him,” replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far;

and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added,

“I have never had 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{306} 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.”
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 now-a-days, 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.”