She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious,made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutation than a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word.Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance,though no request of introduction had been made.
Mrs.Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added:
Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting-woman was in it.They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse; Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who was now more than usually insolent and disagreeable.
“And that I suppose is one of your sisters.”
“At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted.”
“Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,”said Elizabeth coolly,“will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed, such a report is in existence.”
“If!Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it?Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves?Do you not know that such a report is spread abroad?”