“Indeed,you are mistaken,Madam.I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here.”
As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner:―
Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling.But no letter appeared,and she was completely puzzled. Mrs. Bennet, with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment; but Lady Catherine very resolutely, and not very politely,declined eating anything;and then,rising up,said to Elizabeth,
“Go, my dear,”cried her mother,“and show her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage.”
“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?”
“Yes, madam,”said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to Lady Catherine.“She is my youngest girl but one.My youngest of all is lately married,and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who,I believe,will soon become a part of the family.”
They were of course all intending to be surprised;but their astonishment was beyond their expectation;and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt.