CHAPTER IV

deherquickeyesufficientlyacquaintedwithMr.RobertMartin.Hisappearancewasveryneat,andhelookedlikeasensibleyoungman,buthispersonhadnootheradvantageandwhenhecametobecontrastedwithgentlemen,shethoughthemustloseallthegroundhehadgainedinHarriet’sinclination.Harrietwasnotinsensibleofmannershehadvoluntarilynoticedherfather’sgentlenesswithadmirationaswellaswonder.Mr.Martinlookedasifhedidnotknowwhatmannerwas. Theyremainedbutafewminutestogether,asMissWoodhousemustnotbekeptwaitingandHarrietthencamerunningtoherwithasmilingface,andinaflutterofspirits,whichMissWoodhousehopedverysoontocompose. “Onlythinkofourhappeningtomeethim!—Howveryodd!Itwasquiteachance,hesaid,thathehadnotgoneroundbyRandalls.Hedidnotthinkweeverwalkedthisroad.HethoughtwewalkedtowardsRandallsmostdays.HehasnotbeenabletogettheRomanceoftheForestyet.HewassobusythelasttimehewasatKingstonthathequiteforgotit,buthegoesagainto-morrow.Soveryoddweshouldhappentomeet!Well,MissWoodhouse,ishelikewhatyouexpected?Whatdoyouthinkofhim?Doyouthinkhimsoveryplain?” “Heisveryplain,undoubtedly—remarkablyplain:—butthatisnothingcomparedwithhisentirewantofgentility.Ihadnorighttoexpectmuch,andIdidnotexpectmuchbutIhadnoideathathecouldbesoveryclownish,sototallywithoutair.Ihadimaginedhim,Iconfess,adegreeortwonearergentility.” “Tobesure,”saidHarriet,inamortifiedvoice,“heisnotsogenteelasrealgentlemen.” “Ithink,Harriet,sinceyouracquaintancewithus,youhavebeenrepeatedlyinthecompanyofsomesuchveryrealgentlemen,thatyoumustyourselfbestruckwiththedifferenceinMr.Martin.AtHartfield,youhavehadverygoodspecimensofwelleducated,wellbredmen.Ishouldbesurprizedif,afterseeingthem,youcouldbeincompanywithMr.Martinagainwithoutperceivinghimtobeaveryinferiorcreature—andratherwonderingatyourselfforhavingeverthoughthimatallagreeablebefore.Donotyoubegintofeelthatnow?Werenotyoustruck?Iamsureyoumusthavebeenstruckbyhisawkwardlookandabruptmanner,andtheuncouthnessofavoicewhichIheardtobewhollyunmodulatedasIstoodhere.” “Certainly,heisnotlikeMr.Knightley.HehasnotsuchafineairandwayofwalkingasMr.Knightley.Iseethedifferenceplainenough.ButMr.Knightleyissoveryfineaman!” “Mr.Knightley’sairissoremarkablygoodthatitisnotfairtocompareMr.Martinwithhim.YoumightnotseeoneinahundredwithgentlemansoplainlywrittenasinMr.Knightley.Butheisnottheonlygentlemanyouhavebeenlatelyusedto.WhatsayyoutoMr.WestonandMr.Elton?CompareMr.Martinwitheitherofthem.Comparetheirmannerofcarryingthemselvesofwalkingofspeakingofbeingsilent.Youmustseethedifference.” “Ohyes!—thereisagreatdifference.ButMr.Westonisalmostanoldman.Mr.Westonmustbebetweenfortyandfifty.” “Whichmakeshisgoodmannersthemorevaluable.Theolderapersongrows,Harriet,themoreimportantitisthattheirmannersshouldnotbebadthemoreglaringanddisgustinganyloudness,orcoarseness,orawkwardnessbecomes.Whatispassableinyouthisdetestableinlaterage.Mr.MartinisnowawkwardandabruptwhatwillhebeatMr.Weston’stimeoflife?” “Thereisnosaying,indeed,”repliedHarrietrathersolemnly. “Buttheremaybeprettygoodguessing.Hewillbeacompletelygross,vulgarfarmer,totallyinattentivetoappearances,andthinkingofnothingbutprofitandloss.” “Willhe,indeed?Thatwillbeverybad.” “How