CHAPTER I.
Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance ofPemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turnedin at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter.
The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground. Theyentered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some time througha beautiful wood, stretching over a wide extent.
Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and admiredevery remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended forhalf a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerableeminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught byPemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into whichthe road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stonebuilding, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of highwoody hills;--and in front, a stream of some natural importance wasswelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its bankswere neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. Shehad never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where naturalbeauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They wereall of them warm in their admiration; and at that moment she felt, thatto be mistress of Pemberley might be something!
They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the door; and,while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all her apprehensions ofmeeting its owner returned. She dreaded lest the chambermaid had beenmistaken. On applying to see the place, they were admitted into thehall; and Elizabeth, as they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure towonder at her being where she was.
The housekeeper came; a respectable-looking, elderly woman, much lessfine, and more civil, than she had any notion of finding her. Theyfollowed her into the dining-parlour. It was a large, well-proportionedroom, handsomely fitted up. Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, wentto a window to enjoy its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, fromwhich they had descended, receiving increased abruptness from thedistance, was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the ground wasgood; and she looked on the whole scene, the river, the trees scatteredon its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as she could traceit, with delight. As they passed into other rooms, these objects weretaking different positions; but from every window there were beauties tobe seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitableto the fortune of their proprietor; but Elizabeth saw, with admirationof his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine; with less ofsplendor, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.
”And of this place,” thought she, ”I might have been mistress! Withthese rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted! Instead ofviewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own, andwelcomed to them as visitors my uncle and aunt.--But no,”--recollectingherself,--”that could never be: my uncle and aunt would have been lostto me: I should not have been allowed to invite them.”
This was a lucky recollection--it saved her from something like regret.
She longed to enquire of the housekeeper, whether her master were reallyabsent, but had not courage for it. At length, however, the question wasasked by her uncle; and she turned away with alarm, while Mrs. Reynoldsreplied, that he was, adding, ”but we expect him to-morrow, with alarge party of friends.” How rejoiced was Elizabeth that their ownjourney had not by any circumstance been delayed a day!
Her aunt now called her to look at a picture. She approached, and sawthe likeness of Mr. Wickham suspended, amongst several other miniatures,over the mantle-piece. Her aunt asked her, smilingly, how she liked it.The housekeeper came forward, and told them it was the picture of ayoung gentleman, the son of her late master's steward, who had beenbrought up by him at his own expence.--”He is now gone into the army,”she added, ”but I am afraid he has turned out very wild.”
Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece with a smile, but Elizabeth could notreturn it.
”And that,” said Mrs. Reynolds, pointing to another of the miniatures,”is my master--and very like him. It was drawn at the same time as theother--about eight years ago.”
”I have heard much of your master's fine person,” said Mrs. Gardiner,looking at the picture; ”it is a handsome face. But, Lizzy, you can tellus whether it is like or not.”
Mrs. Reynolds's respect for Elizabeth seemed to increase on thisintimation of her knowing her master.
”Does that young lady know Mr. Darcy?”
Elizabeth coloured, and said--”A little.”
”And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman, Ma'am?”
”Yes, very handsome.”
”I am sure _I_ know none so handsome; but in the gallery up stairs youwill see a finer, larger picture of him than this. This room was my latemaster's favourite room, and these miniatures are just as they used tobe then. He was very fond of them.”
This accounted to Elizabeth for Mr. Wickham's being among them.
Mrs. Reynolds then directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy, drawnwhen she was only eight years old.
”And is Miss Darcy as handsome as her brother?” said Mr. Gardiner.
”Oh! yes--the handsomest young lady that ever was seen; and soaccomplished!--She plays and sings all day long. In the next room is anew instrument just come down for her--a present from my master; shecomes here to-morrow with him.”
Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were easy and pleasant, encouraged hercommunicativeness by his questions and remarks; Mrs. Reynolds, eitherfrom pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of hermaster and his sister.
”Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the year?”
”Not so much as I could wish, Sir; but I dare say he may spend half histime here; and Miss Darcy is always down for the summer months.”
”Except,” thought Elizabeth, ”when she goes to Ramsgate.”
”If your master would marry, you might see more of him.”
