Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of the valley, into which

the road with{302} 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, from

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{303} from every window there were beauties

to be seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture