Unnoticed Hidden Beauty

Harriet Smith soon became intimate with Hartfield. Quickly putting her plans into action, Amanda encouraged the girl to come often; she had understood at once how pleasant it would be to have someone to accompany her on her walks, for Mr. Burton never passed the gate of the park. Besides, as Amanda got to know Harriet better, she felt more and more inclined to become attached to her. She knew she could never find a friend like Mrs. Weston: for the latter she felt an affection made up of gratitude and esteem; for Harriet, on the contrary, her friendship would be a protection. Miss Smith was certainly not intelligent, but she had a gentle nature and was quite ready to be led; she showed a natural taste for good company and true elegance. Amanda first sought to find out who Harriet's parents were, but Harriet could give her no insight on the matter and she was left to speculate; Harriet had just listened and believed what Mrs. Goddard had wanted to tell her. The boarding school, the mistresses, the pupils, and the little events of each day formed the substance of Harriet's conversation; the Martins of Abbey Mill were also much on his mind; she had just spent two very pleasant months with them and loved to describe all the comforts and wonders of the place.

At first Amanda listened to all these details without a second thought, but when she realized the exact composition of the family: - young Mr. Martin was not married - she guessed a danger and feared to see her young girlfriend accept a wedding ring below her. As a result of this revelation, her questions became clearer, and she urged Harriet to speak to her specifically about Mr. Martin; Harriet, moreover, dwelt complacently on the subject: she told of the young man's part in their moonlight walks and evening games; she insisted on his obliging character: "One day he went a league to fetch some nuts which I had expressed a desire for." Another time I was surprised to hear his shepherd's son sing in my honor. He is very fond of singing and he himself has a pretty voice. He is smart and I think he understands everything. He has a very fine flock of sheep, and during my stay with them he received many requests for his wool. He enjoys general esteem; his mother and sister love him very much. Mrs. Martin once told me (she blushed at the memory) that you couldn't be a better son; she has no doubt that he will make an excellent husband; "It wasn't," she added, "that she wanted him to get married at least for now. After he left, Mrs. Martin was kind enough to send Mrs. Goddard a magnificent goose, which we ate the following Sunday; the three supervisors have been invited to dinner.

I don't think Mr. Martin keeps abreast of extraneous matters of his business: He doesn't read?

Oh yes!… At least I believe so… but doubtless he does not read what you would consider interesting; he receives an agricultural journal and there are a few books on shelves near the window. Sometimes in the evening, before playing cards, he would read us a page from "Selected Pieces".

How is he physically ?

He is not handsome ; at first I even thought it ugly, but I changed my mind; you get used to his face very well. Have you ever seen him? He comes to Highbury quite often and anyway he crosses the town at least once a week to go to Kingston. He has often passed on horseback with you.

It's possible ; I have been able to see him fifty times without trying to find out his name: a young farmer on foot or on horseback is the last person who can arouse my curiosity; he belongs precisely to a social class with which I have no point of contact; a rung or two above, I might notice a man because of his good looks: I would think I could be of use to his family, but a farmer cannot need my help in any way.

Obviously ! You've probably never noticed it, but he knows you perfectly by sight.

I know this young man is not lacking in merit. Do you know how old he may be?

He turned twenty-four on June 8th, and - isn't it curious - my birthday falls on the twenty-third!"

"Only twenty-four?" He's too young to get married, and his mother is perfectly right not to want him. They seem very happy as a family at the moment; in five or six years, if he can meet a young girl in his midst with a little money, then it will be the time to think about marriage.

"In six years, dear Miss Burton, he will be thirty!"

A man who was not born independent can hardly afford to start a family before that age. Whatever sum Mr. Martin inherited on his father's death and his share in the family property all must be secured by his holding. I have no doubt that he will be rich one day but it must not be now.

That is so, I believe; nevertheless, they live very comfortably; they have no male servant; except for that, they want for nothing, and even Mrs. Martin intends to take a young boy into her service next year.

I hope, Harriet, you will have no trouble at Mr. Martin's wedding; it does not follow, in fact, from the fact that you have relations of friendship with his sisters, that the woman, Mrs. R. Martin, is for you a suitable acquaintance. The misfortune of your birth must make you particularly careful to choose your entourage. You are certainly the daughter of a decent man, and you must strive to maintain your rank, or there will be plenty of people to try to degrade you.

As long as I'm invited to Hartfield and you're so good to me, I'm not afraid.

I see you realize, Harriet, the importance of being well supported, but I would like to see you established in good society apart from Hartfield and Miss Burton. To obtain this result, it will be desirable to discard the old knowledge as much as possible; if you are still here at the time of Mr. Martin's marriage, then do not be drawn into knowing his wife, who will probably be some farmer's daughter and an uneducated person.

