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notion of finding her. They followed her into the dining-~

parlour. It was a large, well-proportioned room, handsomely

fitted up. Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, went to a

window to enjoy its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood,

from which they had descended, receiving increased abrupt-

ness from the distance, was a beautiful object. Every dis-

position of the ground was good; and she looked on the

whole scene, the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and

the winding of the valley, as far as she could trace it, with

delight. As they passed into other rooms, these objects were

taking different positions; but from every window there were

beauties to be seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome,

and their furniture suitable to the fortune of their proprietor;

but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was

neither gaudy nor uselessly fine, -- with less of splendour,

and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.

'And of this place,' thought she, 'I might have been mis-

tress! With these rooms I might have now been familiarly

acquainted! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might

have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as

visitors my uncle and aunt. But no,' recollecting herself,

'that could never be; my uncle and aunt would have been

lost to me; I should not have been allowed to invite them.'

This was a lucky recollection -- it saved her from something

like regret.

She longed to inquire of the housekeeper whether her

master were really absent, but had not courage for it. At

length, however, the question was asked by her uncle; and

she turned away with alarm, while Mrs. Reynolds replied

that he was; adding, 'But we expect him to-morrow, with a

large party of friends.' How rejoiced was Elizabeth that

their own journey had not by any circumstance been delayed

a day.

Her aunt now called her to look at a picture. She ap-

proached, and saw the likeness of Mr. Wickham, suspended,

amongst several other miniatures, over the mantelpiece. Her

aunt asked her, smilingly, how she liked it. The housekeeper

came forward, and told them it was the picture of a young

gentleman, the son of her late master's steward, who had

been brought up by him at his own expense. 'He is now

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