”Yes, Sir; but I do not know when _that_ will be. I do not know who isgood enough for him.”
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner smiled. Elizabeth could not help saying, ”It isvery much to his credit, I am sure, that you should think so.”
”I say no more than the truth, and what every body will say that knowshim,” replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far;and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added,”I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I have known himever since he was four years old.”
This was praise, of all others most extraordinary, most opposite to herideas. That he was not a good-tempered man, had been her firmestopinion. Her keenest attention was awakened; she longed to hear more,and was grateful to her uncle for saying,
”There are very few people of whom so much can be said. You are lucky inhaving such a master.”
”Yes, Sir, I know I am. If I was to go through the world, I could notmeet with a better. But I have always observed, that they who aregood-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and hewas always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted, boy in theworld.”
Elizabeth almost stared at her.--”Can this be Mr. Darcy!” thought she.
”His father was an excellent man,” said Mrs. Gardiner.
”Yes, Ma'am, that he was indeed; and his son will be just like him--justas affable to the poor.”
Elizabeth listened, wondered, doubted, and was impatient for more. Mrs.Reynolds could interest her on no other point. She related the subjectof the pictures, the dimensions of the rooms, and the price of thefurniture, in vain. Mr. Gardiner, highly amused by the kind of familyprejudice, to which he attributed her excessive commendation of hermaster, soon led again to the subject; and she dwelt with energy on hismany merits, as they proceeded together up the great staircase.
”He is the best landlord, and the best master,” said she, ”that everlived. Not like the wild young men now-a-days, who think of nothing butthemselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but what willgive him a good name. Some people call him proud; but I am sure I neversaw any thing of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattleaway like other young men.”
”In what an amiable light does this place him!” thought Elizabeth.
”This fine account of him,” whispered her aunt, as they walked, ”is notquite consistent with his behaviour to our poor friend.”
”Perhaps we might be deceived.”
”That is not very likely; our authority was too good.”
On reaching the spacious lobby above, they were shewn into a verypretty sitting-room, lately fitted up with greater elegance andlightness than the apartments below; and were informed that it was butjust done, to give pleasure to Miss Darcy, who had taken a liking to theroom, when last at Pemberley.
”He is certainly a good brother,” said Elizabeth, as she walked towardsone of the windows.
Mrs. Reynolds anticipated Miss Darcy's delight, when she should enterthe room. ”And this is always the way with him,” she added.--”Whatevercan give his sister any pleasure, is sure to be done in a moment. Thereis nothing he would not do for her.”
The picture gallery, and two or three of the principal bed-rooms, wereall that remained to be shewn. In the former were many good paintings;but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art; and from such as had been alreadyvisible below, she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of MissDarcy's, in crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting, andalso more intelligible.
In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could havelittle to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in questof the only face whose features would be known to her. At last itarrested her--and she beheld a striking resemblance of Mr. Darcy, withsuch a smile over the face, as she remembered to have sometimes seen,when he looked at her. She stood several minutes before the picture inearnest contemplation, and returned to it again before they quitted thegallery. Mrs. Reynolds informed them, that it had been taken in hisfather's life time.
There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth's mind, a more gentlesensation towards the original, than she had ever felt in the height oftheir acquaintance. The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs. Reynoldswas of no trifling nature. What praise is more valuable than the praiseof an intelligent servant? As a brother, a landlord, a master, sheconsidered how many people's happiness were in his guardianship!--Howmuch of pleasure or pain it was in his power to bestow!--How much ofgood or evil must be done by him! Every idea that had been broughtforward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character, and as shestood before the canvas, on which he was represented, and fixed his eyesupon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment ofgratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, andsoftened its impropriety of expression.
When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen,they returned down stairs, and taking leave of the housekeeper, wereconsigned over to the gardener, who met them at the hall door.
As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned backto look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also, and while the former wasconjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himselfsuddenly came forward from the road, which led behind it to the stables.
They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was hisappearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyesinstantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepestblush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable fromsurprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party,and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at leastof perfect civility.
