笔趣阁

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第91章（第1页）

Elizabeth，astheydrovealong，watchedforthefirstappearanceofPemberleyWoodswithsomeperturbation;andwhenatlengththeyturnedinatthelodge，herspiritswereinahighflutter.

Theparkwasverylarge，andcontainedgreatvarietyofground.Theyentereditinoneofitslowestpoints，anddroveforsometimethroughabeautifulwoodstretchingoverawideextent.

Elizabethsmindwastoofullforconversation，butshesawandadmiredeveryremarkablespotandpointofview.Theygraduallyascendedforhalf-a-mile，andthenfoundthemselvesatthetopofaconsiderableeminence，wherethewoodceased，andtheeyewasinstantlycaughtbyPemberleyHouse，situatedontheoppositesideofavalley，intowhichtheroadwithsomeabruptnesswound.Itwasalarge，handsomestonebuilding，standingwellonrisingground，andbackedbyaridgeofhighwoodyhills;andinfront，astreamofsomenaturalimportancewasswelledintogreater，butwithoutanyartificialappearance.Itsbankswereneitherformalnorfalselyadorned.Elizabethwasdelighted.Shehadneverseenaplaceforwhichnaturehaddonemore，orwherenaturalbeautyhadbeensolittlecounteractedbyanawkwardtaste.Theywereallofthemwarmintheiradmiration;andatthatmomentshefeltthattobemistressofPemberleymightbesomething!

Theydescendedthehill，crossedthebridge，anddrovetothedoor;and，whileexaminingtheneareraspectofthehouse，allherapprehensionofmeetingitsownerreturned.Shedreadedlestthechambermaidhadbeenmistaken.Onapplyingtoseetheplace，theywereadmittedintothehall;andElizabeth，astheywaitedforthehousekeeper，hadleisuretowonderatherbeingwhereshewas.

Thehousekeepercame;arespectable-lookingelderlywoman，muchlessfine，andmorecivil，thanshehadanynotionoffindingher.Theyfollowedherintothedining-parlour.Itwasalarge，wellproportionedroom，handsomelyfittedup.Elizabeth，afterslightlysurveyingit，wenttoawindowtoenjoyitsprospect.Thehill，crownedwithwood，whichtheyhaddescended，receivingincreasedabruptnessfromthedistance，wasabeautifulobject.Everydispositionofthegroundwasgood;andshelookedonthewholescene，theriver，thetreesscatteredonitsbanksandthewindingofthevalley，asfarasshecouldtraceit，withdelight.Astheypassedintootherrooms，theseobjectsweretakingdifferentpositions;butfromeverywindowtherewerebeautiestobeseen.Theroomswereloftyandhandsome，andtheirfurnituresuitabletothefortuneofitsproprietor;butElizabethsaw，withadmirationofhistaste，thatitwasneithergaudynoruselesslyfine;withlessofsplendour，andmorerealelegance，thanthefurnitureofRosings.

“Andofthisplace，”

thoughtshe，“Imighthavebeenmistress!WiththeseroomsImightnowhavebeenfamiliarlyacquainted!Insteadofviewingthemasastranger，Imighthaverejoicedinthemasmyown，andwelcomedtothemasvisitorsmyuncleandaunt.Butno，”

—recollectingherself—“thatcouldneverbe;myuncleandauntwouldhavebeenlosttome;Ishouldnothavebeenallowedtoinvitethem.”

Thiswasaluckyrecollection—itsavedherfromsomethingverylikeregret.

Shelongedtoinquireofthehousekeeperwhetherhermasterwasreallyabsent，buthadnotthecourageforit.Atlengthhowever，thequestionwasaskedbyheruncle;andsheturnedawaywithalarm，whileMrs.Reynoldsrepliedthathewas，adding，“Butweexpecthimto-morrow，withalargepartyoffriends.”

HowrejoicedwasElizabeththattheirownjourneyhadnotbyanycircumstancebeendelayedaday!

Herauntnowcalledhertolookatapicture.SheapproachedandsawthelikenessofMr.Wickham，suspended，amongstseveralotherminiatures，overthemantelpiece.Herauntaskedher，smilingly，howshelikedit.Thehousekeepercameforward，andtoldthemitwasapictureofayounggentleman，thesonofherlatemasterssteward，whohadbeenbroughtupbyhimathisownexpense.“Heisnowgoneintothearmy，”

sheadded;“butIamafraidhehasturnedoutverywild.”

Mrs.Gardinerlookedatherniecewithasmile，butElizabethcouldnotreturnit.

“Andthat，”

saidMrs.Reynolds，pointingtoanotheroftheminiatures，“ismymaster—andverylikehim.Itwasdrawnatthesametimeastheother—abouteightyearsago.”

“Ihaveheardmuchofyourmastersfineperson，”

saidMrs.Gardiner，lookingatthepicture;“itisahandsomeface.But，Lizzy，youcantelluswhetheritislikeornot.”

Mrs.ReynoldsrespectforElizabethseemedtoincreaseonthisintimationofherknowinghermaster.

“DoesthatyoungladyknowMr.Darcy?”

Elizabethcoloured，andsaid:“Alittle.”

“Anddonotyouthinkhimaveryhandsomegentleman，maam?”

“Yes，veryhandsome.”

“IamsureIknownonesohandsome;butinthegalleryupstairsyouwillseeafiner，largerpictureofhimthanthis.Thisroomwasmylatemastersfavouriteroom，andtheseminiaturesarejustastheyusedtobethen.Hewasveryfondofthem.”

ThisaccountedtoElizabethforMr.Wickhamsbeingamongthem.

Mrs.ReynoldsthendirectedtheirattentiontooneofMissDarcy，drawnwhenshewasonlyeightyearsold.

“AndisMissDarcyashandsomeasherbrother?”

saidMrs.Gardiner.

“Oh!yes—thehandsomestyoungladythateverwasseen;andsoaccomplished!—Sheplaysandsingsalldaylong.Inthenextroomisanewinstrumentjustcomedownforher—apresentfrommymaster;shecomeshereto-morrowwithhim.”

Mr.Gardiner，whosemannerswereveryeasyandpleasant，encouragedhercommunicativenessbyhisquestionsandremarks;Mrs.Reynolds，eitherbyprideorattachment，hadevidentlygreatpleasureintalkingofhermasterandhissister.

“IsyourmastermuchatPemberleyinthecourseoftheyear?”

“NotsomuchasIcouldwish，sir;butIdaresayhemayspendhalfhistimehere;andMissDarcyisalwaysdownforthesummermonths.”

“Except，”

thoughtElizabeth，“whenshegoestoRamsgate.”