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1After walking some time in this way, the two ladies in front, the two gentlemen behind, on resuming their places, after
2descending to the brink of the river for the better inspection of some curious water-plant, there chanced to be a little
3alteration. It originated in Mrs. Gardiner, who, fatigued by the exercise of the morning, found Elizabeth's arm
4inadequate to her support, and consequently preferred her husband's. Mr. Darcy took her place by her niece, and they
5walked on together. After a short silence the lady first spoke. She wished him to know that she had been assured of his
6absence before she came to the place, and accordingly began by observing, that his arrival had been very
7unexpected--"for your housekeeper," she added, "informed us that you would certainly not be here till to-morrow; and,
8indeed, before we left Bakewell, we understood that you were not immediately expected in the country." He acknowledged
9the truth of it all; and said that business with his steward had occasioned his coming forward a few hours before the
10rest of the party with whom he had been travelling. "They will join me early to-morrow," he continued, "and among them
11are some who will claim an acquaintance with you,--Mr. Bingley and his sisters." Elizabeth answered only by a slight
12bow. Her thoughts were instantly driven back to the time when Mr. Bingley's name had been last mentioned between them;
13and if she might judge from his complexion, his mind was not very differently engaged. "There is also one other person
14in the party," he continued after a pause, "who more particularly wishes to be known to you. Will you allow me, or do I
15ask too much, to introduce my sister to your acquaintance during your stay at Lambton?" The surprise of such an
16application was great indeed; it was too great for her to know in what manner she acceded to it. She immediately felt
17that whatever desire Miss Darcy might have of being acquainted with her, must be the work of her brother, and without
18looking farther, it was satisfactory; it was gratifying to know that his resentment had not made him think really ill of
19her. They now walked on in silence; each of them deep in thought. Elizabeth was not comfortable; that was impossible;
20but she was flattered and pleased. His wish of introducing his sister to her was a compliment of the highest kind. They
21soon outstripped the others; and when they had reached the carriage, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were half a quarter of a mile
22behind. He then asked her to walk into the house--but she declared herself not tired, and they stood together on the
23lawn. At such a time much might have been said, and silence was very awkward. She wanted to talk, but there seemed an
24embargo on every subject. At last she recollected that she had been travelling, and they talked of Matlock and Dovedale
25with great perseverance. Yet time and her aunt moved slowly--and her patience and her ideas were nearly worn out before
26the tête-à-tête was over. On Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's coming up they were all pressed to go into the house and take some
27refreshment; but this was declined, and they parted on each side with the utmost politeness. Mr. Darcy handed the ladies
28into the carriage; and when it drove off, Elizabeth saw him walking slowly towards the house. The observations of her
29uncle and aunt now began; and each of them pronounced him to be infinitely superior to anything they had expected. "He
30is perfectly well-behaved, polite, and unassuming," said her uncle. "There is something a little stately in him, to be
31sure," replied her aunt; "but it is confined to his air, and is not unbecoming. I can now say with the housekeeper, that
32though some people may call him proud, I have seen nothing of it." "I was never more surprised than by his behaviour to
33us. It was more than civil; it was really attentive; and there was no necessity for such attention. His acquaintance
34with Elizabeth was very trifling." "To be sure, Lizzy," said her aunt, "he is not so handsome as Wickham; or rather he
35has not Wickham's countenance, for his features are perfectly good. But how came you to tell us that he was so
36disagreeable?" Elizabeth excused herself as well as she could: said that she had liked him better when they met in Kent
37than before, and that she had never seen him so pleasant as this morning. "But perhaps he may be a little whimsical in
38his civilities," replied her uncle. "Your great men often are; and therefore I shall not take him at his word about
39fishing, as he might change his mind another day, and warn me off his grounds." Elizabeth felt that they had entirely
40mistaken his character, but said nothing. "From what we have seen of him," continued Mrs. Gardiner, "I really should not
41have thought that he could have behaved in so cruel a way by anybody as he has done by poor Wickham. He has not an
42ill-natured look. On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks. And there is something of
43dignity in his countenance, that would not give one an unfavourable idea of his heart. But, to be sure, the good lady
44who showed us the house did give him a most flaming character! I could hardly help laughing aloud sometimes. But he is a
45liberal master, I suppose, and that, in the eye of a servant, comprehends every virtue." Elizabeth here felt herself
46called on to say something in vindication of his behaviour to Wickham; and, therefore, gave them to understand, in as
47guarded a manner as she could, that by what she had heard from his relations in Kent, his actions were capable of a very
48different construction; and that his character was by no means so faulty, nor Wickham's so amiable, as they had been
49considered in Hertfordshire. In confirmation of this, she related the particulars of all the pecuniary transactions in
50which they had been connected, without actually naming her authority, but stating it to be such as might be relied on.
51Mrs. Gardiner was surprised and concerned: but as they were now approaching the scene of her former pleasures, every
52idea gave way to the charm of recollection; and she was too much engaged in pointing out to her husband all the
53interesting spots in its environs, to think of anything else. Fatigued as she had been by the morning's walk, they had
54no sooner dined than she set off again in quest of her former acquaintance, and the evening was spent in the
55satisfactions of an intercourse renewed after many years' discontinuance. The occurrences of the day were too full of
56interest to leave Elizabeth much attention for any of these new friends; and she could do nothing but think, and think
57with wonder, of Mr. Darcy's civility, and, above all, of his wishing her to be acquainted with his sister.
58[Illustration] CHAPTER XLIV. [Illustration] Elizabeth had settled it that Mr. Darcy would bring his sister to visit her
59the very day after her reaching Pemberley; and was, consequently, resolved not to be out of sight of the inn the whole
60of that morning. But her conclusion was false; for on the very morning after their own arrival at Lambton these visitors
61came. They had been walking about the place with some of their new friends, and were just returned to the inn to dress
62themselves for dining with the same family, when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window, and they saw a gentleman
63and lady in a curricle driving up the street. Elizabeth, immediately recognizing the livery, guessed what it meant, and
64imparted no small degree of surprise to her relations, by acquainting them with the honour which she expected. Her uncle
65and aunt were all amazement; and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke, joined to the circumstance itself, and
66many of the circumstances of the preceding day, opened to them a new idea on the business. Nothing had ever suggested it
67before, but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting for such attentions from such a quarter than by
68supposing a partiality for their niece. While these newly-born notions were passing in their heads, the perturbation of
69Elizabeth's feelings was every moment increasing. She was quite amazed at her own discomposure; but, amongst other
70causes of disquiet, she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favour; and, more
71than commonly anxious to please, she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.
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