waiting-woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk

that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for

conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and

disagreeable.

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“After a short survey”

[Copyright 1894 by George Allen.]

{435}
“How could I ever think her like her nephew?” said she, as she looked in

her face.
As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following

manner:—
“You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my

journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I

come.”
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.
“Indeed, you are mistaken, madam; I have not been at all able to account

for the honour of seeing you here.”
“Miss Bennet,” replied her Ladyship, in an angry tone, “you ought to

know that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may

choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been

celebrated for its sincerity and frankness; and in a cause of such

moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most

alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told, that not only your

sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that

you—that Miss Elizabeth Bennet would, in all likelihood, be soon

afterwards united to my nephew—my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I

know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him

so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on

setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to

you.”
“If you believed it impossible to be true,” said Elizabeth, colouring

with astonishment and disdain, “I wonder you took the trouble of coming

so far. What could your Ladyship propose by it?”
“At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted.{436}”
“Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,” said Elizabeth