elizabeth,astheydrovealong,watchedforthefirstappearanceofpemberleywoodswithsomeperturbation;andwhenatlengththeyturnedinatthelodge,herspiritswereinahighflutter.

theparkwasverylarge,andcontainedgreatvarietyofground.theyentereditinoneofitslowestpoints,anddroveforsometimethroughabeautifulwood,stretchingoverawideextent.

elizabeth'smindwastoofullforconversation,butshesawandadmiredeveryremarkablespotandpointofview.theygraduallyascendedforhalfamile,andthenfoundthemselvesatthetopofaconsiderableeminence,wherethewoodceased,andtheeyewasinstantlycaughtbypemberleyhouse,situatedontheoppositesideofavalley,intowhichtheroad,withsomeabruptness,wound.itwasalarge,handsome,stonebuilding,standingwellonrisingground,andbackedbyaridgeofhighwoodyhills;—andinfront,astreamofsomenaturalimportancewasswelledintogreater,butwithoutanyartificialappearance.itsbankswereneitherformal,norfalselyadorned.elizabethwasdelighted.shehadneverseenaplaceforwhichnaturehaddonemore,orwherenaturalbeautyhadbeensolittlecounteractedbyanawkwardtaste.theywereallofthemwarmintheiradmiration;andatthatmomentshefeltthattobemistressofpemberleymightbesomething!

theydescendedthehill,crossedthebridge,anddrovetothedoor;and,whileexaminingtheneareraspectofthehouse,allherapprehensionsofmeetingitsownerreturned.shedreadedlestthechambermaidhadbeenmistaken.onapplyingtoseetheplace,theywereadmittedintothehall;andelizabeth,astheywaitedforthehousekeeper,hadleisuretowonderatherbeingwhereshewas.

thehousekeepercame;arespectable-looking,elderlywoman,muchlessfine,andmorecivil,thanshehadanynotionoffindingher.theyfollowedherintothedining-parlour.itwasalarge,well-proportionedroom,handsomelyfittedup.elizabeth,afterslightlysurveyingit,wenttoawindowtoenjoyitsprospect.thehill,crownedwithwood,fromwhichtheyhaddescended,receivingincreasedabruptnessfromthedistance,wasabeautifulobject.everydispositionofthegroundwasgood;andshelookedonthewholescene—theriver,thetreesscatteredonitsbanks,andthewindingofthevalley,asfarasshecouldtraceit—withdelight.astheypassedintootherrooms,theseobjectsweretakingdifferentpositions;butfromeverywindowtherewerebeautiestobeseen.theroomswereloftyandhandsome,andtheirfurnituresuitabletothefortuneoftheirproprietor;butelizabethsaw,withadmirationofhistaste,thatitwasneithergaudynoruselesslyfine;withlessofsplendor,andmorerealelegance,thanthefurnitureofrosings.

"andofthisplace,"thoughtshe,"imighthavebeenmistress!withtheseroomsimightnowhavebeenfamiliarlyacquainted!insteadofviewingthemasastranger,imighthaverejoicedinthemasmyown,andwelcomedtothemasvisitorsmyuncleandaunt.—butno,"—recollectingherself,—"thatcouldneverbe:myuncleandauntwouldhavebeenlosttome:ishouldnothavebeenallowedtoinvitethem."

thiswasaluckyrecollection—itsavedherfromsomethinglikeregret.

shelongedtoenquireofthehousekeeperwhetherhermasterwerereallyabsent,buthadnotcourageforit.atlength,however,thequestionwasaskedbyheruncle;andsheturnedawaywithalarm,whilemrs.reynoldsrepliedthathewas,adding,"butweexpecthimtomorrow,withalargepartyoffriends."howrejoicedwaselizabeththattheirownjourneyhadnotbyanycircumstancebeendelayedaday!

herauntnowcalledhertolookatapicture.sheapproached,andsawthelikenessofmr.wickhamsuspended,amongstseveralotherminiatures,overthemantlepiece.herauntaskedher,smilingly,howshelikedit.thehousekeepercameforward,andtoldthemitwasthepictureofayounggentleman,thesonofherlatemaster'ssteward,whohadbeenbroughtupbyhimathisownexpence.—"heisnowgoneintothearmy,"sheadded,"butiamafraidhehasturnedoutverywild."

mrs.gardinerlookedatherniecewithasmile,butelizabethcouldnotreturnit.

"andthat,"saidmrs.reynolds,pointingtoanotheroftheminiatures,"ismymaster—andverylikehim.itwasdrawnatthesametimeastheother—abouteightyearsago."

