第94章

    They ehe woods, and bidding adieu to the river for a while,asded some of the higher grounds;when,in spots where the opening of the trees gave the eye power to wander,were many charming views of the valley, the opposite hills, with the le of woods overspreading many,and asionally part of the stream.Mr.Gardiner expressed a wish of going round the whole park, but feared it might be beyond a walk.With a triumphant smile they were told that it was ten miles round. It settled the matter;and they pursued the ustomed circuit;which brought them again,after some time,in a dest among hanging woods, to the edge of the water, and one of its narrowest parts.They crossed it by a simple bridge,in character with the general air of the se;it ot less adorhan any they had yet visited;and the valley,here tracted into a glen,allowed room only for the stream, and a narrow walk amidst the rough coppice-wood which bordered it.Elizabeth loo explore its windings;but when they had crossed the bridge, and perceived their distance from the house,Mrs.Gardiner,who was not a great walker,could go no farther, and thought only of returning to the carriage as quickly as possible.Her niece was,therefore,obliged to submit, and they took their way towards the house on the opposite side of the river,in the  dire;but their progress was slow, fardihough seldom able to indulge the taste, was very fond of fishing, and was so mugaged in watg the asional appearance of some trout ier, and talking to the man about them, that he advanced but little. Whilst wandering on in this slow mahey were again surprised,and Elizabeth's astonishment was quite equal to what it had been at first,by the sight of Mr.Darcy approag them,and at no great distahe walk here being here less sheltered than oher side,allowed them to see him before they met.Elizabeth,however astonished,was at least more prepared for an interview than before,and resolved to appear and to speak with ess,if he really inteo meet them.For a few moments,indeed,she felt that he would probably strike into some other path.The ideasted while a turning in the walk cealed him from their view;the turning past,he was immediately before them.With a nce, she saw that he had lost none of his ret civility;and,to imitate his politeness, she began, as they met, to admire the beauty of the ce;but she had not got beyond the words“delightful,”and“charming,”when some unlucky recolles obtruded,and she fahat praise of Pemberley from her might be mischievously strued.Her colour ged,and she said no more.

    Mrs.Gardiner was standing a little behind;and on her pausing, he asked her if she would do him the honour of introdug him to her friends.This was a stroke of civility for which she was quite unprepared; and she could hardly suppress a smile at his being now seeking the acquaintance of some of those very people against whom his pride had revolted in his offer to herself.“What will be his surprise,”thought she,“when he knows who they are? He takes them now for people of fashion.”

    The introdu,however,was immediately made;and as she heir rtionship to herself,she stole a sly look at him,to see how he bore it, and was not without the expectation of his decamping as fast as he could from such disgracefulpanions. That he was surprised by the e was evident;he sustai,however,with fortitude,and so far from going away,turned his back with them,aered into versation with Mr.Gardiner. Elizabeth could not but be pleased,could not but triumph.It was soling that he should know she had some rtions for whom there was o blush.She listened most atteo all that passed between them,and gloried in every expression,every sentence of her uncle,which marked his intelligence,his taste,or his good manners.

    The versation soon turned upon fishing;and she heard Mr.Darvite him,with the greatest civility,to fish there as often as he chose while he tinued in the neighbourhood,  at the same time to supply him with fishing tackle,and pointing out those parts of the stream where there was usually most sport. Mrs.Gardiner,alking arm-in-arm with Elizabeth,gave her a look expressive of wonder. Elizabeth said nothing, but it gratified her exceedingly;thepliment must be all for herself. Her astonishment,however,was extreme,and tinually was she repeating,“Why is he so altered? From what  it proceed? It ot be for me—it ot be for my sake that his manners are thus softened. My reproofs at Hunsford could not work such a ge as this.It is impossible that he should still love me.”快眼看书小说阅读_www.bookcu.com