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Chapter XXVIII

Every object in the next day's journey was new and interesting

to Elizabeth; and her spirits were in a state of enjoyment; for she

had seen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for her

health, and the prospect of her northern tour was a constant

source of delight.

When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, every

eye was in search of the Parsonage, and every turning expected

to bring it in view. The paling of Rosings Park was their

boundary on one side. Elizabeth smiled at the recollection of all

that she had heard of its inhabitants.

At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping

to the road, the house standing in it, the green pales and the

laurel hedge, every thing declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins

and Charlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at

the small gate, which led by a short gravel walk to the house,

amidst the nods and smiles of the whole party. In a moment

they were all out of the chaise, rejoicing at the sight of each other.

Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and

Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming, when she

found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that

her cousin's manners were not altered by his marriage; his formal

civility was just what it had been, and he detained her some

minutes at the gate to hear and satisfy his inquiries after all her

family. They were then, with no other delay than his pointing

out the neatness of the entrance, taken into the house; and as soon

as they were in the parlour, he welcomed them a second time,

with ostentatious formality, to his humble abode, and punctually

repeated all his wife's offers of refreshment.

Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could

not help fancying that in displaying the good proportion of the

room, its aspect and its furniture, he addressed himself particularly

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