Chapter 49

           TwodaysafterMr.Bennet’sreturn,asJaneandElizabethwerewalkingtogetherintheshrubberybehindthehouse,theysawthehousekeepercomingtowardsthem,and,concludingthatshecametocallthemtotheirmother,wentforwardtomeether; but,insteadoftheexpectedsummons,whentheyapproachedher,shesaidtoMissBennet, "Ibegyourpardon,madam,forinterruptingyou,butIwasinhopesyoumighthavegotsomegoodnewsfromtown,soItookthelibertyofcomingtoask." 

           "Whatdoyoumean,Hill?Wehaveheardnothingfromtown." 

           "Dearmadam,"criedMrs.Hill,ingreatastonishment,"don’tyouknowthereisanexpresscomeformasterfromMr.Gardiner? Hehasbeenherethishalf-hour,andmasterhashadaletter." 

           Awayranthegirls,tooeagertogetintohavetimeforspeech. Theyranthroughthevestibuleintothebreakfast-room;fromthencetothelibrary;theirfatherwasinneither;andtheywereonthepointofseekinghimupstairswiththeirmother,whentheyweremetbythebutler,whosaid: 

           "Ifyouarelookingformymaster,ma’am,heiswalkingtowardsthelittlecopse." 

           Uponthisinformation,theyinstantlypassedthroughthehalloncemore,andranacrossthelawnaftertheirfather,whowasdeliberatelypursuinghiswaytowardsasmallwoodononesideofthepaddock. 

           Jane,whowasnotsolightnorsomuchinthehabitofrunningasElizabeth,soonlaggedbehind,whilehersister,pantingforbreath,cameupwithhim,andeagerlycriedout: 

           "Oh,papa,whatnews—whatnews?Haveyouheardfrommyuncle?"