[Emma] Becoming Jane Fairfax

The inexplicable rumor really gave Wei Lai a heavy blow.

Highbury is a quiet small town. Although it is only about an hour away from London, the bustling wind of London never blows here. The biggest thing.

Rumors that Jane Fairfax was in love with Lance Amedeo exploded in Highbury like a thunderbolt.

At first, Wei Lai didn't take it seriously. To put it bluntly, this kind of groundless rumor was just like when I was in school, I saw a girl who wasn't too pretty and didn't reach the school flower level fell in love with the school girl. Some irrelevant people can't stop talking sour words, and their mouths grow on others, so they can't control it, so they simply don't say anything. After a long time, the rumors will naturally disappear.

Wei Lai thought clearly, but Miss Bates was obviously not on the same channel as her. Since the day she learned about the rumors, she has been committed to dispelling the rumors.But she forgot, her mouth was broken, and she couldn't get to the point after rambling for a long time. Except for a few wives who had dealt with her all the year round, no one wanted to listen to her.

Rumors quickly turned into rumors, and there was a tendency to intensify.

On weekdays, Miss Bates loved to go out, and when this happened, she stayed at home all day long, and Wei Lai caught her hiding in the bedroom crying a few times.

Even Mrs. Bates, who was like a wooden figure all day long, was affected, looking at the window and weeping silently.

Patty couldn't hide her words, and once she went out every day, she had to repeat to Wei Lai what she heard outside.

The rumors circulating outside are nothing more than that she wants to eat swan meat. Given the background of the Bates family, she is trying to marry a good young man who has status, financial resources, and ability. She was lucky that Mr. Elton was like that.

Some people's gossip can't be called vicious, and what they say can still be heard, while some are... unbearable. Not only is it ugly, but it also adds fuel to the already messy rumors.Anyway, it wasn't them who set the fire, so whatever you say, just be happy.

After coming to this world and living in the quiet Highbury for a few months, Wei Lai thought that from now on, he would live a boring pastoral life with beautiful mountains, rivers and rivers. A light rumor gave her a slap in the face. She woke up from the dream of pastoral literary life.

However, there are also people who sympathize with her and don't believe the rumors.Both Emma and Harriet comforted her, telling her to think of her own health and not to think too much.After them, Mr. Knightley, Mrs. Weston, and Mr. and Mrs. Elton came, and Mr. and Mrs. Elton twice.

However, their consolation was of no practical use. The rumors spread as far as the wind blew. Even Emma's sister in London wrote to ask about it. Of course, she didn't know what she heard. The first few versions.

"I'm really worried for Miss Fairfax. She is not in good health. There were only two dances at the ball that night. It can be seen that her health is indeed in trouble, and she suddenly encountered such troublesome things. , Even if I am a strong person, I would feel terrible if I think about it, maybe I will faint."

Emma sighed, and went on, but Mr. Woodhouse cut in first: "My dear Emma, ​​you are not well built, you must not think so, and you must be careful."

"Okay, Dad, I remember, I seldom open the window even in summer." Emma calmed Mr. Woodhouse's fragile nerves, then turned to Knightley and Harriet and said, "I think we should Do something for Miss Fairfax so she doesn't suffer a little. Poor her, when Harriet and I visited her at her house, she looked fine but I could tell she was tired , just forced a smile on us, really, Mr. Knightley, don't look at me like that, I really sympathize with her."

Knightley said: "I never doubted your sympathy for Miss Fairfax, but I think she needs more than sympathy now. I asked someone to check who started the rumor, but it was not clear. Everyone has said it, but no one is the leader, and I don't want to add to Miss Fairfax's reputation. I can only think of a way. Lance may have arrived in Manchester. If he is now It's easy to deal with while still at Highbury."

Even Mr. Knightley was in trouble, and Emma and Harriet had no idea. They could only visit Jane after discussing it.

This time Emma was determined to help Jane's family, and she and Harriet rushed to Bates' house just after lunch.After knocking on the door downstairs for a long time, Patty came to open the door. Her eyes were still red. When she saw Emma and Harriet, she couldn't hold back another line of tears.

Emma hurriedly asked what happened, she was worried that something happened to Jane.

Patty covered her mouth and shook her head. Before she could speak, there was a "bang" upstairs. A fat middle-aged woman rushed down angrily, cursing, followed by a thin maid.When the two of them saw Patty, their eyebrows were raised. The fat lady pointed at Patty and cursed a few times. The poor maid also glared at her vigorously, but Patty had already hid behind Emma.

Due to Miss Woodhouse's face, the fat lady didn't have enough scolding and could only leave resentfully.

Emma and Harriet went upstairs, and at the door they heard Miss Bates wailing.

There were no candles in the living room, and there were some pieces of teacups on the floor. Jane sat beside Miss Bates, and when she heard someone coming, she turned her head, and Emma and Harriet were startled by the gloomy expression on her face.

