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frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge of her

chair, not knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found

herself quite equal to the scene, and could observe the

three ladies before her composedly. Lady Catherine was

a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which

might once have been handsome. Her air was not con-

ciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as

to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was

not rendered formidable by silence: but whatever she said

was spoken in so authoritative a tone as marked her self-~

importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to

Elizabeth's mind; and, from the observation of the day al-

together, she believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he

had represented.

When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance

and deportment she soon found some resemblance of Mr.

Darcy, she turned her eyes on the daughter, she could al-

most have joined in Maria's astonishment at her being so

thin and so small. There was neither in figure nor face

any likeness between the ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale

and sickly: her features, though not plain, were insignificant;

and she spoke very little, except in a low voice, to Mrs.

Jenkinson, in whose appearance there was nothing remark-

able, and who was entirely engaged in listening to what she

said, and placing a screen in the proper direction before

her eyes.

After sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one

of the windows to admire the view, Mr. Collins attending

them to point out its beauties, and Lady Catherine kindly

informing them that it was much better worth looking at

in the summer.

The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were

all the servants, and all the articles of plate which Mr. Col-

lins had promised; and, as he had likewise foretold, he

took his seat at the bottom of the table, by her Ladyship's

desire, and looked as if he felt that life could furnish noth-

ing greater. He carved and ate and praised with de-

lighted alacrity; and every dish was commended first by

him, and then by Sir William, who was now enough re-

covered to echo whatever his son-in-law said, in a manner

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