Austen Said:

thought she,

— recollecting herself —

This was a lucky recollection — it saved her from something very like regret.

She longed to inquire of the housekeeper

but had not the courage for it. At length however, the question was asked by her uncle; and she turned away with alarm, while

Mrs. Reynolds replied that

adding,

How rejoiced was Elizabeth that

Her aunt now called her to look at a picture. She approached and saw the likeness of Mr. Wickham, suspended, amongst several other miniatures, over the mantlepiece.

Her aunt asked her, smilingly,

The housekeeper came forward, and

told them

she added;

Mrs. Gardiner looked at her niece with a smile, but Elizabeth could not return it.

said Mrs. Reynolds, pointing to another of the miniatures,

said Mrs. Gardiner, looking at the picture;

Mrs. Reynolds respect for Elizabeth seemed to increase on this intimation of her knowing her master.

Elizabeth coloured, and said:

This accounted to Elizabeth

Mrs. Reynolds then directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy, drawn when she was only eight years old.

said Mrs. Gardiner.

Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were very easy and pleasant, encouraged her communicativeness by his questions and remarks; Mrs. Reynolds, either by pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of her master and his sister.

thought Elizabeth,

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

replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far; and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added,

had been her firmest opinion.

Her keenest attention was awakened; she longed to hear more, and was grateful to her uncle for saying:

Elizabeth almost stared at her.

thought she.

said Mrs. Gardiner.

Elizabeth listened, wondered, doubted, and was impatient for more. Mrs. Reynolds could interest her on no other point. She related the subjects of the pictures, the dimensions of the rooms, and the price of the furniture, in vain. Mr. Gardiner, highly amused by the kind of family prejudice to which he attributed her excessive commendation of her master, soon led again to the subject; and she dwelt with energy on his many merits as they proceeded together up the great staircase.

said she,

thought Elizabeth.

whispered her aunt as they walked,

On reaching the spacious lobby above

they

were shown into a very pretty sitting-room, lately fitted up with greater elegance and lightness than the apartments below; and

were informed that

said Elizabeth, as she walked towards one of the windows.

Mrs. Reynolds anticipated

she added.

The picture-gallery, and two or three of the principal bedrooms, were all that remained to be shown. In the former were many good paintings; but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art; and from such as had been already visible below, she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy's, in crayons, whose subjects were usually more interesting, and also more intelligible.

In the gallery there were many family portraits, but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger. Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her. At last it arrested her — and she beheld a striking resemblance to Mr. Darcy,

She stood several minutes before the picture, in earnest contemplation, and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery.

Mrs. Reynolds informed them that

There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth's mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt at the height of their acquaintance.

she considered

and as she stood before the canvas on which he was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression.

When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen, they returned downstairs, and, taking leave of the housekeeper, were consigned over to the gardener, who met them at the hall-door.

As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also, and