Jane Austen
Pride and Prejudice
Volume I
Chapter I
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a
good fortune must be in want of a wife
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first
entering a neighbourhood this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the
surrounding families that he is considered as the rightful property of some one
or other of their daughters
»My dear Mr Bennet« said his lady to him one day »have you heard that
Netherfield Park is let at last«
Mr Bennet replied that he had not
»But it is« returned she »for Mrs Long has just been here and she told
me all about it«
Mr Bennet made no answer
»Do not you want to know who has taken it« cried his wife impatiently
»You want to tell me and I have no objection to hearing it«
This was invitation enough
»Why my dear you must know Mrs Long says that Netherfield is taken by a
young man of large fortune from the north of England that he came down on
Monday in a chaise and four to see the place and was so much delighted with it
that he agreed with Mr Morris immediately that he is to take possession before
Michaelmas and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next
week«
»What is his name«
»Bingley«
»Is he married or single«
»Oh single my dear to be sure A single man of large fortune four or
five thousand a year What a fine thing for our girls«
»How so how can it affect them«
»My dear Mr Bennet« replied his wife »how can you be so tiresome You
must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them«
»Is that his design in settling here«
»Design nonsense how can you talk so But it is very likely that he may
fall in love with one of them and therefore you must visit him as soon as he
comes«
»I see no occasion for that You and the girls may go or you may send them
by themselves which perhaps will be still better for as you are as handsome as
any of them Mr Bingley might like you the best of the party«
»My dear you flatter me I certainly have had my share of beauty but I do
not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now When a woman has five grown up
daughters she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty«
»In such cases a woman has not often much beauty to think of«
»But my dear you must indeed go and see Mr Bingley when he comes into the
neighbourhood«
»It is more than I engage for I assure you«
»But consider your daughters Only think what an establishment it would be
for one of them Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go merely on that
account for in general you know they visit no new comers Indeed you must go
for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not«
»You are over scrupulous surely I dare say Mr Bingley will be very glad to
see you and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent
to his marrying which ever he chuses of the girls though I must throw in a good
word for my little Lizzy«
»I desire you will do no such thing Lizzy is not a bit better than the
others and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane nor half so good
humoured as Lydia But you are always giving her the preference«
»They have none of them much to recommend them« replied he »they are all
silly and ignorant like other girls but Lizzy has something more of quickness
than her sisters«
»Mr Bennet how can you abuse your own children in such a way You take
delight in vexing me You have no compassion on my poor nerves«
»You mistake me my dear I have a high respect for your nerves They are my
old friends I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years
at least«
»Ah you do not know what I suffer«
»But I hope you will get over it and live to see many young men of four
thousand a year come into the neighbourhood«
»It will be no use to us if twenty such should come since you will not
visit them«
»Depend upon it my dear that when there are twenty I will visit them
all«
Mr Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts sarcastic humour reserve
and caprice that the experience of three and twenty years had been insufficient
to make his wife understand his character Her mind was less difficult to
develope She was a woman of mean understanding little information and
uncertain temper When she was discontented she fancied herself nervous The
business of her life was to get her daughters married its solace was visiting
and news
Chapter II
Mr Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr Bingley He had
always intended to visit him though to the last always assuring his wife that
he should not go and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no
knowledge of it It was then disclosed in the following manner Observing his
second daughter employed in trimming a hat he suddenly addressed her with
»I hope Mr Bingley will like it Lizzy«
»We are not in a way to know what Mr Bingley likes« said her mother
resentfully »since we are not to visit«
»But you forget mama« said Elizabeth »that we shall meet him at the
assemblies and that Mrs Long has promised to introduce him«
»I do not believe Mrs Long will do any such thing She has two neices of
her own She is a selfish hypocritical woman and I have no opinion of her«
»No more have I« said Mr Bennet »and I am glad to find that you do not
depend on her serving you«
Mrs Bennet deigned not to make any reply but unable to contain herself
began scolding one of her daughters
»Dont keep coughing so Kitty for heavens sake Have a little compassion
on my nerves You tear them to pieces«
»Kitty has no discretion in her coughs« said her father »she times them
ill«
»I do not cough for my own amusement« replied Kitty fretfully
»When is your next ball to be Lizzy«
»Tomorrow fortnight«
»Aye so it is« cried her mother »and Mrs Long does not come back till
the day before so it will be impossible for her to introduce him for she will
not know him herself«
»Then my dear you may have the advantage of your friend and introduce Mr
Bingley to her«
»Impossible Mr Bennet impossible when I am not acquainted with him
myself how can you be so teazing«
»I honour your circumspection A fortnights acquaintance is certainly very
little One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight But if
we do not venture somebody else will and after all Mrs Long and her neices
must stand their chance and therefore as she will think it an act of kindness
if you decline the office I will take it on myself«
The girls stared at their father Mrs Bennet said only »Nonsense
nonsense«
»What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation« cried he »Do you
consider the forms of introduction and the stress that is laid on them as
nonsense I cannot quite agree with you there What say you Mary for you are a
young lady of deep reflection I know and read great books and make extracts«
Mary wished to say something very sensible but knew not how
»While Mary is adjusting her ideas« he continued »let us return to Mr
Bingley«
»I am sick of Mr Bingley« cried his wife
»I am sorry to hear that but why did not you tell me so before If I had
known as much this morning I certainly would not have called on him It is very
unlucky but as I have actually paid the visit we cannot escape the
acquaintance now«
The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished that of Mrs Bennet
perhaps surpassing the rest though when the first tumult of joy was over she
began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while
»How good it was in you my dear Mr Bennet But I knew I should persuade
you at last I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an
acquaintance Well how pleased I am and it is such a good joke too that you
should have gone this morning and never said a word about it till now«
»Now Kitty you may cough as much as you chuse« said Mr Bennet and as
he spoke he left the room fatigued with the raptures of his wife
»What an excellent father you have girls« said she when the door was
shut »I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness or me
either for that matter At our time of life it is not so pleasant I can tell
you to be making new acquaintance every day but for your sakes we would do
any thing Lydia my love though you are the youngest I dare say Mr Bingley
will dance with you at the next ball«
»Oh« said Lydia stoutly »I am not afraid for though I am the youngest
Im the tallest«
The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return
Mr Bennets visit and determining when they should ask him to dinner
Chapter III
Not all that Mrs Bennet however with the assistance of her five daughters
could ask on the subject was sufficient to draw from her husband any
satisfactory description of Mr Bingley They attacked him in various ways with
barefaced questions ingenious suppositions and distant surmises but he eluded
the skill of them all and they were at last obliged to accept the secondhand
intelligence of their neighbour Lady Lucas Her report was highly favourable
Sir William had been delighted with him He was quite young wonderfully
handsome extremely agreeable and to crown the whole he meant to be at the
next assembly with a large party Nothing could be more delightful To be fond
of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love and very lively hopes of
Mr Bingleys heart were entertained
»If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield« said
Mrs Bennet to her husband »and all the others equally well married I shall
have nothing to wish for«
In a few days Mr Bingley returned Mr Bennets visit and sat about ten
minutes with him in his library He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a
sight of the young ladies of whose beauty he had heard much but he saw only
the father The ladies were somewhat more fortunate for they had the advantage
of ascertaining from an upper window that he wore a blue coat and rode a black
horse
An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched and already had Mrs
Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping when an
answer arrived which deferred it all Mr Bingley was obliged to be in town the
following day and consequently unable to accept the honour of their invitation
etc Mrs Bennet was quite disconcerted She could not imagine what business he
could have in town so soon after his arrival in Hertfordshire and she began to
fear that he might be always flying about from one place to another and never
settled at Netherfield as he ought to be Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little
by starting the idea of his being gone to London only to get a large party for
the ball and a report soon followed that Mr Bingley was to bring twelve ladies
and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly The girls grieved over such a
number of ladies but were comforted the day before the ball by hearing that
instead of twelve he had brought only six with him from London his five
sisters and a cousin And when the party entered the assembly room it consisted
of only five altogether Mr Bingley his two sisters the husband of the
eldest and another young man
Mr Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike he had a pleasant
countenance and easy unaffected manners His sisters were fine women with an
air of decided fashion His brotherinlaw Mr Hurst merely looked the
gentleman but his friend Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his
fine tall person handsome features noble mien and the report which was in
general circulation within five minutes after his entrance of his having ten
thousand a year The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man the
ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr Bingley and he was looked at
with great admiration for about half the evening till his manners gave a
disgust which turned the tide of his popularity for he was discovered to be
proud to be above his company and above being pleased and not all his large
estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding
disagreeable countenance and being unworthy to be compared with his friend
Mr Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people
in the room he was lively and unreserved danced every dance was angry that
the ball closed so early and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield Such
amiable qualities must speak for themselves What a contrast between him and his
friend Mr Darcy danced only once with Mrs Hurst and once with Miss Bingley
declined being introduced to any other lady and spent the rest of the evening
in walking about the room speaking occasionally to one of his own party His
character was decided He was the proudest most disagreeable man in the world
and every body hoped that he would never come there again Amongst the most
violent against him was Mrs Bennet whose dislike of his general behaviour was
sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her
daughters
Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged by the scarcity of gentlemen to sit down
for two dances and during part of that time Mr Darcy had been standing near
enough for her to overhear a conversation between him and Mr Bingley who came
from the dance for a few minutes to press his friend to join it
»Come Darcy« said he »I must have you dance I hate to see you standing
about by yourself in this stupid manner You had much better dance«
»I certainly shall not You know how I detest it unless I am particularly
acquainted with my partner At such an assembly as this it would be
insupportable Your sisters are engaged and there is not another woman in the
room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with«
»I would not be so fastidious as you are« cried Bingley »for a kingdom
Upon my honour I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life as I have
this evening and there are several of them you see uncommonly pretty«
»You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room« said Mr Darcy
looking at the eldest Miss Bennet
»Oh she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld But there is one of
her sisters sitting down just behind you who is very pretty and I dare say
very agreeable Do let me ask my partner to introduce you«
»Which do you mean« and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth
till catching her eye he withdrew his own and coldly said »She is tolerable
but not handsome enough to tempt me and I am in no humour at present to give
consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men You had better return
to your partner and enjoy her smiles for you are wasting your time with me«
Mr Bingley followed his advice Mr Darcy walked off and Elizabeth
remained with no very cordial feelings towards him She told the story however
with great spirit among her friends for she had a lively playful disposition
which delighted in any thing ridiculous
The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family Mrs
Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield party Mr
Bingley had danced with her twice and she had been distinguished by his
sisters Jane was as much gratified by this as her mother could be though in a
quieter way Elizabeth felt Janes pleasure Mary had heard herself mentioned to
Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in the neighbourhood and Catherine
and Lydia had been fortunate enough to be never without partners which was all
that they had yet learnt to care for at a ball They returned therefore in good
spirits to Longbourn the village where they lived and of which they were the
principal inhabitants They found Mr Bennet still up With a book he was
regardless of time and on the present occasion he had a good deal of curiosity
as to the event of an evening which had raised such splendid expectations He
had rather hoped that all his wifes views on the stranger would be
disappointed but he soon found that he had a very different story to hear
»Oh my dear Mr Bennet« as she entered the room »we have had a most
delightful evening a most excellent ball I wish you had been there Jane was
so admired nothing could be like it Every body said how well she looked and
Mr Bingley thought her quite beautiful and danced with her twice Only think
of that my dear he actually danced with her twice and she was the only
creature in the room that he asked a second time First of all he asked Miss
Lucas I was so vexed to see him stand up with her but however he did not
admire her at all indeed nobody can you know and he seemed quite struck with
Jane as she was going down the dance So he enquired who she was and got
introduced and asked her for the two next Then the two third he danced with
Miss King and the two fourth with Maria Lucas and the two fifth with Jane
again and the two sixth with Lizzy and the Boulanger «
»If he had had any compassion for me« cried her husband impatiently »he
would not have danced half so much For Gods sake say no more of his partners
Oh that he had sprained his ancle in the first dance«
»Oh my dear« continued Mrs Bennet »I am quite delighted with him He is
so excessively handsome and his sisters are charming women I never in my life
saw any thing more elegant than their dresses I dare say the lace upon Mrs
Hursts gown «
Here she was interrupted again Mr Bennet protested against any description
of finery She was therefore obliged to seek another branch of the subject and
related with much bitterness of spirit and some exaggeration the shocking
rudeness of Mr Darcy
»But I can assure you« she added »that Lizzy does not lose much by not
suiting his fancy for he is a most disagreeable horrid man not at all worth
pleasing So high and so conceited that there was no enduring him He walked
here and he walked there fancying himself so very great Not handsome enough
to dance with I wish you had been there my dear to have given him one of your
set downs I quite detest the man«
Chapter IV
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone the former who had been cautious in her
praise of Mr Bingley before expressed to her sister how very much she admired
him
»He is just what a young man ought to be« said she »sensible good
humoured lively and I never saw such happy manners so much ease with such
perfect good breeding«
»He is also handsome« replied Elizabeth »which a young man ought likewise
to be if he possibly can His character is thereby complete«
»I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time I did
not expect such a compliment«
»Did not you I did for you But that is one great difference between us
Compliments always take you by surprise and me never What could be more
natural than his asking you again He could not help seeing that you were about
five times as pretty as every other woman in the room No thanks to his
gallantry for that Well he certainly is very agreeable and I give you leave
to like him You have liked many a stupider person«
»Dear Lizzy«
»Oh you are a great deal too apt you know to like people in general You
never see a fault in any body All the world are good and agreeable in your
eyes I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life«
»I would wish not to be hasty in censuring any one but I always speak what
I think«
»I know you do and it is that which makes the wonder With your good sense
to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others Affectation of
candour is common enough one meets it every where But to be candid without
ostentation or design to take the good of every bodys character and make it
still better and say nothing of the bad belongs to you alone And so you
like this mans sisters too do you Their manners are not equal to his«
»Certainly not at first But they are very pleasing women when you converse
with them Miss Bingley is to live with her brother and keep his house and I am
much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming neighbour in her«
Elizabeth listened in silence but was not convinced their behaviour at the
assembly had not been calculated to please in general and with more quickness
of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister and with a judgment
too unassailed by any attention to herself she was very little disposed to
approve them They were in fact very fine ladies not deficient in good humour
when they were pleased nor in the power of being agreeable where they chose it
but proud and conceited They were rather handsome had been educated in one of
the first private seminaries in town had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds
were in the habit of spending more than they ought and of associating with
people of rank and were therefore in every respect entitled to think well of
themselves and meanly of others They were of a respectable family in the north
of England a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories than that
their brothers fortune and their own had been acquired by trade
Mr Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly an hundred thousand
pounds from his father who had intended to purchase an estate but did not live
to do it Mr Bingley intended it likewise and sometimes made choice of his
county but as he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor
it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper
whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield and leave
the next generation to purchase
His sisters were very anxious for his having an estate of his own but
though he was now established only as a tenant Miss Bingley was by no means
unwilling to preside at his table nor was Mrs Hurst who had married a man of
more fashion than fortune less disposed to consider his house as her home when
it suited her Mr Bingley had not been of age two years when he was tempted by
an accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House He did look at it and
into it for half an hour was pleased with the situation and the principal
rooms satisfied with what the owner said in its praise and took it
immediately
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship in spite of a
great opposition of character Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness
openness ductility of his temper though no disposition could offer a greater
contrast to his own and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied On
the strength of Darcys regard Bingley had the firmest reliance and of his
judgment the highest opinion In understanding Darcy was the superior Bingley
was by no means deficient but Darcy was clever He was at the same time
haughty reserved and fastidious and his manners though well bred were not
inviting In that respect his friend had greatly the advantage Bingley was sure
of being liked wherever he appeared Darcy was continually giving offence
The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently
characteristic Bingley had never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls
in his life every body had been most kind and attentive to him there had been
no formality no stiffness he had soon felt acquainted with all the room and
as to Miss Bennet he could not conceive an angel more beautiful Darcy on the
contrary had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no
fashion for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest and from none
received either attention or pleasure Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty
but she smiled too much
Mrs Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so but still they admired her
and liked her and pronounced her to be a sweet girl and one whom they should
not object to know more of Miss Bennet was therefore established as a sweet
girl and their brother felt authorised by such commendation to think of her as
he chose
Chapter V
Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were
particularly intimate Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton
where he had made a tolerable fortune and risen to the honour of knighthood by
an address to the King during his mayoralty The distinction had perhaps been
felt too strongly It had given him a disgust to his business and to his
residence in a small market town and quitting them both he had removed with
his family to a house about a mile from Meryton denominated from that period
Lucas Lodge where he could think with pleasure of his own importance and
unshackled by business occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world
For though elated by his rank it did not render him supercilious on the
contrary he was all attention to every body By nature inoffensive friendly
and obliging his presentation at St Jamess had made him courteous
Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman not too clever to be a valuable
neighbour to Mrs Bennet They had several children The eldest of them a
sensible intelligent young woman about twentyseven was Elizabeths intimate
friend
That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball
was absolutely necessary and the morning after the assembly brought the former
to Longbourn to hear and to communicate
»You began the evening well Charlotte« said Mrs Bennet with civil
selfcommand to Miss Lucas »You were Mr Bingleys first choice«
»Yes but he seemed to like his second better«
»Oh you mean Jane I suppose because he danced with her twice To be
sure that did seem as if he admired her indeed I rather believe he did I
heard something about it but I hardly know what something about Mr
Robinson«
»Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr Robinson did not I
mention it to you Mr Robinsons asking him how he liked our Meryton
assemblies and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in
the room and which he thought the prettiest and his answering immediately to
the last question Oh the eldest Miss Bennet beyond a doubt there cannot be
two opinions on that point«
»Upon my word Well that was very decided indeed that does seem as if
but however it may all come to nothing you know«
»My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours Eliza« said
Charlotte »Mr Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend is he
Poor Eliza to be only just tolerable«
»I beg you would not put it into Lizzys head to be vexed by his
illtreatment for he is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a
misfortune to be liked by him Mrs Long told me last night that he sat close to
her for half an hour without once opening his lips«
»Are you quite sure Maam is not there a little mistake« said Jane
»I certainly saw Mr Darcy speaking to her«
»Aye because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield and he could
not help answering her but she said he seemed very angry at being spoke to«
»Miss Bingley told me« said Jane »that he never speaks much unless among
his intimate acquaintance With them he is remarkably agreeable«
»I do not believe a word of it my dear If he had been so very agreeable he
would have talked to Mrs Long But I can guess how it was every body says that
he is ate up with pride and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs Long does
not keep a carriage and had come to the ball in a hack chaise«
»I do not mind his not talking to Mrs Long« said Miss Lucas »but I wish
he had danced with Eliza«
»Another time Lizzy« said her mother »I would not dance with him if I
were you«
»I believe Maam I may safely promise you never to dance with him«
»His pride« said Miss Lucas »does not offend me so much as pride often
does because there is an excuse for it One cannot wonder that so very fine a
young man with family fortune every thing in his favour should think highly
of himself If I may so express it he has a right to be proud«
»That is very true« replied Elizabeth »and I could easily forgive his
pride if he had not mortified mine«
»Pride« observed Mary who piqued herself upon the solidity of her
reflections »is a very common failing I believe By all that I have ever read
I am convinced that it is very common indeed that human nature is particularly
prone to it and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of
selfcomplacency on the score of some quality or other real or imaginary
Vanity and pride are different things though the words are often used
synonimously A person may be proud without being vain Pride relates more to
our opinion of ourselves vanity to what we would have others think of us«
»If I were as rich as Mr Darcy« cried a young Lucas who came with his
sisters »I should not care how proud I was I would keep a pack of foxhounds
arid drink a bottle of wine every day«
»Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought« said Mrs Bennet
»and if I were to see you at it I should take away your bottle directly«
The boy protested that she should not she continued to declare that she
would and the argument ended only with the visit
Chapter VI
The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield The visit was
returned in due form Miss Bennets pleasing manners grew on the good will of
Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley and though the mother was found to be intolerable
and the younger sisters not worth speaking to a wish of being better acquainted
with them was expressed towards the two eldest By Jane this attention was
received with the greatest pleasure but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in
their treatment of every body hardly excepting even her sister and could not
like them though their kindness to Jane such as it was had a value as arising
in all probability from the influence of their brothers admiration It was
generally evident whenever they met that he did admire her and to her it was
equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to
entertain for him from the first and was in a way to be very much in love but
she considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the
world in general since Jane united with great strength of feeling a composure
of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which would guard her from the
suspicions of the impertinent She mentioned this to her friend Miss Lucas
»It may perhaps be pleasant« replied Charlotte »to be able to impose on
the public in such a case but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so very
guarded If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object
of it she may lose the opportunity of fixing him and it will then be but poor
consolation to believe the world equally in the dark There is so much of
gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment that it is not safe to leave any
to itself We can all begin freely a slight preference is natural enough but
there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without
encouragement In nine cases out of ten a woman had better shew more affection
than she feels Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly but he may never do more
than like her if she does not help him on«
»But she does help him on as much as her nature will allow If I can
perceive her regard for him he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it
too«
»Remember Eliza that he does not know Janes disposition as you do«
»But it a woman is partial to a man and does not endeavour to conceal it
he must find it out«
»Perhaps he must if he sees enough of her But though Bingley and Jane meet
tolerably often it is never for many hours together and as they always see
each other in large mixed parties it is impossible that every moment should be
employed in conversing together Jane should therefore make the most of every
half hour in which she can command his attention When she is secure of him
there will be leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses«
»Your plan is a good one« replied Elizabeth »where nothing is in question
but the desire of being well married and if I were determined to get a rich
husband or any husband I dare say I should adopt it But these are not Janes
feelings she is not acting by design As yet she cannot even be certain of the
degree of her own regard nor of its reasonableness She has known him only a
