Chapter 43 237
On reaching the spacious lobby above they were shown into a very pretty sitting-room , lately fitted up with greater elegance and lightness than the apartments below ; and were informed that it was but just done to give pleasure to Miss Darcy , who had taken a liking to the room when last at Pemberley .
" He is certainly a good brother ," said Elizabeth , as she walked towards one of the windows .
Mrs . Reynolds anticipated Miss Darcy ' s delight , when she should enter the room . " And this is always the way with him ," she added . " Whatever can give his sister any pleasure is sure to be done in a moment . There is nothing he would not do for her ."
The picture-gallery , and two or three of the principal bedrooms , were all that remained to be shown . In the former were many good paintings ; but Elizabeth knew nothing of the art ; and from such as had been already visible below , she had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcy ' s , in crayons , whose subjects were usually more interesting , and also more intelligible .
In the gallery there were many family portraits , but they could have little to fix the attention of a stranger . Elizabeth walked in quest of the only face whose features would be known to her . At last it arrested her--and she beheld a striking resemblance to Mr . Darcy , with such a smile over the face as she remembered to have sometimes seen when he looked at her . She stood several minutes before the picture , in earnest contemplation , and returned to it again before they quitted the gallery . Mrs . Reynolds informed them that it had been taken in his father ' s lifetime .
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