Mr. Knightley's "friendly" concern surely qualifies in this catagory!

"Be satisfied," said he, "I will not raise any outcry. I will keep my ill-humour to myself. I have a very sincere interest in Emma. Isabella does not seem more my sister; has never excited a greater interest; perhaps hardly so great. There is an anxiety, a curiosity in what one feels for Emma. I wonder what will become of her!"

"So do I," said Mrs. Weston gently; "very much."

"She always declares she will never marry, which, of course, means just nothing at all. But I have no idea that she has yet ever seen a man she cared for. It would not be a bad thing for her to be very much in love with a proper object. I should like to see Emma in love, and in some doubt of a return; it would do her good. But there is nobody hereabouts to attach her; and she goes so seldom from home."

"There does, indeed, seem as little to tempt her to break her resolution, at present," said Mrs. Weston, "as can well be; and while she is so happy at Hartfield, I cannot wish her to be forming any attachment which would be creating such difficulties, on poor Mr. Woodhouse's account. I do not recommend matrimony at present to Emma, though I mean no slight to the state I assure you."

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, could keep Mr. Knightley from Hartfield...

It was weather which might fairly confine everybody at home; and though she hoped and believed him to be really taking comfort in some society or other, it was very pleasant to have her father so well satisfied with his being all alone in his own house, too wise to stir out; and to hear him say to Mr. Knightley, whom no weather could keep entirely from them, -

"Ah! Mr. Knightley, why do not you stay at home like poor Mr. Elton?"

And how peculiar that Mr. Knightley should take such a strong dislike to a total stranger! Even Emma was nonplussed...

"How odd you are! What has Frank Churchill done, to make you suppose him an unnatural creature?"

But despite her bewilderment and all of Emma's protests, Mr. Knightley remained quite decided on the matter of young Frank Churchill.

There was one person among [Frank's] new acquaintance in Surrey, not so leniently disposed. In general he was judged, throughout the parishes of Donwell and Highbury, with great candour; liberal allowances were made for the little excess of such a handsome young man -- one who smiled so often and bowed so well; but there was one spirit among them not to be softened, from its power of censure, by bows or smiles -- Mr. Knightley. The circumstance was told him at Hartfield; for the moment, he was silent, but Emma heard him almost immediately afterwards say to himself, over a newspaper he held in his hand, "Hum! just the trifling, silly fellow I took him for." She had half a mind to resent, but an instant's observation convinced her that it was really said only to relieve his own feelings, and not meant to provoke; and therefore she let it pass.

English 101: Today's lesson, a well-known literary device known as foreshadowing.

She felt as if the spring would not pass without bringing a crisis, an event, a something to alter her present composed and tranquil state.

An idea entertained.

Emma perceived that her taste was not the only taste on which Mr. Weston depended, and felt, that to be the favourite and intimate of a man who had so many intimates and confidantes, was not the very first distinction in the scale of vanity. She liked his open manners, but a little less of open-heartedness would have made him a higher character. -- General benevolence, but not general friendship, made a man what he ought to be. -- She could fancy such a man.

And that sound you hear is the collective breath caught in the throats of "Emma" fans everywhere...

"Whom are you going to dance with?" asked Mr. Knightley.

She hesitated a moment, then replied, "With you, if you will ask me."

"Will you?" said he, offering his hand.

"Indeed I will. You have shown that you can dance, and you know we are not really so much brother and sister as to make it at all improper."

"Brother and sister! no, indeed."

No kidding. ;)

This little explanation with Mr. Knightley gave Emma considerable pleasure.

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