[Emma] Becoming Jane Fairfax

As a modern person, Wei Lai is no stranger to factories.Before her parents divorced, they were employees of a factory affiliated to a large state-owned enterprise. She lived in a staff dormitory near the factory when she was a child, and her life was always accompanied by the roar of machines in her memory.

However, she still remembered her current identity, and she was more cautious in her words: "I originally thought that I was going to be a tutor at Mrs. Campbell's friend's house. I knew that the other party was a factory owner, so I did my homework on purpose. I don't know much, it's just superficial."

Lance praised: "The fur is also very good."

Ever since he planned to sell the newspaper and set up a factory in Manchester, he had heard many objections. His mother thought it was unseemly to go to Manchester to set up a factory, and she didn't know how many times she had quarreled with him.

His sister was really worried, and she even sent someone to Manchester to investigate. When she came back, she told him worriedly how many factories had been opened there, how many workers had been hired, and how unpopular the factory owners were in the local area. Workers making trouble, etc. In short, they think that running a factory is far better than being a newspaper owner.

Lance was nagged by his sister and mother many times, and gradually he stopped talking about running a factory in front of them.

He had thought that a young girl like Jane Fairfax or Emma Woodhouse was probably as indifferent or terribly repulsive to things like her sister as her sister, Miss Fairfax But it gave him a surprise.

"If Miss Fairfax goes to Liverpool, you will see the bustling industrial scene in that city. Perhaps you will like it there."

If she hadn't been a tutor, Wei Lai would not have refused to go to Liverpool. She wasn't worried about how bad the air was or how bad the environment was. Those who have experienced history and experienced the industrial revolution first-hand, air is nothing.

When Wei Lai was excited, his thoughts were written on his face. Lance thought it was interesting and wanted to chat with her a little more, but Frank was in a different mood.

"I'm afraid Miss Fairfax will be disappointed when she sees these two cities with her own eyes." He said, "I also have many friends in Liverpool or Manchester, but they have already moved to London with their families. , It is not an exaggeration to say that they fled to London. They told me that since the factories were set up, these two beautiful cities have become hell. I am not exaggerating, nor do I mean to scare the ladies. Without air and river water, who wants to live in a dirty environment all day long?"

Emma replied at once, "No one would, least of all me."

Lance laughed: "Mr. Churchill is right. The factories polluted the city, and many people moved to other places to live."

Frank asked: "Then why did Mr. Amedeo go to set up a factory?"

Lance looked at him and said, "Interest."

Frank twitched his lips, seeming to be disdainful: "Can a city be destroyed for profit? Then I really can't understand the thinking of you businessmen. Apart from profit, what about your morality?"

The atmosphere suddenly became serious. This was something neither Love nor Mrs. Knightley expected. Mrs. Knightley hurriedly interrupted to ease the atmosphere and asked the servant to change a pot of hot tea and prepare some snacks.

However, neither Lance nor Frank intended to stop there.

Lance said: "I don't think it will harm my morality just to pursue profit. Everyone earns money with their hands, but some people work hard to become employers, and some become employees. As an employer, I just need to manage it well. My factory, pay my wages on time, I have done my duty, and the rest is out of my control, and there is no moral involved, Miss Fairfax, do you agree with me?"

Wei Lai was still watching the argument between Frank and Lance as if watching a play, when the topic suddenly turned into her hands, she froze for a moment, and then said: "I agree, I agree with both gentlemen, different people stand in different positions. Of course, there are different opinions from different perspectives. The development of factories brings environmental pollution, but it also brings benefits. There are few things in the world that have the best of both worlds.”

Lance was not satisfied with her answer: "Is Miss Fairfax playing word games with a simple-minded person like me? Your answer not only took care of me, but also took care of Mr. Churchill. In fact, if you think about it carefully, You didn't answer anything."

Although he was dissatisfied, he didn't mean to blame him at all.

Wei Lai said with a smile: "Forgive me for not agreeing with Mr. Amedeo's accusations against me. I do agree with you and Mr. Churchill. What you say is reasonable. It is too difficult to insist on who wins and who loses." Me. However, I believe that the industry will continue to improve, and the current problem does not mean that it will always be a problem, and it will always be solved.”

After she finished speaking, the room suddenly fell silent.

Emma and Mrs. Knightley have not spoken since just now, Frank is playing with the bronze cuff buttons of his shirt with his head down, and Lance is holding a teacup in thought.

Wei Lai bit her tongue, did she say something wrong?

Lance put down his teacup and was about to say something when John Knightley came in and asked Lance and Frank to play cards in the card room.

Lance was called away, Frank stayed.Immediately afterwards, Mrs. Knightley felt a little overwhelmed, and asked Emma to help her back to the bedroom to rest.

Only Frank and Wei Lai were left in the living room.

"What you said really shocked me. I knew you were clever, but I didn't expect you to say something like that. Miss Fairfax, I can assure you that what I just said was not aimed at you. , to accuse you of meaning."

"Ok, I know."

