{{prxprp305.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 305 ||

'Miss Bennet, there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little

wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take

a turn in it, if you will favour me with your company.'

'Go, my dear,' cried her mother, 'and shew her ladyship about

the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage.'

Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her

parasol, attended her noble guest down stairs. As [they] passed

through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors into the

dining'parlour and drawing-room, and pronouncing them, after

a short survey, to be decent looking rooms, walked on.

Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her

waiting'woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the

gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to

make no effort for conversation with a woman, who was now

more than usually insolent and disagreeable.

'How could I ever think her like her nephew l' said she, as

she looked in her face.

As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the

following manner: --

'You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason

of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience,

must tell you why I come.'

Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.

'Indeed, you are mistaken, madam. I have not been at all

able to account for the honour of seeing you here.'

'Miss Bennet,' replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, 'you

ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however

insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My

character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness,

and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart

from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two

days ago. I was told, that not only your sister was on the point

of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss

Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards

united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though

I know it must be a scandalous falsehood; though I would not

injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, L

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