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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。”

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