CHAPTER VIII

own,tobewonderedatbecauseshedoesnotacceptthefirstoffershereceives?No—prayletherhavetimetolookabouther.” “Ihavealwaysthoughtitaveryfoolishintimacy,”saidMr.Knightleypresently,“thoughIhavekeptmythoughtstomyselfbutInowperceivethatitwillbeaveryunfortunateoneforHarriet.Youwillpuffherupwithsuchideasofherownbeauty,andofwhatshehasaclaimto,that,inalittlewhile,nobodywithinherreachwillbegoodenoughforher.Vanityworkingonaweakhead,produceseverysortofmischief.Nothingsoeasyasforayoungladytoraiseherexpectationstoohigh.MissHarrietSmithmaynotfindoffersofmarriageflowinsofast,thoughsheisaveryprettygirl.Menofsense,whateveryoumaychusetosay,donotwantsillywives.Menoffamilywouldnotbeveryfondofconnectingthemselveswithagirlofsuchobscurity—andmostprudentmenwouldbeafraidoftheinconvenienceanddisgracetheymightbeinvolvedin,whenthemysteryofherparentagecametoberevealed.LethermarryRobertMartin,andsheissafe,respectable,andhappyforeverbutifyouencouragehertoexpecttomarrygreatly,andteachhertobesatisfiedwithnothinglessthanamanofconsequenceandlargefortune,shemaybeaparlour-boarderatMrs.Goddard’salltherestofherlife—or,atleast,(forHarrietSmithisagirlwhowillmarrysomebodyorother,)tillshegrowdesperate,andisgladtocatchattheoldwriting-master’sson.” “Wethinksoverydifferentlyonthispoint,Mr.Knightley,thattherecanbenouseincanvassingit.Weshallonlybemakingeachothermoreangry.ButastomylettinghermarryRobertMartin,itisimpossibleshehasrefusedhim,andsodecidedly,Ithink,asmustpreventanysecondapplication.Shemustabidebytheevilofhavingrefusedhim,whateveritmaybeandastotherefusalitself,IwillnotpretendtosaythatImightnotinfluenceheralittlebutIassureyoutherewasverylittleformeorforanybodytodo.Hisappearanceissomuchagainsthim,andhismannersobad,thatifsheeverweredisposedtofavourhim,sheisnotnow.Icanimagine,thatbeforeshehadseenanybodysuperior,shemighttoleratehim.Hewasthebrotherofherfriends,andhetookpainstopleaseherandaltogether,havingseennobodybetter(thatmusthavebeenhisgreatassistant)shemightnot,whileshewasatAbbey-Mill,findhimdisagreeable.Butthecaseisalterednow.SheknowsnowwhatgentlemenareandnothingbutagentlemanineducationandmannerhasanychancewithHarriet.” “Nonsense,errantnonsense,aseverwastalked!”criedMr.Knightley.—“RobertMartin’smannershavesense,sincerity,andgood-humourtorecommendthemandhismindhasmoretruegentilitythanHarrietSmithcouldunderstand.” Emmamadenoanswer,andtriedtolookcheerfullyunconcerned,butwasreallyfeelinguncomfortableandwantinghimverymuchtobegone.Shedidnotrepentwhatshehaddoneshestillthoughtherselfabetterjudgeofsuchapointoffemalerightandrefinementthanhecouldbebutyetshehadasortofhabitualrespectforhisjudgmentingeneral,whichmadeherdislikehavingitsoloudlyagainstherandtohavehimsittingjustoppositetoherinangrystate,wasverydisagreeable.Someminutespassedinthisunpleasantsilence,withonlyoneattemptonEmma’ssidetotalkoftheweather,buthemadenoanswer.Hewasthinking.Theresultofhisthoughtsappearedatlastinthesewords. “RobertMartinhasnogreatloss—ifhecanbutthinksoandIhopeitwillnotbelongbeforehedoes.YourviewsforHarrietarebestknowntoyourselfbutasyoumakenosecretofyourloveofmatch-making,itisfairtosupposethatviews,andplans,andprojectsyouhave—andasafriendIshalljusthinttoyouthatifEltonistheman,Ithinkitwillbealllabourinvain.” Emmalaughedanddisclaimed.Hecontinued, “Dependuponit,Eltonwillnotdo.Eltonisaverygoodsortofman,andaveryrespectablevicarofHighbury,butnotatalllikelytomakeanimprudentmatch.Heknowsthevalueofagoodincomeaswellasanybody.Eltonmaytalksentimentally,buthewillactrationally.Heisaswellacquaintedwithhisownclaims,asyoucanbewithHarriet’s.Heknowsthatheisaveryhandsomeyoungman,andagreatfavouritewhereverhegoesandfromhisgeneralwayoftalkinginunreservedmoments,whenthereareonlymenpresent,Iamconvincedthathedoesnotmeantothrowhimselfaway.Ihaveheardhimspeakwithgreatanimationofalargefamilyofyoungladiesthathissistersareintimatewith,whohavealltwenty