Chapter 52 309
" You certainly do ," she replied with a smile ; " but it does not follow that the interruption must be unwelcome ."
" I should be sorry indeed , if it were . We were always good friends ; and now we are better ."
" True . Are the others coming out ?"
" I do not know . Mrs . Bennet and Lydia are going in the carriage to Meryton . And so , my dear sister , I find , from our uncle and aunt , that you have actually seen Pemberley ."
She replied in the affirmative .
" I almost envy you the pleasure , and yet I believe it would be too much for me , or else I could take it in my way to Newcastle . And you saw the old housekeeper , I suppose ? Poor Reynolds , she was always very fond of me . But of course she did not mention my name to you ."
" Yes , she did ." " And what did she say ?"
" That you were gone into the army , and she was afraid had--not turned out well . At such a distance as that , you know , things are strangely misrepresented ."
" Certainly ," he replied , biting his lips . Elizabeth hoped she had silenced him ; but he soon afterwards said :
" I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month . We passed each other several times . I wonder what he can be doing there ."
" Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss de Bourgh ," said Elizabeth . " It must be something particular , to take him there at this time of year ."