第98章

    Of Mr. Darcy it was now a matter of ao think well;and, as far as their acquaintance reached, there was no fault to find. They could not be untouched by his politeness; and had they drawn his character from their own feelings and his servant's report,without any refereo any other ount,the circle ifordshire to which he was known would not have reized it for Mr.Darcy.There was now an i,however, in believing the housekeeper;and they soon became sensible that the authority of a servant who had known him since he was four years old, and whose own manners indicated respectability, was not to be hastily rejected.her had anything urred ielligence of their Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight.They had nothing to use him of but pride; pride he probably had,and if not,it would certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small market-towhe family did not visit. It was aowledged,however,that he was a liberal man,and did much good among the poor.

    With respect to Wickham, the travellers soon found that he was not held there in much estimation;for though the chief of his s with the son of his patron were imperfectly uood, it was yet a well-known fact that,on his quitting Derbyshire,he had left mas behind him, which Mr. Darcy afterwards discharged.

    As for Elizabeth,her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more tha;and the evening,though as it passed it seemed long,was not long enough to determine her feelings towards one in that mansion;and shey awake two whole hours endeav to make them out. She certainly did not hate him. No; hatred had vanished long ago,and she had almost as long been ashamed of ever feeling a dislike against him, that could be so called. The respect created by the vi of his valuable qualities, though at first unwillingly admitted, had for some time ceased to be repugnant to her feeling; and it was now heightened into somewhat of a friendlier nature, by the testimony so highly in his favour, and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light, which yesterday had produced. But above all, above resped esteem, there was a motive within her of goodwill which could not be overlooked. It was gratitude; gratitude, not merely for having once loved her, but for loviill well enough to ive all the petnd acrimony of her manner iing him, and all the unjust usations ompanying her reje.He who,she had been persuaded,would avoid her as his greatest enemy,seemed,on this idental meeting,most eager to preserve the acquaintance, and without any indelicate disy ard,or any peculiarity of manner,where their two selves only were ed, was solig the good opinion of her friends,a on making her known to his sister.Such a ge in a man of so much pride exg not only astonishment but gratitude—for to love,ardent love,it must be attributed;and as such its impression on her was of a sort to be enced,as by no means unpleasing,though it could not be exactly defined.She respected,she esteemed,she was grateful to him,she felt a real i in his welfare;and she only wao know how far she wished that welfare to depend upon herself,and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she should employ the power, which her fancy told her she still possessed,ing ohe renewal of his addresses.

    It had beeled in the eveniween the aunt and the hat such a striking civility as Miss Darcy's ining to them on the very day of her arrival at Pemberley, for she had reached it only to ate breakfast,ought to be imitated,though it could not be equalled,by some exertion of politeness on their side;and,sequently,that it would be highly expedient to wait o Pemberley the following m.They were,therefore, to go.Elizabeth leased;though when she asked herself the reason,she had very little to say in reply.

    Mr.Gardiner left them soon after breakfast.The fishing scheme had been rehe day before, and a positive e made of his meeting some of the gentlemen at Pemberley before noon.快眼看书小说阅读_www.bookcu.com