They had never seen Jane Fairfax like this, who seldom even spoke aloud.

"Miss Fairfax, what happened? Are you all right?" Emma asked cautiously.

Wei Lai just lost his temper. Knowing that his face was not good, maybe he frightened them. He quickly rubbed his stiff cheeks and twitched the corners of his mouth. He asked Emma and Harriet to sit down, and asked Patty to boil the water. tea, and persuaded Miss Bates to stop crying.

There were guests at home, and Miss Bates could only endure the pain, but she couldn't help it. This time she didn't talk about it, but went straight to the point, which surprised Emma again.

The fat lady they met downstairs was a neighbor of the Bates family. Mrs. Stone said she was a neighbor, and the two families were not next to each other.Although the two families usually have no conflicts, Liang Zi has already formed a relationship.

After the Bates family went bankrupt, they sold the original big house and bought the small house they live in now, but they didn't know that the house was originally going to be sold to the Stone family, and the Stone family paid a deposit, Waiting to move, but the owner sold the house to the Bates family as soon as they changed hands, hoping that the Bates family could pay more.By the time the Stones learned that their new home had been sold to another family, the owners would have taken the money to do business in London.

Although they were married, the two families have lived in peace for so many years. Until this time, something happened to the most beloved niece of the Bates family, which gave the Stone family a chance to vent their anger.

Patty went out to buy groceries, and overheard the maid of Stone's family taunting Jane. Patty was so angry that she didn't even buy groceries, and quarreled with the maid. I don't know who started the fight first, but a fight broke out. The maid of Stone's family couldn't beat Patty, and ran home crying to complain. That's how Emma saw this scene.

"I let you see a joke. I didn't expect this to happen." Wei Lai felt tired and guilty. After all, the source of the problem was her.

In the past, Emma would have looked down on the Bates family from the bottom of her heart, and maybe she would never have any contact with them in the future, but today is different. Not only did she not despise them, but she also felt that the Stone family was too much.

"Miss Fairfax, it's not your fault that this happened. You don't have to feel guilty. Harriet, I, and Mr. Knightley will never believe those rumors. I beg you to think about your health , don't be angry, you can come to Hatfield to find me, and Harriet and I will be happy to talk with you."

It is easy to add icing on the cake, but difficult to deliver charcoal in the snow.Wei Lai had the urge to cry for a moment: "Thank you, Miss Woodhouse."

Emma thought for a while and said, "Miss Fairfax, I've heard a lot of rumors these days. To be honest, I never thought that people living in Highbury would say such disgusting things. It makes me angry to hear it. Miss Fairfax, I know you are of a gentle and demure disposition, but it will only be injurious to your health to let these rumours go unchecked."

Wei Lai wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his fingers, nodded, and said, "I thought so too. Earlier, I thought that these boring people would lose interest after rumors spread for a few days. I was too naive. Miss Woodhouse Thank you for thinking of me, I think it's time to do something."

Every rumor has a source.Wei Lai thought about it carefully, the people who could spread such rumors should be those who attended the dance that night, and after excluding Emma, ​​Harriet, Knightley and the Weston family, the scope was further narrowed.

Miss Bates, who had been hiding at home for a few days, went out and resumed her social activities. Before going out, Wei Lai told her not to get angry or cry no matter what others said.She remembered this sentence firmly, and she just pretended not to hear some acid words from those who deliberately watched the jokes.

Emma and Harriet also volunteered to help, and went out with Wei Lai to find clues. The three girls secretly talked to those ladies and ladies under the guise of visiting.

This is a stupid way, but it is a useful way.

In a few days, they found a clue.

Mrs. Johnson, who lived next door to Bates’s house, came to visit Miss Bates and learned that Miss Bates was looking for the person who spread the rumors, so she kindly advised her: “It’s all rumors, you say it, I say it, who knows who it is What about the beginning? I only found out after hearing it from my daughter-in-law, anyway, I absolutely don’t believe it. I see, don’t worry about it, no one will pass it on after a while.”

Wei Lai asked her, "Where did your daughter-in-law hear it from?"

Knowing that she couldn't persuade her, Mrs. Johnson sighed and said, "A friend of hers, Jane, maybe you know William who works in the post office."

Wei Lai intuitively told her that this matter had something to do with the post office, but what?

She told Emma, ​​Harriet and Knightley all her doubts. Knightley checked William and found out an important clue.

William's cousin was the Cole's cook, and her husband was a Highbury carpenter, and the carpenter's brother was Elton's trust servant.

The author has something to say: Wei Lai's method is very simple, one by one investigation, Knightley may not have thought of it, but due to his status, he can't do it, and he doesn't want to believe that this rumor started from the day he attended the dance party However, Wei Lai, as a "newcomer", she has not yet established a relationship with Highbury, and she only has casual acquaintances with the people in Highbury, so she can talk about it without any psychological burden. To doubt everyone.