"ihaveheardmuchofyourmaster'sfineperson,"saidmrs.gardiner,lookingatthepicture;"itisahandsomeface.but,lizzy,youcantelluswhetheritislikeornot."

mrs.reynolds'srespectforelizabethseemedtoincreaseonthisintimationofherknowinghermaster.

"doesthatyoungladyknowmr.darcy?"

elizabethcoloured,andsaid—"alittle."

"anddonotyouthinkhimaveryhandsomegentleman,ma'am?"

"yes,veryhandsome."

"iamsureiknownonesohandsome;butinthegalleryupstairsyouwillseeafiner,largerpictureofhimthanthis.thisroomwasmylatemaster'sfavouriteroom,andtheseminiaturesarejustastheyusedtobethen.hewasveryfondofthem."

thisaccountedtoelizabethformr.wickham'sbeingamongthem.

mrs.reynoldsthendirectedtheirattentiontooneofmissdarcy,drawnwhenshewasonlyeightyearsold.

"andismissdarcyashandsomeasherbrother?"saidmr.gardiner.

"oh!yes—thehandsomestyoungladythateverwasseen;andsoaccomplished!—sheplaysandsingsalldaylong.inthenextroomisanewinstrumentjustcomedownforher—apresentfrommymaster;shecomeshereto-morrowwithhim."

mr.gardiner,whosemannerswereeasyandpleasant,encouragedhercommunicativenessbyhisquestionsandremarks;mrs.reynolds,eitherfromprideorattachment,hadevidentlygreatpleasureintalkingofhermasterandhissister.

"isyourmastermuchatpemberleyinthecourseoftheyear?"

"notsomuchasicouldwish,sir;butidaresayhemayspendhalfhistimehere;andmissdarcyisalwaysdownforthesummermonths."

"except,"thoughtelizabeth,"whenshegoestoramsgate."

"ifyourmasterwouldmarry,youmightseemoreofhim."

"yes,sir;butidonotknowwhenthatwillbe.idonotknowwhoisgoodenoughforhim."

mr.andmrs.gardinersmiled.elizabethcouldnothelpsaying,"itisverymuchtohiscredit,iamsure,thatyoushouldthinkso."

"isaynomorethanthetruth,andwhateverybodywillsaythatknowshim,"repliedtheother.elizabeththoughtthiswasgoingprettyfar;andshelistenedwithincreasingastonishmentasthehousekeeperadded,"ihaveneverhadacrosswordfromhiminmylife,andihaveknownhimeversincehewasfouryearsold."

thiswaspraise,ofallothersmostextraordinary,mostoppositetoherideas.thathewasnotagoodtemperedmanhadbeenherfirmestopinion.herkeenestattentionwasawakened;shelongedtohearmore,andwasgratefultoheruncleforsaying,"thereareveryfewpeopleofwhomsomuchcanbesaid.youareluckyinhavingsuchamaster."

"yes,sir,iknowiam.ifiwastogothroughtheworld,icouldnotmeetwithabetter.butihavealwaysobservedthattheywhoaregood-naturedwhenchildrenaregood-naturedwhentheygrowup;andhewasalwaysthesweetest-tempered,mostgenerous-hearted,boyintheworld."

elizabethalmoststaredather.—"canthisbemr.darcy!"thoughtshe.

"hisfatherwasanexcellentman,"saidmrs.gardiner.

"yes,ma'am,thathewasindeed;andhissonwillbejustlikehim-justasaffabletothepoor."

elizabethlistened,wondered,doubted,andwasimpatientformore.mrs.reynoldscouldinterestheronnootherpoint.sherelatedthesubjectofthepictures,thedimensionsoftherooms,andthepriceofthefurniture,invain.mr.gardiner,highlyamusedbythekindoffamilyprejudicetowhichheattributedherexcessivecommendationofhermaster,soonledagaintothesubject;andshedweltwithenergyonhismanymerits,astheyproceededtogetherupthegreatstaircase.

"heisthebestlandlord,andthebestmaster,"saidshe,"thateverlived.notlikethewildyoungmennowadays,whothinkofnothingbutthemselves.thereisnotoneofhistenantsorservantsbutwhatwillgivehimagoodname.somepeoplecallhimproud;butiamsureineversawanythingofit.tomyfancy,itisonlybecausehedoesnotrattleawaylikeotheryoungmen."

"inwhatanamiablelightdoesthisplacehim!"thoughtelizabeth.