CHAPTER IV

ectableyoungman.Iknow,indeed,thatheisso,and,assuch,wishhimwell.Whatdoyouimaginehisagetobe?” “Hewasfour-and-twentythe8thoflastJune,andmybirthdayisthe23rdjustafortnightandaday’sdifference—whichisveryodd.” “Onlyfour-and-twenty.Thatistooyoungtosettle.Hismotherisperfectlyrightnottobeinahurry.Theyseemverycomfortableastheyare,andifsheweretotakeanypainstomarryhim,shewouldprobablyrepentit.Sixyearshence,ifhecouldmeetwithagoodsortofyoungwomaninthesamerankashisown,withalittlemoney,itmightbeverydesirable.” “Sixyearshence!DearMissWoodhouse,hewouldbethirtyyearsold!” “Well,andthatisasearlyasmostmencanaffordtomarry,whoarenotborntoanindependence.Mr.Martin,Iimagine,hashisfortuneentirelytomake—cannotbeatallbeforehandwiththeworld.Whatevermoneyhemightcomeintowhenhisfatherdied,whateverhisshareofthefamilyproperty,itis,Idaresay,allafloat,allemployedinhisstock,andsoforthandthough,withdiligenceandgoodluck,hemayberichintime,itisnexttoimpossiblethatheshouldhaverealisedanythingyet.” “Tobesure,soitis.Buttheyliveverycomfortably.Theyhavenoindoorsman,elsetheydonotwantforanythingandMrs.Martintalksoftakingaboyanotheryear.” “Iwishyoumaynotgetintoascrape,Harriet,wheneverhedoesmarry—Imean,astobeingacquaintedwithhiswife—forthoughhissisters,fromasuperioreducation,arenottobealtogetherobjectedto,itdoesnotfollowthathemightmarryanybodyatallfitforyoutonotice.Themisfortuneofyourbirthoughttomakeyouparticularlycarefulastoyourassociates.Therecanbenodoubtofyourbeingagentleman’sdaughter,andyoumustsupportyourclaimtothatstationbyeverythingwithinyourownpower,ortherewillbeplentyofpeoplewhowouldtakepleasureindegradingyou.” “Yes,tobesure,Isupposethereare.ButwhileIvisitatHartfield,andyouaresokindtome,MissWoodhouse,Iamnotafraidofwhatanybodycando.” “Youunderstandtheforceofinfluenceprettywell,HarrietbutIwouldhaveyousofirmlyestablishedingoodsociety,astobeindependentevenofHartfieldandMissWoodhouse.Iwanttoseeyoupermanentlywellconnected,andtothatenditwillbeadvisabletohaveasfewoddacquaintanceasmaybeand,therefore,IsaythatifyoushouldstillbeinthiscountrywhenMr.Martinmarries,Iwishyoumaynotbedrawninbyyourintimacywiththesisters,tobeacquaintedwiththewife,whowillprobablybesomemerefarmer’sdaughter,withouteducation.” “Tobesure.Yes.NotthatIthinkMr.Martinwouldevermarryanybodybutwhathadhadsomeeducation—andbeenverywellbroughtup.However,Idonotmeantosetupmyopinionagainstyours—andIamsureIshallnotwishfortheacquaintanceofhiswife.IshallalwayshaveagreatregardfortheMissMartins,especiallyElizabeth,andshouldbeverysorrytogivethemup,fortheyarequiteaswelleducatedasme.Butifhemarriesaveryignorant,vulgarwoman,certainlyIhadbetternotvisither,ifIcanhelpit.” Emmawatchedherthroughthefluctuationsofthisspeech,andsawnoalarmingsymptomsoflove.Theyoungmanhadbeenthefirstadmirer,butshetrustedtherewasnootherhold,andthattherewouldbenoseriousdifficulty,onHarriet’sside,toopposeanyfriendlyarrangementofherown. TheymetMr.Martintheverynextday,astheywerewalkingontheDonwellroad.Hewasonfoot,andafterlookingveryrespectfullyather,lookedwithmostunfeignedsatisfactionathercompanion.Emmawasnotsorrytohavesuchanopportunityofsurveyandwalkingafewyardsforward,whiletheytalkedtogether,soonma