{{prxprp210.jpg}} || 210 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

Accordingly, when she retired at night, she asked the chamber^

maid whether Pemberley were not a very fine place, what was

the name of its proprietor, and, with no little alarm, whether the

family were down for the summer. A most welcome negative

followed the last question -- and her alarms being now removed,

she was at leisure to feel a great deal of curiosity to see the house

herself; and when the subject was revived the next morning, and

she was again applied to, could readily answer, and with a

proper air of indifference, that she had not really any dislike to

the scheme.

To Pemberley, therefore, they were to go.

Chapter XLIII

Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance

of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; 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, situated on

the opposite side of a 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

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