She had instinctively turned away; but, stopping on his approach,received his compliments with an embarrassment impossible to beovercome. Had his first appearance, or his resemblance to the picturethey had just been examining, been insufficient to assure the other twothat they now saw Mr. Darcy, the gardener's expression of surprise, onbeholding his master, must immediately have told it. They stood a littlealoof while he was talking to their niece, who, astonished and confused,scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face, and knew not what answer shereturned to his civil enquiries after her family. Amazed at thealteration in his manner since they last parted, every sentence that heuttered was increasing her embarrassment; and every idea of theimpropriety of her being found there, recurring to her mind, the fewminutes in which they continued together, were some of the mostuncomfortable of her life. Nor did he seem much more at ease; when hespoke, his accent had none of its usual sedateness; and he repeated hisenquiries as to the time of her having left Longbourn, and of her stayin Derbyshire, so often, and in so hurried a way, as plainly spoke thedistraction of his thoughts.
At length, every idea seemed to fail him; and, after standing a fewmoments without saying a word, he suddenly recollected himself, and tookleave.
The others then joined her, and expressed their admiration of hisfigure; but Elizabeth heard not a word, and, wholly engrossed by her ownfeelings, followed them in silence. She was overpowered by shame andvexation. Her coming there was the most unfortunate, the most ill-judgedthing in the world! How strange must it appear to him! In what adisgraceful light might it not strike so vain a man! It might seem as ifshe had purposely thrown herself in his way again! Oh! why did she come?or, why did he thus come a day before he was expected? Had they beenonly ten minutes sooner, they should have been beyond the reach of hisdiscrimination, for it was plain that he was that moment arrived, thatmoment alighted from his horse or his carriage. She blushed again andagain over the perverseness of the meeting. And his behaviour, sostrikingly altered,--what could it mean? That he should even speak toher was amazing!--but to speak with such civility, to enquire after herfamily! Never in her life had she seen his manners so little dignified,never had he spoken with such gentleness as on this unexpected meeting.What a contrast did it offer to his last address in Rosing's Park, whenhe put his letter into her hand! She knew not what to think, nor how toaccount for it.
They had now entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water, andevery step was bringing forward a nobler fall of ground, or a finerreach of the woods to which they were approaching; but it was some timebefore Elizabeth was sensible of any of it; and, though she answeredmechanically to the repeated appeals of her uncle and aunt, and seemedto direct her eyes to such objects as they pointed out, shedistinguished no part of the scene. Her thoughts were all fixed on thatone spot of Pemberley House, whichever it might be, where Mr. Darcy thenwas. She longed to know what at that moment was passing in his mind; inwhat manner he thought of her, and whether, in defiance of every thing,she was still dear to him. Perhaps he had been civil, only because hefelt himself at ease; yet there had been _that_ in his voice, which wasnot like ease. Whether he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeingher, she could not tell, but he certainly had not seen her withcomposure.
At length, however, the remarks of her companions on her absence of mindroused her, and she felt the necessity of appearing more like herself.
They entered the woods, and bidding adieu to the river for a while,ascended some of the higher grounds; whence, in spots where the openingof the trees gave the eye power to wander, were many charming views ofthe valley, the opposite hills, with the long range of woodsoverspreading many, and occasionally part of the stream. Mr. Gardinerexpressed a wish of going round the whole Park, but feared it might bebeyond a walk. With a triumphant smile, they were told, that it was tenmiles round. It settled the matter; and they pursued the accustomedcircuit; which brought them again, after some time, in a descent amonghanging woods, to the edge of the water, in one of its narrowest parts.They crossed it by a simple bridge, in character with the general air ofthe scene; it was a spot less adorned than any they had yet visited; andthe valley, here contracted into a glen, allowed room only for thestream, and a narrow walk amidst the rough coppice-wood which borderedit. Elizabeth longed to explore its windings; but when they had crossedthe bridge, and perceived their distance from the house, Mrs. Gardiner,who was not a great walker, could go no farther, and thought only ofreturning to the carriage as quickly as possible. Her niece was,therefore, obliged to submit, and they took their way towards the houseon the opposite side of the river, in the nearest direction; but theirprogress was slow, for Mr. Gardiner, though seldom able to indulge thetaste, was very fond of fishing, and was so much engaged in watching theoccasional appearance of some trout in the water, and talking to the manabout them, that he advanced but little. Whilst wandering on in thisslow manner, they were again surprised, and Elizabeth's astonishment wasquite equal to what it had been at first, by the sight of Mr. Darcyapproaching them, and at no great distance. The walk being here lesssheltered than on the other side, allowed them to see him before theymet. Elizabeth, however astonished, was at least more prepared for aninterview than before, and resolved to appear and to speak withcalmness, if he really intended to meet them. For a few moments, indeed,she felt that he would probably strike into some other path. This idealasted while a turning in the walk concealed him from their view; theturning past, he was immediately before them. With a glance she saw,that he had lost none of his recent civility; and, to imitate hispoliteness, she began, as they met, to admire the beauty of the place;but she had not got beyond the words ”delightful,” and ”charming,” whensome unlucky recollections obtruded, and she fancied that praise ofPemberley from her, might be mischievously construed. Her colourchanged, and she said no more.