fortnight She danced four dances with him at Meryton she saw him one morning
at his own house and has since dined in company with him four times This is
not quite enough to make her understand his character«
»Not as you represent it Had she merely dined with him she might only have
discovered whether he had a good appetite but you must remember that four
evenings have been also spent together and four evenings may do a great deal«
»Yes these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like
Vingtun better than Commerce but with respect to any other leading
characteristic I do not imagine that much has been unfolded«
»Well« said Charlotte »I wish Jane success with all my heart and if she
were married to him tomorrow I should think she had as good a chance of
happiness as if she were to be studying his character for a twelvemonth
Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance If the dispositions of the
parties are ever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand it
does not advance their felicity in the least They always continue to grow
sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation and it is better
to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to
pass your life«
»You make me laugh Charlotte but it is not sound You know it is not
sound and that you would never act in this way yourself«
Occupied in observing Mr Bingleys attentions to her sister Elizabeth was
far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in
the eyes of his friend Mr Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be
pretty he bad looked at her without admiration at the ball and when they next
met he looked at her only to criticise But no sooner had he made it clear to
himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face than he
began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression
of her dark eyes To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying
Though be had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect
symmetry in her form he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and
pleasing and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the
fashionable world he was caught by their easy playfulness Of this she was
perfectly unaware to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable no
where and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with
He began to wish to know more of her and as a step towards conversing with
her himself attended to her conversation with others His doing so drew her
notice It was at Sir William Lucass where a large party were assembled
»What does Mr Darcy mean« said she to Charlotte »by listening to my
conversation with Colonel Forster«
»That is a question which Mr Darcy only can answer«
»But if he does it any more I shall certainly let him know that I see what
he is about He has a very satirical eye and if I do not begin by being
impertinent myself I shall soon grow afraid of him«
On his approaching them soon afterwards though without seeming to have any
intention of speaking Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention such a subject to
him which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do it she turned to him and said
»Did not you think Mr Darcy that I expressed myself uncommonly well just
now when I was teazing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton«
»With great energy but it is a subject which always makes a lady
energetic«
»You are severe on us«
»It will be her turn soon to be teazed« said Miss Lucas »I am going to
open the instrument Eliza and you know what follows«
»You are a very strange creature by way of a friend always wanting me to
play and sing before any body and every body If my vanity had taken a musical
turn you would have been invaluable but as it is I would really rather not
sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best
performers« On Miss Lucass persevering however she added »Very well if it
must be so it must« And gravely glancing at Mr Darcy »There is a fine old
saying which every body here is of course familiar with Keep your breath to
cool your porridge and I shall keep mine to swell my song«
Her performance was pleasing though by no means capital After a song or
two and before she could reply to the entreaties of several that she would sing
again she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her sister Mary who
having in consequence of being the only plain one in the family worked hard
for knowledge and accomplishments was always impatient for display
Mary had neither genius nor taste and though vanity had given her
application it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner
which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached
Elizabeth easy and unaffected had been listened to with much more pleasure
though not playing half so well and Mary at the end of a long concerto was
glad to purchase praise and gratitude by Scotch and Irish airs at the request
of her younger sisters who with some of the Lucases and two or three officers
joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room
Mr Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a mode of passing
the evening to the exclusion of all conversation and was too much engrossed by
his own thoughts to perceive that Sir William Lucas was his neighbour till Sir
William thus began
»What a charming amusement for young people this is Mr Darcy There is
nothing like dancing after all I consider it as one of the first refinements
of polished societies«
»Certainly Sir and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst
the less polished societies of the world Every savage can dance«
Sir William only smiled »Your friend performs delightfully« he continued
after a pause on seeing Bingley join the group »and I doubt not that you are
an adept in the science yourself Mr Darcy«
»You saw me dance at Meryton I believe Sir«
»Yes indeed and received no inconsiderable pleasure from the sight Do you
often dance at St Jamess«
»Never sir«
»Do you not think it would be a proper compliment to the place«
»It is a compliment which I never pay to any place if I can avoid it«
»You have a house in town I conclude«
Mr Darcy bowed
»I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself for I am fond of
superior society but I did not feel quite certain that the air of London would
agree with Lady Lucas«
He paused in hopes of an answer but his companion was not disposed to make
any and Elizabeth at that instant moving towards them he was struck with the
notion of doing a very gallant thing and called out to her
»My dear Miss Eliza why are not you dancing Mr Darcy you must allow me
to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner You cannot
refuse to dance I am sure when so much beauty is before you« And taking her
hand he would have given it to Mr Darcy who though extremely surprised was
not unwilling to receive it when she instantly drew back and said with some
discomposure to Sir William
»Indeed Sir I have not the least intention of dancing I entreat you not
to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner«
Mr Darcy with grave propriety requested to be allowed the honour of her
hand but in vain Elizabeth was determined nor did Sir William at all shake
her purpose by his attempt at persuasion
»You excel so much in the dance Miss Eliza that it is cruel to deny me the
happiness of seeing you and though this gentleman dislikes the amusement in
general he can have no objection I am sure to oblige us for one half hour«
»Mr Darcy is all politeness« said Elizabeth smiling
»He is indeed but considering the inducement my dear Miss Eliza we
cannot wonder at his complaisance for who would object to such a partner«
Elizabeth looked archly and turned away Her resistance had not injured her
with the gentleman and he was thinking of her with some complacency when thus
accosted by Miss Bingley
»I can guess the subject of your reverie«
»I should imagine not«
»You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in
this manner in such society and indeed I am quite of your opinion I was
never more annoyed The insipidity and yet the noise the nothingness and yet
the selfimportance of all these people What would I give to hear your
strictures on them«
»Your conjecture is totally wrong I assure you My mind was more agreeably
engaged I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine
eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow«
Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face and desired he would
tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections Mr Darcy
replied with great intrepidity
»Miss Elizabeth Bennet«
»Miss Elizabeth Bennet« repeated Miss Bingley »I am all astonishment How
long has she been such a favourite and pray when am I to wish you joy«
»That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask A ladys
imagination is very rapid it jumps from admiration to love from love to
matrimony in a moment I knew you would be wishing me joy«
»Nay if you are so serious about it I shall consider the matter as
absolutely settled You will have a charming motherinlaw indeed and of
course she will be always at Pemberley with you«
He listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose to entertain
herself in this manner and as his composure convinced her that all was safe
her wit flowed long
Chapter VII
Mr Bennets property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a
year which unfortunately for his daughters was entailed in default of heirs
male on a distant relation and their mothers fortune though ample for her
situation in life could but ill supply the deficiency of his Her father had
been an attorney in Meryton and had left her four thousand pounds
She had a sister married to a Mr Phillips who had been a clerk to their
father and succeeded him in the business and a brother settled in London in a
respectable line of trade
The village of Longbourn was only one mile from Meryton a most convenient
distance for the young ladies who were usually tempted thither three or four
times a week to pay their duty to their aunt and to a milliners shop just over
the way The two youngest of the family Catherine and Lydia were particularly
frequent in these attentions their minds were more vacant than their sisters
and when nothing better offered a walk to Meryton was necessary to amuse their
morning hours and furnish conversation for the evening and however bare of news
the country in general might be they always contrived to learn some from their
aunt At present indeed they were well supplied both with news and happiness
by the recent arrival of a militia regiment in the neighbourhood it was to
remain the whole winter and Meryton was the head quarters
Their visits to Mrs Philips were now productive of the most interesting
intelligence Every day added something to their knowledge of the officers
names and connections Their lodgings were not long a secret and at length they
began to know the officers themselves Mr Philips visited them all and this
opened to his nieces a source of felicity unknown before They could talk of
nothing but officers and Mr Bingleys large fortune the mention of which gave
animation to their mother was worthless in their eyes when opposed to the
regimentals of an ensign
After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject Mr Bennet
coolly observed
»From all that I can collect by your manner of talking you must be two of
the silliest girls in the country I have suspected it some time but I am now
convinced«
Catherine was disconcerted and made no answer but Lydia with perfect
indifference continued to express her admiration of Captain Carter and her
hope of seeing him in the course of the day as he was going the next morning to
London
»I am astonished my dear« said Mrs Bennet »that you should be so ready
to think your own children silly If I wished to think slightingly of any bodys
children it should not be of my own however«
»If my children are silly I must hope to be always sensible of it«
»Yes but as it happens they are all of them very clever«
»This is the only point I flatter myself on which we do not agree I had
hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular but I must so far
differ from you as to think our two youngest daughters uncommonly foolish«
»My dear Mr Bennet you must not expect such girls to have the sense of
their father and mother When they get to our age I dare say they will not
think about officers any more than we do I remember the time when I liked a red
coat myself very well and indeed so I do still at my heart and if a smart
young colonel with five or six thousand a year should want one of my girls I
shall not say nay to him and I thought Colonel Forster looked very becoming the
other night at Sir Williams in his regimentals«
»Mama« cried Lydia »my aunt says that Colonel Forster and Captain Carter
do not go so often to Miss Watsons as they did when they first came she sees
them now very often standing in Clarkes library«
Mrs Bennet was prevented replying by the entrance of the footman with a
note for Miss Bennet it came from Netherfield and the servant waited for an
answer Mrs Bennets eyes sparkled with pleasure and she was eagerly calling
out while her daughter read
»Well Jane who is it from what is it about what does he say Well Jane
make haste and tell us make haste my love«
»It is from Miss Bingley« said Jane and then read it aloud
»My dear Friend
If you are not so compassionate as to dine to day with Louisa and
me we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our
lives for a whole days têteatête between two women can never end
without a quarrel Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this My
brother and the ge ntlemen are to dine with the officers
Yours ever
CAROLINE BINGLEY«
»With the officers« cried Lydia »I wonder my aunt did not tell us of that«
»Dining out« said Mrs Bennet »that is very unlucky«
»Can I have the carriage« said Jane
»No my dear you had better go on horseback because it seems likely to
rain and then you must stay all night«
»That would be a good scheme« said Elizabeth »if you were sure that they
would not offer to send her home«
»Oh but the gentlemen will have Mr Bingleys chaise to go to Meryton and
the Hursts have no horses to theirs«
»I had much rather go in the coach«
»But my dear your father cannot spare the horses I am sure They are
wanted in the farm Mr Bennet are not they«
»They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them«
»But if you have got them to day« said Elizabeth »my mothers purpose will
be answered«
She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses
were engaged Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback and her mother
attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a bad day Her hopes
were answered Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard Her sisters
were uneasy for her but her mother was delighted The rain continued the whole
evening without intermission Jane certainly could not come back
»This was a lucky idea of mine indeed« said Mrs Bennet more than once
as if the credit of making it rain were all her own Till the next morning
however she was not aware of all the felicity of her contrivance Breakfast was
scarcely over when a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for
Elizabeth
»My dearest Lizzy
I find myself very unwell this morning which I suppose is to be
imputed to my getting wet through yesterday My kind friends will not
hear of my returning home till I am better They insist also on my
seeing Mr Jones therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his
having been to me and excepting a sorethroat and head ache there is
not much the matter with me
Yours etc«
»Well my dear« said Mr Bennet when Elizabeth had read the note aloud »if
your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness if she should die it
would be a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr Bingley and under
your orders«
»Oh I am not at all afraid of her dying People do not die of little
trifling colds She will be taken good care of As long as she stays there it
is all very well I would go and see her if I could have the carriage«
Elizabeth feeling really anxious was determined to go to her though the
carriage was not to be had and as she was no horsewoman walking was her only
alternative She declared her resolution
»How can you be so silly« cried her mother »as to think of such a thing
in all this dirt You will not be fit to be seen when you get there«
»I shall be very fit to see Jane which is all I want«
»Is this a hint to me Lizzy« said her father »to send for the horses«
»No indeed I do not wish to avoid the walk The distance is nothing when
one has a motive only three miles I shall be back by dinner«
»I admire the activity of your benevolence« observed Mary »but every
impulse of feeling should be guided by reason and in my opinion exertion
should always be in proportion to what is required«
»We will go as far as Meryton with you« said Catherine and Lydia
Elizabeth accepted their company and the three young ladies set off together
»If we make haste« said Lydia as they walked along »perhaps we may see
something of Captain Carter before he goes«
In Meryton they parted the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of one of
the officers wives and Elizabeth continued her walk alone crossing field
after field at a quick pace jumping over stiles and springing over puddles with
impatient activity and finding herself at last within view of the house with
weary ancles dirty stockings and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise
She was shewn into the breakfastparlour where all but Jane were assembled
and where her appearance created a great deal of surprise That she should
have walked three miles so early in the day in such dirty weather and by
herself was almost incredible to Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley and Elizabeth was
convinced that they held her in contempt for it She was received however very
politely by them and in their brothers manners there was something better than
politeness there was good humour and kindness Mr Darcy said very little
and Mr Hurst nothing at all The former was divided between admiration of the
brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion and doubt as to the
occasions justifying her coming so far alone The latter was thinking only of
his breakfast
Her enquiries after her sister were not very favourably answered Miss
Bennet had slept ill and though up was very feverish and not well enough to
leave her room Elizabeth was glad to be taken to her immediately and Jane who
had only been withheld by the fear of giving alarm or inconvenience from
expressing in her note how much she longed for such a visit was delighted at
her entrance She was not equal however to much conversation and when Miss
Bingley left them together could attempt little beside expressions of gratitude
for the extraordinary kindness she was treated with Elizabeth silently attended
her
When breakfast was over they were joined by the sisters and Elizabeth
began to like them herself when she saw how much affection and solicitude they
shewed for Jane The apothecary came and having examined his patient said as
might be supposed that she had caught a violent cold and that they must
endeavour to get the better of it advised her to return to bed and promised
her some draughts The advice was followed readily for the feverish symptoms
increased and her head ached acutely Elizabeth did not quit her room for a
moment nor were the other ladies often absent the gentlemen being out they
had in fact nothing to do elsewhere
When the clock struck three Elizabeth felt that she must go and very
unwillingly said so Miss Bingley offered her the carriage and she only wanted
a little pressing to accept it when Jane testified such concern in parting with
her that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise into an
invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present Elizabeth most thankfully
consented and a servant was dispatched to Longbourn to acquaint the family with
her stay and bring back a supply of clothes
Chapter VIII
At five oclock the two ladies retired to dress and at half past six Elizabeth
was summoned to dinner To the civil enquiries which then poured in and amongst
which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the much superior solicitude of Mr
Bingleys she could not make a very favourable answer Jane was by no means
better The sisters on hearing this repeated three or four times how much they
were grieved how shocking it was to have a bad cold and how excessively they
disliked being ill themselves and then thought no more of the matter and their
indifference towards Jane when not immediately before them restored Elizabeth
to the enjoyment of all her original dislike
Their brother indeed was the only one of the party whom she could regard
with any complacency His anxiety for Jane was evident and his attentions to
herself most pleasing and they prevented her feeling herself so much an
intruder as she believed she was considered by the others She had very little
notice from any but him Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr Darcy her sister
scarcely less so and as for Mr Hurst by whom Elizabeth sat he was an
indolent man who lived only to eat drink and play at cards who when he found
her prefer a plain dish to a ragout had nothing to say to her
When dinner was over she returned directly to Jane and Miss Bingley began
abusing her as soon as she was out of the room Her manners were pronounced to
be very bad indeed a mixture of pride and impertinence she had no
conversation no stile no taste no beauty Mrs Hurst thought the same and
added
»She has nothing in short to recommend her but being an excellent walker
I shall never forget her appearance this morning She really looked almost
wild«
»She did indeed Louisa I could hardly keep my countenance Very
nonsensical to come at all Why must she be scampering about the country
because her sister had a cold Her hair so untidy so blowsy«
»Yes and her petticoat I hope you saw her petticoat six inches deep in
mud I am absolutely certain and the gown which had been let down to hide it
not doing its office«
»Your picture may be very exact Louisa« said Bingley »but this was all
lost upon me I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she
came into the room this morning Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice«
»You observed it Mr Darcy I am sure« said Miss Bingley »and I am
inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an
exhibition«
»Certainly not«
»To walk three miles or four miles or five miles or whatever it is above
her ancles in dirt and alone quite alone what could she mean by it It seems
to me to shew an abominable sort of conceited independence a most country town
indifference to decorum«
»It shews an affection for her sister that is very pleasing« said Bingley
»I am afraid Mr Darcy« observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper »that
this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes«
»Not at all« he replied »they were brightened by the exercise« A short
pause followed this speech and Mrs Hurst began again
»I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet she is really a very sweet
girl and I wish with all my heart she were well settled But with such a father
and mother and such low connections I am afraid there is no chance of it«
»I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton«
»Yes and they have another who lives somewhere near Cheapside«
»That is capital« added her sister and they both laughed heartily
»If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside« cried Bingley »it would
not make them one jot less agreeable«
»But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any
consideration in the world« replied Darcy
To this speech Bingley made no answer but his sisters gave it their hearty
assent and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their dear
friends vulgar relations
With a renewal of tenderness however they repaired to her room on leaving
the diningparlour and sat with her till summoned to coffee She was still very
poorly and Elizabeth would not quit her at all till late in the evening when
she had the comfort of seeing her asleep and when it appeared to her rather
right than pleasant that she should go down stairs herself On entering the
drawingroom she found the whole party at loo and was immediately invited to
join them but suspecting them to be playing high she declined it and making
her sister the excuse said she would amuse herself for the short time she could
stay below with a book Mr Hurst looked at her with astonishment
»Do you prefer reading to cards« said he »that is rather singular«
»Miss Eliza Bennet« said Miss Bingley »despises cards She is a great
reader and has no pleasure in anything else«
»I deserve neither such praise nor such censure« cried Elizabeth »I am not
a great reader and I have pleasure in many things«
»In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure« said Bingley »and I
hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well«
Elizabeth thanked him from her heart and then walked towards a table where
a few books were lying He immediately offered to fetch her others all that his
library afforded
»And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit
but I am an idle fellow and though I have not many I have more than I ever
look into«
Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in
the room
»I am astonished« said Miss Bingley »that my father should have left so
small a collection of books What a delightful library you have at Pemberley
Mr Darcy«
»It ought to be good« he replied »it has been the work of many
generations«
»And then you have added so much to it yourself you are always buying
books«
»I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these«
»Neglect I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that
noble place Charles when you build your house I wish it may be half as
delightful as Pemberley«
»I wish it may«
»But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood
and take Pemberley for a kind of model There is not a finer county in England
than Derbyshire«
»With all my heart I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it«
»I am talking of possibilities Charles«
»Upon my word Caroline I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by
purchase than by imitation«
Elizabeth was so much caught by what passed as to leave her very little
attention for her book and soon laying it wholly aside she drew near the
cardtable and stationed herself between Mr Bingley and his eldest sister to
observe the game
»Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring« said Miss Bingley »will she be
as tall as I am«
»I think she will She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennets height or
rather taller«
»How I long to see her again I never met with anybody who delighted me so
much Such a countenance such manners and so extremely accomplished for her
age Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite«
»It is amazing to me« said Bingley »how young ladies can have patience to
be so very accomplished as they all are«
»All young ladies accomplished My dear Charles what do you mean«
»Yes all of them I think They all paint tables cover skreens and net
purses I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this and I am sure I never
heard a young lady spoken of for the first time without being informed that she
was very accomplished«
»Your list of the common extent of accomplishments« said Darcy »has too
much truth The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise
than by netting a purse or covering a skreen But I am very far from agreeing
with you in your estimation of ladies in general I cannot boast of knowing more
than half a dozen in the whole range of my acquaintance that are really
accomplished«
»Nor I I am sure« said Miss Bingley
»Then« observed Elizabeth »you must comprehend a great deal in your idea
of an accomplished woman«
»Yes I do comprehend a great deal in it«
»Oh certainly« cried his faithful assistant »no one can be really
esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with A
woman must have a thorough knowledge of music singing drawing dancing and
the modern languages to deserve the word and besides all this she must
possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking the tone of her
voice her address and expressions or the word will be but half deserved«
»All this she must possess« added Darcy »and to all this she must yet add
something more substantial in the improvement of her mind by extensive
reading«
»I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women I
rather wonder now at your knowing any«
»Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all
this«
»I never saw such a woman I never saw such capacity and taste and
application and elegance as you describe united«
Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of her
implied doubt and were both protesting that they knew many women who answered
this description when Mr Hurst called them to order with bitter complaints of
their inattention to what was going forward As all conversation was thereby at
an end Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room
»Eliza Bennet« said Miss Bingley when the door was closed on her »is one
of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by
undervaluing their own and with many men I dare say it succeeds But in my
opinion it is a paltry device a very mean art«
»Undoubtedly« replied Darcy to whom this remark was chiefly addressed
»there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ
for captivation Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable«
Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to continue
the subject
Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse and that
she could not leave her Bingley urged Mr Joness being sent for immediately
while his sisters convinced that no country advice could be of any service
recommended an express to town for one of the most eminent physicians This she
would not hear of but she was not so unwilling to comply with their brothers
proposal and it was settled that Mr Jones should be sent for early in the
morning if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better Bingley was quite
uncomfortable his sisters declared that they were miserable They solaced their
wretchedness however by duets after supper while he could find no better
relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every
possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister
Chapter IX
Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sisters room and in the morning
had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to the enquiries which
she very early received from Mr Bingley by a housemaid and some time
afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his sisters In spite of
this amendment however she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn
desiring her mother to visit Jane and form her own judgment of her situation
The note was immediately dispatched and its contents as quickly complied with
Mrs Bennet accompanied by her two youngest girls reached Netherfield soon
after the family breakfast
Had she found Jane in any apparent danger Mrs Bennet would have been very
miserable but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was not alarming
she had no wish of her recovering immediately as her restoration to health
would probably remove her from Netherfield She would not listen therefore to
her daughters proposal of being carried home neither did the apothecary who
arrived about the same time think it at all advisable After sitting a little
