everyobjectinthenextday'sjourneywasnewandinterestingtoelizabeth;andherspiritswereinastateforenjoyment;forshehadseenhersisterlookingsowellastobanishallfearforherhealth,andtheprospectofhernortherntourwasaconstantsourceofdelight.

whentheyleftthehighroadforthelanetohunsford,everyeyewasinsearchoftheparsonage,andeveryturningexpectedtobringitinview.thepalingsofrosingsparkwastheirboundaryononeside.elizabethsmiledattherecollectionofallthatshehadheardofitsinhabitants.

atlengththeparsonagewasdiscernable.thegardenslopingtotheroad,thehousestandinginit,thegreenpalesandthelaurelhedge,everythingdeclaredthattheywerearriving.mr.collinsandcharlotteappearedatthedoor,andthecarriagestoppedatasmallgate,whichledbyashortgravelwalktothehouse,amidstthenodsandsmilesofthewholeparty.inamomenttheywerealloutofthechaise,rejoicingatthesightofeachother.mrs.collinswelcomedherfriendwiththeliveliestpleasure,andelizabethwasmoreandmoresatisfiedwithcoming,whenshefoundherselfsoaffectionatelyreceived.shesawinstantlythathercousin'smannerswerenotalteredbyhismarriage;hisformalcivilitywasjustwhatithadbeen,andhedetainedhersomeminutesatthegatetohearandsatisfyhisenquiriesafterallherfamily.theywerethen,withnootherdelaythanhispointingouttheneatnessoftheentrance,takenintothehouse;andassoonastheywereintheparlour,hewelcomedthemasecondtimewithostentatiousformalitytohishumbleabode,andpunctuallyrepeatedallhiswife'soffersofrefreshment.

elizabethwaspreparedtoseehiminhisglory;andshecouldnothelpfancyingthatindisplayingthegoodproportionoftheroom,itsaspectanditsfurniture,headdressedhimselfparticularlytoher,asifwishingtomakeherfeelwhatshehadlostinrefusinghim.butthougheverythingseemedneatandcomfortable,shewasnotabletogratifyhimbyanysighofrepentance;andratherlookedwithwonderatherfriendthatshecouldhavesocheerfulanair,withsuchacompanion.whenmr.collinssaidanythingofwhichhiswifemightreasonablybeashamed,whichcertainlywasnotunseldom,sheinvoluntarilyturnedhereyeoncharlotte.onceortwiceshecoulddiscernafaintblush;butingeneralcharlottewiselydidnothear.aftersittinglongenoughtoadmireeveryarticleoffurnitureintheroom,fromthesideboardtothefender,togiveanaccountoftheirjourney,andofallthathadhappenedinlondon,mr.collinsinvitedthemtotakeastrollinthegarden,whichwaslargeandwelllaidout,andtothecultivationofwhichheattendedhimself.toworkinhisgardenwasoneofhismostrespectablepleasures;andelizabethadmiredthecommandofcountenancewithwhichcharlottetalkedofthehealthfulnessoftheexcercise,andownedsheencourageditasmuchaspossible.here,leadingthewaythrougheverywalkandcrosswalk,andscarcelyallowingthemanintervaltoutterthepraisesheaskedfor,everyviewwaspointedoutwithaminutenesswhichleftbeautyentirelybehind.hecouldnumberthefieldsineverydirection,andcouldtellhowmanytreestherewereinthemostdistantclump.butofalltheviewswhichhisgarden,orwhichthecountry,orthekingdomcouldboast,noneweretobecomparedwiththeprospectofrosings,affordedbyanopeninginthetreesthatborderedtheparknearlyoppositethefrontofhishouse.itwasahandsomemodernbuilding,wellsituatedonrisingground.

fromhisgarden,mr.collinswouldhaveledthemroundhistwomeadows,buttheladies,nothavingshoestoencountertheremainsofawhitefrost,turnedback;andwhilesirwilliamaccompaniedhim,charlottetookhersisterandfriendoverthehouse,extremelywellpleased,probably,tohavetheopportunityofshewingitwithoutherhusband'shelp.itwasrathersmall,butwellbuiltandconvenient;andeverythingwasfittedupandarrangedwithaneatnessandconsistencyofwhichelizabethgavecharlotteallthecredit.whenmr.collinscouldbeforgotten,therewasreallyagreatairofcomfortthroughout,andbycharlotte'sevidentenjoymentofit,elizabethsupposedhemustbeoftenforgotten.

shehadalreadylearntthatladycatherinewasstillinthecountry.itwasspokenofagainwhiletheywereatdinner,whenmr.collinsjoiningin,observed,

"yes,misselizabeth,youwillhavethehonourofseeingladycatherinedebourghontheensuingsundayatchurch,andineednotsayyouwillbedelightedwithher.sheisallaffabilityandcondescension,andidoubtnotbutyouwillbehonouredwithsomeportionofhernoticewhenserviceisover.ihavescarcelyanyhesitationinsayingthatshewillincludeyouandmysistermariaineveryinvitationwithwhichshehonoursusduringyourstayhere.herbehaviourtomydearcharlotteischarming.wedineatrosingstwiceeveryweek,andareneverallowedtowalkhome.herladyship'scarriageisregularlyorderedforus.ishouldsay,oneofherladyship'scarriages,forshehasseveral."

"ladycatherineisaveryrespectable,sensiblewomanindeed,"addedcharlotte,"andamostattentiveneighbour."

"verytrue,mydear,thatisexactlywhatisay.sheisthesortofwomanwhomonecannotregardwithtoomuchdeference."

theeveningwasspentchieflyintalkingoverhertfordshirenews,andtellingagainwhathadbeenalreadywritten;andwhenitclosed,elizabeth,inthesolitudeofherchamber,hadtomeditateuponcharlotte'sdegreeofcontentment,tounderstandheraddressinguiding,andcomposureinbearingwithherhusband,andtoacknowledgethatitwasalldoneverywell.shehadalsotoanticipatehowhervisitwouldpass,thequiettenoroftheirusualemployments,thevexatiousinterruptionsofmr.collins,andthegaietiesoftheirintercoursewithrosings.alivelyimaginationsoonsettleditall.

aboutthemiddleofthenextday,asshewasinherroomgettingreadyforawalk,asuddennoisebelowseemedtospeakthewholehouseinconfusion;andafterlisteningamoment,sheheardsomebodyrunningupstairsinaviolenthurry,andcallingloudlyafterher.sheopenedthedoor,andmetmariainthelandingplace,who,breathlesswithagitation,criedout,

"oh,mydeareliza!praymakehasteandcomeintothedining-room,forthereissuchasighttobeseen!iwillnottellyouwhatitis.makehaste,andcomedownthismoment."

elizabethaskedquestionsinvain;mariawouldtellhernothingmore,anddowntheyranintothedining-room,whichfrontedthelane,inquestofthiswonder;itwastwoladiesstoppinginalowphaetonatthegardengate.

"andisthisall?"criedelizabeth."iexpectedatleastthatthepigsweregotintothegarden,andhereisnothingbutladycatherineandherdaughter!"

"la!mydear,"saidmariaquiteshockedatthemistake,"itisnotladycatherine.theoldladyismrs.jenkinson,wholiveswiththem.theotherismissdebourgh.onlylookather.sheisquitealittlecreature.whowouldhavethoughtshecouldbesothinandsmall!"

"sheisabominablyrudetokeepcharlotteoutofdoorsinallthiswind.whydoesshenotcomein?"

"oh!charlottesays,shehardlyeverdoes.itisthegreatestoffavourswhenmissdebourghcomesin."

"ilikeherappearance,"saidelizabeth,struckwithotherideas."shelookssicklyandcross.—yes,shewilldoforhimverywell.shewillmakehimaveryproperwife."

mr.collinsandcharlottewerebothstandingatthegateinconversationwiththeladies;andsirwilliam,toelizabeth'shighpersion,wasstationedinthedoorway,inearnestcontemplationofthegreatnessbeforehim,andconstantlybowingwhenevermissdebourghlookedthatway.

atlengththerewasnothingmoretobesaid;theladiesdroveon,andtheothersreturnedintothehouse.mr.collinsnosoonersawthetwogirlsthanhebegantocongratulatethemontheirgoodfortune,whichcharlotteexplainedbylettingthemknowthatthewholepartywasaskedtodineatrosingsthenextday.