"I say no more than the truth, and everybody will say that knows him," replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far; and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added, "I have never known a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old."

     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."

     "Yes, sir, I know I am. If I were to go through the world, I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed, that they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world."

     Elizabeth almost stared at her. "Can this be Mr. Darcy?" thought she.

     "His father was an excellent man," said Mrs. Gardiner.

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