while with Jane on Miss Bingleys appearance and invitation the mother and
three daughters all attended her into the breakfast parlour Bingley met them
with hopes that Mrs Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected
»Indeed I have Sir« was her answer »She is a great deal too ill to be
moved Mr Jones says we must not think of moving her We must trespass a little
longer on your kindness«
»Removed« cried Bingley »It must not be thought of My sister I am sure
will not hear of her removal«
»You may depend upon it Madam« said Miss Bingley with cold civility
»that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with
us«
Mrs Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments
»I am sure« she added »if it was not for such good friends I do not know
what would become of her for she is very ill indeed and suffers a vast deal
though with the greatest patience in the world which is always the way with
her for she has without exception the sweetest temper I ever met with I
often tell my other girls they are nothing to her You have a sweet room here
Mr Bingley and a charming prospect over that gravel walk I do not know a
place in the country that is equal to Netherfield You will not think of
quitting it in a hurry I hope though you have but a short lease«
»Whatever I do is done in a hurry« replied he »and therefore if I should
resolve to quit Netherfield I should probably be off in five minutes At
present however I consider myself as quite fixed here«
»That is exactly what I should have supposed of you« said Elizabeth
»You begin to comprehend me do you« cried he turning towards her
»Oh yes I understand you perfectly«
»I wish I might take this for a compliment but to be so easily seen through
I am afraid is pitiful«
»That is as it happens It does not necessarily follow that a deep
intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours«
»Lizzy« cried her mother »remember where you are and do not run on in the
wild manner that you are suffered to do at home«
»I did not know before« continued Bingley immediately »that you were a
studier of character It must be an amusing study«
»Yes but intricate characters are the most amusing They have at least that
advantage«
»The country« said Darcy »can in general supply but few subjects for such
a study In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying
society«
»But people themselves alter so much that there is something new to be
observed in them for ever«
»Yes indeed« cried Mrs Bennet offended by his manner of mentioning a
country neighbourhood »I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in
the country as in town«
Every body was surprised and Darcy after looking at her for a moment
turned silently away Mrs Bennet who fancied she had gained a complete victory
over him continued her triumph
»I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my
part except the shops and public places The country is a vast deal pleasanter
is not it Mr Bingley«
»When I am in the country« he replied »I never wish to leave it and when
I am in town it is pretty much the same They have each their advantages and I
can be equally happy in either«
»Aye that is because you have the right disposition But that gentleman«
looking at Darcy »seemed to think the country was nothing at all«
»Indeed Mama you are mistaken« said Elizabeth blushing for her mother
»You quite mistook Mr Darcy He only meant that there were not such a variety
of people to be met with in the country as in town which you must acknowledge
to be true«
»Certainly my dear nobody said there were but as to not meeting with many
people in this neighbourhood I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger I
know we dine with four and twenty families«
Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his
countenance His sister was less delicate and directed her eye towards Mr
Darcy with a very expressive smile Elizabeth for the sake of saying something
that might turn her mothers thoughts now asked her if Charlotte Lucas had been
at Longbourn since her coming away
»Yes she called yesterday with her father What an agreeable man Sir
William is Mr Bingley is not he so much the man of fashion so genteel and
so easy He has always something to say to every body That is my idea of
good breeding and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never
open their mouths quite mistake the matter«
»Did Charlotte dine with you«
»No she would go home I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies For my
part Mr Bingley I always keep servants that can do their own work my
daughters are brought up differently But every body is to judge for themselves
and the Lucases are very good sort of girls I assure you It is a pity they are
not handsome Not that I think Charlotte so very plain but then she is our
particular friend«
»She seems a very pleasant young woman« said Bingley
»Oh dear yes but you must own she is very plain Lady Lucas herself has
often said so and envied me Janes beauty I do not like to boast of my own
child but to be sure Jane one does not often see any body better looking It
is what every body says I do not trust my own partiality When she was only
fifteen there was a gentleman at my brother Gardiners in town so much in love
with her that my sisterinlaw was sure he would make her an offer before we
came away But however he did not Perhaps he thought her too young However he
wrote some verses on her and very pretty they were«
»And so ended his affection« said Elizabeth impatiently »There has been
many a one I fancy overcome in the same way I wonder who first discovered the
efficacy of poetry in driving away love«
»I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love« said Darcy
»Of a fine stout healthy love it may Every thing nourishes what is strong
already But if it be only a slight thin sort of inclination I am convinced
that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away«
Darcy only smiled and the general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble
lest her mother should be exposing herself again She longed to speak but could
think of nothing to say and after a short silence Mrs Bennet began repeating
her thanks to Mr Bingley for his kindness to Jane with an apology for
troubling him also with Lizzy Mr Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer
and forced his younger sister to be civil also and say what the occasion
required She performed her part indeed without much graciousness but Mrs
Bennet was satisfied and soon afterwards ordered her carriage Upon this
signal the youngest of her daughters put herself forward The two girls had
been whispering to each other during the whole visit and the result of it was
that the youngest should tax Mr Bingley with having promised on his first
coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield
Lydia was a stout wellgrown girl of fifteen with a fine complexion and
goodhumoured countenance a favourite with her mother whose affection had
brought her into public at an early age She had high animal spirits and a sort
of natural selfconsequence which the attentions of the officers to whom her
uncles good dinners and her own easy manners recommended her had increased
into assurance She was very equal therefore to address Mr Bingley on the
subject of the ball and abruptly reminded him of his promise adding that it
would be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it His answer
to this sudden attack was delightful to their mothers ear
»I am perfectly ready I assure you to keep my engagement and when your
sister is recovered you shall if you please name the very day of the ball But
you would not wish to be dancing while she is ill«
Lydia declared herself satisfied »Oh yes it would be much better to wait
till Jane was well and by that time most likely Captain Carter would be at
Meryton again And when you have given your ball« she added »I shall insist on
their giving one also I shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if
he does not«
Mrs Bennet and her daughters then departed and Elizabeth returned
instantly to Jane leaving her own and her relations behaviour to the remarks
of the two ladies and Mr Darcy the latter of whom however could not be
prevailed on to join in their censure of her in spite of all Miss Bingleys
witticisms on fine eyes
Chapter X
The day passed much as the day before had done Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley had
spent some hours of the morning with the invalid who continued though slowly
to mend and in the evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawingroom
The loo table however did not appear Mr Darcy was writing and Miss Bingley
seated near him was watching the progress of his letter and repeatedly calling
off his attention by messages to his sister Mr Hurst and Mr Bingley were at
piquet and Mrs Hurst was observing their game
Elizabeth took up some needlework and was sufficiently amused in attending
to what passed between Darcy and his companion The perpetual commendations of
the lady either on his handwriting or on the evenness of his lines or on the
length of his letter with the perfect unconcern with which her praises were
received formed a curious dialogue and was exactly in unison with her opinion
of each
»How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter«
He made no answer
»You write uncommonly fast«
»You are mistaken I write rather slowly«
»How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course of the year
Letters of business too How odious I should think them«
»It is fortunate then that they fall to my lot instead of to yours«
»Pray tell your sister that I long to see her«
»I have already told her so once by your desire«
»I am afraid you do not like your pen Let me mend it for you I mend pens
remarkably well«
»Thank you but I always mend my own«
»How can you contrive to write so even«
He was silent
»Tell your sister I am delighted to hear of her improvement on the harp and
pray let her know that I am quite in raptures with her beautiful little design
for a table and I think it infinitely superior to Miss Grantleys«
»Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write again At
present I have not room to do them justice«
»Oh it is of no consequence I shall see her in January But do you always
write such charming long letters to her Mr Darcy«
»They are generally long but whether always charming it is not for me to
determine«
»It is a rule with me that a person who can write a long letter with ease
cannot write ill«
»That will not do for a compliment to Darcy Caroline« cried her brother
»because he does not write with ease He studies too much for words of four
syllables Do not you Darcy«
»My stile of writing is very different from yours«
»Oh« cried Miss Bingley »Charles writes in the most careless way
imaginable He leaves out half his words and blots the rest«
»My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them by which
means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents«
»Your humility Mr Bingley« said Elizabeth »must disarm reproof«
»Nothing is more deceitful« said Darcy »than the appearance of humility
It is often only carelessness of opinion and sometimes an indirect boast«
»And which of the two do you call my little recent piece of modesty«
»The indirect boast for you are really proud of your defects in writing
because you consider them as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and
carelessness of execution which if not estimable you think at least highly
interesting The power of doing any thing with quickness is always much prized
by the possessor and often without any attention to the imperfection of the
performance When you told Mrs Bennet this morning that if you ever resolved on
quitting Netherfield you should be gone in five minutes you meant it to be a
sort of panegyric of compliment to yourself and yet what is there so very
laudable in a precipitance which must leave very necessary business undone and
can be of no real advantage to yourself or any one else«
»Nay« cried Bingley »this is too much to remember at night all the
foolish things that were said in the morning And yet upon my honour I
believed what I said of myself to be true and I believe it at this moment At
least therefore I did not assume the character of needless precipitance merely
to shew off before the ladies«
»I dare say you believed it but I am by no means convinced that you would
be gone with such celerity Your conduct would be quite as dependant on chance
as that of any man I know and if as you were mounting your horse a friend
were to say Bingley you had better stay till next week you would probably do
it you would probably not go and at another word might stay a month«
»You have only proved by this« cried Elizabeth »that Mr Bingley did not
do justice to his own disposition You have shewn him off now much more than he
did himself«
»I am exceedingly gratified« said Bingley »by your converting what my
friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my temper But I am afraid you
are giving it a turn which that gentleman did by no means intend for he would
certainly think the better of me if under such a circumstance I were to give a
flat denial and ride off as fast as I could«
»Would Mr Darcy then consider the rashness of your original intention as
atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it«
»Upon my word I cannot exactly explain the matter Darcy must speak for
himself«
»You expect me to account for opinions which you chuse to call mine but
which I have never acknowledged Allowing the case however to stand according
to your representation you must remember Miss Bennet that the friend who is
supposed to desire his return to the house and the delay of his plan has
merely desired it asked it without offering one argument in favour of its
propriety«
»To yield readily easily to the persuasion of a friend is no merit with
you«
»To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of
either«
»You appear to me Mr Darcy to allow nothing for the influence of
friendship and affection A regard for the requester would often make one
readily yield to a request without waiting for arguments to reason one into it
I am not particularly speaking of such a case as you have supposed about Mr
Bingley We may as well wait perhaps till the circumstance occurs before we
discuss the discretion of his behaviour thereupon But in general and ordinary
cases between friend and friend where one of them is desired by the other to
change a resolution of no very great moment should you think ill of that person
for complying with the desire without waiting to be argued into it«
»Will it not be advisable before we proceed on this subject to arrange
with rather more precision the degree of importance which is to appertain to
this request as well as the degree of intimacy subsisting between the parties«
»By all means« cried Bingley »let us hear all the particulars not
forgetting their comparative height and size for that will have more weight in
the argument Miss Bennet than you may be aware of I assure you that if Darcy
were not such a great tall fellow in comparison with myself I should not pay
him half so much deference I declare I do not know a more aweful object than
Darcy on particular occasions and in particular places at his own house
especially and of a Sunday evening when he has nothing to do«
Mr Darcy smiled but Elizabeth thought she could perceive that he was
rather offended and therefore checked her laugh Miss Bingley warmly resented
the indignity he had received in an expostulation with her brother for talking
such nonsense
»I see your design Bingley« said his friend »You dislike an argument
and want to silence this«
»Perhaps I do Arguments are too much like disputes If you and Miss Bennet
will defer yours till I am out of the room I shall be very thankful and then
you may say whatever you like of me«
»What you ask« said Elizabeth »is no sacrifice on my side and Mr Darcy
had much better finish his letter«
Mr Darcy took her advice and did finish his letter
When that business was over he applied to Miss Bingley and Elizabeth for
the indulgence of some music Miss Bingley moved with alacrity to the
pianoforte and after a polite request that Elizabeth would lead the way which
the other as politely and more earnestly negatived she seated herself
Mrs Hurst sang with her sister and while they were thus employed Elizabeth
could not help observing as she turned over some music books that lay on the
instrument how frequently Mr Darcys eyes were fixed on her She hardly knew
how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration to so great a man and
yet that he should look at her because he disliked her was still more strange
She could only imagine however at last that she drew his notice because there
was a something about her more wrong and reprehensible according to his ideas
of right than in any other person present The supposition did not pain her
She liked him too little to care for his approbation
After playing some Italian songs Miss Bingley varied the charm by a lively
Scotch air and soon afterwards Mr Darcy drawing near Elizabeth said to her
»Do not you feel a great inclination Miss Bennet to seize such an
opportunity of dancing a reel«
She smiled but made no answer He repeated the question with some surprise
at her silence
»Oh« said she »I heard you before but I could not immediately determine
what to say in reply You wanted me I know to say Yes that you might have the
pleasure of despising my taste but I always delight in overthrowing those kind
of schemes and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt I have
therefore made up my mind to tell you that I do not want to dance a reel at all
and now despise me if you dare«
»Indeed I do not dare«
Elizabeth having rather expected to affront him was amazed at his
gallantry but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which
made it difficult for her to affront anybody and Darcy had never been so
bewitched by any woman as he was by her He really believed that were it not
for the inferiority of her connections he should be in some danger
Miss Bingley saw or suspected enough to be jealous and her great anxiety
for the recovery of her dear friend Jane received some assistance from her
desire of getting rid of Elizabeth
She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest by talking of
their supposed marriage and planning his happiness in such an alliance
»I hope« said she as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next
day »you will give your motherinlaw a few hints when this desirable event
takes place as to the advantage of holding her tongue and if you can compass
it do cure the younger girls of running after the officers And if I may
mention so delicate a subject endeavour to check that little something
bordering on conceit and impertinence which your lady possesses«
»Have you any thing else to propose for my domestic felicity«
»Oh yes Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Philips be placed in
the gallery at Pemberley Put them next to your great uncle the judge They are
in the same profession you know only in different lines As for your
Elizabeths picture you must not attempt to have it taken for what painter
could do justice to those beautiful eyes«
»It would not be easy indeed to catch their expression but their colour
and shape and the eyelashes so remarkably fine might be copied«
At that moment they were met from another walk by Mrs Hurst and Elizabeth
herself
»I did not know that you intended to walk« said Miss Bingley in some
confusion lest they had been overheard
»You used us abominably ill« answered Mrs Hurst »in running away without
telling us that you were coming out«
Then taking the disengaged arm of Mr Darcy she left Elizabeth to walk by
herself The path just admitted three Mr Darcy felt their rudeness and
immediately said
»This walk is not wide enough for our party We had better go into the
avenue«
But Elizabeth who had not the least inclination to remain with them
laughingly answered
»No no stay where you are You are charmingly groupd and appear to
uncommon advantage The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth Good
bye«
She then ran gaily off rejoicing as she rambled about in the hope of being
at home again in a day or two Jane was already so much recovered as to intend
leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening
Chapter XI
When the ladies removed after dinner Elizabeth ran up to her sister and seeing
her well guarded from cold attended her into the drawingroom where she was
welcomed by her two friends with many professions of pleasure and Elizabeth had
never seen them so agreeable as they were during the hour which passed before
the gentlemen appeared Their powers of conversation were considerable They
could describe an entertainment with accuracy relate an anecdote with humour
and laugh at their acquaintance with spirit
But when the gentlemen entered Jane was no longer the first object Miss
Bingleys eyes were instantly turned towards Darcy and she had something to say
to him before he had advanced many steps He addressed himself directly to Miss
Bennet with a polite congratulation Mr Hurst also made her a slight bow and
said he was very glad but diffuseness and warmth remained for Bingleys
salutation He was full of joy and attention The first half hour was spent in
piling up the fire lest she should suffer from the change of room and she
removed at his desire to the other side of the fireplace that she might be
farther from the door He then sat down by her and talked scarcely to any one
else Elizabeth at work in the opposite corner saw it all with great delight
When tea was over Mr Hurst reminded his sisterinlaw of the cardtable
but in vain She had obtained private intelligence that Mr Darcy did not wish
for cards and Mr Hurst soon found even his open petition rejected She assured
him that no one intended to play and the silence of the whole party on the
subject seemed to justify her Mr Hurst had therefore nothing to do but to
stretch himself on one of the sophas and go to sleep Darcy took up a book Miss
Bingley did the same and Mrs Hurst principally occupied in playing with her
bracelets and rings joined now and then in her brothers conversation with Miss
Bennet
Miss Bingleys attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr Darcys
progress through his book as in reading her own and she was perpetually either
making some inquiry or looking at his page She could not win him however to
any conversation he merely answered her question and read on At length quite
exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book which she had only
chosen because it was the second volume of his she gave a great yawn and said
»How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way I declare after all there
is no enjoyment like reading How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a
book When I have a house of my own I shall be miserable if I have not an
excellent library«
No one made any reply She then yawned again threw aside her book and cast
her eyes round the room in quest of some amusement when hearing her brother
mentioning a ball to Miss Bennet she turned suddenly towards him and said
»By the bye Charles are you really serious in meditating a dance at
Netherfield I would advise you before you determine on it to consult the
wishes of the present party I am much mistaken if there are not some among us
to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure«
»If you mean Darcy« cried her brother »he may go to bed if he chuses
before it begins but as for the ball it is quite a settled thing and as soon
as Nicholls has made white soup enough I shall send round my cards«
»I should like balls infinitely better« she replied »if they were carried
on in a different manner but there is something insufferably tedious in the
usual process of such a meeting It would surely be much more rational if
conversation instead of dancing made the order of the day«
»Much more rational my dear Caroline I dare say but it would not be near
so much like a ball«
Miss Bingley made no answer and soon afterward got up and walked about the
room Her figure was elegant and she walked well but Darcy at whom it was
all aimed was still inflexibly studious In the desperation of her feelings she
resolved on one effort more and turning to Elizabeth said
»Miss Eliza Bennet let me persuade you to follow my example and take a
turn about the room I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long
in one attitude«
Elizabeth was surprised but agreed to it immediately Miss Bingley
succeeded no less in the real object of her civility Mr Darcy looked up He
was as much awake to the novelty of attention in that quarter as Elizabeth
herself could be and unconsciously closed his book He was directly invited to
join their party but he declined it observing that he could imagine but two
motives for their chusing to walk up and down the room together with either of
which motives his joining them would interfere »What could he mean she was
dying to know what could be his meaning« and asked Elizabeth whether she could
at all understand him
»Not at all« was her answer »but depend upon it he means to be severe on
us and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it«
Miss Bingley however was incapable of disappointing Mr Darcy in any thing
and persevered therefore in requiring an explanation of his two motives
»I have not the smallest objection to explaining them« said he as soon as
she allowed him to speak »You either chuse this method of passing the evening
because you are in each others confidence and have secret affairs to discuss
or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage
in walking if the first I should be completely in your way and if the
second I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire«
»Oh shocking« cried Miss Bingley »I never heard any thing so abominable
How shall we punish him for such a speech«
»Nothing so easy if you have but the inclination« said Elizabeth »We can
all plague and punish one another Teaze him laugh at him Intimate as you
are you must know how it is to be done«
»But upon my honour I do not I do assure you that my intimacy has not yet
taught me that Teaze calmness of temper and presence of mind No no I feel
he may defy us there And as to laughter we will not expose ourselves if you
please by attempting to laugh without a subject Mr Darcy may hug himself«
»Mr Darcy is not to be laughed at« cried Elizabeth »That is an uncommon
advantage and uncommon I hope it will continue for it would be a great loss to
me to have many such acquaintance I dearly love a laugh«
»Miss Bingley« said he »has given me credit for more than can be The
wisest and the best of men nay the wisest and best of their actions may be
rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke«
»Certainly« replied Elizabeth »there are such people but I hope I am not
one of them I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good Follies and nonsense
whims and inconsistencies do divert me I own and I laugh at them whenever I
can But these I suppose are precisely what you are without«
»Perhaps that is not possible for any one But it has been the study of my
life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to
ridicule«
»Such as vanity and pride«
»Yes vanity is a weakness indeed But pride where there is a real
superiority of mind pride will be always under good regulation«
Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile
»Your examination of Mr Darcy is over I presume« said Miss Bingley
»and pray what is the result«
»I am perfectly convinced by it that Mr Darcy has no defect He owns it
himself without disguise«
»No« said Darcy »I have made no such pretension I have faults enough
but they are not I hope of understanding My temper I dare not vouch for It
is I believe too little yielding certainly too little for the convenience of
the world I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought
nor their offences against myself My feelings are not puffed about with every
attempt to move them My temper would perhaps be called resentful My good
opinion once lost is lost for ever«
»That is a failing indeed« cried Elizabeth »Implacable resentment is a
shade in a character But you have chosen your fault well I really cannot
laugh at it You are safe from me«
»There is I believe in every disposition a tendency to some particular
evil a natural defect which not even the best education can overcome«
»And your defect is a propensity to hate every body«
»And yours« he replied with a smile »is wilfully to misunderstand them«
»Do let us have a little music« cried Miss Bingley tired of a
conversation in which she had no share »Louisa you will not mind my waking
Mr Hurst«
Her sister made not the smallest objection and the piano forte was opened
and Darcy after a few moments recollection was not sorry for it He began to
feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too much attention
Chapter XII
In consequence of an agreement between the sisters Elizabeth wrote the next
morning to her mother to beg that the carriage might be sent for them in the
course of the day But Mrs Bennet who had calculated on her daughters
remaining at Netherfield till the following Tuesday which would exactly finish
Janes week could not bring herself to receive them with pleasure before Her
answer therefore was not propitious at least not to Elizabeths wishes for
she was impatient to get home Mrs Bennet sent them word that they could not
possibly have the carriage before Tuesday and in her postscript it was added
that if Mr Bingley and his sister pressed them to stay longer she could spare
them very well Against staying longer however Elizabeth was positively
resolved nor did she much expect it would be asked and fearful on the
contrary as being considered as intruding themselves needlessly long she urged
Jane to borrow Mr Bingleys carriage immediately and at length it was settled
that their original design of leaving Netherfield that morning should be
mentioned and the request made
The communication excited many professions of concern and enough was said
of wishing them to stay at least till the following day to work on Jane and
till the morrow their going was deferred Miss Bingley was then sorry that she
had proposed the delay for her jealousy and dislike of one sister much exceeded
her affection for the other
The master of the house heard with real sorrow that they were to go so soon
and repeatedly tried to persuade Miss Bennet that it would not be safe for her
that she was not enough recovered but Jane was firm where she felt herself to
be right
To Mr Darcy it was welcome intelligence Elizabeth had been at Netherfield
long enough She attracted him more than he liked and Miss Bingley was uncivil
to her and more teazing than usual to himself He wisely resolved to be
particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him nothing
that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity sensible that
if such an idea had been suggested his behaviour during the last day must have
material weight in confirming or crushing it Steady to his purpose he scarcely
spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday and though they were at
one time left by themselves for half an hour he adhered most conscientiously to
his book and would not even look at her
On Sunday after morning service the separation so agreeable to almost
all took place Miss Bingleys civility to Elizabeth increased at last very
rapidly as well as her affection for Jane and when they parted after assuring
the latter of the pleasure it would always give her to see her either at
Longbourn or Netherfield and embracing her most tenderly she even shook hands
