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He then asked her to walk into the house--but she declared

herself not tired, and they stood together on the lawn. At such a

time much might have been said, and silence was very awkward. She

wanted to talk, but there seemed an embargo on every subject. At

last she recollected that she had been travelling, and they

talked of Matlock and Dovedale with great perseverance. Yet time

and her aunt moved slowly--and her patience and her ideas were

nearly worn out before the tete-a-tete was over.

On Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's coming up they were all pressed to go

into the house and take some refreshment; but this was declined,

and they parted on each side with the utmost politeness. Mr.

Darcy handed the ladies into the carriage; and when it drove off,

Elizabeth saw him walking slowly towards the house.

The observations of her uncle and aunt now began; and each of

them pronounced him to be infinitely superior to anything they

had expected.