MR. KNIGHTLEY'S LINES IN "EMMA"

~As an old friend of the family I had to ask as soon as I got back: who cried the most at the wedding?

~Don't be too hard on Miss Taylor. It must be easier for her to have only one to please than two.

~I'm practically a brother to you, Emma. Isn't it a brother's job to find fault of his sister?

~We would not like Emma so well as we do if she did not miss her friend.

~She's not far.

~That should not matter as you always did just as you pleased.

~You must be happy that she settled so well.

~Triumph??!!!?? You've made a lucky guess!

~Mr. Elton is a man of twenty-six. He knows how to take care of himself.

~'Tis Mr. Elton who deserves our pity.

~Where will you live now that you've completed your education?

~Ah, Emma, I wondered where you were. But now I see you've been hard at work: making Mr. Elton comfortable.

~You've made her too tall.

~Very well I admit it.You have improved Harriet Smith.

~I'm not. I believe your friend will soon hear something serious. Something to her advantage.

~I have reason to believe that Harriet Smith will soon receive an offer of marriage from a man desperately in love with her. Robert Martin. He came here two evenings ago to consult about it. He is a tenant, you know ...and a good friend. He asked whether it would be imprudent of him to settle so early whether she was too young or whether he was beneath her.

~I never hear better sense from anyone than from Robert Martin. He proved he could afford to marry and I said he could not do better.

~Oh yes?

~I'm not sure I understand.

~Then she is a greater simpleton than I believed.

~I do not comprehend it because it is a madness. I hope you're wrong.

~You saw her answer? Emma, you wrote her answer, didn't you?

~I agree he is not her equal. He is her superior in sense and situation. What are Harriet Smith's claims of birth or education that make her higher than Robert Martin? She's the natural daughter of nobody knows whom. The advantage of the match was entirely on her side.

~A degradation for illegitimacy and ignorance to be married to a respected intelligent farmer?

~Whoever her parents they made no plans to introduce her into good society. She was left with Mrs. Goddard for an indifferent education. Her friends evidently thought this was good enough for her and it was and she thought so too until you began to puff her up. Vanity working on a weak mind produces every kind of mischief.

~Men of sense, whatever you may say, do not want silly wives. Upon my word, Emma, better be without sense than misapply it as you do.

~Try not to kill my dogs.

~Clearly, Emma, you have someone else in mind for your friend. But if the gentleman you dream of is Mr. Elton, your labour is in vain. As a vicar, Elton is unlikely to make an imprudent match, especially to a girl of obscurity and will bring him disgrace. In unreserved moments when only men are present, I have heard him speak of a large family of young ladies from Bath who all have twenty thousand pounds a piece. Believe me when I tell you that he may talk sentimentally but he will act rationally.

~No more, please. No more.

~Emma, you didn't ask me to contribute a riddle.

~John, this maybe the finest Knightley yet. You and Isabella should have brought her sooner. She looks so fetching in the arms of her aunt.

~If you accepted adults with this little whim as you do these little children, we might always agree.

~Not fascinating but true. Perhaps it has something to do with the gap in our ages. I was sixteen years old when you were born.

~Narrowed it. Come, dear Emma. Let us be friends and quarrel no more.

~No man could be more so.

~Why should you care so much about Frank Churchill?

~Perhaps you dislike her because she divides our attentions from you.

~Oh I have some news. And I know how you like news.

~Mr. Elton is going to marry.

~Doesn't she play marvelously?

~Your playing was lovely.

~No, no. It was very elegant.

~I don't approve of surprises. The pleasure is never enhanced and the inconvenience is considerable. Bad judgement on the Campbell's part.

~That fellow thinks of nothing but showing off. Jane will sing herself hoarse. Miss Bates, you must put a stop to this. She'll make herself ill.

~Jane maybe glad of Mrs. Elton's attentions since they are available from no one else.

~Anyone may know my regard for her.

~Oh, so you two have been settling that I should marry Jane Fairfax?

~Jane Fairfax is a very charming young woman. But she lacks an open temper which a man wishes for in a wife. I have admiration for her, but no thought beyond. Not at all. No. J Ah, I see Mr. Weston is at home. I'll go and see him.

~It was most kind of you to invite Jane Fairfax this evening.

~You're capable of great kindness.

~I'm sure she knows what she can endure, Mrs. Elton. But of course. Do take care of yourself.

~I can think of nothing less appealing than an evening of watching other people dance. Go on.

~I've no taste for it. I'd rather fetch that stick.

~I just want to stay here where it's cozy.

