onemorning,aboutaweekafterbingley'sengagementwithjanehadbeenformed,asheandthefemalesofthefamilyweresittingtogetherinthediningroom,theirattentionwassuddenlydrawntothewindow,bythesoundofacarriage;andtheyperceivedachaiseandfourdrivingupthelawn.itwastooearlyinthemorningforvisitors,andbesides,theequipagedidnotanswertothatofanyoftheirneighbours.thehorseswerepost;andneitherthecarriage,northeliveryoftheservantwhoprecededit,werefamiliartothem.asitwascertain,however,thatsomebodywascoming,bingleyinstantlyprevailedonmissbennettoavoidtheconfinementofsuchanintrusion,andwalkawaywithhimintotheshrubbery.theybothsetoff,andtheconjecturesoftheremainingthreecontinued,thoughwithlittlesatisfaction,tillthedoorwasthrownopenandtheirvisitorentered.itwasladycatherinedebourgh.

theywereofcourseallintendingtobesurprised;buttheirastonishmentwasbeyondtheirexpectation;andonthepartofmrs.bennetandkitty,thoughshewasperfectlyunknowntothem,eveninferiortowhatelizabethfelt.

sheenteredtheroomwithanairmorethanusuallyungracious,madenootherreplytoelizabeth'ssalutationthanaslightinclinationofthehead,andsatdownwithoutsayingaword.elizabethhadmentionedhernametohermotheronherladyship'sentrance,thoughnorequestofintroductionhadbeenmade.

mrs.bennet,allamazement,thoughflatteredbyhavingaguestofsuchhighimportance,receivedherwiththeutmostpoliteness.aftersittingforamomentinsilence,shesaidverystifflytoelizabeth,"ihopeyouarewell,missbennet.thatlady,isuppose,isyourmother."

elizabethrepliedveryconciselythatshewas.

"andthatisupposeisoneofyoursisters."

"yes,madam,"saidmrs.bennet,delightedtospeaktoaladycatherine."sheismyyoungestgirlbutone.myyoungestofallislatelymarried,andmyeldestissomewhereaboutthegrounds,walkingwithayoungmanwho,ibelieve,willsoonbecomeapartofthefamily."

"youhaveaverysmallparkhere,"returnedladycatherineafterashortsilence.

"itisnothingincomparisonofrosings,mylady,idaresay;butiassureyouitismuchlargerthansirwilliamlucas's."

"thismustbeamostinconvenientsittingroomfortheevening,insummer;thewindowsarefullwest."

mrs.bennetassuredherthattheyneversatthereafterdinner,andthenadded,

"mayitakethelibertyofaskingyourladyshipwhetheryouleftmr.andmrs.collinswell."

"yes,verywell.isawthemthenightbeforelast."

elizabethnowexpectedthatshewouldproducealetterforherfromcharlotte,asitseemedtheonlyprobablemotiveforhercalling.butnoletterappeared,andshewascompletelypuzzled.

mrs.bennet,withgreatcivility,beggedherladyshiptotakesomerefreshment;butladycatherineveryresolutely,andnotverypolitely,declinedeatinganything;andthen,risingup,saidtoelizabeth,"missbennet,thereseemedtobeaprettyishkindofalittlewildernessononesideofyourlawn.ishouldbegladtotakeaturninit,ifyouwillfavourmewithyourcompany."

"go,mydear,"criedhermother,"andshewherladyshipaboutthedifferentwalks.ithinkshewillbepleasedwiththehermitage."

elizabethobeyed,andrunningintoherownroomforherparasol,attendedhernobleguestdownstairs.astheypassedthroughthehall,ladycatherineopenedthedoorsintothedining-parlouranddrawing-room,andpronouncingthem,afterashortsurvey,tobedecentlookingrooms,walkedon.

hercarriageremainedatthedoor,andelizabethsawthatherwaiting-womanwasinit.theyproceededinsilencealongthegravelwalkthatledtothecopse;elizabethwasdeterminedtomakenoeffortforconversationwithawomanwhowasnowmorethanusuallyinsolentanddisagreeable.

"howcouldieverthinkherlikehernephew?"saidshe,asshelookedinherface.

assoonastheyenteredthecopse,ladycatherinebeganinthefollowingmanner:

"youcanbeatnoloss,missbennet,tounderstandthereasonofmyjourneyhither.yourownheart,yourownconscience,musttellyouwhyicome."

elizabethlookedwithunaffectedastonishment.

"indeed,youaremistaken,madam.ihavenotbeenatallabletoaccountforthehonourofseeingyouhere."

"missbennet,"repliedherladyship,inanangrytone,"yououghttoknow,thatiamnottobetrifledwith.buthoweverinsincereyoumaychoosetobe,youshallnotfindmeso.mycharacterhaseverbeencelebratedforitssincerityandfrankness,andinacauseofsuchmomentasthis,ishallcertainlynotdepartfromit.areportofamostalarmingnaturereachedmetwodaysago.iwastoldthatnotonlyyoursisterwasonthepointofbeingmostadvantageouslymarried,butthatyou,thatmisselizabethbennet,would,inalllikelihood,besoonafterwardsunitedtomynephew,myownnephew,mr.darcy.thoughiknowitmustbeascandalousfalsehood,thoughiwouldnotinjurehimsomuchastosupposethetruthofitpossible,iinstantlyresolvedonsettingoffforthisplace,thatimightmakemysentimentsknowntoyou."

"ifyoubelieveditimpossibletobetrue,"saidelizabeth,colouringwithastonishmentanddisdain,"iwonderyoutookthetroubleofcomingsofar.whatcouldyourladyshipproposebyit?"

"atoncetoinsistuponhavingsuchareportuniversallycontradicted."

"yourcomingtolongbourn,toseemeandmyfamily,"saidelizabethcoolly,"willberatheraconfirmationofit;if,indeed,suchareportisinexistence."

"if!doyouthenpretendtobeignorantofit?hasitnotbeenindustriouslycirculatedbyyourselves?doyounotknowthatsuchareportisspreadabroad?"

"ineverheardthatitwas."

"andcanyoulikewisedeclare,thatthereisnofoundationforit?"

"idonotpretendtopossessequalfranknesswithyourladyship.youmayaskquestionswhichishallnotchoosetoanswer."

"thisisnottobeborne.missbennet,iinsistonbeingsatisfied.hashe,hasmynephew,madeyouanofferofmarriage?"

"yourladyshiphasdeclaredittobeimpossible."

"itoughttobeso;itmustbeso,whileheretainstheuseofhisreason.butyourartsandallurementsmay,inamomentofinfatuation,havemadehimforgetwhatheowestohimselfandtoallhisfamily.youmayhavedrawnhimin."

"ifihave,ishallbethelastpersontoconfessit."

"missbennet,doyouknowwhoiam?ihavenotbeenaccustomedtosuchlanguageasthis.iamalmostthenearestrelationhehasintheworld,andamentitledtoknowallhisdearestconcerns."