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;Ishouldnothavebeenallowedtoinvitethe”
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—andverylikehiItwasdrawnatthesametimeastheother—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.Hewasveryfondofthe”
ThisaccountedtoElizabethforMr.Wickhamsbeingamongthe
Mrs.ReynoldsthendirectedtheirattentiontooneofMissDarcy,drawnwhenshewasonlyeightyearsold.
“AndisMissDarcyashandsomeasherbrother?”saidMrs.Gardiner.
“Oh!yes—thehandsomestyoungladythateverwasseen;andsoaccomplished!—Sheplaysandsingsalldaylong.Inthenextroomisanewinstrumentjustcomedownforher—apresentfrommymaster;shecomeshereto-morrowwithhi”
Mr.Gardiner,whosemannerswereveryeasyandpleasant,encouragedhercommunicativenessbyhisquestionsandremarks;Mrs.Reynolds,eitherbyprideorattachment,hadevidentlygreatpleasureintalkingofhermasterandhissister.
“IsyourmastermuchatPemberleyinthecourseoftheyear?”
“NotsomuchasIcouldwish,sir;butIdaresayhemayspendhalfhistimehere;andMissDarcyisalwaysdownforthesummermonths.”
“Except,”thoughtElizabeth,“whenshegoestoRamsgate.”
请勿开启浏览器阅读模式,否则将导致章节内容缺失及无法阅读下一章。
相邻推荐:乡村透视仙医 水浒传 杀破狼 乡村小郎中 出轨的女人 人道大圣 绝品神医混花都 鬼吹灯 十宗罪 最强花都兵王 乡村透视神医 世纪第一暖婚 透视神医混花都 花都极品神医 沙海 欲奴 甜心的诱惑 绝色妖妃,魔君滚远点 超凡兵王在花都 老九门