Fairfax prefers devoting the time to you and Mrs Bates though.
Save them.
Yes,
It's entirely her own doing.
And Colonel and Mrs Campbell think she's done quite right.
Indeed,
They particularly wish her to try.
Her native air is she's not quite so well as usual lately.
I am concerned to hear about it,
" said Emma.
I think they judge wisely.
But Mrs.
Dixon must be very disappointed.
She,
I understand,
Has no remarkable degree of personal beauty,
And is not by any means to be compared with Miss Fairfax.
Oh no,
You are very obliging to say such things,
But certainly not.
There's no comparison between them.
Miss Campbell was always absolutely plain,
But very elegant and amiable.
Yes,
That of course.
Jane caught a bad cold,
Poor thing.
So long ago as the 7th November.
She's never been well since.
That's a long time,
Is it not,
For a coal to hang upon her?
She's so far from well,
Her kind friends,
The Campbells,
Think she'd better come home and try an heir that always agrees with her.
They have no doubt three or four months at Highbury will entirely cure her.
And it's certainly a great deal better than they should come here than go to Ireland if she's unwell.
Nobody could nurse her as well as we could.
It appears to me the most desirable arrangement in the world.
And so she's to come to us next Friday or Saturday.
The Campbells leave town in their way to Hollyhead the Monday following,
As you will find from Jane's letter.
You may guess,
Dear Miss Woodhouse,
What a flurry it's thrown me into.
Was not for the drawback of her illness.
But I'm afraid we must expect to see her grown thin and looking very poorly.
I must tell you what an unlucky thing happened to me as to that.
I always make a point of reading Jane's letters through to myself first,
Before I read them aloud to my mother.
And so I began today with my usual caution.
But no sooner did I come to the mention of her being unwell.
.
.
Burst out quite frightened with bless me poor Jane is ill.
My mother heard it being on the watch.
And was sadly alarmed.
However,
When I read on,
I found it was not near so bad as I'd fancied at first.
But I cannot imagine how I could be of my guard like that.
If changes not get well soon,
We will perhaps call in Mr Perry.
The expense should not be thought of.
And though he's so liberal and so fond of Jane,
I dare say he would not mean to charge a thing for his attendance.
Well,
Now I've just given you a hint of what Jane writes about.
I'm afraid we must be running away now,
" said Emma,
Glancing at Harriet,
And beginning to rise.
My father will be expecting us.
I had no intention,
I thought I had no power of staying more than five minutes when I first entered the house.
I merely called because I would not pass the door without enquiring after Mrs Bates.
But I have been so pleasantly detained.
Now,
However,
We must wish you and Mrs Bates good morning.
Not all that could be urged to detain her succeeded.
Emma regained the street.
Happy in this,
That though much had been forced on her against her will,
Though she had in fact heard the whole substance of Jane Fairfax's letter,
She had been able to escape the letter itself.