Mrs. Gardiner was standing a little behind; and on her pausing, he askedher, if she would do him the honour of introducing him to her friends.This was a stroke of civility for which she was quite unprepared; andshe could hardly suppress a smile, at his being now seeking theacquaintance of some of those very people, against whom his pride hadrevolted, in his offer to herself. ”What will be his surprise,” thoughtshe, ”when he knows who they are! He takes them now for people offashion.”
The introduction, however, was immediately made; and as she named theirrelationship to herself, she stole a sly look at him, to see how he boreit; and was not without the expectation of his decamping as fast as hecould from such disgraceful companions. That he was _surprised_ by theconnexion was evident; he sustained it however with fortitude, and sofar from going away, turned back with them, and entered intoconversation with Mr. Gardiner. Elizabeth could not but be pleased,could not but triumph. It was consoling, that he should know she hadsome relations for whom there was no need to blush. She listened mostattentively to all that passed between them, and gloried in everyexpression, every sentence of her uncle, which marked his intelligence,his taste, or his good manners.
The conversation soon turned upon fishing, and she heard Mr. Darcyinvite him, with the greatest civility, to fish there as often as hechose, while he continued in the neighbourhood, offering at the sametime to supply him with fishing tackle, and pointing out those parts ofthe stream where there was usually most sport. Mrs. Gardiner, who waswalking arm in arm with Elizabeth, gave her a look expressive of herwonder. Elizabeth said nothing, but it gratified her exceedingly; thecompliment must be all for herself. Her astonishment, however, wasextreme; and continually was she repeating, ”Why is he so altered? Fromwhat can it proceed? It cannot be for _me_, it cannot be for _my_ sakethat his manners are thus softened. My reproofs at Hunsford could notwork such a change as this. It is impossible that he should still loveme.”
After walking some time in this way, the two ladies in front, the twogentlemen behind, on resuming their places, after descending to thebrink of the river for the better inspection of some curiouswater-plant, there chanced to be a little alteration. It originated inMrs. Gardiner, who, fatigued by the exercise of the morning, foundElizabeth's arm inadequate to her support, and consequently preferredher husband's. Mr. Darcy took her place by her niece, and they walked ontogether. After a short silence, the lady first spoke. She wished him toknow that she had been assured of his absence before she came to theplace, and accordingly began by observing, that his arrival had beenvery unexpected--”for your housekeeper,” she added, ”informed us thatyou would certainly not be here till to-morrow; and indeed, before weleft Bakewell, we understood that you were not immediately expected inthe country.” He acknowledged the truth of it all; and said thatbusiness with his steward had occasioned his coming forward a few hoursbefore the rest of the party with whom he had been travelling. ”Theywill join me early to-morrow,” he continued, ”and among them are somewho will claim an acquaintance with you,--Mr. Bingley and his sisters.”
Elizabeth answered only by a slight bow. Her thoughts were instantlydriven back to the time when Mr. Bingley's name had been last mentionedbetween them; and if she might judge from his complexion, _his_ mind wasnot very differently engaged.
”There is also one other person in the party,” he continued after apause, ”who more particularly wishes to be known to you,--Will you allowme, or do I ask too much, to introduce my sister to your acquaintanceduring your stay at Lambton?”
