Fortunately for Lady Catherine, she was able to congratulate herself as possessing the parallel virtues of tenacity and a rational mind, accomplishments she considered—perhaps uniquely—to be prized even above beauty, modesty, and amiability in a woman. Indeed, the less generous were inclined to view her intrepidity as a masculine virtue and therefore, the very reverse of feminine reticence; similarly if reason and intelligence were acceptable substitutes for beauty in the male canon of feminine charms, it would be wonderful, indeed, that the entire nation of mothers would be at such pains to conceal all traces of the former in their daughters. Whatever may be the general opinion of society, having noticed the shy gentleman who earnestly watched—but dared not approach—the ladies at every salon and soirée, rout and revue, ball and ballette, she directly ascertained Sir Lewis’s position as to fortune, and settled upon this gentleman as the happy applicant for the hand of a modestly handsome daughter of a penniless Earl. She managed to keep well enough hidden her art to secure the attentions of the serious-minded Sir Lewis, by using the manifest allurements in the possession of every young lady: she professed a passion for all in which Sir Lewis took an interest, complimented his taste, echoed his opinions, and, in short, convinced Sir Lewis that Lady Catherine Fitzwilliam promised as fair a portion of happiness as he was ever likely to command. Her birth did much to offset the want of fortune, Sir William having none of the first and much of the second. Neither party being romantic, the mutual benefit of such a match, once apparent, was enough to encourage its fruition. How little happiness was likely to attend a marriage produced by art on one side and resignation on the other cannot be much in doubt.