Читать книгу Эмма. Уровень 3 / Emma - Джейн Остин, Сет Грэм-Смит - Страница 4

Mr. Woodhouse was fond of society in his own way. He liked to command the visits of his own little circle, in a great measure, as he liked. He had not much intercourse with any families beyond that circle. The Westons and Mr. Knightley were the closest family friends; after these came Mrs. and Miss Bates[20], and Mrs. Goddard[21]. Mrs. Bates, the widow of a former vicar of Highbury, was a very old lady, she lived with her single daughter in a very small way[22]. Her daughter was neither young, handsome, clever, nor married. And yet she was a happy woman. She loved everybody, was interested in everybody's happiness. The simplicity and cheerfulness of her nature, her contented and grateful spirit, were a recommendation to everybody.

These were the ladies whom Emma found herself very frequently able to collect; but it was no remedy for the absence of Mrs. Weston. As she sat one morning, a note was brought from Mrs. Goddard, requesting, in most respectful terms, to be allowed to bring Miss Smith with her; a most welcome request: for Miss Smith was a girl of seventeen, whom Emma knew very well by sight[23].

Harriet Smith[24] was the natural daughter[25] of somebody. Somebody had placed her, several years back, at Mrs. Goddard's school. This was all that was generally known of her history. She had no visible friends, and was now just returned from a long visit in the country to some young ladies who had been at school there with her.

She was a very pretty girl, and Emma admired her beauty. She was short, plump, and fair, with a fine bloom, blue eyes, light hair, regular features, and a look of great sweetness, and Emma was much pleased with her manners. And the acquaintance she had already formed were unworthy of her. The friends from whom she had just parted, though very good sort of people, must be doing her harm. They were a family of the name of Martin, whom Emma well knew by character[26], as renting a large farm of Mr. Knightley, and residing in the parish of Donwell[27]-very creditably, she believed-she knew Mr. Knightley thought highly of them-but they must be coarse and unpolished, and very unfit to be the intimates of a girl who wanted only a little more knowledge and elegance to be quite perfect. Yes, she would improve her; she would detach her from her bad acquaintance, and introduce her into good society; she would form her opinions and her manners. It would be an interesting, and certainly a very kind undertaking.