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Chapter XLIII

Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first

appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturba-

tion; and when at length they turned in at the lodge,

her spirits were in a high flutter.

The park was very large, and contained great variety of

ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and

drove for some time through a beautiful wood stretching

over a wide extent.

Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw

and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They

gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves

at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased,

and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situ-

ated on the opposite side of the valley, into which the road

with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone

building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a

ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some

natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any

artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor

falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never

seen a place for which nature had done more, or where

natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward

taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration; and

at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley

might be something!

They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to

the door; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the

house, all her apprehension of meeting its owner returned.

She dreaded lest the chambermaid had been mistaken. On

applying to see the place, they were admitted into the hall;

and Elizabeth, as they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure

to wonder at her being where she was.

The housekeeper came, a respectable-looking elderly

woman, much less fine, and more civil, than she had any

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