第92章（第1 / 2页）

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.

“He is the best landlord,and the best master,”said she,“that ever lived; not like the wild young men nowadays, who think of nothing but themselves.There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name. Some people call him proud;but I am sure I never saw anything of it.To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men.”

“In what an amiable light does this place him!”thought Elizabeth.

“If your master would marry,you might see more of him.”

“Yes,sir;but I do not know when that will be.I do not know who is good enough for him.”

Mr.and Mrs.Gardiner smiled.Elizabeth could not help saying,“It is very much to his credit,I am sure,that you should think so.”

“I say no more than the truth, and everybody will say that knows him,”replied the other.Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far;and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added,“I have never known a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old.”

This was praise,of all others most extraordinary,most opposite to her ideas.That he was not a good-tempered man had been her firmest opinion.Her keenest attention was awakened;she longed to hear more,and was grateful to her uncle for saying:

“There are very few people of whom so much can be said.You are lucky in having such a master.”

“Yes,sir,I know I am.If I were to go through the world,I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed, that they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world.”

Elizabeth almost stared at her.“Can this be Mr. Darcy?”thought she.

“His father was an excellent man,”said Mrs.Gardiner.

“Yes, ma'am, that he was indeed; and his son will be just like him—just as affable to the poor.”