That's right: I don't believe, however, that Mr. Martin would want to marry a person who was not perfectly brought up. Of course, I don't mean to contradict you, and I'm sure I wouldn't want to know his wife; I will always have a friendship for the Martin ladies, especially for Elisabeth, whom I would be very sorry to abandon; they are just as well brought up as I am, but if their brother marries an ignorant and vulgar woman, I will avoid meeting her, unless I am forced to.

Amanda watched Harriet and saw no truly alarming symptoms: there was no indication that the roots of this sympathy ran very deep.

The next day, while driving along the road to Donwell, they met Mr. Martin. He was on foot, and after bowing respectfully to Amanda, ​​he looked at Harriet with undisguised satisfaction; she stopped to speak to her, and Amanda went on her way; after a few steps she turned to survey the group and soon realized Mr. Martin's appearance; his dress was neat and his manners decent; nothing more. Amanda knew that Harriet had been struck by Mr. Burton's exquisite urbanity, and she had no doubt that Harriet noticed Mr. Martin's lack of elegance. After a few minutes the two young men parted, and Harriet ran over to Amanda, ​​her face beaming; she immediately said:

What a curious coincidence!" It was quite by chance, he told me, that he took this route. He hasn't been able to get hold of the "Romance of the Forest" yet, he was so busy on his last trip to Kingston that he quite forgot, but he's going back tomorrow. Well ! Miss Burton, did you imagine it that way? What is your opinion ? Do you find it ugly?

No doubt, he is not handsome, but that is only a detail compared to his lack of distinction. I had no right to expect much, but I admit that I thought he was placed two or three rungs higher on the social ladder.

Of course," said Harriet, mortified, "he hasn't the good grace of a man of the world."

You have, Harriet, met some truly decent men at Hartfield, and you must see for yourself the difference between them and Mr. Martin. You must be surprised to have been able to judge him favorably at any time. You must have noticed his borrowed air, his rough manners and his vulgar language?

Certainly he does not resemble Mr. Knightley: he has neither the bearing nor the manners of Mr. Knightley. I see the difference clearly... but Mr. Knightley is particularly elegant.

Mr. Knightley looks so grand that it would be unfair to set him against Mr. Martin." Have you been able to observe other well-bred men: Mr. Weston and Mr. Elton, for example? Make the comparison. What a difference in bearing, in listening and speaking!

You are right, but Mr. Weston is an elderly man: he is nearly fifty years old.

This is the age when good manners matter most; the lack of ease then becomes more apparent. Mr. Martin seems vulgar, in spite of his youth; what will it be when he reaches Mr. Weston's age?

"Your point is correct," said Harriet gravely.

He will become a fat farmer concerned only with his own interests.

Is it possible ? That would be appalling!

The fact that he forgot to get the book you had recommended to him indicates sufficiently how much his professional duties are already absorbing him; he was much too busy with the fluctuations of the market to think of anything else, which is very natural in a man who earns his living.

"I'm surprised he forgot the book," Harriet said ruefully.

After giving Harriet time to ponder this neglect, Amanda continued:

In one respect it may be said that the manners of Mr. Elton are superior to those of Mr. Knightley and Mr. Weston. There is in the latter a vivacity, a kind of abruptness which suits his temperament at home, but it would not be proper to imitate it; likewise the decided, imperious manner of Mr. Knightley suits perfectly his mind, size, and social position; yet if a young man took it into his head to adopt him, he would not be bearable. I believe, on the contrary, that Mr. Elton could be offered as a model: Mr. Elton has affable manners, a cheerful, obliging and gentle character. It even seems to me that for some time he has been particularly amiable; I don't know if he intends to make himself come from one of us; in this case, it is obviously in your honor that he puts himself at the expense of gallantry. Did I tell you all the compliments he gave me about you the other day?

Amanda in reporting these flattering remarks omitted to say that she had encouraged them. Harriet blushed with pleasure and protested that she had always found Mr. Elton very agreeable; the latter was precisely the person on whom Amanda had set her sights to make Harriet forget her young farmer. Mr. Elton's social position seemed to him particularly suited to the situation; he was very decent, though he didn't belong to a family that Harriet's irregular birth might offend. The personal income of the young vicar must have been sufficient because the cure of Hartfield was not important. She had a very good opinion of him and considered him a young man with a future.

She had no doubt that he greatly admired Harriet, and she counted on frequent meetings at Hartfield to develop this feeling; as for Harriet, it would no doubt suffice for him to notice the preference of which she would be the object in order to appreciate her at once at her fair value. Mr. Elton, moreover, could legitimately claim to please most women; he passed for a very handsome man; Amanda for her part did not share the general opinion, she judged that Mr. Elton's face lacked a certain nobility which she prized above all else; but it seemed evident to him that the young girl who had been flattered by the attentions of Robert Martin would soon be won over by the homage of Mr. Elton.