~The Eltons are unpardonable. I must say they aimed at wounding more than just Harriet. It seems they want to snub you too, Emma. Why? Certainly Mrs. Elton has no reason to dislike you. Confess now, old friend. You did want him to marry Harriet.

~You know more than you realize.

~In return for your acknowledging so much I say that you chose for him better than he chose for himself. Harriet Smith has some first-rate qualities about her which Mrs. Elton is entirely without. Your friend surprised me most pleasantly.

~Whom are you going to dance with?

~Brother and sister? No, no. Indeed we are not.

~Miss Bates, will you give me the pleasure of your company whilst I pick some more strawberries?

~Emma, how could you be so unfeeling to Miss Bates? How could you be so insolent to a woman of her age and situation? I had not thought it possible.

~I assure you she felt your full meaning. She can not stop mentioning it. I wish you could have heard her honour your forbearance in putting up with her when her society is so irksome.

~Were she prosperous or a woman equal to your age and situation I would not quarrel about any liberties of manner. But she is poor. Even moreso than when she was born. And should she live to be an old lady she will sink further still. Her situation being in everyway below you should secure your compassion. Badly done, Emma! Badly done. She has watched you grow from a time when her notice of you was an honour; to this, humbling her and laughing at her in front of people who would be guided by your treatment of her. Oh... it is not pleasant for me to say these things, but I must tell you the truth while I can... Proving myself your friend by the most faithful counsel, trusting that some time you will do my faith in you greater justice than you do it now.

~...........say goodbye.

~Certainly I walked.

~The truest friend does not doubt but hope. I must go. I'm leaving town to visit John and Isabella.

~So am I.

~I don't know. There is a delicate and perplexing matter I must discuss with my brother.

~Well, then.

~(There is a delicate and perplexing matter I must discuss with my brother)

~Emma! Forgive me. Ehmm..... I was ... I was lost in my thoughts.

~Well, I'm... happy to see you as always.

~Just. Yes, just.

~I was just there. May I join you?

~What?

~Aha. Emma, there is.... there is something I have to ask....

~Of what nature is this news?

~Oh, yes. Between Jane and Mr. Churchill. Mr. Weston wrote to me.

~Well..... J

~Time will heal your wound.

~I know you must have been cruelly disappointed by his secret. He's a scoundrel.

~Emma, is that true?

~Yes, he got everything he wanted at great expense to others and at no cost to himself. He offends me deeply. Yet there is something in his situation that I envy.

~You will not ask me the point of my envy. Perhaps you are wise, but I ... I can not be wise. E-E-Emma.... I must tell you what you will not ask though I may wish it unsaid the next moment.

~Very well. Very well. Good day.

~Emma, you want our friendship to remain the same as it has always been, but I can not desire that.

~I do not wish to call you my friend, because I hope to call you something infinitely more dear. Have you not wondered why I never befriended Frank Churchill? It was because I knew he was intended for you. Indeed when you insulted Miss Bates at the picnic I thought that evidence of his influence over you and I could not bear to see it, so I went away. But I went to the wrong place. My brother's house is usually a place of comfort to me, but seeing your sister there kept you fresh in my mind. And the torture, I assure you, was acute. I only felt hope again when I heard of Mr. Churchill's engagement. I rushed back, anxious of your feelings, keen to be near you. I rode through the rain, but I'd ride through worse than that if I could just hear your voice telling me that I might at least have some chance to win you.

~What of my flaws? I've humbled you and I've...and I've lectured you and you have borne it as no one could have borne it. Maybe it is our imperfections which make us so perfect for one another. Marry me? Marry me, my wonderful darling friend.

~Let's fetch your father.

~What?

~Why ever not?

~I could not secure your happiness while attacking your father's. As long as his joy requires your being at Hartfield, let it be my home, too.

The movie is based on Jane Austen's novel which was published in December 1815.
Adapted for Miramax by Douglas McGrath.
Thanks to Megan Michel and Annie for the "flaws".
Thanks again to Megan Michel for correcting some more words.
Thanks to Szoon for the link to the complete script which was really a great help.

SOME MR. KNIGHTLEY's LINES FROM THE NOVEL
I want to include more, but.....

"I do not understand what you mean by 'success'. Success supposes endeavour. Your time has been properly and delicately spent, if you have been endeavouring for the last four years to bring about this marriage. A worthy employment for a young lady's mind! but if, which I rather imagine, your making the match, as you call it, means only your planning it, your saying to yourself one idle day, 'I think it would be a very good thing for Miss Taylor if Mr. Weston were to marry her,' and saying it again to yourself every now and then afterwards --why do you talk of success? where is your merit? What are you proud of? You made a lucky guess; and that is all that can be said."

