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impossible to be overcome. Had his first appearance, or his

resemblance to the picture they had just been examining,

been insufficient to assure the other two that they now saw

Mr. Darcy, the gardener's expression of surprise, on behold-

ing his master, must immediately have told it. They stood

a little aloof while he was talking to their niece, who, aston-

ished and confused, scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face,

and knew not what answer she returned to his civil inquiries

after her family. Amazed at the alteration of his manner

since they last parted, every sentence that he uttered was in-

creasing her embarrassment; and every idea of the impro-

priety of her being found there recurring to her mind, the

few minutes in which they continued together were some

of the most uncomfortable of her life. Nor did he seem

much more at ease; when he spoke, his accent had none

of its usual sedateness; and he repeated his inquiries as to

the time of her having left Longbourn, and of her stay in

Derbyshire, so often, and in so hurried a way, as plainly

spoke the distraction of his thoughts.

At length every idea seemed to fail him; and after stand-

ing a few moments without saying a word, he suddenly recol-

lected himself, and took leave.

The others then joined her, and expressed their admiration

of his figure; but Elizabeth heard not a word, and, wholly

engrossed by her own feelings, followed them in silence. She

was overpowered by shame and vexation. Her coming there

was the most unfortunate, the most ill-judged thing in the

world! How strange must it appear to him! In what a dis-

graceful light might it not strike so vain a man! It might

seem as if she had purposely thrown herself in his way again!

Oh! why did she come? or, why did he thus come a day

before he was expected? Had they been only ten minutes

sooner, they should have been beyond the reach of his dis-

crimination; for it was plain that he was that moment ar-

rived, that moment alighted from his horse or his carriage.

She blushed again and again over the perverseness of the

meeting. And his behaviour, so strikingly altered, -- what

could it mean? That he should even speak to her was amaz-

ing! -- but to speak with such civility, to inquire after her

family! Never in her life had she seen his manner so little

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