Chapter 31Just the day Mr. Alton went to London provided a new occasion for Emma's services to her friend. Harriet had been to Hartfield as usual shortly after breakfast; and after a while she had gone home to return for dinner: she returned, and earlier than I said, and with an excited, hasty look, she announced that something extraordinary had happened that she longed to tell. Half a minute brought it all out. As soon as she returned to Mrs. Goddard, she had heard that Mr. Martin had been there an hour ago, and when she realized that she was neither at home nor particularly expected, he had left her a small package from one of his sisters, and left; and when she opened this package, she had actually found a letter to herself, in addition to the two songs she had lent Elizabeth to copy; a
