Partiality Without Prejudice

Chapter 2


Mr. Knightley did, shortly thereafter, begin Emma's "training" just as he had declared, but he himself was not without cleverness. He knew that for a child so young, he would have to use some sort of ruse, and so there he sat between Emma and Isabella, his business with Mr. Woodhouse having been long since completed for the day. The box of alphabet squares was before them in disarray as it had happily been for three quarters of an hour. It was rare to find the bouncing Emma sedentary for quite so long, but as outdoors had been forbidden to her today due to excessive rains, she seemed to have contented herself with sitting by Mr. Knightley's knee as she often did. Only a year ago had Mr. Knightley resolved to improve little Emma's mind and character by being an impartial judge of her where others were not, but rather than Emma being vexed by it as Miss Taylor had predicted, Emma seemed to take Mr. Knightley's reserve in praise as a challenge. Whenever he was at Hartfield she would attend only to him. She had ready enough attention from others whenever she liked, but Mr. Knightley was not always at her disposal.

Today, however, he was, and he had given her a grand opportunity to make an impression with the alphabet squares. He set the letters "uvrtie" before him so that both sisters may see. Isabella seemed to consider them with casual indifference, while Emma's countenance became troubled.

"It is not fair, Mr. Knightley, for you know that Isabella is so much older than I," Emma complained.

"And has Isabella discovered the word before you?" Mr. Knightley defended.

"She has not, but she will, as she has so many others already."

"I confess, I will not. Mr. Knightley's game grows tiresome, so that I think I would rather play the pianoforte," Isabella excused herself, feeling a bit too old to play so long at such a game.

"So you see Emma, you now have no competition, and are only striving against yourself. I am sure you have seen the word before," he replied as he moved the letters closer to her. She sat for a moment before she spoke.

"Mr. Knightley, you must make me a promise," she declared without question.

"Must I, indeed?" he asked, taken aback by her sauciness.

"Yes, you must promise me, that if I can find out this word, you will come to see me every day next week, and you will not weary me with such useful games as this. We will only play outdoors, and there will be no talk of what I ought to do."

"Emma, you know that I cannot make that promise," he said very sorry to disappoint the child.

"You will not come to see me then? Are you to be away?" for she knew that sometimes he did travel far away and would not come to see her for weeks.

"No, I will be at Donwell."

"Then, why will you not promise?"

"I will not promise, little one, because it may rain next week. And your father will not permit you playing in the rain, nor I think would you like to play in the rain. In addition, I cannot promise that I will not tell you what you ought to do. As I am so much older than you, it is my duty to help you see what is the best way to act."

"You are not so very old, for who that was really very old would come and visit me so often? Surely someone who was very old would not find my company enjoyable."

"To be quite honest, Emma, I did come to see your father today." She smiled in defiance.

"You may have come to speak with papa, but you stayed to play with me."

"I stayed because it is raining."

"So you will not give me your promise?"

"I'm sorry. I cannot."

"Very well. It is probably best. For if you were obliged to break your promise, then I would forever have reason to doubt your virtue." He smiled at her ploy as she rearranged the letters to spell her last spoken word.

"That was a devious scheme, Emma, you should be ashamed of such extortion."

"Why should I be ashamed? You did not bind yourself, so it does not signify."

"But I might have."

"No. Not you, Mr. Knightley. Miss Taylor would have, though I would not ask it of her. I would not ask it of her because she would not foresee my plan. That would not be fair. I only asked it of you because I knew that you would not promise and would know what I was about."

"But I did not know what you were about. I only knew that I could not promise what you asked."

"Did you not?" she asked in surprise. "Surely, you are teasing me."

"I do not tease you."

"Then, let it be known, that today Mr. Knightley and Emma Woodhouse have become equals."

"Equals?" Mr. Knightley exclaimed in astonishment. "Equals, indeed! You may be capable of cunning, but you are far from my equal."

"Perhaps not too far."

"Quite far, I'm afraid. How can you think you are my equal when I can still hold you to the ceiling amidst all your protests?"

"That is physical inequality. Persons may be equal in more respects than the physical."

"Indeed, you are right," he ceded to her higher logic, knowing that he would have to use more mature logic if he were to win this argument. "I will do you the justice to say that we are much closer to equality today than we were yesterday. But I am sorry to say that there is still much for you to learn before you find yourself the equal of a man of four and twenty. I am after all three times your superior in years."

"But you shall not always be. Every minute I am closing the gap. I think you will soon find that I have surpassed you."

"Nonsensical girl. Do you think that I will cease to grow in understanding, while I wait for you to catch up with me?"

"No, I am sure you will not. But you are so distracted with prodding me along, that I think you must neglect yourself."

"No indeed. There are many hours of every day that you do not see me."

"Nevertheless, I have decided that it is quite unfair that I should receive all the benefit of our acquaintance. In fact, I have quite determined, that I will teach you the benefit of giving in to the desires of others."

"Really? You have only just now decided that I should learn to give you your own way."

"Oh no, but I was waiting for an opportunity to tell you before I should embark on it."

"I am afraid you will not meet with success."

"All that is necessary to compel you to yield is to cause our wills to align. This is not so difficult as you might think."

"Is it not? What do you know of the will of a grown man?"

"Perhaps nothing of a grown man, but I know that a person, any person, does what pleases him as far as he can. And though you are not always here at Hartfield, you are frequently enough for me to see that you enjoy being here with us. I can see that you enjoy my father's friendly welcome even though his worries can be tiresome. And I can see that you enjoy working on your project of improving me. Therefore, as long as you do not give me up for a lost cause, you will continue coming to Hartfield, and I will always have you about, which is what I would wish for. So you see, we are improving each other." Mr. Knightley was ashamed to think that he actually had to consider what the child had said, but she was correct. As long as she showed improvement he would continue to come and see her, and he was intensely gratified to understand that she applied herself for the reward of his coming. She was, indeed, a bewitching creature.

"Emma, I think we have played enough for today."

"No, indeed. Not half as much as we should," she said beginning her audible pout.

"You know very well that your whimpers will not work, therefore why do you persist with them when you speak to me?" he asked in a scolding tone.

"It is not a whimper, but disappointment. Sometimes I do not speak to influence but only to give voice to my heart."

"Aye, little one," he replied almost sorry for his harshness, "But I shall come again soon to be improved by you." he said as he stood to take his leave.

"But not everyday next week, as I had asked," she had resigned herself as she stood to walk with him to where her father was seated.

"Perhaps not, but when have you known me to neglect Hartfield when I could help it?" When he had taken leave of Mr. Woodhouse and Isabella, he turned to go with Emma following close by his side.

"So you will come at least one day next week?" she asked still trying to elicit some kind of guarantee.

"I cannot promise, but I think you may know by now what to expect of me. As you said, I am not so much a mystery." he said with a smile resting a gentle hand atop her head.

"Very well, Mr. Knightley, as you are determined to leave me vexed, I bid you good day." She stepped away from his petting and gave a cold curtsey as she turned to leave him. Mr. Knightley simply chuckled at the child and made his exit. To Emma's great delight, (for she had forgotten all of her childish vexation) Mr. Knightley came all but one day the next week, and that single day he had to forbid himself from going simply to deny her wish. Let it be known, that the missed day was not beyond Emma's notice.


AN: Reviews appreciated, but I will never beg for them. Thanks for reading! :)