Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 43

Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance

of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at

length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high

flutter.

The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground.

They entered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some

time through a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent.

Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and

admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They

gradually ascended for half-a-mile, and then found themselves

at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased,

and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated

on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some

abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome stone building,

standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high

woody hills; and in front, a stream of some natural importance

was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance.

Its banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth

was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature

had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little

counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm

in their admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be

mistress of Pemberley might be something!

They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the

door; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all

her apprehension of meeting its owner returned. She dreaded

lest the chambermaid had been mistaken. On applying to see

the place, they were admitted into the hall; and Elizabeth, as

they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure to wonder at her

being where she was.

The housekeeper came; a respectable-looking elderly woman,

much less fine, and more civil, than she had any notion of

finding her. They followed her into the dining-parlour.

It was a large, well proportioned room, handsomely fitted up.

Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, went to a window to enjoy

its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, which they had

descended, receiving increased abruptness from the distance,

was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the ground was

good; and she looked on the whole scene, the river, the trees

scattered on its banks and the winding of the valley, as far as

she could trace it, with delight. As they passed into other

rooms these objects were taking different positions; but from