with the former Elizabeth took leave of the whole party in the liveliest
spirits
They were not welcomed home very cordially by their mother Mrs Bennet
wondered at their coming and thought them very wrong to give so much trouble
and was sure Jane would have caught cold again But their father though very
laconic in his expressions of pleasure was really glad to see them he had felt
their importance in the family circle The evening conversation when they were
all assembled had lost much of its animation and almost all its sense by the
absence of Jane and Elizabeth
They found Mary as usual deep in the study of thorough bass and human
nature and had some new extracts to admire and some new observations of
threadbare morality to listen to Catherine and Lydia had information for them
of a different sort Much had been done and much had been said in the regiment
since the preceding Wednesday several of the officers had dined lately with
their uncle a private had been flogged and it had actually been hinted that
Colonel Forster was going to be married
Chapter XIII
»I hope my dear« said Mr Bennet to his wife as they were at breakfast the
next morning »that you have ordered a good dinner today because I have reason
to expect an addition to our family party«
»Who do you mean my dear I know of nobody that is coming I am sure unless
Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in and I hope my dinners are good enough
for her I do not believe she often sees such at home«
»The person of whom I speak is a gentleman and a stranger« Mrs Bennets
eyes sparkled »A gentleman and a stranger It is Mr Bingley I am sure Why
Jane you never dropt a word of this you sly thing Well I am sure I shall be
extremely glad to see Mr Bingley But good lord how unlucky there is not
a bit of fish to be got today Lydia my love ring the bell I must speak to
Hill this moment«
»It is not Mr Bingley« said her husband »it is a person whom I never saw
in the whole course of my life«
This roused a general astonishment and he had the pleasure of being eagerly
questioned by his wife and five daughters at once
After amusing himself some time with their curiosity he thus explained
»About a month ago I received this letter and about a fortnight ago I answered
it for I thought it a case of some delicacy and requiring early attention It
is from my cousin Mr Collins who when I am dead may turn you all out of
this house as soon as he pleases«
»Oh my dear« cried his wife »I cannot bear to hear that mentioned Pray
do not talk of that odious man I do think it is the hardest thing in the world
that your estate should be entailed away from your own children and I am sure
if I had been you I should have tried long ago to do something or other about
it«
Jane and Elizabeth attempted to explain to her the nature of an entail They
had often attempted it before but it was a subject on which Mrs Bennet was
beyond the reach of reason and she continued to rail bitterly against the
cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five daughters in favour of
a man whom nobody cared anything about
»It certainly is a most iniquitous affair« said Mr Bennet »and nothing
can clear Mr Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn But if you will
listen to his letter you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of
expressing himself«
»No that I am sure I shall not and I think it was very impertinent of him
to write to you at all and very hypocritical I hate such false friends Why
could not he keep on quarrelling with you as his father did before him«
»Why indeed he does seem to have had some filial scruples on that head as
you will hear«
Hunsford near Westerham Kent
15th October
»Dear Sir
The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured
father always gave me much uneasiness and since I have had the
misfortune to lose him I have frequently wished to heal the breach but
for some time I was kept back by my own doubts fearing lest it might
seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with any
one with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance There
Mrs Bennet My mind however is now made up on the subject for having
received ordination at Easter I have been so fortunate as to be
distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de
Bourgh widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh whose bounty and beneficence has
preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish where it shall be
my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her
Ladyship and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which
are instituted by the Church of England As a clergyman moreover I
feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all
families within the reach of my influence and on these grounds I
flatter myself that my present overtures of goodwill are highly
commendable and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of
Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side and not lead
you to reject the offered olive branch I cannot be otherwise than
concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters and beg
leave to apologise for it as well as to assure you of my readiness to
make them every possible amends but of this hereafter If you should
have no objection to receive me into your house I propose myself the
satisfaction of waiting on you and your family Monday November 18th
by four oclock and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till
the Saturday senight following which I can do without any
inconvenience as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional
absence on a Sunday provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do
the duty of the day I remain dear sir with respectful compliments to
your lady and daughters your wellwisher and friend
WILLIAM COLLINS«
»At four oclock therefore we may expect this peacemaking gentleman« said Mr
Bennet as he folded up the letter »He seems to be a most conscientious and
polite young man upon my word and I doubt not will prove a valuable
acquaintance especially if Lady Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him
come to us again«
»There is some sense in what he says about the girls however and if he is
disposed to make them any amends I shall not be the person to discourage him«
»Though it is difficult« said Jane »to guess in what way he can mean to
make us the atonement he thinks our due the wish is certainly to his credit«
Elizabeth was chiefly struck with his extraordinary deference for Lady
Catherine and his kind intention of christening marrying and burying his
parishioners whenever it were required
»He must be an oddity I think« said she »I cannot make him out There
is something very pompous in his stile And what can he mean by apologizing
for being next in the entail We cannot suppose he would help it if he could
Can he be a sensible man sir«
»No my dear I think not I have great hopes of finding him quite the
reverse There is a mixture of servility and selfimportance in his letter
which promises well I am impatient to see him«
»In point of composition« said Mary »his letter does not seem defective
The idea of the olive branch perhaps is not wholly new yet I think it is well
expressed«
To Catherine and Lydia neither the letter nor its writer were in any degree
interesting It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a
scarlet coat and it was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from
the society of a man in any other colour As for their mother Mr Collinss
letter had done away much of her illwill and she was preparing to see him with
a degree of composure which astonished her husband and daughters
Mr Collins was punctual to his time and was received with great politeness
by the whole family Mr Bennet indeed said little but the ladies were ready
enough to talk and Mr Collins seemed neither in need of encouragement nor
inclined to be silent himself He was a tall heavy looking young man of five
and twenty His air was grave and stately and his manners were very formal He
had not been long seated before he complimented Mrs Bennet on having so fine a
family of daughters said he had heard much of their beauty but that in this
instance fame had fallen short of the truth and added that he did not doubt
her seeing them all in due time well disposed of in marriage This gallantry was
not much to the taste of some of his hearers but Mrs Bennet who quarrelled
with no compliments answered most readily
»You are very kind sir I am sure and I wish with all my heart it may
prove so for else they will be destitute enough Things are settled so oddly«
»You allude perhaps to the entail of this estate«
»Ah sir I do indeed It is a grievous affair to my poor girls you must
confess Not that I mean to find fault with you for such things I know are all
chance in this world There is no knowing how estates will go when once they
come to be entailed«
»I am very sensible madam of the hardship to my fair cousins and could
say much on the subject but that I am cautious of appearing forward and
precipitate But I can assure the young ladies that I come prepared to admire
them At present I will not say more but perhaps when we are better acquainted
«
He was interrupted by a summons to dinner and the girls smiled on each
other They were not the only objects of Mr Collinss admiration The hall the
diningroom and all its furniture were examined and praised and his
commendation of every thing would have touched Mrs Bennets heart but for the
mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his own future property The
dinner too in its turn was highly admired and he begged to know to which of his
fair cousins the excellence of its cookery was owing But here he was set right
by Mrs Bennet who assured him with some asperity that they were very well able
to keep a good cook and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen He
begged pardon for having displeased her In a softened tone she declared herself
not at all offended but he continued to apologise for about a quarter of an
hour
Chapter XIV
»During dinner Mr Bennet scarcely spoke at all but when the servants were
withdrawn he thought it time to have some conversation with his guest and
therefore started a subject in which he expected him to shine by observing that
he seemed very fortunate in his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourghs attention
to his wishes and consideration for his comfort appeared very remarkable Mr
Bennet could not have chosen better Mr Collins was eloquent in her praise The
subject elevated him to more than usual solemnity of manner and with a most
important aspect he protested that he had never in his life witnessed such
behaviour in a person of rank such affability and condescension as he had
himself experienced from Lady Catherine She had been graciously pleased to
approve of both the discourses which he had already had the honour of preaching
before her She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings and had sent for
him only the Saturday before to make up her pool of quadrille in the evening
Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people he knew but he had never seen
any thing but affability in her She had always spoken to him as she would to
any other gentleman she made not the smallest objection to his joining in the
society of the neighbourhood nor to his leaving his parish occasionally for a
week or two to visit his relations She had even condescended to advise him to
marry as soon as he could provided he chose with discretion and had once paid
him a visit in his humble parsonage where she had perfectly approved all the
alterations he had been making and had even vouchsafed to suggest some herself
some shelves in the closets up stairs«
»That is all very proper and civil I am sure« said Mrs Bennet »and I
dare say she is a very agreeable woman It is a pity that great ladies in
general are not more like her Does she live near you sir«
»The garden in which stands my humble abode is separated only by a lane
from Rosings Park her ladyships residence«
»I think you said she was a widow sir has she any family«
»She has one only daughter the heiress of Rosings and of very extensive
property«
»Ah« cried Mrs Bennet shaking her head »then she is better off than many
girls And what sort of young lady is she is she handsome«
»She is a most charming young lady indeed Lady Catherine herself says that
in point of true beauty Miss De Bourgh is far superior to the handsomest of her
sex because there is that in her features which marks the young woman of
distinguished birth She is unfortunately of a sickly constitution which has
prevented her making that progress in many accomplishments which she could not
otherwise have failed of as I am informed by the lady who superintended her
education and who still resides with them But she is perfectly amiable and
often condescends to drive by my humble abode in her little phaeton and ponies«
»Has she been presented I do not remember her name among the ladies at
court«
»Her indifferent state of health unhappily prevents her being in town and
by that means as I told Lady Catherine myself one day has deprived the British
court of its brightest ornament Her ladyship seemed pleased with the idea and
you may imagine that I am happy on every occasion to offer those little delicate
compliments which are always acceptable to ladies I have more than once
observed to Lady Catherine that her charming daughter seemed born to be a
duchess and that the most elevated rank instead of giving her consequence
would be adorned by her These are the kind of little things which please her
ladyship and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound
to pay«
»You judge very properly« said Mr Bennet »and it is happy for you that
you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy May I ask whether these
pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment or are the result of
previous study«
»They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time and though I sometimes
amuse myself with suggesting and arranging such little elegant compliments as
may be adapted to ordinary occasions I always wish to give them as unstudied an
air as possible«
Mr Bennets expectations were fully answered His cousin was as absurd as
he had hoped and he listened to him with the keenest enjoyment maintaining at
the same time the most resolute composure of countenance and except in an
occasional glance at Elizabeth requiring no partner in his pleasure
By teatime however the dose had been enough and Mr Bennet was glad to
take his guest into the drawingroom again and when tea was over glad to
invite him to read aloud to the ladies Mr Collins readily assented and a book
was produced but on beholding it for every thing announced it to be from a
circulating library he started back and begging pardon protested that he
never read novels Kitty stared at him and Lydia exclaimed Other books
were produced and after some deliberation he chose Fordyces Sermons Lydia
gaped as he opened the volume and before he had with very monotonous
solemnity read three pages she interrupted him with
»Do you know mama that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard and
if he does Colonel Forster will hire him My aunt told me so herself on
Saturday I shall walk to Meryton tomorrow to hear more about it and to ask
when Mr Denny comes back from town«
Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue but Mr Collins
much offended laid aside his book and said
»I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a
serious stamp though written solely for their benefit It amazes me I confess
for certainly there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instruction
But I will no longer importune my young cousin«
Then turning to Mr Bennet he offered himself as his antagonist at
backgammon Mr Bennet accepted the challenge observing that he acted very
wisely in leaving the girls to their own trifling amusements Mrs Bennet and
her daughters apologised most civilly for Lydias interruption and promised
that it should not occur again if he would resume his book but Mr Collins
after assuring them that he bore his young cousin no ill will and should never
resent her behaviour as any affront seated himself at another table with Mr
Bennet and prepared for backgammon
Chapter XV
Mr Collins was not a sensible man and the deficiency of nature had been but
little assisted by education or society the greatest part of his life having
been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and miserly father and though he
belonged to one of the universities he had merely kept the necessary terms
without forming at it any useful acquaintance The subjection in which his
father had brought him up had given him originally great humility of manner
but it was now a good deal counteracted by the selfconceit of a weak head
living in retirement and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected
prosperity A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh
when the living of Hunsford was vacant and the respect which he felt for her
high rank and his veneration for her as his patroness mingling with a very
good opinion of himself of his authority as a clergyman and his rights as a
rector made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness
selfimportance and humility
Having now a good house and very sufficient income he intended to marry
and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view
as he meant to chuse one of the daughters if he found them as handsome and
amiable as they were represented by common report This was his plan of amends
of atonement for inheriting their fathers estate and he thought it an
excellent one full of eligibility and suitableness and excessively generous
and disinterested on his own part
His plan did not vary on seeing them Miss Bennets lovely face confirmed
his views and established all his strictest notions of what was due to
seniority and for the first evening she was his settled choice The next
morning however made an alteration for in a quarter of an hours têteàtête
with Mrs Bennet before breakfast a conversation beginning with his
parsonagehouse and leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes that a
mistress for it might be found at Longbourn produced from her amid very
complaisant smiles and general encouragement a caution against the very Jane he
had fixed on »As to her younger daughters she could not take upon her to say
she could not positively answer but she did not know of any prepossession
her eldest daughter she must just mention she felt it incumbent on her to
hint was likely to be very soon engaged«
Mr Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth and it was soon done
done while Mrs Bennet was stirring the fire Elizabeth equally next to Jane
in birth and beauty succeeded her of course
Mrs Bennet treasured up the hint and trusted that she might soon have two
daughters married and the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day
before was now high in her good graces
Lydias intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten every sister
except Mary agreed to go with her and Mr Collins was to attend them at the
request of Mr Bennet who was most anxious to get rid of him and have his
library to himself for thither Mr Collins had followed him after breakfast
and there he would continue nominally engaged with one of the largest folios in
the collection but really talking to Mr Bennet with little cessation of his
house and garden at Hunsford Such doings discomposed Mr Bennet exceedingly In
his library he had been always sure of leisure and tranquillity and though
prepared as he told Elizabeth to meet with folly and conceit in every other
room in the house he was used to be free from them there his civility
therefore was most prompt in inviting Mr Collins to join his daughters in
their walk and Mr Collins being in fact much better fitted for a walker than
a reader was extremely well pleased to close his large book and go
In pompous nothings on his side and civil assents on that of his cousins
their time passed till they entered Meryton The attention of the younger ones
was then no longer to be gained by him Their eyes were immediately wandering up
in the street in quest of the officers and nothing less than a very smart
bonnet indeed or a really new muslin in a shop window could recal them
But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man whom they
had never seen before of most gentlemanlike appearance walking with an officer
on the other side of the way The officer was the very Mr Denny concerning
whose return from London Lydia came to inquire and he bowed as they passed All
were struck with the strangers air all wondered who he could be and Kitty and
Lydia determined if possible to find out led the way across the street under
pretence of wanting something in an opposite shop and fortunately had just
gained the pavement when the two gentlemen turning back had reached the same
spot Mr Denny addressed them directly and entreated permission to introduce
his friend Mr Wickham who had returned with him the day before from town and
he was happy to say had accepted a commission in their corps This was exactly
as it should be for the young man wanted only regimentals to make him
completely charming His appearance was greatly in his favour he had all the
best part of beauty a fine countenance a good figure and very pleasing
address The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of
conversation a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming
and the whole party were still standing and talking together very agreeably
when the sound of horses drew their notice and Darcy and Bingley were seen
riding down the street On distinguishing the ladies of the group the two
gentlemen came directly towards them and began the usual civilities Bingley
was the principal spokesman and Miss Bennet the principal object He was then
he said on his way to Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her Mr Darcy
corroborated it with a bow and was beginning to determine not to fix his eyes
on Elizabeth when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of the stranger and
Elizabeth happening to see the countenance of both as they looked at each other
was all astonishment at the effect of the meeting Both changed colour one
looked white the other red Mr Wickham after a few moments touched his hat
a salutation which Mr Darcy just deigned to return What could be the meaning
of it It was impossible to imagine it was impossible not to long to know
In another minute Mr Bingley but without seeming to have noticed what
passed took leave and rode on with his friend
Mr Denny and Mr Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr
Philipss house and then made their bows in spite of Miss Lydias pressing
entreaties that they would come in and even in spite of Mrs Philips throwing
up the parlour window and loudly seconding the invitation
Mrs Philips was always glad to see her nieces and the two eldest from
their recent absence were particularly welcome and she was eagerly expressing
her surprise at their sudden return home which as their own carriage had not
fetched them she should have known nothing about if she had not happened to
see Mr Joness shop boy in the street who had told her that they were not to
send any more draughts to Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away
when her civility was claimed towards Mr Collins by Janes introduction of him
She received him with her very best politeness which he returned with as much
more apologising for his intrusion without any previous acquaintance with her
which he could not help flattering himself however might be justified by his
relationship to the young ladies who introduced him to her notice Mrs Philips
was quite awed by such an excess of good breeding but her contemplation of one
stranger was soon put an end to by exclamations and inquiries about the other
of whom however she could only tell her nieces what they already knew that
Mr Denny had brought him from London and that he was to have a lieutenants
commission in the shire She had been watching him the last hour she said as
he walked up and down the street and had Mr Wickham appeared Kitty and Lydia
would certainly have continued the occupation but unluckily no one passed the
windows now except a few of the officers who in comparison with the stranger
were become stupid disagreeable fellows Some of them were to dine with the
Philipses the next day and their aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr
Wickham and give him an invitation also if the family from Longbourn would
come in the evening This was agreed to and Mrs Philips protested that they
would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery tickets and a little bit of
hot supper afterwards The prospect of such delights was very cheering and they
parted in mutual good spirits Mr Collins repeated his apologies in quitting
the room and was assured with unwearying civility that they were perfectly
needless
As they walked home Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass
between the two gentlemen but though Jane would have defended either or both
had they appeared to be wrong she could no more explain such behaviour than her
sister
Mr Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs Bennet by admiring Mrs
Philipss manners and politeness He protested that except Lady Catherine and
her daughter he had never seen a more elegant woman for she had not only
received him with the utmost civility but had even pointedly included him in
her invitation for the next evening although utterly unknown to her before
Something he supposed might be attributed to his connection with them but yet
he had never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life
Chapter XVI
As no objection was made to the young peoples engagement with their aunt and
all Mr Collinss scruples of leaving Mr and Mrs Bennet for a single evening
during his visit were most steadily resisted the coach conveyed him and his
five cousins at a suitable hour to Meryton and the girls had the pleasure of
hearing as they entered the drawingroom that Mr Wickham had accepted their
uncles invitation and was then in the house
When this information was given and they had all taken their seats Mr
Collins was at leisure to look around him and admire and he was so much struck
with the size and furniture of the apartment that he declared he might almost
have supposed himself in the small summer breakfast parlour at Rosings a
comparison that did not at first convey much gratification but when Mrs
Philips understood from him what Rosings was and who was its proprietor when
she had listened to the description of only one of Lady Catherines
drawingrooms and found that the chimneypiece alone had cost eight hundred
pounds she felt all the force of the compliment and would hardly have resented
a comparison with the housekeepers room
In describing to her all the grandeur of Lady Catherine and her mansion
with occasional digressions in praise of his own humble abode and the
improvements it was receiving he was happily employed until the gentlemen
joined them and he found in Mrs Philips a very attentive listener whose
opinion of his consequence increased with what she heard and who was resolving
to retail it all among her neighbours as soon as she could To the girls who
could not listen to their cousin and who had nothing to do but to wish for an
instrument and examine their own indifferent imitations of china on the
mantlepiece the interval of waiting appeared very long It was over at last
however The gentlemen did approach and when Mr Wickham walked into the room
Elizabeth felt that she had neither been seeing him before nor thinking of him
since with the smallest degree of unreasonable admiration The officers of the
shire were in general a very creditable gentlemanlike set and the best of
them were of the present party but Mr Wickham was as far beyond them all in
person countenance air and walk as they were superior to the broadfaced
stuffy uncle Philips breathing port wine who followed them into the room
Mr Wickham was the happy man towards whom almost every female eye was
turned and Elizabeth was the happy woman by whom he finally seated himself and
the agreeable manner in which he immediately fell into conversation though it
was only on its being a wet night and on the probability of a rainy season
made her feel that the commonest dullest most threadbare topic might be
rendered interesting by the skill of the speaker
With such rivals for the notice of the fair as Mr Wickham and the
officers Mr Collins seemed likely to sink into insignificance to the young
ladies he certainly was nothing but he had still at intervals a kind listener
in Mrs Philips and was by her watchfulness most abundantly supplied with
coffee and muffin
When the card tables were placed he had an opportunity of obliging her in
return by sitting down to whist
»I know little of the game at present« said he »but I shall be glad to
improve myself for in my situation of life « Mrs Philips was very thankful
for his compliance but could not wait for his reason
Mr Wickham did not play at whist and with ready delight was he received at
the other table between Elizabeth and Lydia At first there seemed danger of
Lydias engrossing him entirely for she was a most determined talker but being
likewise extremely fond of lottery tickets she soon grew too much interested in
the game too eager in making bets and exclaiming after prizes to have
attention for any one in particular Allowing for the common demands of the
game Mr Wickham was therefore at leisure to talk to Elizabeth and she was
very willing to hear him though what she chiefly wished to hear she could not
hope to be told the history of his acquaintance with Mr Darcy She dared not
even mention that gentleman Her curiosity however was unexpectedly relieved
Mr Wickham began the subject himself He inquired how far Netherfield was from
Meryton and after receiving her answer asked in an hesitating manner how long
Mr Darcy had been staying there
»About a month« said Elizabeth and then unwilling to let the subject
drop added »He is a man of very large property in Derbyshire I understand«
»Yes« replied Wickham »his estate there is a noble one A clear ten
thousand per annum You could not have met with a person more capable of giving
you certain information on that head than myself for I have been connected
with his family in a particular manner from my infancy«
Elizabeth could not but look surprised
»You may well be surprised Miss Bennet at such an assertion after seeing
as you probably might the very cold manner of our meeting yesterday Are you
much acquainted with Mr Darcy«
»As much as I ever wish to be« cried Elizabeth warmly »I have spent four
days in the same house with him and I think him very disagreeable«
»I have no right to give my opinion« said Wickham »as to his being
agreeable or otherwise I am not qualified to form one I have known him too
long and too well to be a fair judge It is impossible for me to be impartial
But I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish and perhaps you
would not express it quite so strongly anywhere else Here you are in your own
family«
»Upon my word I say no more here than I might say in any house in the
neighbourhood except Netherfield He is not at all liked in Hertfordshire
Every body is disgusted with his pride You will not find him more favourably
spoken of by any one«
»I cannot pretend to be sorry« said Wickham after a short interruption
»that he or that any man should not be estimated beyond their deserts but with
him I believe it does not often happen The world is blinded by his fortune and
consequence or frightened by his high and imposing manners and sees him only
as he chuses to be seen«
»I should take him even on my slight acquaintance to be an illtempered
man« Wickham only shook his head
»I wonder« said he at the next opportunity of speaking »whether he is
likely to be in this country much longer«
»I do not at all know but I heard nothing of his going away when I was at
Netherfield I hope your plans in favour of the shire will not be affected by
his being in the neighbourhood«
»Oh no it is not for me to be driven away by Mr Darcy If he wishes to
avoid seeing me he must go We are not on friendly terms and it always gives
me pain to meet him but I have no reason for avoiding him but what I might
proclaim to all the world a sense of very great ill usage and most painful
regrets at his being what he is His father Miss Bennet the late Mr Darcy
was one of the best men that ever breathed and the truest friend I ever had
and I can never be in company with this Mr Darcy without being grieved to the
soul by a thousand tender recollections His behaviour to myself has been
scandalous but I verily believe I could forgive him any thing and every thing
rather than his disappointing the hopes and disgracing the memory of his
father«
Elizabeth found the interest of the subject increase and listened with all
her heart but the delicacy of it prevented farther inquiry
Mr Wickham began to speak on more general topics Meryton the
neighbourhood the society appearing highly pleased with all that he had yet
seen and speaking of the latter especially with gentle but very intelligible
gallantry
»It was the prospect of constant society and good society« he added
»which was my chief inducement to enter the shire I knew it to be a most
respectable agreeable corps and my friend Denny tempted me farther by his
account of their present quarters and the very great attentions and excellent
acquaintance Meryton had procured them Society I own is necessary to me I
have been a disappointed man and my spirits will not bear solitude I must have
employment and society A military life is not what I was intended for but
circumstances have now made it eligible The church ought to have been my
profession I was brought up for the church and I should at this time have
been in possession of a most valuable living had it pleased the gentleman we
were speaking of just now«
»Indeed«
»Yes the late Mr Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of the best
living in his gift He was my godfather and excessively attached to me I
cannot do justice to his kindness He meant to provide for me amply and thought
he had done it but when the living fell it was given elsewhere«
»Good heavens« cried Elizabeth »but how could that be How could his
will be disregarded Why did not you seek legal redress«
»There was just such an informality in the terms of the bequest as to give
me no hope from law A man of honour could not have doubted the intention but
Mr Darcy chose to doubt it or to treat it as a merely conditional
recommendation and to assert that I had forfeited all claim to it by
extravagance imprudence in short any thing or nothing Certain it is that the
living became vacant two years ago exactly as I was of an age to hold it and
that it was given to another man and no less certain is it that I cannot
accuse myself of having really done any thing to deserve to lose it I have a
warm unguarded temper and I may perhaps have sometimes spoken my opinion of
him and to him too freely I can recal nothing worse But the fact is that we
are very different sort of men and that he hates me«
»This is quite shocking He deserves to be publicly disgraced«
»Some time or other he will be but it shall not be by me Till I can
forget his father I can never defy or expose him«
Elizabeth honoured him for such feelings and thought him handsomer than
ever as he expressed them
»But what« said she after a pause »can have been his motive what can
have induced him to behave so cruelly«
»A thorough determined dislike of me a dislike which I cannot but
attribute in some measure to jealousy Had the late Mr Darcy liked me less his
son might have borne with me better but his fathers uncommon attachment to me
irritated him I believe very early in life He had not a temper to bear the sort
of competition in which we stood the sort of preference which was often given
me«
»I had not thought Mr Darcy so bad as this though I have never liked him
I had not thought so very ill of him I had supposed him to be despising his
fellowcreatures in general but did not suspect him of descending to such
malicious revenge such injustice such inhumanity as this«
After a few minutes reflection however she continued »I do remember his
boasting one day at Netherfield of the implacability of his resentments of
his having an unforgiving temper His disposition must be dreadful«
»I will not trust myself on the subject« replied Wickham »I can hardly be
just to him«
Elizabeth was again deep in thought and after a time exclaimed »To treat
in such a manner the godson the friend the favourite of his father« She
could have added »A young man too like you whose very countenance may vouch
for your being amiable« but she contented herself with »And one too who had
probably been his own companion from childhood connected together as I think
you said in the closest manner«
»We were born in the same parish within the same park the greatest part of
our youth was passed together inmates of the same house sharing the same
amusements objects of the same parental care My father began life in the
profession which your uncle Mr Philips appears to do so much credit to but
he gave up every thing to be of use to the late Mr Darcy and devoted all his
time to the care of the Pemberley property He was most highly esteemed by Mr
Darcy a most intimate confidential friend Mr Darcy often acknowledged
himself to be under the greatest obligations to my fathers active
superintendance and when immediately before my fathers death Mr Darcy gave
him a voluntary promise of providing for me I am convinced that he felt it to
be as much a debt of gratitude to him as of affection to myself«
»How strange« cried Elizabeth »How abominable I wonder that the very
pride of this Mr Darcy has not made him just to you If from no better
motive that he should not have been too proud to be dishonest for dishonesty
I must call it«
»It is wonderful« replied Wickham »for almost all his actions may be
traced to pride and pride has often been his best friend It has connected
him nearer with virtue than any other feeling But we are none of us consistent
and in his behaviour to me there were stronger impulses even than pride«
»Can such abominable pride as his have ever done him good«
»Yes It has often led him to be liberal and generous to give his money
freely to display hospitality to assist his tenants and relieve the poor
Family pride and filial pride for he is very proud of what his father was
have done this Not to appear to disgrace his family to degenerate from the
popular qualities or lose the influence of the Pemberley House is a powerful
motive He has also brotherly pride which with some brotherly affection makes
him a very kind and careful guardian of his sister and you will hear him
generally cried up as the most attentive and best of brothers«
»What sort of a girl is Miss Darcy«
He shook his head »I wish I could call her amiable It gives me pain to
speak ill of a Darcy But she is too much like her brother very very proud
As a child she was affectionate and pleasing and extremely fond of me and I
have devoted hours and hours to her amusement But she is nothing to me now She
is a handsome girl about fifteen or sixteen and I understand highly
accomplished Since her fathers death her home has been London where a lady
lives with her and superintends her education«
After many pauses and many trials of other subjects Elizabeth could not
help reverting once more to the first and saying
»I am astonished at his intimacy with Mr Bingley How can Mr Bingley who
seems good humour itself and is I really believe truly amiable be in
friendship with such a man How can they suit each other Do you know Mr
Bingley«
»Not at all«
»He is a sweet tempered amiable charming man He cannot know what Mr
Darcy is«
»Probably not but Mr Darcy can please where he chuses He does not want
abilities He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while
Among those who are at all his equals in consequence he is a very different man
from what he is to the less prosperous His pride never deserts him but with
the rich he is liberalminded just sincere rational honourable and perhaps
agreeable allowing something for fortune and figure«
The whist party soon afterwards breaking up the players gathered round the
other table and Mr Collins took his station between his cousin Elizabeth and
Mrs Philips The usual inquiries as to his success were made by the latter
It had not been very great he had lost every point but when Mrs Philips began
to express her concern thereupon he assured her with much earnest gravity that
it was not of the least importance that he considered the money as a mere
trifle and begged she would not make herself uneasy
»I know very well madam« said he »that when persons sit down to a card
table they must take their chance of these things and happily I am not in
such circumstances as to make five shillings any object There are undoubtedly
many who could not say the same but thanks to Lady Catherine de Bourgh I am
removed far beyond the necessity of regarding little matters«
Mr Wickhams attention was caught and after observing Mr Collins for a
few moments he asked Elizabeth in a low voice whether her relation were very
intimately acquainted with the family of de Bourgh
»Lady Catherine de Bourgh« she replied »has very lately given him a
living I hardly know how Mr Collins was first introduced to her notice but he
certainly has not known her long«
»You know of course that Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Lady Anne Darcy were
sisters consequently that she is aunt to the present Mr Darcy«
»No indeed I did not I knew nothing at all of Lady Catherines
connections I never heard of her existence till the day before yesterday«
»Her daughter Miss de Bourgh will have a very large fortune and it is
believed that she and her cousin will unite the two estates«
This information made Elizabeth smile as she thought of poor Miss Bingley
Vain indeed must be all her attentions vain and useless her affection for his
sister and her praise of himself if he were already selfdestined to another
»Mr Collins« said she »speaks highly both of Lady Catherine and her
daughter but from some particulars that he has related of her ladyship I
suspect his gratitude misleads him and that in spite of her being his
patroness she is an arrogant conceited woman«
»I believe her to be both in a great degree« replied Wickham »I have not
seen her for many years but I very well remember that I never liked her and
that her manners were dictatorial and insolent She has the reputation of being
remarkably sensible and clever but I rather believe she derives part of her
abilities from her rank and fortune part from her authoritative manner and the
rest from the pride of her nephew who chuses that every one connected with him
should have an understanding of the first class«
Elizabeth allowed that he had given a very rational account of it and they
continued talking together with mutual satisfaction till supper put an end to
cards and gave the rest of the ladies their share of Mr Wickhams attentions
There could be no conversation in the noise of Mrs Philipss supper party but
his manners recommended him to every body Whatever he said was said well and
whatever he did done gracefully Elizabeth went away with her head full of him
She could think of nothing but of Mr Wickham and of what he had told her all
the way home but there was not time for her even to mention his name as they
went for neither Lydia nor Mr Collins were once silent Lydia talked
incessantly of lottery tickets of the fish she had lost and the fish she had
won and Mr Collins in describing the civility of Mr and Mrs Philips
protesting that he did not in the least regard his losses at whist enumerating
all the dishes at supper and repeatedly fearing that he crouded his cousins
had more to say than he could well manage before the carriage stopped at
Longbourn House
Chapter XVII
Elizabeth related to Jane the next day what had passed between Mr Wickham and
herself Jane listened with astonishment and concern she knew not how to
believe that Mr Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr Bingleys regard and yet it
was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable
appearance as Wickham The possibility of his having really endured such
unkindness was enough to interest all her tender feelings and nothing
therefore remained to be done but to think well of them both to defend the
conduct of each and throw into the account of accident or mistake whatever
could not be otherwise explained
»They have both« said she »been deceived I dare say in some way or
other of which we can form no idea Interested people have perhaps
misrepresented each to the other It is in short impossible for us to
conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them without
actual blame on either side«
»Very true indeed and now my dear Jane what have you got to say in
behalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in the
business Do clear them too or we shall be obliged to think ill of somebody«
»Laugh as much as you chuse but you will not laugh me out of my opinion My
dearest Lizzy do but consider in what a disgraceful light it places Mr Darcy
to be treating his fathers favourite in such a manner one whom his father
had promised to provide for It is impossible No man of common humanity no
man who had any value for his character could be capable of it Can his most
intimate friends be so excessively deceived in him oh no«
»I can much more easily believe Mr Bingleys being imposed on than that
Mr Wickham should invent such a history of himself as he gave me last night
names facts every thing mentioned without ceremony If it be not so let Mr
Darcy contradict it Besides there was truth in his looks«
»It is difficult indeed it is distressing One does not know what to
think«
»I beg your pardon one knows exactly what to think«
But Jane could think with certainty on only one point that Mr Bingley
if he had been imposed on would have much to suffer when the affair became
public
The two young ladies were summoned from the shrubbery where this
conversation passed by the arrival of some of the very persons of whom they had
been speaking Mr Bingley and his sisters came to give their personal
invitation for the long expected ball at Netherfield which was fixed for the
following Tuesday The two ladies were delighted to see their dear friend again
called it an age since they had met and repeatedly asked what she had been
doing with herself since their separation To the rest of the family they paid
little attention avoiding Mrs Bennet as much as possible saying not much to
Elizabeth and nothing at all to the others They were soon gone again rising
from their seats with an activity which took their brother by surprise and
hurrying off as if eager to escape from Mrs Bennets civilities
The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable to every female
of the family Mrs Bennet chose to consider it as given in compliment to her
eldest daughter and was particularly flattered by receiving the invitation from
Mr Bingley himself instead of a ceremonious card Jane pictured to herself a
happy evening in the society of her two friends and the attentions of their
brother and Elizabeth thought with pleasure of dancing a great deal with Mr
Wickham and of seeing a confirmation of every thing in Mr Darcys looks and
behaviour The happiness anticipated by Catherine and Lydia depended less on
any single event or any particular person for though they each like
Elizabeth meant to dance half the evening with Mr Wickham he was by no means
the only partner who could satisfy them and a ball was at any rate a ball And
even Mary could assure her family that she had no disinclination for it
»While I can have my mornings to myself« said she »it is enough I think
it no sacrifice to join occasionally in evening engagements Society has claims
on us all and I profess myself one of those who consider intervals of
recreation and amusement as desirable for every body«
Elizabeths spirits were so high on the occasion that though she did not
often speak unnecessarily to Mr Collins she could not help asking him whether
he intended to accept Mr Bingleys invitation and if he did whether he would
think it proper to join in the evenings amusement and she was rather surprised
to find that he entertained no scruple whatever on that head and was very far
from dreading a rebuke either from the Archbishop or Lady Catherine de Bourgh
by venturing to dance
»I am by no means of opinion I assure you« said he »that a ball of this
kind given by a young man of character to respectable people can have any
evil tendency and I am so far from objecting to dancing myself that I shall
hope to be honoured with the hands of all my fair cousins in the course of the
evening and I take this opportunity of soliciting yours Miss Elizabeth for
the two first dances especially a preference which I trust my cousin Jane
will attribute to the right cause and not to any disrespect for her«
Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in She had fully proposed being
engaged by Wickham for those very dances and to have Mr Collins instead her
liveliness had been never worse timed There was no help for it however Mr
Wickhams happiness and her own was per force delayed a little longer and Mr
Collinss proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could She was not the
better pleased with his gallantry from the idea it suggested of something more
It now first struck her that she was selected from among her sisters as
worthy of being the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage and of assisting to form a
quadrille table at Rosings in the absence of more eligible visitors The idea
soon reached to conviction as she observed his increasing civilities toward
herself and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity
and though more astonished than gratified herself by this effect of her charms
it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of
their marriage was exceedingly agreeable to her Elizabeth however did not chuse
to take the hint being well aware that a serious dispute must be the
consequence of any reply Mr Collins might never make the offer and till he
did it was useless to quarrel about him
If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talk of the
younger Miss Bennets would have been in a pitiable state at this time for from
the day of the invitation to the day of the ball there was such a succession
of rain as prevented their walking to Meryton once No aunt no officers no
news could be sought after the very shoeroses for Netherfield were got by
proxy Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of her patience in weather
which totally suspended the improvement of her acquaintance with Mr Wickham
and nothing less than a dance on Tuesday could have made such a Friday
Saturday Sunday and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia
Chapter XVIII
Till Elizabeth entered the drawingroom at Netherfield and looked in vain for
Mr Wickham among the cluster of red coats there assembled a doubt of his being
present had never occurred to her The certainty of meeting him had not been
checked by any of those recollections that might not unreasonably have alarmed
her She had dressed with more than usual care and prepared in the highest
spirits for the conquest of all that remained unsubdued of his heart trusting
that it was not more than might be won in the course of the evening But in an
instant arose the dreadful suspicion of his being purposely omitted for Mr
Darcys pleasure in the Bingleys invitation to the officers and though this
was not exactly the case the absolute fact of his absence was pronounced by his
friend Mr Denny to whom Lydia eagerly applied and who told them that Wickham
had been obliged to go to town on business the day before and was not yet
returned adding with a significant smile
»I do not imagine his business would have called him away just now if he
had not wished to avoid a certain gentleman here«
This part of his intelligence though unheard by Lydia was caught by
Elizabeth and as it assured her that Darcy was not less answerable for
Wickhams absence than if her first surmise had been just every feeling of
displeasure against the former was so sharpened by immediate disappointment
that she could hardly reply with tolerable civility to the polite inquiries
which he directly afterwards approached to make Attention forbearance
patience with Darcy was injury to Wickham She was resolved against any sort of
conversation with him and turned away with a degree of ill humour which she
could not wholly surmount even in speaking to Mr Bingley whose blind
partiality provoked her
But Elizabeth was not formed for illhumour and though every prospect of
her own was destroyed for the evening it could not dwell long on her spirits
and having told all her griefs to Charlotte Lucas whom she had not seen for a
week she was soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of her
cousin and to point him out to her particular notice The two first dances
however brought a return of distress they were dances of mortification Mr
Collins awkward and solemn apologising instead of attending and often moving
wrong without being aware of it gave her all the shame and misery which a
disagreeable partner for a couple of dances can give The moment of her release
from him was exstacy
She danced next with an officer and had the refreshment of talking of
Wickham and of hearing that he was universally liked When those dances were
over she returned to Charlotte Lucas and was in conversation with her when she
found herself suddenly addressed by Mr Darcy who took her so much by surprise
in his application for her hand that without knowing what she did she
accepted him He walked away again immediately and she was left to fret over
her own want of presence of mind Charlotte tried to console her
»I dare say you will find him very agreeable«
»Heaven forbid That would be the greatest misfortune of all To find a
man agreeable whom one is determined to hate Do not wish me such an evil«
When the dancing recommenced however and Darcy approached to claim her
hand Charlotte could not help cautioning her in a whisper not to be a simpleton
and allow her fancy for Wickham to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a
man of ten times his consequence Elizabeth made no answer and took her place
in the set amazed at the dignity to which she was arrived in being allowed to
stand opposite to Mr Darcy and reading in her neighbours looks their equal
amazement in beholding it They stood for some time without speaking a word and
she began to imagine that their silence was to last through the two dances and
at first was resolved not to break it till suddenly fancying that it would be
the greater punishment to her partner to oblige him to talk she made some
slight observation on the dance He replied and was again silent After a pause
of some minutes she addressed him a second time with
»It is your turn to say something now Mr Darcy I talked about the
dance and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room or the
number of couples«
He smiled and assured her that whatever she wished him to say should be
said
»Very well That reply will do for the present Perhaps by and bye I may
observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones But now we
may be silent«
»Do you talk by rule then while you are dancing«
»Sometimes One must speak a little you know It would look odd to be
entirely silent for half an hour together and yet for the advantage of some
conversation ought to be so arranged as that they may have the trouble of saying
as little as possible«
»Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case or do you imagine
that you are gratifying mine«
»Both« replied Elizabeth archly »for I have always seen a great similarity
in the turn of our minds We are each of an unsocial taciturn disposition
unwilling to speak unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole
room and be handed down to posterity with all the eclat of a proverb«
»This is no very striking resemblance of your own character I am sure«
said he »How near it may be to mine I cannot pretend to say You think it a
faithful portrait undoubtedly«
»I must not decide on my own performance«
He made no answer and they were again silent till they had gone down the
dance when he asked her if she and her sisters did not very often walk to
Meryton She answered in the affirmative and unable to resist the temptation
added »When you met us there the other day we had just been forming a new
acquaintance«
The effect was immediate A deeper shade of hauteur overspread his features
but he said not a word and Elizabeth though blaming herself for her own
weakness could not go on At length Darcy spoke and in a constrained manner
said
»Mr Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making
friends whether he may be equally capable of retaining them is less certain«
»He has been so unlucky as to lose your friendship« replied Elizabeth with
emphasis »and in a manner which he is likely to suffer from all his life«
Darcy made no answer and seemed desirous of changing the subject At that
moment Sir William Lucas appeared close to them meaning to pass through the set
to the other side of the room but on perceiving Mr Darcy he stopt with a bow
of superior courtesy to compliment him on his dancing and his partner
»I have been most highly gratified indeed my dear Sir Such very superior
dancing is not often seen It is evident that you belong to the first circles
Allow me to say however that your fair partner does not disgrace you and that
I must hope to have this pleasure often repeated especially when a certain
desirable event my dear Miss Eliza glancing at her sister and Bingley shall
take place What congratulations will then flow in I appeal to Mr Darcy but
let me not interrupt you Sir You will not thank me for detaining you from
the bewitching converse of that young lady whose bright eyes are also
upbraiding me«
The latter part of this address was scarcely heard by Darcy but Sir
Williams allusion to his friend seemed to strike him forcibly and his eyes
were directed with a very serious expression towards Bingley and Jane who were
dancing together Recovering himself however shortly he turned to his
partner and said
»Sir Williams interruption has made me forget what we were talking of«
»I do not think we were speaking at all Sir William could not have
interrupted any two people in the room who had less to say for themselves We
have tried two or three subjects already without success and what we are to
talk of next I cannot imagine«
»What think you of books« said he smiling
»Books Oh no I am sure we never read the same or not with the same
feelings«
»I am sorry you think so but if that be the case there can at least be no
want of subject We may compare our different opinions«
»No I cannot talk of books in a ballroom my head is always full of
something else«
»The present always occupies you in such scenes does it« said he with a
look of doubt
»Yes always« she replied without knowing what she said for her thoughts
had wandered far from the subject as soon afterwards appeared by her suddenly
exclaiming »I remember hearing you once say Mr Darcy that you hardly ever
forgave that your resentment once created was unappeasable You are very
cautious I suppose as to its being created«
»I am« said he with a firm voice
»And never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice«
»I hope not«
»It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion to be
secure of judging properly at first«
»May I ask to what these questions tend«
»Merely to the illustration of your character« said she endeavouring to
shake off her gravity »I am trying to make it out«
»And what is your success«
She shook her head »I do not get on at all I hear such different accounts
of you as puzzle me exceedingly«
»I can readily believe« answered he gravely »that report may vary greatly
with respect to me and I could wish Miss Bennet that you were not to sketch
my character at the present moment as there is reason to fear that the
performance would reflect no credit on either«
»But if I do not take your likeness now I may never have another
opportunity«
»I would by no means suspend any pleasure of yours« he coldly replied She
said no more and they went down the other dance and parted in silence on each
side dissatisfied though not to an equal degree for in Darcys breast there
was a tolerable powerful feeling towards her which soon procured her pardon
and directed all his anger against another
They had not long separated when Miss Bingley came towards her and with an
expression of civil disdain thus accosted her
»So Miss Eliza I hear you are quite delighted with George Wickham Your
sister has been talking to me about him and asking me a thousand questions and
I find that the young man forgot to tell you among his other communications
that he was the son of old Wickham the late Mr Darcys steward Let me
recommend you however as a friend not to give implicit confidence to all his
assertions for as to Mr Darcys using him ill it is perfectly false for on
the contrary he has been always remarkably kind to him though George Wickham
has treated Mr Darcy in a most infamous manner I do not know the particulars
but I know very well that Mr Darcy is not in the least to blame that he cannot
bear to hear George Wickham mentioned and that though my brother thought he
could not well avoid including him in his invitation to the officers he was
excessively glad to find that he had taken himself out of the way His coming
into the country at all is a most insolent thing indeed and I wonder how he
could presume to do it I pity you Miss Eliza for this discovery of your
favourites guilt but really considering his descent one could not expect much
better«
»His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the same« said
Elizabeth angrily »for I have heard you accuse him of nothing worse than of
being the son of Mr Darcys steward and of that I can assure you he informed
me himself«
»I beg your pardon« replied Miss Bingley turning away with a sneer
»Excuse my interference It was kindly meant«
»Insolent girl« said Elizabeth to herself »You are much mistaken if you
expect to influence me by such a paltry attack as this I see nothing in it but
your own wilful ignorance and the malice of Mr Darcy« She then sought her
eldest sister who had undertaken to make inquiries on the same subject of
Bingley Jane met her with a smile of such sweet complacency a glow of such
happy expression as sufficiently marked how well she was satisfied with the
occurrences of the evening Elizabeth instantly read her feelings and at that
moment solicitude for Wickham resentment against his enemies and every thing
else gave way before the hope of Janes being in the fairest way for happiness
»I want to know« said she with a countenance no less smiling than her
sisters »what you have learnt about Mr Wickham But perhaps you have been too
pleasantly engaged to think of any third person in which case you may be sure
of my pardon«
»No« replied Jane »I have not forgotten him but I have nothing
satisfactory to tell you Mr Bingley does not know the whole of his history
