CHAPTER III

sedwithhermannersasherperson,andquitedeterminedtocontinuetheacquaintance. ShewasnotstruckbyanythingremarkablycleverinMissSmith’sconversation,butshefoundheraltogetherveryengaging—notinconvenientlyshy,notunwillingtotalk—andyetsofarfrompushing,shewingsoproperandbecomingadeference,seemingsopleasantlygratefulforbeingadmittedtoHartfield,andsoartlesslyimpressedbytheappearanceofeverythinginsosuperiorastyletowhatshehadbeenusedto,thatshemusthavegoodsense,anddeserveencouragement.Encouragementshouldbegiven.Thosesoftblueeyes,andallthosenaturalgraces,shouldnotbewastedontheinferiorsocietyofHighburyanditsconnexions.Theacquaintanceshehadalreadyformedwereunworthyofher.Thefriendsfromwhomshehadjustparted,thoughverygoodsortofpeople,mustbedoingherharm.TheywereafamilyofthenameofMartin,whomEmmawellknewbycharacter,asrentingalargefarmofMr.Knightley,andresidingintheparishofDonwell—verycreditably,shebelieved—sheknewMr.Knightleythoughthighlyofthem—buttheymustbecoarseandunpolished,andveryunfittobetheintimatesofagirlwhowantedonlyalittlemoreknowledgeandelegancetobequiteperfect.Shewouldnoticehershewouldimprovehershewoulddetachherfromherbadacquaintance,andintroduceherintogoodsocietyshewouldformheropinionsandhermanners.Itwouldbeaninteresting,andcertainlyaverykindundertakinghighlybecomingherownsituationinlife,herleisure,andpowers. Shewassobusyinadmiringthosesoftblueeyes,intalkingandlistening,andformingalltheseschemesinthein-betweens,thattheeveningflewawayataveryunusualrateandthesupper-table,whichalwaysclosedsuchparties,andforwhichshehadbeenusedtositandwatchtheduetime,wasallsetoutandready,andmovedforwardstothefire,beforeshewasaware.Withanalacritybeyondthecommonimpulseofaspiritwhichyetwasneverindifferenttothecreditofdoingeverythingwellandattentively,withtherealg