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第94章（第1页）

Theyenteredthewoods，andbiddingadieutotheriverforawhile，ascendedsomeofthehighergrounds;when，inspotswheretheopeningofthetreesgavetheeyepowertowander，weremanycharmingviewsofthevalley，theoppositehills，withthelongrangeofwoodsoverspreadingmany，andoccasionallypartofthestream.Mr.Gardinerexpressedawishofgoingroundthewholepark，butfeareditmightbebeyondawalk.Withatriumphantsmiletheyweretoldthatitwastenmilesround.Itsettledthematter;andtheypursuedtheaccustomedcircuit;whichbroughtthemagain，aftersometime，inadescentamonghangingwoods，totheedgeofthewater，andoneofitsnarrowestparts.Theycrosseditbyasimplebridge，incharacterwiththegeneralairofthescene;itwasaspotlessadornedthananytheyhadyetvisited;andthevalley，herecontractedintoaglen，allowedroomonlyforthestream，andanarrowwalkamidsttheroughcoppice-woodwhichborderedit.Elizabethlongedtoexploreitswindings;butwhentheyhadcrossedthebridge，andperceivedtheirdistancefromthehouse，Mrs.Gardiner，whowasnotagreatwalker，couldgonofarther，andthoughtonlyofreturningtothecarriageasquicklyaspossible.Herniecewas，therefore，obligedtosubmit，andtheytooktheirwaytowardsthehouseontheoppositesideoftheriver，inthenearestdirection;buttheirprogresswasslow，forMr.Gardiner，thoughseldomabletoindulgethetaste，wasveryfondoffishing，andwassomuchengagedinwatchingtheoccasionalappearanceofsometroutinthewater，andtalkingtothemanaboutthem，thatheadvancedbutlittle.Whilstwanderingoninthisslowmanner，theywereagainsurprised，andElizabethsastonishmentwasquiteequaltowhatithadbeenatfirst，bythesightofMr.Darcyapproachingthem，andatnogreatdistance.Thewalkherebeingherelessshelteredthanontheotherside，allowedthemtoseehimbeforetheymet.Elizabeth，howeverastonished，wasatleastmorepreparedforaninterviewthanbefore，andresolvedtoappearandtospeakwithcalmness，ifhereallyintendedtomeetthem.Forafewmoments，indeed，shefeltthathewouldprobablystrikeintosomeotherpath.Theidealastedwhileaturninginthewalkconcealedhimfromtheirview;theturningpast，hewasimmediatelybeforethem.Withaglance，shesawthathehadlostnoneofhisrecentcivility;and，toimitatehispoliteness，shebegan，astheymet，toadmirethebeautyoftheplace;butshehadnotgotbeyondthewords“delightful，”

and“charming，”

whensomeunluckyrecollectionsobtruded，andshefanciedthatpraiseofPemberleyfromhermightbemischievouslyconstrued.Hercolourchanged，andshesaidnomore.

Mrs.Gardinerwasstandingalittlebehind;andonherpausing，heaskedherifshewoulddohimthehonourofintroducinghimtoherfriends.Thiswasastrokeofcivilityforwhichshewasquiteunprepared;andshecouldhardlysuppressasmileathisbeingnowseekingtheacquaintanceofsomeofthoseverypeopleagainstwhomhispridehadrevoltedinhisoffertoherself.“Whatwillbehissurprise，”

thoughtshe，“whenheknowswhotheyare?Hetakesthemnowforpeopleoffashion.”

Theintroduction，however，wasimmediatelymade;andasshenamedtheirrelationshiptoherself，shestoleaslylookathim，toseehowheboreit，andwasnotwithouttheexpectationofhisdecampingasfastashecouldfromsuchdisgracefulcompanions.Thathewassurprisedbytheconnectionwasevident;hesustainedit，however，withfortitude，andsofarfromgoingaway，turnedhisbackwiththem，andenteredintoconversationwithMr.Gardiner.Elizabethcouldnotbutbepleased，couldnotbuttriumph.Itwasconsolingthatheshouldknowshehadsomerelationsforwhomtherewasnoneedtoblush.Shelistenedmostattentivelytoallthatpassedbetweenthem，andgloriedineveryexpression，everysentenceofheruncle，whichmarkedhisintelligence，histaste，orhisgoodmanners.

Theconversationsoonturneduponfishing;andsheheardMr.Darcyinvitehim，withthegreatestcivility，tofishthereasoftenashechosewhilehecontinuedintheneighbourhood，offeringatthesametimetosupplyhimwithfishingtackle，andpointingoutthosepartsofthestreamwheretherewasusuallymostsport.Mrs.Gardiner，whowaswalkingarm-in-armwithElizabeth，gaveheralookexpressiveofwonder.Elizabethsaidnothing，butitgratifiedherexceedingly;thecomplimentmustbeallforherself.Herastonishment，however，wasextreme，andcontinuallywassherepeating，“Whyishesoaltered?Fromwhatcanitproceed?Itcannotbeforme—itcannotbeformysakethathismannersarethussoftened.MyreproofsatHunsfordcouldnotworksuchachangeasthis.Itisimpossiblethatheshouldstillloveme.”