and is quite ignorant of the circumstances which have principally offended Mr
Darcy but he will vouch for the good conduct the probity and honour of his
friend and is perfectly convinced that Mr Wickham has deserved much less
attention from Mr Darcy than he has received and I am sorry to say that by his
account as well as his sisters Mr Wickham is by no means a respectable young
man I am afraid he has been very imprudent and has deserved to lose Mr
Darcys regard«
»Mr Bingley does not know Mr Wickham himself«
»No he never saw him till the other morning at Meryton«
»This account then is what he has received from Mr Darcy I am perfectly
satisfied But what does he say of the living«
»He does not exactly recollect the circumstances though he has heard them
from Mr Darcy more than once but he believes that it was left to him
conditionally only«
»I have not a doubt of Mr Bingleys sincerity« said Elizabeth warmly »but
you must excuse my not being convinced by assurances only Mr Bingleys defence
of his friend was a very able one I dare say but since he is unacquainted with
several parts of the story and has learnt the rest from that friend himself I
shall venture still to think of both gentlemen as I did before«
She then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each and on which
there could be no difference of sentiment Elizabeth listened with delight to
the happy though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Bingleys regard and
said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it On their being joined by
Mr Bingley himself Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas to whose inquiry after
the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied before Mr
Collins came up to them and told her with great exultation that he had just been
so fortunate as to make a most important discovery
»I have found out« said he »by a singular accident that there is now in
the room a near relation of my patroness I happened to overhear the gentleman
himself mentioning to the young lady who does the honours of this house the
names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh and of her mother Lady Catherine How
wonderfully these sort of things occur Who would have thought of my meeting
with perhaps a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly I am
most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to
him which I am now going to do and trust he will excuse my not having done it
before My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology«
»You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr Darcy«
»Indeed I am I shall intreat his pardon for not having done it earlier I
believe him to be Lady Catherines nephew It will be in my power to assure him
that her ladyship was quite well yesterday sennight«
Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme assuring him that
Mr Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an
impertinent freedom rather than a compliment to his aunt that it was not in
the least necessary there should be any notice on either side and that if it
were it must belong to Mr Darcy the superior in consequence to begin the
acquaintance Mr Collins listened to her with the determined air of following
his own inclination and when she ceased speaking replied thus
»My dear Miss Elizabeth I have the highest opinion in the world of your
excellent judgment in all matters within the scope of your understanding but
permit me to say that there must be a wide difference between the established
forms of ceremony amongst the laity and those which regulate the clergy for
give me leave to observe that I consider the clerical office as equal in point
of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom provided that a proper
humility of behaviour is at the same time maintained You must therefore allow
me to follow the dictates of my conscience on this occasion which leads me to
perform what I look on as a point of duty Pardon me for neglecting to profit by
your advice which on every other subject shall be my constant guide though in
the case before us I consider myself more fitted by education and habitual study
to decide on what is right than a young lady like yourself« And with a low bow
he left her to attack Mr Darcy whose reception of his advances she eagerly
watched and whose astonishment at being so addressed was very evident Her
cousin prefaced his speech with a solemn bow and though she could not hear a
word of it she felt as if hearing it all and saw in the motion of his lips the
words apology Hunsford and Lady Catherine de Bourgh It vexed her to see him
expose himself to such a man Mr Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained wonder
and when at last Mr Collins allowed him time to speak replied with an air of
distant civility Mr Collins however was not discouraged from speaking again
and Mr Darcys contempt seemed abundantly increasing with the length of his
second speech and at the end of it he only made him a slight bow and moved
another way Mr Collins then returned to Elizabeth
»I have no reason I assure you« said he »to be dissatisfied with my
reception Mr Darcy seemed much pleased with the attention He answered me with
the utmost civility and even paid me the compliment of saying that he was so
well convinced of Lady Catherines discernment as to be certain she could never
bestow a favour unworthily It was really a very handsome thought Upon the
whole I am much pleased with him«
As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue she turned her
attention almost entirely on her sister and Mr Bingley and the train of
agreeable reflections which her observations gave birth to made her perhaps
almost as happy as Jane She saw her in idea settled in that very house in all
the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow and she felt
capable under such circumstances of endeavouring even to like Bingleys two
sisters Her mothers thoughts she plainly saw were bent the same way and she
determined not to venture near her lest she might hear too much When they sat
down to supper therefore she considered it a most unlucky perverseness which
placed them within one of each other and deeply was she vexed to find that her
mother was talking to that one person Lady Lucas freely openly and of
nothing else but of her expectation that Jane would be soon married to Mr
Bingley It was an animating subject and Mrs Bennet seemed incapable of
fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match His being such a charming
young man and so rich and living but three miles from them were the first
points of selfgratulation and then it was such a comfort to think how fond the
two sisters were of Jane and to be certain that they must desire the connection
as much as she could do It was moreover such a promising thing for her
younger daughters as Janes marrying so greatly must throw them in the way of
other rich men and lastly it was so pleasant at her time of life to be able to
consign her single daughters to the care of their sister that she might not be
obliged to go into company more than she liked It was necessary to make this
circumstance a matter of pleasure because on such occasions it is the
etiquette but no one was less likely than Mrs Bennet to find comfortin staying
at home at any period of her life She concluded with many good wishes that Lady
Lucas might soon be equally fortunate though evidently and triumphantly
believing there was no chance of it
In vain did Elizabeth endeavour to check the rapidity of her mothers words
or persuade her to describe her felicity in a less audible whisper for to her
inexpressible vexation she could perceive that the chief of it was overheard by
Mr Darcy who sat opposite to them Her mother only scolded her for being
nonsensical
»What is Mr Darcy to me pray that I should be afraid of him I am sure we
owe him no such particular civility as to be obliged to say nothing he may not
like to hear«
»For heavens sake madam speak lower What advantage can it be to you to
offend Mr Darcy You will never recommend yourself to his friend by so
doing«
Nothing that she could say however had any influence Her mother would
talk of her views in the same intelligible tone Elizabeth blushed and blushed
again with shame and vexation She could not help frequently glancing her eye at
Mr Darcy though every glance convinced her of what she dreaded for though he
was not always looking at her mother she was convinced that his attention was
invariably fixed by her The expression of his face changed gradually from
indignant contempt to a composed and steady gravity
At length however Mrs Bennet had no more to say and Lady Lucas who had
been long yawning at the repetition of delights which she saw no likelihood of
sharing was left to the comforts of cold ham and chicken Elizabeth now began
to revive But not long was the interval of tranquillity for when supper was
over singing was talked of and she had the mortification of seeing Mary after
very little entreaty preparing to oblige the company By many significant looks
and silent entreaties did she endeavour to prevent such a proof of
complaisance but in vain Mary would not understand them such an opportunity
of exhibiting was delightful to her and she began her song Elizabeths eyes
were fixed on her with most painful sensations and she watched her progress
through the several stanzas with an impatience which was very ill rewarded at
their close for Mary on receiving amongst the thanks of the table the hint of
a hope that she might be prevailed on to favour them again after the pause of
half a minute began another Marys powers were by no means fitted for such a
display her voice was weak and her manner affected Elizabeth was in
agonies She looked at Jane to see how she bore it but Jane was very
composedly talking to Bingley She looked at his two sisters and saw them
making signs of derision at each other and at Darcy who continued however
impenetrably grave She looked at her father to entreat his interference lest
Mary should be singing all night He took the hint and when Mary had finished
her second song said aloud
»That will do extremely well child You have delighted us long enough Let
the other young ladies have time to exhibit«
Mary though pretending not to hear was somewhat disconcerted and
Elizabeth sorry for her and sorry for her fathers speech was afraid her
anxiety had done no good Others of the party were now applied to
»If I« said Mr Collins »were so fortunate as to be able to sing I should
have great pleasure I am sure in obliging the company with an air for I
consider music as a very innocent diversion and perfectly compatible with the
profession of a clergyman I do not mean however to assert that we can be
justified in devoting too much of our time to music for there are certainly
other things to be attended to The rector of a parish has much to do In the
first place he must make such an agreement for tythes as may be beneficial to
himself and not offensive to his patron He must write his own sermons and the
time that remains will not be too much for his parish duties and the care and
improvement of his dwelling which he cannot be excused from making as
comfortable as possible And I do not think it of light importance that he
should have attentive and conciliatory manners towards every body especially
towards those to whom he owes his preferment I cannot acquit him of that duty
nor could I think well of the man who should omit an occasion of testifying his
respect towards any body connected with the family« And with a bow to Mr
Darcy he concluded his speech which had been spoken so loud as to be heard by
half the room Many stared Many smiled but no one looked more amused than
Mr Bennet himself while his wife seriously commended Mr Collins for having
spoken so sensibly and observed in a halfwhisper to Lady Lucas that he was a
remarkably clever good kind of young man
To Elizabeth it appeared that had her family made an agreement to expose
themselves as much as they could during the evening it would have been
impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit or finer success and
happy did she think it for Bingley and her sister that some of the exhibition
had escaped his notice and that his feelings were not of a sort to be much
distressed by the folly which he must have witnessed That his two sisters and
Mr Darcy however should have such an opportunity of ridiculing her relations
was bad enough and she could not determine whether the silent contempt of the
gentleman or the insolent smiles of the ladies were more intolerable
The rest of the evening brought her little amusement She was teazed by Mr
Collins who continued most perseveringly by her side and though he could not
prevail with her to dance with him again put it out of her power to dance with
others In vain did she entreat him to stand up with somebody else and offer to
introduce him to any young lady in the room He assured her that as to dancing
he was perfectly indifferent to it that his chief object was by delicate
attentions to recommend himself to her and that he should therefore make a
point of remaining close to her the whole evening There was no arguing upon
such a project She owed her greatest relief to her friend Miss Lucas who often
joined them and goodnaturedly engaged Mr Collinss conversation to herself
She was at least free from the offence of Mr Darcys farther notice though
often standing within a very short distance of her quite disengaged he never
came near enough to speak She felt it to be the probable consequence of her
allusions to Mr Wickham and rejoiced in it
The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to depart and by a
manoeuvre of Mrs Bennet had to wait for their carriages a quarter of an hour
after every body else was gone which gave them time to see how heartily they
were wished away by some of the family Mrs Hurst and her sister scarcely
opened their mouths except to complain of fatigue and were evidently impatient
to have the house to themselves They repulsed every attempt of Mrs Bennet at
conversation and by so doing threw a languor over the whole party which was
very little relieved by the long speeches of Mr Collins who was complimenting
Mr Bingley and his sisters on the elegance of their entertainment and the
hospitality and politeness which had marked their behaviour to their guests
Darcy said nothing at all Mr Bennet in equal silence was enjoying the scene
Mr Bingley and Jane were standing together a little detached from the rest
and talked only to each other Elizabeth preserved as steady a silence as either
Mrs Hurst or Miss Bingley and even Lydia was too much fatigued to utter more
than the occasional exclamation of »Lord how tired I am« accompanied by a
violent yawn
When at length they arose to take leave Mrs Bennet was most pressingly
civil in her hope of seeing the whole family soon at Longbourn and addressed
herself particularly to Mr Bingley to assure him how happy he would make them
by eating a family dinner with them at any time without the ceremony of a
formal invitation Bingley was all grateful pleasure and he readily engaged for
taking the earliest opportunity of waiting on her after his return from London
whither he was obliged to go the next day for a short time
Mrs Bennet was perfectly satisfied and quitted the house under the
delightful persuasion that allowing for the necessary preparations of
settlements new carriages and wedding clothes she should undoubtedly see her
daughter settled at Netherfield in the course of three or four months Of
having another daughter married to Mr Collins she thought with equal
certainty and with considerable though not equal pleasure Elizabeth was the
least dear to her of all her children and though the man and the match were
quite good enough for her the worth of each was eclipsed by Mr Bingley and
Netherfield
Chapter XIX
The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn Mr Collins made his declaration
in form Having resolved to do it without loss of time as his leave of absence
extended only to the following Saturday and having no feelings of diffidence to
make it distressing to himself even at the moment he set about it in a very
orderly manner with all the observances which he supposed a regular part of the
business On finding Mrs Bennet Elizabeth and one of the younger girls
together soon after breakfast he addressed the mother in these words
»May I hope Madam for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth
when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the course of
this morning«
Before Elizabeth had time for any thing but a blush of surprise Mrs Bennet
instantly answered
»Oh dear Yes certainly I am sure Lizzy will be very happy I am
sure she can have no objection Come Kitty I want you up stairs« And
gathering her work together she was hastening away when Elizabeth called out
»Dear Maam do not go I beg you will not go Mr Collins must excuse
me He can have nothing to say to me that any body need not hear I am going
away myself«
»No no nonsense Lizzy I desire you will stay where you are« And
upon Elizabeths seeming really with vexed and embarrassed looks about to
escape she added »Lizzy I insist upon your staying and hearing Mr Collins«
Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction and a moments consideration
making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it over as soon and as
quietly as possible she sat down again and tried to conceal by incessant
employment the feelings which were divided between distress and diversion Mrs
Bennet and Kitty walked off and as soon as they were gone Mr Collins began
»Believe me my dear Miss Elizabeth that your modesty so far from doing
you any disservice rather adds to your other perfections You would have been
less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness but allow
me to assure you that I have your respected mothers permission for this
address You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse however your natural
delicacy may lead you to dissemble my attentions have been too marked to be
mistaken Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the
companion of my future life But before I am run away with by my feelings on
this subject perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for
marrying and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of
selecting a wife as I certainly did«
The idea of Mr Collins with all his solemn composure being run away with
by his feelings made Elizabeth so near laughing that she could not use the
short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther and he continued
»My reasons for marrying are first that I think it a right thing for every
clergyman in easy circumstances like myself to set the example of matrimony in
his parish Secondly that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my
happiness and thirdly which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier that
it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I
have the honour of calling patroness Twice has she condescended to give me her
opinion unasked too on this subject and it was but the very Saturday night
before I left Hunsford between our pools at quadrille while Mrs Jenkinson
was arranging Miss de Bourghs footstool that she said Mr Collins you must
marry A clergyman like you must marry Chuse properly chuse a gentlewoman
for my sake and for your own let her be an active useful sort of person not
brought up high but able to make a small income go a good way This is my
advice Find such a woman as soon as you can bring her to Hunsford and I will
visit her Allow me by the way to observe my fair cousin that I do not
reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of
the advantages in my power to offer You will find her manners beyond any thing
I can describe and your wit and vivacity I think must be acceptable to her
especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will
inevitably excite Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony it
remains to be told why my views were directed to Longbourn instead of my own
neighbourhood where I assure you there are many amiable young women But the
fact is that being as I am to inherit this estate after the death of your
honoured father who however may live many years longer I could not satisfy
myself without resolving to chuse a wife from among his daughters that the loss
to them might be as little as possible when the melancholy event takes place
which however as I have already said may not be for several years This has
been my motive my fair cousin and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your
esteem And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated
language of the violence of my affection To fortune I am perfectly indifferent
and shall make no demand of that nature on your father since I am well aware
that it could not be complied with and that one thousand pounds in the 4 per
cents which will not be yours till after your mothers decease is all that you
may ever be entitled to On that head therefore I shall be uniformly silent
and you may assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips
when we are married«
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now
»You are too hasty Sir« she cried »You forget that I have made no answer
Let me do it without farther loss of time Accept my thanks for the compliment
you are paying me I am very sensible of the honour of your proposals but it is
impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them«
»I am not now to learn« replied Mr Collins with a formal wave of the
hand »that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man
whom they secretly mean to accept when he first applies for their favour and
that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a third time I am
therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said and shall hope to
lead you to the altar ere long«
»Upon my word Sir« cried Elizabeth »your hope is rather an extraordinary
one after my declaration I do assure you that I am not one of those young
ladies if such young ladies there are who are so daring as to risk their
happiness on the chance of being asked a second time I am perfectly serious in
my refusal You could not make me happy and I am convinced that I am the last
woman in the world who would make you so Nay were your friend Lady Catherine
to know me I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for
the situation«
»Were it certain that Lady Catherine would think so« said Mr Collins very
gravely »but I cannot imagine that her ladyship would at all disapprove of
you And you may be certain that when I have the honour of seeing her again I
shall speak in the highest terms of your modesty economy and other amiable
qualifications«
»Indeed Mr Collins all praise of me will be unnecessary You must give me
leave to judge for myself and pay me the compliment of believing what I say I
wish you very happy and very rich and by refusing your hand do all in my power
to prevent your being otherwise In making me the offer you must have satisfied
the delicacy of your feelings with regard to my family and may take possession
of Longbourn estate whenever it falls without any selfreproach This matter
may be considered therefore as finally settled« And rising as she thus spoke
she would have quitted the room had not Mr Collins thus addressed her
»When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on this subject I shall
hope to receive a more favourable answer than you have now given me though I am
far from accusing you of cruelty at present because I know it to be the
established custom of your sex to reject a man on the first application and
perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would be
consistent with the true delicacy of the female character«
»Really Mr Collins« cried Elizabeth with some warmth »you puzzle me
exceedingly If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of
encouragement I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as may
convince you of its being one«
»You must give me leave to flatter myself my dear cousin that your refusal
of my addresses is merely words of course My reasons for believing it are
briefly these It does not appear to me that my hand is unworthy your
acceptance or that the establishment I can offer would be any other than highly
desirable My situation in life my connections with the family of De Bourgh
and my relationship to your own are circumstances highly in my favour and you
should take it into farther consideration that in spite of your manifold
attractions it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever
be made you Your portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood
undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications As I must
therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me I shall
chuse to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense according
to the usual practice of elegant females«
»I do assure you Sir that I have no pretension whatever to that kind of
elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man I would rather be paid
the compliment of being believed sincere I thank you again and again for the
honour you have done me in your proposals but to accept them is absolutely
impossible My feelings in every respect forbid it Can I speak plainer Do not
consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you but as a rational
creature speaking the truth from her heart«
»You are uniformly charming« cried he with an air of awkward gallantry
»and I am persuaded that when sanctioned by the express authority of both your
excellent parents my proposals will not fail of being acceptable«
To such perseverance in wilful selfdeception Elizabeth would make no reply
and immediately and in silence withdrew determined if he persisted in
considering her repeated refusals as flattering encouragement to apply to her
father whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive
and whose behaviour at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and
coquetry of an elegant female
Chapter XX
Mr Collins was not left long to the silent contemplation of his successful
love for Mrs Bennet having dawdled about in the vestibule to watch for the
end of the conference no sooner saw Elizabeth open the door and with quick step
pass her towards the staircase than she entered the breakfastroom and
congratulated both him and herself in warm terms on the happy prospect of their
nearer connection Mr Collins received and returned these felicitations with
equal pleasure and then proceeded to relate the particulars of their interview
with the result of which he trusted he had every reason to be satisfied since
the refusal which his cousin had stedfastly given him would naturally flow from
her bashful modesty and the genuine delicacy of her character
This information however startled Mrs Bennet she would have been glad
to be equally satisfied that her daughter had meant to encourage him by
protesting against his proposals but she dared not to believe it and could not
help saying so
»But depend upon it Mr Collins« she added »that Lizzy shall be brought
to reason I will speak to her about it myself directly She is a very
headstrong foolish girl and does not know her own interest but I will make her
know it«
»Pardon me for interrupting you Madam« cried Mr Collins »but if she is
really headstrong and foolish I know not whether she would altogether be a very
desirable wife to a man in my situation who naturally looks for happiness in
the marriage state If therefore she actually persists in rejecting my suit
perhaps it were better not to force her into accepting me because if liable to
such defects of temper she could not contribute much to my felicity«
»Sir you quite misunderstand me« said Mrs Bennet alarmed »Lizzy is only
headstrong in such matters as these In every thing else she is as good natured
a girl as ever lived I will go directly to Mr Bennet and we shall very soon
settle it with her I am sure«
She would not give him time to reply but hurrying instantly to her husband
called out as she entered the library
»Oh Mr Bennet you are wanted immediately we are all in an uproar You
must come and make Lizzy marry Mr Collins for she vows she will not have him
and if you do not make haste he will change his mind and not have her«
Mr Bennet raised his eyes from his book as she entered and fixed them on
her face with a calm unconcern which was not in the least altered by her
communication
»I have not the pleasure of understanding you« said he when she had
finished her speech »Of what are you talking«
»Of Mr Collins and Lizzy Lizzy declares she will not have Mr Collins and
Mr Collins begins to say that he will not have Lizzy«
»And what am I to do on the occasion It seems an hopeless business«
»Speak to Lizzy about it yourself Tell her that you insist upon her
marrying him«
»Let her be called down She shall hear my opinion«
Mrs Bennet rang the bell and Miss Elizabeth was summoned to the library
»Come here child« cried her father as she appeared »I have sent for you
on an affair of importance I understand that Mr Collins has made you an offer
of marriage Is it true« Elizabeth replied that it was »Very well and this
offer of marriage you have refused«
»I have Sir«
»Very well We now come to the point Your mother insists upon your
accepting it Is not it so Mrs Bennet«
»Yes or I will never see her again«
»An unhappy alternative is before you Elizabeth From this day you must be
a stranger to one of your parents Your mother will never see you again if you
do not marry Mr Collins and I will never see you again if you do«
Elizabeth could not but smile at such a conclusion of such a beginning but
Mrs Bennet who had persuaded herself that her husband regarded the affair as
she wished was excessively disappointed
»What do you mean Mr Bennet by talking in this way You promised me to
insist upon her marrying him«
»My dear« replied her husband »I have two small favours to request First
that you will allow me the free use of my understanding on the present occasion
and secondly of my room I shall be glad to have the library to myself as soon
as may be«
Not yet however in spite of her disappointment in her husband did Mrs
Bennet give up the point She talked to Elizabeth again and again coaxed and
threatened her by turns She endeavoured to secure Jane in her interest but
Jane with all possible mildness declined interfering and Elizabeth sometimes
with real earnestness and sometimes with playful gaiety replied to her attacks
Though her manner varied however her determination never did
Mr Collins meanwhile was meditating in solitude on what had passed He
thought too well of himself to comprehend on what motive his cousin could refuse
him and though his pride was hurt he suffered in no other way His regard for
her was quite imaginary and the possibility of her deserving her mothers
reproach prevented his feeling any regret
While the family were in this confusion Charlotte Lucas came to spend the
day with them She was met in the vestibule by Lydia who flying to her cried
in a half whisper »I am glad you are come for there is such fun here What
do you think has happened this morning Mr Collins has made an offer to
Lizzy and she will not have him«
Charlotte had hardly time to answer before they were joined by Kitty who
came to tell the same news and no sooner had they entered the breakfastroom
where Mrs Bennet was alone than she likewise began on the subject calling on
Miss Lucas for her compassion and entreating her to persuade her friend Lizzy
to comply with the wishes of all her family »Pray do my dear Miss Lucas« she
added in a melancholy tone »for nobody is on my side nobody takes part with
me I am cruelly used nobody feels for my poor nerves«
