CHAPTER III

rainoftwentyyoungcouplenowwalkedafterhertochurch.Shewasaplain,motherlykindofwoman,whohadworkedhardinheryouth,andnowthoughtherselfentitledtotheoccasionalholidayofatea-visitandhavingformerlyowedmuchtoMr.Woodhouse’skindness,felthisparticularclaimonhertoleaveherneatparlour,hungroundwithfancy-work,whenevershecould,andwinorloseafewsixpencesbyhisfireside. TheseweretheladieswhomEmmafoundherselfveryfrequentlyabletocollectandhappywasshe,forherfather’ssake,inthepowerthough,asfarasshewasherselfconcerned,itwasnoremedyfortheabsenceofMrs.Weston.Shewasdelightedtoseeherfatherlookcomfortable,andverymuchpleasedwithherselfforcontrivingthingssowellbutthequietprosingsofthreesuchwomenmadeherfeelthateveryeveningsospentwasindeedoneofthelongeveningsshehadfearfullyanticipated. Asshesatonemorning,lookingforwardtoexactlysuchacloseofthepresentday,anotewasbroughtfromMrs.Goddard,requesting,inmostrespectfulterms,tobeallowedtobringMissSmithwithheramostwelcomerequest:forMissSmithwasagirlofseventeen,whomEmmaknewverywellbysight,andhadlongfeltaninterestin,onaccountofherbeauty.Averygraciousinvitationwasreturned,andtheeveningnolongerdreadedbythefairmistressofthemansion. HarrietSmithwasthenaturaldaughterofsomebody.Somebodyhadplacedher,severalyearsback,atMrs.Goddard’sschool,andsomebodyhadlatelyraisedherfromtheconditionofscholartothatofparlour-boarder.Thiswasallthatwasgenerallyknownofherhistory.ShehadnovisiblefriendsbutwhathadbeenacquiredatHighbury,andwasnowjustreturnedfromalongvisitinthecountrytosomeyoungladieswhohadbeenatschooltherewithher. Shewasaveryprettygirl,andherbeautyhappenedtobeofasortwhichEmmaparticularlyadmired.Shewasshort,plump,andfair,withafinebloom,blueeyes,lighthair,regularfeatures,andalookofgreatsweetness,and,beforetheendoftheevening,Emmawasasmuchplea