{{prxprp211.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 211 ||

an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admira^

tion; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley

might be something!

They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the

door; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all

her apprehension of meeting its owner returned. She dreaded

lest the chamber-maid had been mistaken. On applying to see

the place, they were admitted into the hall; and Elizabeth, as

they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure to wonder at her

being where she was.

The housekeeper came; a respectable looking elderly woman,

much less fine, and more civil, than she had any notion of finding

her. They followed her into the di ning--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 abruptness from the distance, was a beautiful

object. Every disposition 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 admira^

tion 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, T might have been mistress!

With'hese rooms I might now have 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

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