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on his many merits, as they proceeded together up the great

staircase.

'He is the best landlord, and the best master,' said she,

'that ever lived. Not like the wild young men nowadays, who

think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his ten-

ants or servants but what will give him a good name. Some

people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw anything

of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle

away like other young men.'

'In what an amiable light does this place him!' thought

Elizabeth.

'This fine account of him,' whispered her aunt as they

walked, 'is not quite consistent with his behaviour to our

poor friend.'

'Perhaps we might be deceived.'

'That is not very likely; our authority was too good.'

On reaching the spacious lobby above, they were shown

into a very pretty sitting-room, lately fitted up with greater

elegance and lightness than the apartments below; and were

informed that it was but just done to give pleasure to Miss

Darcy, who had taken a liking to the room when last at

Pemberley.

'He is certainly a good brother,' said Elizabeth, as she

walked towards one of the windows.

Mrs. Reynolds anticipated Miss Darcy's delight when she

should enter the room. 'And this is always the way with

him,' she added. 'Whatever can give his sister any pleasure,

is sure to be done in a moment. There is nothing he would

not do for her.'

The picture gallery, and two or three of the principal bed-

rooms, were all that remained to be shown. In the former

were many good paintings: but Elizabeth knew nothing of the

art; and from such as had been already visible below, she had

willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy's, in

crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting, and

also more intelligible.

In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they

could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth

walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be

known to her. At last it arrested her -- and she beheld a

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