I had imagined you were consulting me only as to the wording of it."
Harriet was silent. With a little reserve of manner, Emma continued:
"You mean to return a favourable answer, I collect."
"No, I do not; that is, I do not mean-What shall I do? What would you advise me to do? Pray, dear Miss Woodhouse, tell me what I ought to do."
"I shall not give you any advice, Harriet. I will have nothing to do with it. This is a point which you must settle with your feelings."
"I had no notion that he liked me so very much," said Harriet, contemplating the letter. For a little while Emma persevered in her silence; but beginning to apprehend the bewitching flattery of that letter might be too powerful, she thought it best to say,
"I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to `Yes,' she ought to say `No' directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart. I thought it my duty as a friend, and older than yourself, to say thus much to you.
But do not imagine that I want to influence you."
"Oh! no, I am sure you are a great deal too kind to-but if you would just advise me what I had best do-No, no, I do not mean that-As you say, one's mind ought to be quite made up-One should not be hesitating-It is a very serious thing.-It will be safer to say `No,' perhaps.-Do you think I had better say `No?'"
"Not for the world," said Emma, smiling graciously, "would I advise you either way. You must be the best judge of your own happiness.