{{prxprp213.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 213 ||

'And is Miss Darcy as handsome as her brother J ' said Mr.

Gardiner.

'Oh! yes -- the handsomest young lady that ever was seen; and

so accomplished! -- She plays and sings all day long. In the

next room is a new instrument just come down for her -- a present

from my master; she comes here to-morrow with him.'

Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were easy and pleasant,

encouraged her communicativeness by his questions and remarks;

Mrs. Reynolds, either from pride or attachment, had evidently

great pleasure in talking of her master and his sister.

'Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the

year*'

'Not so much as I could wish, sir; but I dare say he may spend

half his time here; and Miss Darcy is always down for the

summer months.'

Except, thought Elizabeth, when she goes to Ramsgate.

'If your master would marry, you might see more of him.'

'Yes, sir; but I do not know when that will be. I do not

know who is good enough for him.'

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner smiled. Elizabeth could not help

saying, 'It is very much to his credit, I am sure, that you should

think so'.

'I say no more than the truth, and what every body will say

that knows him,' replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was

going pretty far; and she listened with increasing astonishment as

the housekeeper added, 'I have never had a cross word from him

in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years

old.'

This was praise, of all others most extraordinary, most opposite

to her ideas. That he was not a good-tempered man had been

her firmest opinion. Her keenest attention was awakened; she

longed to hear more, and was grateful to her uncle for saying,

'There are very few people of whom so much can be said.

You are lucky in having such a master.'

'Yes, sir, I know I am. If I were to go through the world,

I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed, that

they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured

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