The distance between them was about two arms. Frank looked forward deliberately when he spoke, but he couldn't help observing her expression from the corner of his eyes.She proposed to cancel the engagement so many times, but he never took it seriously. He only thought that she was throwing a temper tantrum, and they could get married as long as he settled everything properly. But now, he realized that she really Things had changed, and he was beginning to be afraid.

Wei Lai wore a skirt with a thin belt, which was tied by Mrs. Dixon before she left. The light red belt was wrapped around her fingers. Suddenly, the light in front of her eyes disappeared, and she looked up. , Frank stood in front of her.

"What are you doing!" Wei Lai was startled, stood up while pressing the armrest of the sofa, and leaned back to avoid him.

"Excuse me, is there any..." Lance, who was called away, went back and forth.

Wei Lai and Frank looked over together.

He suddenly appeared at the door, Wei Lai didn't even have time to put away the panicked expression on his face.

Lance stood at the door and looked at them with interest, "This is?"

Frank touched Wei Lai's hair lightly as if nothing had happened: "Miss Fairfax has a bug on her head, what is Mr. Amedeo going to do?"

Wei Lai's heart pounded against her chest forcefully, as if someone had placed a beating heart in her ear, making a thumping sound.

Lance pretended not to know, and looked around on the ground: "I found that I lost a button, but I couldn't find it anywhere. I thought it was lost in the living room, but there was nothing. Maybe it was lost on the road. Churchill Don't you want to play cards, sir?"

Frank sat back on the sofa and shook his head: "I played too much a few days ago, so I'm not interested for now."

Lance is not reluctant: "Then I will go to play cards, Knightley and the others are still waiting."

After taking two steps, he turned back and said to Wei Lai, "John's garden is beautiful. It was designed by Mrs. Knightley herself. If Miss Fairfax is interested, you can go to the garden."

Frank's face suddenly changed.

Wei Lai nodded slightly: "I will, thank you."

"I dare say he must have seen it." Frank took a breath from the teacup, and the dark red tea was rippling. He sat there, and he didn't get up to approach Wei Lai anymore, but just looked at her inexplicably.

Wei Lai was initially shocked, and his tone was not very friendly: "So what if you see it, he is not a close friend with you and me, there is no need to tell others, he will not say it."

Frank sneered, "You do trust him."

"No, I just trust my own judgment." Wei Lai stroked the hem of her skirt, planning to go for a stroll in the garden.

"Then what have you judged from me? The engagement must be canceled." Frank lowered his voice, afraid of being heard by others, "I know you are not satisfied with me, just tell me, and I will change it."

She should be touched by a man lowering his attitude to such an extent, but Wei Lai is only upset: "I made it very clear before, you must not take it seriously, and I will repeat it now. First, I have no feelings for you; second, you can’t even make decisions about your own marriage, and you are heavily dependent on your uncle and aunt financially, and you have no job so far. I think you lack self-motivation and responsibility; third, your My aunt won't agree to someone from my family background marrying you, otherwise you wouldn't hide it from her. The main points are these three points, the most important point is the first point. "

Today's weather is rare and sunny and warm. The fireplace in the house is burning hot, but Frank feels chills in his heart. It took him a long time to relax: "Since I'm so unbearable, why did you get engaged to me before?"

Wei Lai also wanted to know what Jane thought, maybe she was too unwilling to be a tutor, Frank was like a piece of driftwood that could save her from the raging river, she hugged him without thinking up.

"People change, Frank, I changed, and I'm sorry."

Frank was silent for a while, then laughed again: "If I told you that my aunt would not live long, would you change your mind?"

"Is your aunt in poor health?"

"The doctor said it will only be two or three months. I am leaving Highbury this time to take care of her. I will go to Richmond tomorrow."

"Then take good care of her. After all, she has raised you for so many years. Don't expect her to die, and you can make decisions yourself. If you really want to be self-reliant, there is a way, not to mention that everything you have now is spent. It's your aunt's money." Wei Lai knew that she would not hurt her back when she was talking standing up, but Frank's attitude made her unable to bear it.

The aunt who raised him since he was a child is dying, and he still wants to get married. It's better than him to have a piece of barbecued pork.

Wei Lai didn't want to stay any longer, patted his skirt, got up and walked out, and before going out, he heard Frank ask again: "Is it Knightley or Amedeo?"

Wei Lai paused, then turned around and gave him a smile: "I don't like any of them."

The shoes thumped on the wooden floor a few times, followed by the crisp sound of closing the door. After turning a corner from the small living room, there was an aisle leading to the chess and card room. Lance stood in the aisle for a while, and John came over and patted him Shoulder: "What are you doing, come over to play cards."

"Oh, I'll come out and pour a cup of tea." He looked at the full tea in the cup, and drank it all with a raised head.

The author has something to say: Factory owners, as new riches, have been looked down upon for a long time. They think they are nouveau riche, pollute the environment, and enslave the people.

Frank's uncle's family should be very rich. He can tell that he can raise horses by himself, and he has never had a job. He relies on his uncle's family for food and drink. He was married, so he didn't dare to say it, because he was afraid that his aunt would cut off his source of income if he got angry.