“It might be distressing, for the moment,” said she; “but you seem to have behaved extremely well; and it is over⁠—and may never⁠—can never, as a first meeting, occur again, and therefore you need not think about it.”

Harriet said, “very true,” and she “would not think about it;” but still she talked of it⁠—still she could talk of nothing else; and Emma, at last, in order to put the Martins out of her head, was obliged to hurry on the news, which she had meant to give with so much tender caution; hardly knowing herself whether to rejoice or be angry, ashamed or only amused, at such a state of mind in poor Harriet⁠—such a conclusion of Mr. Elton’s importance with her!