Mrs Gardiner was surprized and concerned;but as they were now approaching the scene of her former pleasures,every idea gave way to the charm of recollection;and she was too much engaged in pointing out to her husband all the interesting spots in its environs to think of any thing else.Fatigued as she had been by the morning's walk,they had no sooner dined than she set off again in quest of her former acquaintance,and the evening was spent in the satisfactions of an intercourse renewed after many years'discontinuance.
The occurrences of the day were too full of interest to leave Elizabeth much attention for any of these new friends;and she could do nothing but think,and think with wonder,of Mr Darcy's civility,and above all,of his wishing her to be acquainted with his sister.
Chapter 44
Elizabeth had settled it that Mr Darcy would bring his sister to visit her the very day after her reaching Pemberley;and was consequently resolved not to be out of sight of the inn the whole of that morning.But her conclusion was false;for on the very morning after their own arrival at Lambton,these visitors came.They had been walking about the place with some of their new friends,and were just returned to the inn to dress themselves for dining with the same family,when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window,and they saw a gentleman and lady in a curricle,driving up the street.Elizabeth,immediately recognising the livery,guessed what it meant,and imparted no small degree of surprize to her relations by acquainting them with the honour which she expected.Her uncle and aunt were all amazement;and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke,joined to the circumstance itself,and many of the circumstances of the preceding day,opened to them a new idea on the business.Nothing had ever suggested it before,but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting for such attentions from such a quarter than by supposing a partiality for their niece.While these newly born notions were passing in their heads,the perturbation of Elizabeth's feelings was every moment increasing.She was quite amazed at her own discomposure;but amongst other causes of disquiet,she dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her favour;and more than commonly anxious to please,she naturally suspected that every power of pleasing would fail her.
She retreated from the window,fearful of being seen;and as she walked up and down the room,endeavouring to compose herself,saw such looks of inquiring surprize in her uncle and aunt as made every thing worse.
Miss Darcy and her brother appeared,and this formidable introduction took place.With astonishment did Elizabeth see that her new acquaintance was at least as much embarrassed as herself.Since her being at Lambton,she had heard that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud;but the observation of a very few minutes convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy.She found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.
Miss Darcy was tall,and on a larger scale than Elizabeth;and,though little more than sixteen,her figure was formed,and her appearance womanly and graceful.She was less handsome than her brother,but there was sense and good humour in her face,and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle.Elizabeth,who had expected to find in her as acute and unembarrassed an observer as ever Mr Darcy had been,was much relieved by discerning such different feelings.
They had not been long together before Darcy told her that Bingley was also coming to wait on her;and she had barely time to express her satisfaction,and prepare for such a visitor,when Bingley's quick step was heard on the stairs,and in a moment he entered the room.All Elizabeth's anger against him had been long done away;but,had she still felt any,it could hardly have stood its ground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself on seeing her again.He inquired in a friendly,though general way,after her family,and looked and spoke with the same good humoured ease that he had ever done.
To Mr and Mrs Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage than to herself.They had long wished to see him.The whole party before them,indeed,excited a lively attention.The suspicions which had just arisen,of Mr Darcy and their niece,directed their observation towards each with an earnest,though guarded,inquiry;and they soon drew from those inquiries the full conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love.Of the lady's sensations they remained a little in doubt;but that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration was evident enough.
Elizabeth,on her side,had much to do.She wanted to ascertain the feelings of each of her visitors,she wanted to compose her own,and to make herself agreeable to all;and in the latter object,where she feared most to fail,she was most sure of success,for those to whom she endeavoured to give pleasure were prepossessed in her favour.Bingley was ready,Georgiana was eager,and Darcy determined,to be pleased.