The surprise of such an application was great indeed; it was too greatfor her to know in what manner she acceded to it. She immediately feltthat whatever desire Miss Darcy might have of being acquainted with her,must be the work of her brother, and without looking farther, it wassatisfactory; it was gratifying to know that his resentment had not madehim think really ill of her.
They now walked on in silence; each of them deep in thought. Elizabethwas not comfortable; that was impossible; but she was flattered andpleased. His wish of introducing his sister to her, was a compliment ofthe highest kind. They soon outstripped the others, and when they hadreached the carriage, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner were half a quarter of amile behind.
He then asked her to walk into the house--but she declared herself nottired, and they stood together on the lawn. At such a time, much mighthave been said, and silence was very awkward. She wanted to talk, butthere seemed an embargo on every subject. At last she recollected thatshe had been travelling, and they talked of Matlock and Dove Dale withgreat perseverance. Yet time and her aunt moved slowly--and her patienceand her ideas were nearly worn out before the tete-a-tete was over. OnMr. and Mrs. Gardiner's coming up, they were all pressed to go into thehouse and take some refreshment; but this was declined, and they partedon each side with the utmost politeness. Mr. Darcy handed the ladiesinto the carriage, and when it drove off, Elizabeth saw him walkingslowly towards the house.
The observations of her uncle and aunt now began; and each of thempronounced him to be infinitely superior to any thing they had expected.”He is perfectly well behaved, polite, and unassuming,” said her uncle.
”There _is_ something a little stately in him to be sure,” replied heraunt, ”but it is confined to his air, and is not unbecoming. I can nowsay with the housekeeper, that though some people may call him proud,_I_ have seen nothing of it.”
”I was never more surprised than by his behaviour to us. It was morethan civil; it was really attentive; and there was no necessity for suchattention. His acquaintance with Elizabeth was very trifling.”
”To be sure, Lizzy,” said her aunt, ”he is not so handsome as Wickham;or rather he has not Wickham's countenance, for his features areperfectly good. But how came you to tell us that he was sodisagreeable?”
Elizabeth excused herself as well as she could; said that she had likedhim better when they met in Kent than before, and that she had neverseen him so pleasant as this morning.
”But perhaps he may be a little whimsical in his civilities,” repliedher uncle. ”Your great men often are; and therefore I shall not take himat his word about fishing, as he might change his mind another day, andwarn me off his grounds.”
Elizabeth felt that they had entirely mistaken his character, but saidnothing.
”From what we have seen of him,” continued Mrs. Gardiner, ”I reallyshould not have thought that he could have behaved in so cruel a way byany body, as he has done by poor Wickham. He has not an ill-naturedlook. On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth whenhe speaks. And there is something of dignity in his countenance, thatwould not give one an unfavourable idea of his heart. But to be sure,the good lady who shewed us the house, did give him a most flamingcharacter! I could hardly help laughing aloud sometimes. But he is aliberal master, I suppose, and _that_ in the eye of a servantcomprehends every virtue.”
Elizabeth here felt herself called on to say something in vindication ofhis behaviour to Wickham; and therefore gave them to understand, in asguarded a manner as she could, that by what she had heard from hisrelations in Kent, his actions were capable of a very differentconstruction; and that his character was by no means so faulty, norWickham's so amiable, as they had been considered in Hertfordshire. Inconfirmation of this, she related the particulars of all the pecuniarytransactions in which they had been connected, without actually namingher authority, but stating it to be such as might be relied on.
Mrs. Gardiner was surprised and concerned; but as they were nowapproaching the scene of her former pleasures, every idea gave way tothe charm of recollection; and she was too much engaged in pointing outto her husband all the interesting spots in its environs, to think ofany thing else. Fatigued as she had been by the morning's walk, they hadno sooner dined than she set off again in quest of her formeracquaintance, and the evening was spent in the satisfactions of anintercourse renewed after many years discontinuance.
The occurrences of the day were too full of interest to leave Elizabethmuch attention for any of these new friends; and she could do nothingbut think, and think with wonder, of Mr. Darcy's civility, and aboveall, of his wishing her to be acquainted with his sister.