“Ifyourmasterwouldmarry,youmightseemoreofhim.”

    “Yes,sir;butIdonotknowwhenthatverymuchtohiscredit,Iamsure,thatyoushouldthinkso.”

    “Isaynomorethanthet;andshelistenedwithincreasingastonishmentasthehousekeeperadded,“Ihaveneverknownacrosswordfromhiminmylife,andIhaveknownhimeversincehewasfouryearsold.”

    Thiswasprain.Herkeenestattentionwasawakened;shelongedtohearmore,andwasgratefultoheruncleforsaying:

    Ir.ButIhavealwaysobserved,thattheywhoaregood-naturedwhenchildren,aregood-naturedwhentheygrowup;andhewasalwaysthesweetest-tempered,mostgenerous-he;andhissonwillbejustlikehim―justasaffabletothepoor.”

    dthesubjectsofthepictures,thediwhichheattributedherexcessivemendationofhermaster,soonledagaintothesubject;andshedweltwithenergyonhismanymeritsastheyproceededtogetherupthegreatstaircase.

    “Heisthebestlandlord,andthebestmaster,”saidshe,“thateverlived;notlikethe;heryoungmen.”

    “Inwhatanamiablelightdoesthisplacehim!”thoughtElizabeth.

    “Thisfineaccountofhim,”whisperedherauntastheywalked,“isnotquiteconsistentwithhisbehaviourtoourpoorfriend.”

    “Perhapswemightbedeceived.”

    “Thatisnotverylikely;ourauthoritywastoogood.”

    Onreachingthespaciouslobbyabovetheywereshownintoaveryprettysitting-room,latelyfittedupwithgreatereleganceandlightnessthantheapartmentsbelow;andwereinformedthatitwasbutjustdonetogivepleasuretoMissDarcy,whohadtakenalikingtotheroomwhenlastatPemberley.

    “Heiscertainlyagoodbrother,”saidnallery,andtwoorthrees;butElizabethknewnothingoftheart;andfromsuchashadbeenalreadyvisiblebelow,shehadwillinglyturnedtolookatsomedrawingsofMissDarcy's,incrayons,whosesubjectswereusuallymoreinteresting,andalsomoreintelligible.

    Inthegallerythereweremanyfamilyportraitsoeler'slifetime.

    Therewascertainlyatthismoment,inElizabeth'smind,amoregentlesensationtowardstheorigiservant?Asabrother,alandlord,amaster,sheconsideredhowmanypeople'shappinesswereinhisguardianship!―howmuchofpleasureorpainwasitinhispowertobestow!―howmuchofgoodorevilmustbedonebyhim!Everyideathathadbeenbroughtforwardbythehousekeeperwasfavourabletohischaracter,andasshestoodbeforethecanvasonwhichhewasrepresented,andfixedhiseyesuponherself,shethoughtofhisregardwithadeepersentimentofgratitudethanithadeverraisedbefore;sheremembereditswarmth,andsofteneditsimproprietyofexpression.

    Whenallofthehousethatwasopentogeneralinspectionhadbeenseen,theyreturneddownstairs,and,takingleaveofthehousekeeper,wereconsignedovertothegardener,whometthematthehall-door.

    Astheywalkedacrossthelawntowardstheriver,Elizabethturnedbacktolookagain;heruncleandauntstoppedalso,andwhiletheformerwasconjecturingastothedateofthebuilding,theownerofithimselfsuddenlycameforwardfromtheroad,whichledbehindittothestables.

    Theywerewithintwentyyardsofeachother,andsoabruptdrprise;butshortlyrecoveringhimself,advancedtowardstheparty,andspoketoElizabeth,ifnotintermsofperfectposure,atleastofperfectcivility.