第93章[第1页/共4页]

They had now entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water, and every step was bringing forward a nobler fall of ground, or a finer reach of the woods to which they were approaching;but it was some time before Elizabeth was sensible of any of it;and, though she answered mechanically to the repeated appeals of her uncle and aunt, and seemed to direct her eyes to such objects as they pointed out,she distinguished no part of the scene.Her thoughts were all fixed on that one spot of Pemberley House, whichever it might be, where Mr. Darcy then was. She longed to know what at the moment was passing in his mind―in what manner he thought of her,and whether,in defiance of everything, she was still dear to him.Perhaps he had been civil only because he felt himself at ease;yet there had been that in his voice which was not like ease.Whether he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her,she could not tell,but he certainly had not seen her with composure.

She had instinctively turned away;but stopping on his approach, received his compliments with an embarrassment impossible to be overcome. Had his first appearance, or his resemblance to the picture they had just been examining, been insufficient to assure the other two that they now saw Mr.Darcy,the gardener's expression of surprise,on beholding his master,must immediately have told it.They stood a little aloof while he was talking to their niece,who,astonished and confused,scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face, and knew not what answer she returned to his civil inquiries after her family.Amazed at the alteration of his manner since they last parted,every sentence that he uttered was increasing her embarrassment;and every idea of the impropriety of her being found there recurring to her mind,the few minutes in which they continued were some of the most uncomfortable in her life.Nor did he seem much more at ease;when he spoke, his accent had none of its usual sedateness;and he repeated his inquiries as to the time of her having left Longbourn,and of her staying in Derbyshire,so often,and in so hurried a way,as plainly spoke the distraction of his thoughts.