"Upon my word, Emma, to hear you abusing the reason you have, is almost enough to make me think so too. Better be without sense than misapply it as you do."

"You will puff her up with such ideas of her own beauty, and of what she has a claim to, that, in a little while, nobody within her reach will be good enough for her. Vanity working on a weak head produces every kind of mischief. Nothing so easy as for a young lady to raise her expectation too high. Miss Harriet Smith may not find offers of marriage flow in so fast, though she is a very pretty girl. Men of sense, whatever you may choose to say, do not want silly wives. Men of family would not be very fond of connecting themselves with a girl of such obscurity -- and most prudent men would be afraid of the inconvenience and disgrace they might be involved in, when the mystery of her parentage came to be revealed. Let her marry Robert Martin, and she is safe, respectable, and happy for ever; but if you encourage her to expect to marry greatly, and teach her to be satisfied with nothing less than a man of consequence and large fortune, she may be a parlour boarder at Mrs. Goddard's all the rest of her life --or, at least (for Harriet Smith is a girl who will marry somebody or other) till she grow desperate, and is glad to catch at the old writing-master's son."

"Suprises are foolish things. The pleasure is not enhanced, and the inconvenience is often considerable. I should have expected better judgement in Colonel Campbell."

"That fellow thinks of nothing but showing off his own voice. This must not be.[....] Miss Bates, are you mad, to let your niece sing herself hoarse in this manner ? Go, and interfere. They have no mercy on her."

"Jane Fairfax is a very charming young woman -- but not even Jane Fairfax is perfect.. She has a fault. She has not the open temper which a man would wish for in a wife."

"And, in return for your acknowledging so much, I will do you the justice to say, that you would have chosen for him better than he has chosen for himself. Harriet Smith has some first-rate qualities, which Mrs. Elton is totally without. An unpretending, single-minded, artless girl -- infinitely to be preferred by any man of sense and taste to such a woman as Mrs. Elton. I found Harriet more conversable than I expected."

"Emma, I must once more speak to you as I have been used to do; a priviledge rather endured than allowed, perhaps, but I must still use it. I cannot see you acting wrong, without a remonstrance. How could you be so unfeeling to Miss Bates? How could you be so insolent in your wit to a woman of her character, age, and situation? Emma, I had not thought it possible."

"Were she prosperous, I could allow much for the occasional prevalence of the ridiculous over the good. Were she a woman of fortune, I would leave every harmless absurdity to take its chance; I would not quarrel with you for any liberties of manner. Were she your equal in situation -- but Emma, consider how far this is from being the case. She is poor; she has sunk from the comforts she was born to; and if she lives to old age must probably sink more. Her situation should secure your compassion. It was badly done, indeed! You, whom she had known from an infant, whom she had seen grow up from a period when her notice was an honour -- to have you now, in thoughtless spirits, and the pride of the moment, laugh at her, humble her --and before her niece, too --and before others, many of whom (certainly some) would be entirely guided by your treatment of her. This is not pleasant to you Emma, --and it is very far from pleasant to me; but I must, I will --I tell you truths while I can; satisfied with proving myself your friend by very faithful counsel, and trusting that you will some time or other do me greater justice than you can do now."

"I would not go away without seeing you, but I have no time to spare, and therefore must now be gone directly. I am going to London, to spend a few days with John and Isabella. Have you anything to send or say, besides 'the love', which nobody carries?"

"Emma, that, I fear, is a word --no I have no wish. Stay, yes, why should I hesitate? I have gone too far already for concealment. Emma, I accept your offer, extraordinary as it may seem, I accept it, and refer myself to you as a friend. Tell me, then, have I no chance of ever succeeding?"
"My dearest Emma, for dearest you will always be, whatever the event of this hour's conversation, my dearest, most beloved Emma -- tell me at once. Say 'No,' if it is to be said."
"I cannot make speeches, Emma. If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. You hear nothing but truth from me. I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it. Bear with the truths I would tell you now, dearest Emma, as well as you have borne with them. The manner, perhaps, may have as little to recommend them. God knows, I have been a very indifferent lover. But you understand me. Yes, you see, you understand my feelings-- and will return them if you can. At present, I ask only to hear --once to hear your voice."

"'Mr. Knightley,' you always called me. 'Mr. Knightley'; and, from habit, it has not so very formal a sound. And yet it is formal. I want you to call me something else, but I do not know what."