Эмма. Уровень 3 / Emma

He had his shepherd's son into the parlour one night on purpose to sing to her. She was very fond of singing. He could sing a little himself. She believed he was very clever, and understood everything. She believed everybody spoke well of him. His mother and sisters were very fond of him.

“And when she had come away, Mrs. Martin was so very kind as to send Mrs. Goddard a beautiful goose-the finest goose Mrs. Goddard had ever seen. Mrs. Goddard had cooked it on a Sunday, and asked all the three teachers, Miss Nash, and Miss Prince, and Miss Richardson, to dine with her.

”

“Mr. Martin, I suppose, is not a man of information beyond the line of his own business? He does not read?” asked Emma.

“Oh yes! – that is, no-I do not know-but I believe he has read a good deal. He reads the Agricultural Reports[28 - Agricultural Reports – «Земледельческие ведомости»], and some other books that lay in one of the window seats. But sometimes, before we went to cards, he would read something aloud out of the Elegant Extracts[29 - Elegant Extracts – В«Р?звлечения РёР· изящной словесности»], very entertaining.

And I know he has read the Vicar of Wakefield[30 - Vicar of Wakefield – «Векфилдский священник»]. He never read the Romance of the Forest[31 - Romance of the Forest – «Лесной роман»], nor The Children of the Abbey. He had never heard of such books before I mentioned them.”

The next question was-

“What sort of looking man is Mr.

Martin?”

“Oh! not handsome-not at all handsome. But did you never see him? He comes to Highbury often. He has passed you very often.”

“That may be, and I may have seen him fifty times, but without having any idea of his name. A young farmer, whether on horseback or on foot, is the last person to raise my curiosity. The farmers are precisely the order of people with whom I feel I can have nothing to do. I have no doubt that he is a very respectable young man.

I know, indeed, that he is so, and, as such, wish him well. What do you imagine his age to be?”

“He was four-and-twenty the 8th of last June, and my birthday is the 23rd just two weeks and a day's difference-which is very odd.”

“Only four-and-twenty. That is too young to marry, I think. Six years after, if he could meet with a young woman in the same rank as his own, with a little money, it might be very desirable.