第92章[第3頁/共6頁]

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.”

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

When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen, they returned downstairs, and, taking leave of the housekeeper,were consigned over to the gardener,who met them at the hall-door.

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

There was certainly at this moment,in Elizabeth's mind,a more gentle sensation towards the original than she had ever felt at the height of their acquaintance.The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs.Reynolds was of no trifling nature.What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant?As a brother,a landlord,a master,she considered how many people's happiness were in his guardianship!―how much of pleasure or pain was it in his power to bestow!―how much of good or evil must be done by him! Every idea that had been brought forward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character,and as she stood before the canvas on which he was represented, and fixed his eyes upon herself, she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude than it had ever raised before;she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety of expression.