Onemorning,aboutaweekafterBingleysengagementwithJanehadbeenformed,asheandthefemalesofthefamilyweresittingtogetherinthedining-room,theirattentionwassuddenlydrawntothewindow,bythesoundofacarriage;andtheyperceivedachaiseandfourdrivingupthelawn.Itwastooearlyinthemorningforvisitors,andbesides,theequipagedidnotanswertothatofanyoftheirneighbours.Thehorseswerepost;andneitherthecarriage,northeliveryoftheservantwhoprecededit,werefamiliartotheAsitwascertain,however,thatsomebodywascoming,BingleyinstantlyprevailedonMissBennettoavoidtheconfinementofsuchanintrusion,andwalkawaywithhimintotheshrubbery.Theybothsetoff,andtheconjecturesoftheremainingthreecontinued,thoughwithlittlesatisfaction,tillthedoorwasthrownopenandtheirvisitorentered.ItwasLadyCatherinedeBourgh.
Theywereofcourseallintendingtobesurprised;buttheirastonishmentwasbeyondtheirexpectation;andonthepartofMrs.BennetandKitty,thoughshewasperfectlyunknowntothem,eveninferiortowhatElizabethfelt.
Sheenteredtheroomwithanairmorethanusuallyungracious,madenootherreplytoElizabethssalutationthanaslightinclinationofthehead,andsatdownwithoutsayingaword.Elizabethhadmentionedhernametohermotheronherladyshipsentrance,thoughnorequestofintroductionhadbeenmade.
Mrs.Bennet,allamazement,thoughflatteredbyhavingaguestofsuchhighimportance,receivedherwiththeutmostpoliteness.Aftersittingforamomentinsilence,shesaidverystifflytoElizabeth,
“Ihopeyouarewell,MissBennet.Thatlady,Isuppose,isyourmother.”
Elizabethrepliedveryconciselythatshewas.
“AndthatIsupposeisoneofyoursisters.”
“Yes,madam,”saidMrs.Bennet,delightedtospeaktoLadyCatherine.“Sheismyyoungestgirlbutone.Myyoungestofallislatelymarried,andmyeldestissomewhereaboutthegrounds,walkingwithayoungmanwho,Ibelieve,willsoonbecomeapartofthefamily.”
“Youhaveaverysmallparkhere,”returnedLadyCatherineafterashortsilence.
“ItisnothingincomparisonofRosings,mylady,Idaresay;butIassureyouitismuchlargerthanSirWilliamLucass.”
“Thismustbeamostinconvenientsittingroomfortheevening,insummer;thewindowsarefullwest.”
Mrs.Bennetassuredherthattheyneversatthereafterdinner,andthenadded:
“MayItakethelibertyofaskingyourladyshipwhetheryouleftMr.andMrs.Collinswell.”
“Yes,verywell.Isawthemthenightbeforelast.”
ElizabethnowexpectedthatshewouldproducealetterforherfromCharlotte,asitseemedtheonlyprobablemotiveforhercalling.Butnoletterappeared,andshewascompletelypuzzled.Mrs.Bennet,withgreatcivility,beggedherladyshiptotakesomerefreshment;butLadyCatherineveryresolutely,andnotverypolitely,declinedeatinganything;andthen,risingup,saidtoElizabeth,
“MissBennet,thereseemedtobeaprettyishkindofalittlewildernessononesideofyourlawn.Ishouldbegladtotakeaturninit,ifyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany.”
“Go,mydear,”criedhermother,“andshowherladyshipaboutthedifferentwalks.Ithinkshewillbepleasedwiththehermitage.”
Elizabethobeyed,andrunningintoherownroomforherparasol,attendedhernobleguestdownstairs.Astheypassedthroughthehall,LadyCatherineopenedthedoorsintothedining-parlouranddrawing-room,andpronouncingthem,afterashortsurvey,tobedecentlookingrooms,walkedon.
Hercarriageremainedatthedoor,andElizabethsawthatherwaiting-womanwasinit.Theyproceededinsilencealongthegravelwalkthatledtothecopse;Elizabethwasdeterminedtomakenoeffortforconversationwithawomanwhowasnowmorethanusuallyinsolentanddisagreeable.
“HowcouldIeverthinkherlikehernephew?”saidshe,asshelookedinherface.
Assoonastheyenteredthecopse,LadyCatherinebeganinthefollowingmanner:—
“Youcanbeatnoloss,MissBennet,tounderstandthereasonofmyjourneyhither.Yourownheart,yourownconscience,musttellyouwhyIcome.”
Elizabethlookedwithunaffectedastonishment.
“Indeed,youaremistaken,MadaIhavenotbeenatallabletoaccountforthehonourofseeingyouhere.”
“MissBennet,”repliedherladyship,inanangrytone,“yououghttoknow,thatIamnottobetrifledwith.Buthoweverinsincereyoumaychoosetobe,youshallnotfindmeso.Mycharacterhaseverbeencelebratedforitssincerityandfrankness,andinacauseofsuchmomentasthis,Ishallcertainlynotdepartfromit.Areportofamostalarmingnaturereachedmetwodaysago.Iwastoldthatnotonlyyoursisterwasonthepointofbeingmostadvantageouslymarried,butthatyou,thatMissElizabethBennet,would,inalllikelihood,besoonafterwardsunitedtomynephew,myownnephew,Mr.Darcy.ThoughIknowitmustbeascandalousfalsehood,thoughIwouldnotinjurehimsomuchastosupposethetruthofitpossible,Iinstantlyresolvedonsettingoffforthisplace,thatImightmakemysentimentsknowntoyou.”
“Ifyoubelieveditimpossibletobetrue,”saidElizabeth,colouringwithastonishmentanddisdain,“Iwonderyoutookthetroubleofcomingsofar.Whatcouldyourladyshipproposebyit?”
“Atoncetoinsistuponhavingsuchareportuniversallycontradicted.”
“YourcomingtoLongbourn,toseemeandmyfamily,”saidElizabethcoolly,“willberatheraconfirmationofit;if,indeed,suchareportisinexistence.”
“If!Doyouthenpretendtobeignorantofit?Hasitnotbeenindustriouslycirculatedbyyourselves?Doyounotknowthatsuchareportisspreadabroad?”
“Ineverheardthatitwas.”
“Andcanyoulikewisedeclare,thatthereisnofoundationforit?”
“Idonotpretendtopossessequalfranknesswithyourladyship.YoumayaskquestionswhichIshallnotchoosetoanswer.”
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