CHAPTER VIII

thisagoodmatch.’” “IcannothelpwonderingatyourknowingsolittleofEmmaastosayanysuchthing.What!thinkafarmer,(andwithallhissenseandallhismeritMr.Martinisnothingmore,)agoodmatchformyintimatefriend!NotregretherleavingHighburyforthesakeofmarryingamanwhomIcouldneveradmitasanacquaintanceofmyown!Iwonderyoushouldthinkitpossibleformetohavesuchfeelings.Iassureyoumineareverydifferent.Imustthinkyourstatementbynomeansfair.YouarenotjusttoHarriet’sclaims.TheywouldbeestimatedverydifferentlybyothersaswellasmyselfMr.Martinmaybetherichestofthetwo,butheisundoubtedlyherinferiorastorankinsociety.—Thesphereinwhichshemovesismuchabovehis.—Itwouldbeadegradation.” “Adegradationtoillegitimacyandignorance,tobemarriedtoarespectable,intelligentgentleman-farmer!” “Astothecircumstancesofherbirth,thoughinalegalsenseshemaybecalledNobody,itwillnotholdincommonsense.Sheisnottopayfortheoffenceofothers,bybeingheldbelowthelevelofthosewithwhomsheisbroughtup.—Therecanscarcelybeadoubtthatherfatherisagentleman—andagentlemanoffortune.—Herallowanceisveryliberalnothinghaseverbeengrudgedforherimprovementorcomfort.—Thatsheisagentleman’sdaughter,isindubitabletomethatsheassociateswithgentlemen’sdaughters,noone,Iapprehend,willdeny.—SheissuperiortoMr.RobertMartin.” “Whoevermightbeherparents,”saidMr.Knightley,“whoevermayhavehadthechargeofher,itdoesnotappeartohavebeenanypartoftheirplantointroduceherintowhatyouwouldcallgoodsociety.AfterreceivingaveryindifferenteducationsheisleftinMrs.Goddard’shandstoshiftasshecan—tomove,inshort,inMrs.Goddard’sline,tohaveMrs.Goddard’sacquaintance.Herfriendsevidentlythoughtthisgoodenoughforheranditwasgoodenough.Shedesirednothingbetterherself.Tillyouchosetoturnherintoafriend,hermindhadnodistasteforherownset,noranyambitionbeyondit.ShewasashappyaspossiblewiththeMartinsinthesummer.Shehadnosenseofsuperioritythen.Ifshehasitnow,youhavegivenit.YouhavebeennofriendtoHarrietSmith,Emma.RobertMartinwouldneverhaveproceededsofar,ifhehadnotfeltpersuadedofhernotbeingdisinclinedtohim.Iknowhimwell.Hehastoomuchrealfeelingtoaddressanywomanonthehaphazardofselfishpassion.Andastoconceit,heisthefarthestfromitofanymanIknow.Dependuponithehadencouragement.” ItwasmostconvenienttoEmmanottomakeadirectreplytothisassertionshechoserathertotakeupherownlineofthesubjectagain. “YouareaverywarmfriendtoMr.Martinbut,asIsaidbefore,areunjusttoHarriet.Harriet’sclaimstomarrywellarenotsocontemptibleasyourepresentthem.Sheisnotaclevergirl,butshehasbettersensethanyouareawareof,anddoesnotdeservetohaveherunderstandingspokenofsoslightingly.Waivingthatpoint,however,andsupposinghertobe,asyoudescribeher,onlyprettyandgood-natured,letmetellyou,thatinthedegreeshepossessesthem,theyarenottrivialrecommendationstotheworldingeneral,forsheis,infact,abeautifulgirl,andmustbethoughtsobyninety-ninepeopleoutofanhundredandtillitappearsthatmenaremuchmorephilosophiconthesubjectofbeautythantheyaregenerallysupposedtilltheydofallinlovewithwell-informedmindsinsteadofhandsomefaces,agirl,withsuchlovelinessasHarriet,hasacertaintyofbeingadmiredandsoughtafter,ofhavingthepowerofchusingfromamongmany,consequentlyaclaimtobenice.Hergood-nature,too,isnotsoveryslightaclaim,comprehending,asitdoes,real,thoroughsweetnessoftemperandmanner,averyhumbleopinionofherself,andagreatreadinesstobepleasedwithotherpeople.Iamverymuchmistakenifyoursexingeneralwouldnotthinksuchbeauty,andsuchtemper,thehighestclaimsawomancouldpossess.” “Uponmyword,Emma,tohearyouabusingthereasonyouhave,isalmostenoughtomakemethinksotoo.Betterbewithoutsense,thanmisapplyitasyoudo.” “Tobesure!”criedsheplayfully.“Iknowthatisthefeelingofyouall.IknowthatsuchagirlasHarrietisexactlywhateverymandelightsin—whatatoncebewitcheshissensesandsatisfieshisjudgment.Oh!Harrietmaypickandchuse.Wereyou,yourself,evertomarry,sheistheverywomanforyou.Andisshe,atseventeen,justenteringintolife,justbeginningtobekn