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1It is not the object of this work to give a description of Derbyshire, nor of any of the remarkable places through which
2their route thither lay--Oxford, Blenheim, Warwick, Kenilworth, Birmingham, etc., are sufficiently known. A small part
3of Derbyshire is all the present concern. To the little town of Lambton, the scene of Mrs. Gardiner's former residence,
4and where she had lately learned that some acquaintance still remained, they bent their steps, after having seen all the
5principal wonders of the country; and within five miles of Lambton, Elizabeth found, from her aunt, that Pemberley was
6situated. It was not in their direct road; nor more than a mile or two out of it. In talking over their route the
7evening before, Mrs. Gardiner expressed an inclination to see the place again. Mr. Gardiner declared his willingness,
8and Elizabeth was applied to for her approbation. "My love, should not you like to see a place of which you have heard
9so much?" said her aunt. "A place, too, with which so many of your acquaintance are connected. Wickham passed all his
10youth there, you know." Elizabeth was distressed. She felt that she had no business at Pemberley, and was obliged to
11assume a disinclination for seeing it. She must own that she was tired of great houses: after going over so many, she
12really had no pleasure in fine carpets or satin curtains. Mrs. Gardiner abused her stupidity. "If it were merely a fine
13house richly furnished," said she, "I should not care about it myself; but the grounds are delightful. They have some of
14the finest woods in the country." Elizabeth said no more; but her mind could not acquiesce. The possibility of meeting
15Mr. Darcy, while viewing the place, instantly occurred. It would be dreadful! She blushed at the very idea; and thought
16it would be better to speak openly to her aunt, than to run such a risk. But against this there were objections; and she
17finally resolved that it could be the last resource, if her private inquiries as to the absence of the family were
18unfavourably answered. Accordingly, when she retired at night, she asked the chambermaid whether Pemberley were not a
19very fine place, what was the name of its proprietor, and, with no little alarm, whether the family were down for the
20summer? A most welcome negative followed the last question; and her alarms being now removed, she was at leisure to feel
21a great deal of curiosity to see the house herself; and when the subject was revived the next morning, and she was again
22applied to, could readily answer, and with a proper air of indifference, that she had not really any dislike to the
23scheme. To Pemberley, therefore, they were to go. [Illustration: "Conjecturing as to the date" ] CHAPTER XLIII.
24[Illustration] Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some
25perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter. The park was very
26large, and contained great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some time
27through a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent. Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and
28admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at
29the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated
30on the opposite side of the valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone
31building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some
32natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor
33falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural
34beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and at that
35moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something! They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and
36drove to the door; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all her apprehension of meeting its owner
37returned. She dreaded lest the chambermaid had been mistaken. On applying to see the place, they were admitted into the
38hall; and Elizabeth, as they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure to wonder at her being where she was. The
39housekeeper came; a respectable looking elderly woman, much less fine, and more civil, than she had any notion of
40finding her. They followed her into the dining-parlour. It was a large, well-proportioned room, handsomely fitted up.
41Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, went to a window to enjoy its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, from which
42they had descended, receiving increased abruptness from the distance, was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the
43ground was good; and she looked on the whole scene, the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the
44valley, as far as she could trace it, with delight. As they passed into other rooms, these objects were taking different
45positions; but from every window there were beauties to be seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture
46suitable to the fortune of their proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy
47nor uselessly fine,--with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings. "And of this place,"
48thought she, "I might have been mistress! With these rooms I might have now been familiarly acquainted! Instead of
49viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as visitors my uncle and aunt.
50But, no," recollecting herself, "that could never be; my uncle and aunt would have been lost to me; I should not have
51been allowed to invite them." This was a lucky recollection--it saved her from something like regret. She longed to
52inquire of the housekeeper whether her master were really absent, but had not courage for it. At length, however, the
53question was asked by her uncle; and she turned away with alarm, while Mrs. Reynolds replied, that he was; adding, "But
54we expect him to-morrow, with a large party of friends." How rejoiced was Elizabeth that their own journey had not by
55any circumstance been delayed a day! Her aunt now called her to look at a picture. She approached, and saw the likeness
56of Mr. Wickham, suspended, amongst several other miniatures, over the mantel-piece. Her aunt asked her, smilingly, how
57she liked it. The housekeeper came forward, and told them it was the picture of a young gentleman, the son of her late
58master's steward, who had been brought up by him at his own expense. "He is now gone into the army," she added; "but I
59am afraid he has turned out very wild." Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece with a smile, but Elizabeth could not return
60it. "And that," said Mrs. Reynolds, pointing to another of the miniatures, "is my master--and very like him. It was
61drawn at the same time as the other--about eight years ago." "I have heard much of your master's fine person," said Mrs.
62Gardiner, looking at the picture; "it is a handsome face. But, Lizzy, you can tell us whether it is like or not." Mrs.
63Reynolds' respect for Elizabeth seemed to increase on this intimation of her knowing her master. "Does that young lady
64know Mr. Darcy?" Elizabeth coloured, and said, "A little." "And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman, ma'am?"
65"Yes, very handsome." "I am sure I know none so handsome; but in the gallery upstairs you will see a finer, larger
66picture of him than this. This room was my late master's favourite room, and these miniatures are just as they used to
67be then. He was very fond of them." This accounted to Elizabeth for Mr. Wickham's being among them. Mrs. Reynolds then
68directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy, drawn when she was only eight years old. "And is Miss Darcy as handsome
69as her brother?" said Mr. Gardiner. "Oh, yes--the handsomest young lady that ever was seen; and so accomplished! She
70plays and sings all day long. In the next room is a new instrument just come down for her--a present from my master: she
71comes here to-morrow with him." Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were easy and pleasant, encouraged her communicativeness by
72his questions and remarks: Mrs. Reynolds, either from pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of
73her master and his sister. "Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the year?"
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