Charlottes reply was spared by the entrance of Jane and Elizabeth
»Aye there she comes« continued Mrs Bennet »looking as unconcerned as
may be and caring no more for us than if we were at York provided she can have
her own way But I tell you what Miss Lizzy if you take it into your head to
go on refusing every offer of marriage in this way you will never get a husband
at all and I am sure I do not know who is to maintain you when your father is
dead I shall not be able to keep you and so I warn you I have done with
you from this very day I told you in the library you know that I should
never speak to you again and you will find me as good as my word I have no
pleasure in talking to undutiful children Not that I have much pleasure
indeed in talking to any body People who suffer as I do from nervous complaints
can have no great inclination for talking Nobody can tell what I suffer But
it is always so Those who do not complain are never pitied«
Her daughters listened in silence to this effusion sensible that any
attempt to reason with or sooth her would only increase the irritation She
talked on therefore without interruption from any of them till they were
joined by Mr Collins who entered with an air more stately than usual and on
perceiving whom she said to the girls
»Now I do insist upon it that you all of you hold your tongues and let
Mr Collins and me have a little conversation together«
Elizabeth passed quietly out of the room Jane and Kitty followed but Lydia
stood her ground determined to hear all she could and Charlotte detained
first by the civility of Mr Collins whose inquiries after herself and all her
family were very minute and then by a little curiosity satisfied herself with
walking to the window and pretending not to hear In a doleful voice Mrs Bennet
thus began the projected conversation »Oh Mr Collins«
»My dear Madam« replied he »let us be for ever silent on this point Far
be it from me« he presently continued in a voice that marked his displeasure
»to resent the behaviour of your daughter Resignation to inevitable evils is
the duty of us all the peculiar duty of a young man who has been so fortunate
as I have been in early preferment and I trust I am resigned Perhaps not the
less so from feeling a doubt of my positive happiness had my fair cousin
honoured me with her hand for I have often observed that resignation is never
so perfect as when the blessing denied begins to lose somewhat of its value in
our estimation You will not I hope consider me as shewing any disrespect to
your family my dear Madam by thus withdrawing my pretensions to your
daughters favour without having paid yourself and Mr Bennet the compliment of
requesting you to interpose your authority in my behalf My conduct may I fear
be objectionable in having accepted my dismission from your daughters lips
instead of your own But we are all liable to error I have certainly meant well
through the whole affair My object has been to secure an amiable companion for
myself with due consideration for the advantage of all your family and if my
manner has been at all reprehensible I here beg leave to apologise«
Chapter XXI
The discussion of Mr Collinss offer was now nearly at an end and Elizabeth
had only to suffer from the uncomfortable feelings necessarily attending it and
occasionally from some peevish allusion of her mother As for the gentleman
himself his feelings were chiefly expressed not by embarrassment or dejection
or by trying to avoid her but by stiffness of manner and resentful silence He
scarcely ever spoke to her and the assiduous attentions which he had been so
sensible of himself were transferred for the rest of the day to Miss Lucas
whose civility in listening to him was a seasonable relief to them all and
especially to her friend
The morrow produced no abatement of Mrs Bennets ill humour or ill health
Mr Collins was also in the same state of angry pride Elizabeth had hoped that
his resentment might shorten his visit but his plan did not appear in the least
affected by it He was always to have gone on Saturday and to Saturday he still
meant to stay
After breakfast the girls walked to Meryton to inquire if Mr Wickham were
returned and to lament over his absence from the Netherfield ball He joined
them on their entering the town and attended them to their aunts where his
regret and vexation and the concern of every body was well talked over To
Elizabeth however he voluntarily acknowledged that the necessity of his
absence had been self imposed
»I found« said he »as the time drew near that I had better not meet Mr
Darcy that to be in the same room the same party with him for so many hours
together might be more than I could bear and that scenes might arise
unpleasant to more than myself«
She highly approved his forbearance and they had leisure for a full
discussion of it and for all the commendation which they civilly bestowed on
each other as Wickham and another officer walked back with them to Longbourn
and during the walk he particularly attended to her His accompanying them was
a double advantage she felt all the compliment it offered to herself and it
was most acceptable as an occasion of introducing him to her father and mother
Soon after their return a letter was delivered to Miss Bennet it came from
Netherfield and was opened immediately The envelope contained a sheet of
elegant little hot pressed paper well covered with a ladys fair flowing
hand and Elizabeth saw her sisters countenance change as she read it and saw
her dwelling intently on some particular passages Jane recollected herself
soon and putting the letter away tried to join with her usual cheerfulness in
the general conversation but Elizabeth felt an anxiety on the subject which
drew off her attention even from Wickham and no sooner had he and his companion
taken leave than a glance from Jane invited her to follow her up stairs When
they had gained their own room Jane taking out the letter said
»This is from Caroline Bingley what it contains has surprised me a good
deal The whole party have left Netherfield by this time and are on their way
to town and without any intention of coming back again You shall hear what she
says«
She then read the first sentence aloud which comprised the information of
their having just resolved to follow their brother to town directly and of
their meaning to dine that day in Grosvenor street where Mr Hurst had a house
The next was in these words »I do not pretend to regret any thing I shall leave
in Hertfordshire except your society my dearest friend but we will hope at
some future period to enjoy many returns of the delightful intercourse we have
known and in the mean while may lessen the pain of separation by a very
frequent and most unreserved correspondence I depend on you for that« To these
high flown expressions Elizabeth listened with all the insensibility of
distrust and though the suddenness of their removal surprised her she saw
nothing in it really to lament it was not to be supposed that their absence
from Netherfield would prevent Mr Bingleys being there and as to the loss of
their society she was persuaded that Jane must soon cease to regard it in the
enjoyment of his
»It is unlucky« said she after a short pause »that you should not be able
to see your friends before they leave the country But may we not hope that the
period of future happiness to which Miss Bingley looks forward may arrive
earlier than she is aware and that the delightful intercourse you have known as
friends will be renewed with yet greater satisfaction as sisters Mr Bingley
will not be detained in London by them«
»Caroline decidedly says that none of the party will return into
Hertfordshire this winter I will read it to you
When my brother left us yesterday he imagined that the business which took
him to London might be concluded in three or four days but as we are certain
it cannot be so and at the same time convinced that when Charles gets to town
he will be in no hurry to leave it again we have determined on following him
thither that he may not be obliged to spend his vacant hours in a comfortless
hotel Many of my acquaintance are already there for the winter I wish I could
hear that you my dearest friend had any intention of making one in the croud
but of that I despair I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may
abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings and that your beaux
will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we
shall deprive you«
»It is evident by this« added Jane »that he comes back no more this
winter«
»It is only evident that Miss Bingley does not mean he should«
»Why will you think so It must be his own doing He is his own master
But you do not know all I will read you the passage which particularly hurts
me I will have no reserves from you« »Mr Darcy is impatient to see his
sister and to confess the truth we are scarcely less eager to meet her again
I really do not think Georgiana Darcy has her equal for beauty elegance and
accomplishments and the affection she inspires in Louisa and myself is
heightened into something still more interesting from the hope we dare to
entertain of her being hereafter our sister I do not know whether I ever before
mentioned to you my feelings on this subject but I will not leave the country
without confiding them and I trust you will not esteem them unreasonable My
brother admires her greatly already he will have frequent opportunity now of
seeing her on the most intimate footing her relations all wish the connection
as much as his own and a sisters partiality is not misleading me I think
when I call Charles most capable of engaging any womans heart With all these
circumstances to favour an attachment and nothing to prevent it am I wrong my
dearest Jane in indulging the hope of an event which will secure the happiness
of so many«
»What think you of this sentence my dear Lizzy« said Jane as she
finished it »Is it not clear enough Does it not expressly declare that
Caroline neither expects nor wishes me to be her sister that she is perfectly
convinced of her brothers indifference and that if she suspects the nature of
my feelings for him she means most kindly to put me on my guard Can there
be any other opinion on the subject«
»Yes there can for mine is totally different Will you hear it«
»Most willingly«
»You shall have it in few words Miss Bingley sees that her brother is in
love with you and wants him to marry Miss Darcy She follows him to town in the
hope of keeping him there and tries to persuade you that he does not care about
you«
Jane shook her head
»Indeed Jane you ought to believe me No one who has ever seen you
together can doubt his affection Miss Bingley I am sure cannot She is not
such a simpleton Could she have seen half as much love in Mr Darcy for
herself she would have ordered her wedding clothes But the case is this We
are not rich enough or grand enough for them and she is the more anxious to
get Miss Darcy for her brother from the notion that when there has been one
intermarriage she may have less trouble in achieving a second in which there
is certainly some ingenuity and I dare say it would succeed if Miss de Bourgh
were out of the way But my dearest Jane you cannot seriously imagine that
because Miss Bingley tells you her brother greatly admires Miss Darcy he is in
the smallest degree less sensible of your merit than when he took leave of you
on Tuesday or that it will be in her power to persuade him that instead of
being in love with you he is very much in love with her friend«
»If we thought alike of Miss Bingley« replied Jane »your representation of
all this might make me quite easy But I know the foundation is unjust
Caroline is incapable of wilfully deceiving any one and all that I can hope in
this case is that she is deceived herself«
»That is right You could not have started a more happy idea since you
will not take comfort in mine Believe her to be deceived by all means You have
now done your duty by her and must fret no longer«
»But my dear sister can I be happy even supposing the best in accepting
a man whose sisters and friends are all wishing him to marry elsewhere«
»You must decide for yourself« said Elizabeth »and if upon mature
deliberation you find that the misery of disobliging his two sisters is more
than equivalent to the happiness of being his wife I advise you by all means to
refuse him«
»How can you talk so« said Jane faintly smiling »You must know that
though I should be exceedingly grieved at their disapprobation I could not
hesitate«
»I did not think you would and that being the case I cannot consider
your situation with much compassion«
»But if he returns no more this winter my choice will never be required A
thousand things may arise in six months«
The idea of his returning no more Elizabeth treated with the utmost
contempt It appeared to her merely the suggestion of Carolines interested
wishes and she could not for a moment suppose that those wishes however openly
or artfully spoken could influence a young man so totally independent of every
one
She represented to her sister as forcibly as possible what she felt on the
subject and had soon the pleasure of seeing its happy effect Janes temper was
not desponding and she was gradually led to hope though the diffidence of
affection sometimes overcame the hope that Bingley would return to Netherfield
and answer every wish of her heart
They agreed that Mrs Bennet should only hear of the departure of the
family without being alarmed on the score of the gentlemans conduct but even
this partial communication gave her a great deal of concern and she bewailed it
as exceedingly unlucky that the ladies should happen to go away just as they
were all getting so intimate together After lamenting it however at some
length she had the consolation of thinking that Mr Bingley would be soon down
again and soon dining at Longbourn and the conclusion of all was the
comfortable declaration that though he had been invited only to a family
dinner she would take care to have two full courses
Chapter XXII
The Bonnets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and again during the chief of
the day was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr Collins Elizabeth took an
opportunity of thanking her »It keeps him in good humour« said she »and I am
more obliged to you than I can express« Charlotte assured her friend of her
satisfaction in being useful and that it amply repaid her for the little
sacrifice of her time This was very amiable but Charlottes kindness extended
farther than Elizabeth had any conception of its object was nothing less
than to secure her from any return of Mr Collinss addresses by engaging them
towards herself Such was Miss Lucass scheme and appearances were so
favourable that when they parted at night she would have felt almost sure of
success if he had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very soon But here she
did injustice to the fire and independence of his character for it led him to
escape out of Longbourn House the next morning with admirable slyness and
hasten to Lucas Lodge to throw himself at her feet He was anxious to avoid the
notice of his cousins from a conviction that if they saw him depart they could
not fail to conjecture his design and he was not willing to have the attempt
known till its success could be known likewise for though feeling almost
secure and with reason for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging he was
comparatively diffident since the adventure of Wednesday His reception however
was of the most flattering kind Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window
as he walked towards the house and instantly set out to meet him accidentally
in the lane But little had she dared to hope that so much love and eloquence
awaited her there
In as short a time as Mr Collinss long speeches would allow every thing
was settled between them to the satisfaction of both and as they entered the
house he earnestly entreated her to name the day that was to make him the
happiest of men and though such a solicitation must be waved for the present
the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness The stupidity with
which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any charm that
could make a woman wish for its continuance and Miss Lucas who accepted him
solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment cared not how
soon that establishment were gained
Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their consent and
it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity Mr Collinss present circumstances
made it a most eligible match for their daughter to whom they could give little
fortune and his prospects of future wealth were exceedingly fair Lady Lucas
began directly to calculate with more interest than the matter had ever excited
before how many years longer Mr Bennet was likely to live and Sir William
gave it as his decided opinion that whenever Mr Collins should be in
possession of the Longbourn estate it would be highly expedient that both he
and his wife should make their appearance at St Jamess The whole family in
short were properly overjoyed on the occasion The younger girls formed hopes of
coming out a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have done and the
boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlottes dying an old maid
Charlotte herself was tolerably composed She had gained her point and had time
to consider of it Her reflections were in general satisfactory Mr Collins to
be sure was neither sensible nor agreeable his society was irksome and his
attachment to her must be imaginary But still he would be her husband
Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony marriage had always been
her object it was the only honourable provision for welleducated young women
of small fortune and however uncertain of giving happiness must be their
pleasantest preservative from want This preservative she had now obtained and
at the age of twentyseven without having ever been handsome she felt all the
good luck of it The least agreeable circumstance in the business was the
surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet whose friendship she valued
beyond that of any other person Elizabeth would wonder and probably would
blame her and though her resolution was not to be shaken her feelings must be
hurt by such disapprobation She resolved to give her the information herself
and therefore charged Mr Collins when he returned to Longbourn to dinner to
drop no hint of what had passed before any of the family A promise of secrecy
was of course very dutifully given but it could not be kept without difficulty
for the curiosity excited by his long absence burst forth in such very direct
questions on his return as required some ingenuity to evade and he was at the
same time exercising great selfdenial for he was longing to publish his
prosperous love
As he was to begin his journey too early on the morrow to see any of the
family the ceremony of leavetaking was performed when the ladies moved for the
night and Mrs Bennet with great politeness and cordiality said how happy they
should be to see him at Longbourn again whenever his other engagements might
allow him to visit them
»My dear Madam« he replied »this invitation is particularly gratifying
because it is what I have been hoping to receive and you may be very certain
that I shall avail myself of it as soon as possible«
They were all astonished and Mr Bennet who could by no means wish for so
speedy a return immediately said
»But is there not danger of Lady Catherines disapprobation here my good
sir You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of offending
your patroness«
»My dear sir« replied Mr Collins »I am particularly obliged to you for
this friendly caution and you may depend upon my not taking so material a step
without her ladyships concurrence«
»You cannot be too much on your guard Risk any thing rather than her
displeasure and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us again
which I should think exceedingly probable stay quietly at home and be
satisfied that we shall take no offence«
»Believe me my dear sir my gratitude is warmly excited by such
affectionate attention and depend upon it you will speedily receive from me a
letter of thanks for this as well as for every other mark of your regard during
my stay in Hertfordshire As for my fair cousins though my absence may not be
long enough to render it necessary I shall now take the liberty of wishing them
health and happiness not excepting my cousin Elizabeth«
With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew all of them equally
surprised to find that he meditated a quick return Mrs Bennet wished to
understand by it that he thought of paying his addresses to one of her younger
girls and Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him She rated his
abilities much higher than any of the others there was a solidity in his
reflections which often struck her and though by no means so clever as herself
she thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example as
hers he might become a very agreeable companion But on the following morning
every hope of this kind was done away Miss Lucas called soon after breakfast
and in a private conference with Elizabeth related the event of the day before
The possibility of Mr Collinss fancying himself in love with her friend
had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two but that Charlotte
could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as that she could
encourage him herself and her astonishment was consequently so great as to
overcome at first the bounds of decorum and she could not help crying out
»Engaged to Mr Collins my dear Charlotte impossible«
The steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded in telling her story
gave way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct a reproach
though as it was no more than she expected she soon regained her composure
and calmly replied
»Why should you be surprised my dear Eliza Do you think it incredible
that Mr Collins should be able to procure any womans good opinion because he
was not so happy as to succeed with you«
But Elizabeth had now recollected herself and making a strong effort for
it was able to assure her with tolerable firmness that the prospect of their
relationship was highly grateful to her and that she wished her all imaginable
happiness
»I see what you are feeling« replied Charlotte »you must be surprised
very much surprised so lately as Mr Collins was wishing to marry you But
when you have had time to think it all over I hope you will be satisfied with
what I have done I am not romantic you know I never was I ask only a
comfortable home and considering Mr Collinss character connections and
situation in life I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as
fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state«
Elizabeth quietly answered »Undoubtedly« and after an awkward pause they
returned to the rest of the family Charlotte did not stay much longer and
Elizabeth was then left to reflect on what she had heard It was a long time
before she became at all reconciled to the idea of so unsuitable a match The
strangeness of Mr Collinss making two offers of marriage within three days
was nothing in comparison of his being now accepted She had always felt that
Charlottes opinion of matrimony was not exactly like her own but she could not
have supposed it possible that when called into action she would have
sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage Charlotte the wife of Mr
Collins was a most humiliating picture And to the pang of a friend
disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem was added the distressing conviction
that it was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had
chosen
Chapter XXIII
Elizabeth was sitting with her mother and sisters reflecting on what she had
heard and doubting whether she were authorised to mention it when Sir William
Lucas himself appeared sent by his daughter to announce her engagement to the
family With many compliments to them and much selfgratulation on the prospect
of a connection between the houses he unfolded the matter to an audience not
merely wondering but incredulous for Mrs Bennet with more perseverance than
politeness protested he must be entirely mistaken and Lydia always unguarded
and often uncivil boisterously exclaimed
»Good Lord Sir William how can you tell such a story Do not you know
that Mr Collins wants to marry Lizzy«
Nothing less than the complaisance of a courtier could have borne without
anger such treatment but Sir Williams good breeding carried him through it
all and though he begged leave to be positive as to the truth of his
information he listened to all their impertinence with the most forbearing
courtesy
Elizabeth feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant a
situation now put herself forward to confirm his account by mentioning her
prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself and endeavoured to put a stop to
the exclamations of her mother and sisters by the earnestness of her
congratulations to Sir William in which she was readily joined by Jane and by
making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the
match the excellent character of Mr Collins and the convenient distance of
Hunsford from London
Mrs Bennet was in fact too much overpowered to say a great deal while Sir
William remained but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found a rapid
vent In the first place she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter
secondly she was very sure that Mr Collins had been taken in thirdly she
trusted that they would never be happy together and fourthly that the match
might be broken off Two inferences however were plainly deduced from the
whole one that Elizabeth was the real cause of all the mischief and the
other that she herself had been barbarously used by them all and on these two
points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day Nothing could console
and nothing appease her Nor did that day wear out her resentment A week
elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her a month passed away
before she could speak to Sir William or Lady Lucas without being rude and many
months were gone before she could at all forgive their daughter
Mr Bennets emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion and such as
he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort for it gratified
him he said to discover that Charlotte Lucas whom he had been used to think
tolerably sensible was as foolish as his wife and more foolish than his
daughter
Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match but she said less of
her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their happiness nor could
Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable Kitty and Lydia were far
from envying Miss Lucas for Mr Collins was only a clergyman and it affected
them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at Meryton
Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on
Mrs Bennet the comfort of having a daughter well married and she called at
Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was though Mrs
Bennets sour looks and illnatured remarks might have been enough to drive
happiness away
Between Elizabeth and Charlotte there was a restraint which kept them
mutually silent on the subject and Elizabeth felt persuaded that no real
confidence could ever subsist between them again Her disappointment in
Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister of whose rectitude and
delicacy she was sure her opinion could never be shaken and for whose happiness
she grew daily more anxious as Bingley had now been gone a week and nothing
was heard of his return
Jane had sent Caroline an early answer to her letter and was counting the
days till she might reasonably hope to hear again The promised letter of thanks
from Mr Collins arrived on Tuesday addressed to their father and written with
all the solemnity of gratitude which a twelvemonths abode in the family might
have prompted After discharging his conscience on that head he proceeded to
inform them with many rapturous expressions of his happiness in having
obtained the affection of their amiable neighbour Miss Lucas and then
explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her society that he had
been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Longbourn
whither he hoped to be able to return on Monday fortnight for Lady Catherine
he added so heartily approved his marriage that she wished it to take place as
soon as possible which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his
amiable Charlotte to name an early day for making him the happiest of men
Mr Collinss return into Hertfordshire was no longer a matter of pleasure
to Mrs Bennet On the contrary she was as much disposed to complain of it as
her husband It was very strange that he should come to Longbourn instead of
to Lucas Lodge it was also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome She
hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent and
lovers were of all people the most disagreeable Such were the gentle murmurs of
Mrs Bennet and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr Bingleys
continued absence
Neither Jane nor Elizabeth were comfortable on this subject Day after day
passed away without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which
shortly prevailed in Meryton of his coming no more to Netherfield the whole
winter a report which highly incensed Mrs Bennet and which she never failed
to contradict as a most scandalous falsehood
Even Elizabeth began to fear not that Bingley was indifferent but that
his sisters would be successful in keeping him away Unwilling as she was to
admit an idea so destructive of Janes happiness and so dishonourable to the
stability of her lover she could not prevent its frequently recurring The
united efforts of his two unfeeling sisters and of his overpowering friend
assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy and the amusements of London might be
too much she feared for the strength of his attachment
As for Jane her anxiety under this suspence was of course more painful
than Elizabeths but whatever she felt she was desirous of concealing and
between herself and Elizabeth therefore the subject was never alluded to But
as no such delicacy restrained her mother an hour seldom passed in which she
did not talk of Bingley express her impatience for his arrival or even require
Jane to confess that if he did not come back she should think herself very ill
used It needed all Janes steady mildness to bear these attacks with tolerable
tranquillity
Mr Collins returned most punctually on the Monday fortnight but his
reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first
introduction He was too happy however to need much attention and luckily for
the others the business of lovemaking relieved them from a great deal of his
company The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge and he
sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to make an apology for his absence
before the family went to bed
Mrs Bennet was really in a most pitiable state The very mention of any
thing concerning the match threw her into an agony of ill humour and wherever
she went she was sure of hearing it talked of The sight of Miss Lucas was
odious to her As her successor in that house she regarded her with jealous
abhorrence Whenever Charlotte came to see them she concluded her to be
anticipating the hour of possession and whenever she spoke in a low voice to
Mr Collins was convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate and
resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the house as soon as Mr
Bennet were dead She complained bitterly of all this to her husband
»Indeed Mr Bennet« said she »it is very hard to think that Charlotte
Lucas should ever be mistress of this house that I should be forced to make way
for her and live to see her take my place in it«
»My dear do not give way to such gloomy thoughts Let us hope for better
things Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor«
This was not very consoling to Mrs Bennet and therefore instead of
making any answer she went on as before
»I cannot bear to think that they should have all this estate If it was not
for the entail I should not mind it«
»What should not you mind«
»I should not mind any thing at all«
»Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such
insensibility«
»I never can be thankful Mr Bennet for any thing about the entail How
any one could have the conscience to entail away an estate from ones own
daughters I cannot understand and all for the sake of Mr Collins too Why
should he have it more than anybody else«
»I leave it to yourself to determine« said Mr Bennet
End of Vol I
Volume II
Chapter I
Miss Bingleys letter arrived and put an end to doubt The very first sentence
conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London for the winter and
concluded with her brothers regret at not having had time to pay his respects
to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country
Hope was over entirely over and when Jane could attend to the rest of the
letter she found little except the professed affection of the writer that
could give her any comfort Miss Darcys praise occupied the chief of it Her
many attractions were again dwelt on and Caroline boasted joyfully of their
increasing intimacy and ventured to predict the accomplishment of the wishes
which had been unfolded in her former letter She wrote also with great pleasure
of her brothers being an inmate of Mr Darcys house and mentioned with
raptures some plans of the latter with regard to new furniture
Elizabeth to whom Jane very soon communicated the chief of all this heard
it in silent indignation Her heart was divided between concern for her sister
and resentment against all the others To Carolines assertion of her brothers
being partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit That he was really fond of Jane
she doubted no more than she had ever done and much as she had always been
disposed to like him she could not think without anger hardly without
contempt on that easiness of temper that want of proper resolution which now
made him the slave of his designing friends and led him to sacrifice his own
happiness to the caprice of their inclinations Had his own happiness however
been the only sacrifice he might have been allowed to sport with it in what
ever manner he thought best but her sisters was involved in it as she thought
he must be sensible himself It was a subject in short on which reflection
would be long indulged and must be unavailing She could think of nothing else
and yet whether Bingleys regard had really died away or were suppressed by his
friends interference whether he had been aware of Janes attachment or
whether it had escaped his observation whichever were the case though her
opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference her sisters
situation remained the same her peace equally wounded
A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings to
Elizabeth but at last on Mrs Bennets leaving them together after a longer
irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master she could not help
saying
»Oh that my dear mother had more command over herself she can have no idea
of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him But I will not
repine It cannot last long He will be forgot and we shall all be as we were
before«
Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude but said
nothing
»You doubt me« cried Jane slightly colouring »indeed you have no reason
He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance but that is
all I have nothing either to hope or fear and nothing to reproach him with
Thank God I have not that pain A little time therefore I shall certainly
try to get the better«
With a stronger voice she soon added »I have this comfort immediately that
it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side and that it has done no
harm to any one but myself«
»My dear Jane« exclaimed Elizabeth »you are too good Your sweetness and
disinterestedness are really angelic I do not know what to say to you I feel
as if I had never done you justice or loved you as you deserve«
Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit and threw back the
praise on her sisters warm affection
»Nay« said Elizabeth »this is not fair You wish to think all the world
respectable and are hurt if I speak ill of any body I only want to think you
perfect and you set yourself against it Do not be afraid of my running into
any excess of my encroaching on your privilege of universal good will You need
not There are few people whom I really love and still fewer of whom I think
well The more I see of the world the more am I dissatisfied with it and every
day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters and of the
little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense
I have met with two instances lately one I will not mention the other is
Charlottes marriage It is unaccountable in every view it is unaccountable«
»My dear Lizzy do not give way to such feelings as these They will ruin
your happiness You do not make allowance enough for difference of situation and
temper Consider Mr Collinss respectability and Charlottes prudent steady
character Remember that she is one of a large family that as to fortune it is
a most eligible match and be ready to believe for every bodys sake that she
may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin«
»To oblige you I would try to believe almost any thing but no one else
could be benefited by such a belief as this for were I persuaded that Charlotte
had any regard for him I should only think worse of her understanding than I
now do of her heart My dear Jane Mr Collins is a conceited pompous
narrowminded silly man you know he is as well as I do and you must feel as
well as I do that the woman who marries him cannot have a proper way of
thinking You shall not defend her though it is Charlotte Lucas You shall not
for the sake of one individual change the meaning of principle and integrity
nor endeavour to persuade yourself or me that selfishness is prudence and
insensibility of danger security for happiness«
»I must think your language too strong in speaking of both« replied Jane
»and I hope you will be convinced of it by seeing them happy together But
enough of this You alluded to something else You mentioned two instances I
cannot misunderstand you but I intreat you dear Lizzy not to pain me by
thinking that person to blame and saying your opinion of him is sunk We must
not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally injured We must not expect a
lively young man to be always so guarded and circumspect It is very often
nothing but our own vanity that deceives us Women fancy admiration means more
than it does«
»And men take care that they should«
»If it is designedly done they cannot be justified but I have no idea of
there being so much design in the world as some persons imagine«
»I am far from attributing any part of Mr Bingleys conduct to design«
said Elizabeth »but without scheming to do wrong or to make others unhappy
there may be error and there may be misery Thoughtlessness want of attention
to other peoples feelings and want of resolution will do the business«
»And do you impute it to either of those«
»Yes to the last But if I go on I shall displease you by saying what I
think of persons you esteem Stop me whilst you can«
»You persist then in supposing his sisters influence him«
»Yes in conjunction with his friend«
»I cannot believe it Why should they try to influence him They can only
wish his happiness and if he is attached to me no other woman can secure it«
»Your first position is false They may wish many things besides his
happiness they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence they may wish
him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money great connections and
pride«
»Beyond a doubt they do wish him to chuse Miss Darcy« replied Jane »but
this may be from better feelings than you are supposing They have known her
much longer than they have known me no wonder if they love her better But
whatever may be their own wishes it is very unlikely they should have opposed
their brothers What sister would think herself at liberty to do it unless
there were something very objectionable If they believed him attached to me
they would not try to part us if he were so they could not succeed By
supposing such an affection you make every body acting unnaturally and wrong
and me most unhappy Do not distress me by the idea I am not ashamed of having
been mistaken or at least it is slight it is nothing in comparison of what
I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters Let me take it in the best
light in the light in which it may be understood«
Elizabeth could not oppose such a wish and from this time Mr Bingleys
name was scarcely ever mentioned between them
Mrs Bennet still continued to wonder and repine at his returning no more
and though a day seldom passed in which Elizabeth did not account for it
clearly there seemed little chance of her ever considering it with less
perplexity Her daughter endeavoured to convince her of what she did not believe
herself that his attentions to Jane had been merely the effect of a common and
transient liking which ceased when he saw her no more but though the
probability of the statement was admitted at the time she had the same story to
repeat every day Mrs Bennets best comfort was that Mr Bingley must be down
again in the summer
Mr Bennet treated the matter differently »So Lizzy« said he one day
»your sister is crossed in love I find I congratulate her Next to being
married a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and then It is
something to think of and gives her a sort of distinction among her companions
When is your turn to come You will hardly bear to be long outdone by Jane Now
is your time Here are officers enough at Meryton to disappoint all the young
ladies in the country Let Wickham be your man He is a pleasant fellow and
would jilt you creditably«
»Thank you Sir but a less agreeable man would satisfy me We must not all
expect Janes good fortune«
»True« said Mr Bennet »but it is a comfort to think that whatever of
that kind may befal you you have an affectionate mother who will always make
the most of it«
Mr Wickhams society was of material service in dispelling the gloom which
the late perverse occurrences had thrown on many of the Longbourn family They
saw him often and to his other recommendations was now added that of general
unreserve The whole of what Elizabeth had already heard his claims on Mr
Darcy and all that he had suffered from him was now openly acknowledged and
publicly canvassed and every body was pleased to think how much they had always
disliked Mr Darcy before they had known any thing of the matter
Miss Bennet was the only creature who could suppose there might be any
extenuating circumstances in the case unknown to the society of Hertfordshire
her mild and steady candour always pleaded for allowances and urged the
possibility of mistakes but by everybody else Mr Darcy was condemned as the
worst of men
Chapter II
After a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity Mr Collins
was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of Saturday The pain of
separation however might be alleviated on his side by preparations for the
reception of his bride as he had reason to hope that shortly after his next
return into Hertfordshire the day would be fixed that was to make him the
happiest of men He took leave of his relations at Longbourn with as much
solemnity as before wished his fair cousins health and happiness again and
promised their father another letter of thanks
On the following Monday Mrs Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her
brother and his wife who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn Mr
Gardiner was a sensible gentlemanlike man greatly superior to his sister as
well by nature as education The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in
believing that a man who lived by trade and within view of his own warehouses
could have been so well bred and agreeable Mrs Gardiner who was several years
younger than Mrs Bennet and Mrs Philips was an amiable intelligent elegant
woman and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces Between the two
eldest and herself especially there subsisted a very particular regard They
had frequently been staying with her in town
The first part of Mrs Gardiners business on her arrival was to distribute
her presents and describe the newest fashions When this was done she had a
less active part to play It became her turn to listen Mrs Bennet had many
grievances to relate and much to complain of They had all been very illused
since she last saw her sister Two of her girls had been on the point of
marriage and after all there was nothing in it
»I do not blame Jane« she continued »for Jane would have got Mr Bingley
if she could But Lizzy Oh sister it is very hard to think that she might
have been Mr Collinss wife by this time had not it been for her own
perverseness He made her an offer in this very room and she refused him The
consequence of it is that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before I
have and that Longbourn estate is just as much entailed as ever The Lucases
are very artful people indeed sister They are all for what they can get I am
sorry to say it of them but so it is It makes me very nervous and poorly to
be thwarted so in my own family and to have neighbours who think of themselves
before anybody else However your coming just at this time is the greatest of
comforts and I am very glad to hear what you tell us of long sleeves«
Mrs Gardiner to whom the chief of this news had been given before in the
course of Jane and Elizabeths correspondence with her made her sister a slight
answer and in compassion to her nieces turned the conversation
When alone with Elizabeth afterwards she spoke more on the subject »It
seems likely to have been a desirable match for Jane« said she »I am sorry it
went off But these things happen so often A young man such as you describe
Mr Bingley so easily falls in love with a pretty girl for a few weeks and
when accident separates them so easily forgets her that these sort of
inconstancies are very frequent«
»An excellent consolation in its way« said Elizabeth »but it will not do
for us We do not suffer by accident It does not often happen that the
interference of friends will persuade a young man of independent fortune to
think no more of a girl whom he was violently in love with only a few days
before«
»But that expression of violently in love is so hackneyed so doubtful so
indefinite that it gives me very little idea It is as often applied to
feelings which arise from an halfhours acquaintance as to a real strong
attachment Pray how violent was Mr Bingleys love«
»I never saw a more promising inclination He was growing quite inattentive
to other people and wholly engrossed by her Every time they met it was more
decided and remarkable At his own ball he offended two or three young ladies
by not asking them to dance and I spoke to him twice myself without receiving
an answer Could there be finer symptoms Is not general incivility the very
essence of love«
»Oh yes of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt Poor
Jane I am sorry for her because with her disposition she may not get over it
immediately It had better have happened to you Lizzy you would have laughed
yourself out of it sooner But do you think she would be prevailed on to go back
with us Change of scene might be of service and perhaps a little relief from
home may be as useful as anything«
Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal and felt persuaded of
her sisters ready acquiescence
»I hope« added Mrs Gardiner »that no consideration with regard to this
young man will influence her We live in so different a part of town all our
connections are so different and as you well know we go out so little that
it is very improbable they should meet at all unless he really comes to see
her«
»And that is quite impossible for he is now in the custody of his friend
and Mr Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such a part of London
My dear aunt how could you think of it Mr Darcy may perhaps have heard of
such a place as Gracechurch Street but he would hardly think a months ablution
enough to cleanse him from its impurities were he once to enter it and depend
upon it Mr Bingley never stirs without him«
»So much the better I hope they will not meet at all But does not Jane
correspond with the sister She will not be able to help calling«
»She will drop the acquaintance entirely«
But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to place this
point as well as the still more interesting one of Bingleys being withheld
from seeing Jane she felt a solicitude on the subject which convinced her on
examination that she did not consider it entirely hopeless It was possible
and sometimes she thought it probable that his affection might be reanimated
and the influence of his friends successfully combated by the more natural
influence of Janes attractions
Miss Bennet accepted her aunts invitation with pleasure and the Bingleys
were no otherwise in her thoughts at the time than as she hoped that by
Carolines not living in the same house with her brother she might occasionally
spend a morning with her without any danger of seeing him
The Gardiners staid a week at Longbourn and what with the Philipses the
Lucases and the officers there was not a day without its engagement Mrs
Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother and
sister that they did not once sit down to a family dinner When the engagement
was for home some of the officers always made part of it of which officers Mr
Wickham was sure to be one and on these occasions Mrs Gardiner rendered
suspicious by Elizabeths warm commendation of him narrowly observed them both
Without supposing them from what she saw to be very seriously in love their
preference of each other was plain enough to make her a little uneasy and she
resolved to speak to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire and
represent to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment
To Mrs Gardiner Wickham had one means of affording pleasure unconnected
with his general powers About ten or a dozen years ago before her marriage
she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire to which he
belonged They had therefore many acquaintance in common and though Wickham
had been little there since the death of Darcys father five years before it
was yet in his power to give her fresher intelligence of her former friends
than she had been in the way of procuring
Mrs Gardiner had seen Pemberley and known the late Mr Darcy by character
perfectly well Here consequently was an inexhaustible subject of discourse In
comparing her recollection of Pemberley with the minute description which
Wickham could give and in bestowing her tribute of praise on the character of
its late possessor she was delighting both him and herself On being made
acquainted with the present Mr Darcys treatment of him she tried to remember
something of that gentlemans reputed disposition when quite a lad which might
agree with it and was confident at last that she recollected having heard Mr
Fitzwilliam Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud illnatured boy
Chapter III
Mrs Gardiners caution to Elizabeth was punctually and kindly given on the
first favourable opportunity of speaking to her alone after honestly telling
her what she thought she thus went on
»You are too sensible a girl Lizzy to fall in love merely because you are
warned against it and therefore I am not afraid of speaking openly
Seriously I would have you be on your guard Do not involve yourself or
endeavour to involve him in an affection which the want of fortune would make so
very imprudent I have nothing to say against him he is a most interesting
young man and if he had the fortune he ought to have I should think you could
not do better But as it is you must not let your fancy run away with you You
have sense and we all expect you to use it Your father would depend on your
resolution and good conduct I am sure You must not disappoint your father«
»My dear aunt this is being serious indeed«
»Yes and I hope to engage you to be serious likewise«
»Well then you need not be under any alarm I will take care of myself
and of Mr Wickham too He shall not be in love with me if I can prevent it«
»Elizabeth you are not serious now«
»I beg your pardon I will try again At present I am not in love with Mr
Wickham no I certainly am not But he is beyond all comparison the most
agreeable man I ever saw and if he becomes really attached to me I believe
it will be better that he should not I see the imprudence of it Oh that
abominable Mr Darcy My fathers opinion of me does me the greatest honor
and I should be miserable to forfeit it My father however is partial to Mr
Wickham In short my dear aunt I should be very sorry to be the means of
making any of you unhappy but since we see every day that where there is
affection young people are seldom withheld by immediate want of fortune from
entering into engagements with each other how can I promise to be wiser than so
many of my fellow creatures if I am tempted or how am I even to know that it
would be wisdom to resist All that I can promise you therefore is not to be
in a hurry I will not be in a hurry to believe myself his first object When I
am in company with him I will not be wishing In short I will do my best«
»Perhaps it will be as well if you discourage his coming here so very
often At least you should not remind your Mother of inviting him«
»As I did the other day« said Elizabeth with a conscious smile »very
true it will be wise in me to refrain from that But do not imagine that he is
always here so often It is on your account that he has been so frequently
invited this week You know my mothers ideas as to the necessity of constant
company for her friends But really and upon my honour I will try to do what I
think to be wisest and now I hope you are satisfied«
Her aunt assured her that she was and Elizabeth having thanked her for the
kindness of her hints they parted a wonderful instance of advice being given
on such a point without being resented
Mr Collins returned into Hertfordshire soon after it had been quitted by
the Gardiners and Jane but as he took up his abode with the Lucases his
arrival was no great inconvenience to Mrs Bennet His marriage was now fast
approaching and she was at length so far resigned as to think it inevitable
and even repeatedly to say in an illnatured tone that she wished they might be
happy Thursday was to be the wedding day and on Wednesday Miss Lucas paid her
farewell visit and when she rose to take leave Elizabeth ashamed of her
mothers ungracious and reluctant good wishes and sincerely affected herself
accompanied her out of the room As they went down stairs together Charlotte
said
»I shall depend on hearing from you very often Eliza«
»That you certainly shall«
»And I have another favour to ask Will you come and see me«
»We shall often meet I hope in Hertfordshire«
»I am not likely to leave Kent for some time Promise me therefore to come
to Hunsford«
Elizabeth could not refuse though she foresaw little pleasure in the visit
»My father and Maria are to come to me in March« added Charlotte »and I
hope you will consent to be of the party Indeed Eliza you will be as welcome
to me as either of them«
The wedding took place the bride and bridegroom set off for Kent from the
church door and every body had as much to say or to hear on the subject as
usual Elizabeth soon heard from her friend and their correspondence was as
regular and frequent as it had ever been that it should be equally unreserved
was impossible Elizabeth could never address her without feeling that all the
comfort of intimacy was over and though determined not to slacken as a
correspondent it was for the sake of what had been rather than what was
Charlottes first letters were received with a good deal of eagerness there
could not but be curiosity to know how she would speak of her new home how she
would like Lady Catherine and how happy she would dare pronounce herself to be
though when the letters were read Elizabeth felt that Charlotte expressed
herself on every point exactly as she might have foreseen She wrote cheerfully
seemed surrounded with comforts and mentioned nothing which she could not
praise The house furniture neighbourhood and roads were all to her taste
and Lady Catherines behaviour was most friendly and obliging It was Mr
Collinss picture of Hunsford and Rosings rationally softened and Elizabeth
perceived that she must wait for her own visit there to know the rest
Jane had already written a few lines to her sister to announce their safe
arrival in London and when she wrote again Elizabeth hoped it would be in her
power to say something of the Bingleys
Her impatience for this second letter was as well rewarded as impatience
generally is Jane had been a week in town without either seeing or hearing
from Caroline She accounted for it however by supposing that her last letter
to her friend from Longbourn had by some accident been lost
»My aunt« she continued »is going tomorrow into that part of the town
and I shall take the opportunity of calling in Grosvenorstreet«
She wrote again when the visit was paid and she had seen Miss Bingley »I
did not think Caroline in spirits« were her words »but she was very glad to
see me and reproached me for giving her no notice of my coming to London I was
right therefore my last letter had never reached her I enquired after their
brother of course He was well but so much engaged with Mr Darcy that they
scarcely ever saw him I found that Miss Darcy was expected to dinner I wish I
could see her My visit was not long as Caroline and Mrs Hurst were going out
I dare say I shall soon see them here«
Elizabeth shook her head over this letter It convinced her that accident
only could discover to Mr Bingley her sisters being in town
Four weeks passed away and Jane saw nothing of him She endeavoured to
persuade herself that she did not regret it but she could no longer be blind to
Miss Bingleys inattention After waiting at home every morning for a fortnight
and inventing every evening a fresh excuse for her the visitor did at last
appear but the shortness of her stay and yet more the alteration of her
manner would allow Jane to deceive herself no longer The letter which she
wrote on this occasion to her sister will prove what she felt
»My dearest Lizzy will I am sure be incapable of triumphing in her
better judgment at my expence when I confess myself to have been
entirely deceived in Miss Bingleys regard for me But my dear sister
though the event has proved you right do not think me obstinate if I
still assert that considering what her behaviour was my confidence
was as natural as your suspicion I do not at all comprehend her reason
for wishing to be intimate with me but if the same circumstances were
to happen again I am sure I should be deceived again Caroline did not
return my visit till yesterday and not a note not a line did I
receive in the mean time When she did come it was very evident that
she had no pleasure in it she made a slight formal apology for not
calling before said not a word of wishing to see me again and was in
every respect so altered a creature that when she went away I was
perfectly resolved to continue the acquaintance no longer I pity
though I cannot help blaming her She was very wrong in singling me out
as she did I can safely say that every advance to intimacy began on
her side But I pity her because she must feel that she has been acting
wrong and because I am very sure that anxiety for her brother is the
cause of it I need not explain myself farther and though we know this
anxiety to be quite needless yet if she feels it it will easily
account for her behaviour to me and so deservedly dear as he is to his
sister whatever anxiety she may feel on his behalf is natural and
amiable I cannot but wonder however at her having any such fears now
because if he had at all cared about me we must have met long long
ago He knows of my being in town I am certain from something she said
herself and yet it should seem by her manner of talking as if she
wanted to persuade herself that he is really partial to Miss Darcy I
cannot understand it If I were not afraid of judging harshly I should
be almost tempted to say that there is a strong appearance of duplicity
in all this But I will endeavour to banish every painful thought and
think only of what will make me happy your affection and the
invariable kindness of my dear uncle and aunt Let me hear from you very
soon Miss Bingley said something of his never returning to Netherfield
again of giving up the house but not with any certainty We had better
not mention it I am extremely glad that you have such pleasant accounts
from our friends at Hunsford Pray go to see them with Sir William and
Maria I am sure you will be very comfortable there
Yours etc«
This letter gave Elizabeth some pain but her spirits returned as she considered
that Jane would no longer be duped by the sister at least All expectation from
the brother was now absolutely over She would not even wish for any renewal of
his attentions His character sunk on every review of it and as a punishment
for him as well as a possible advantage to Jane she seriously hoped he might
really soon marry Mr Darcys sister as by Wickhams account she would make
him abundantly regret what he had thrown away
Mrs Gardiner about this time reminded Elizabeth of her promise concerning
that gentleman and required information and Elizabeth had such to send as
might rather give contentment to her aunt than to herself His apparent
partiality had subsided his attentions were over he was the admirer of some
one else Elizabeth was watchful enough to see it all but she could see it and
write of it without material pain Her heart had been but slightly touched and
her vanity was satisfied with believing that she would have been his only
choice had fortune permitted it The sudden acquisition of ten thousand pounds
was the most remarkable charm of the young lady to whom he was now rendering
himself agreeable but Elizabeth less clearsighted perhaps in his case than in
Charlottes did not quarrel with him for his wish of independence Nothing on
the contrary could be more natural and while able to suppose that it cost him
a few struggles to relinquish her she was ready to allow it a wise and
desirable measure for both and could very sincerely wish him happy
All this was acknowledged to Mrs Gardiner and after relating the
circumstances she thus went on »I am now convinced my dear aunt that I
have never been much in love for had I really experienced that pure and
elevating passion I should at present detest his very name and wish him all
manner of evil But my feelings are not only cordial towards him they are even
impartial towards Miss King I cannot find out that I hate her at all or that I
am in the least unwilling to think her a very good sort of girl There can be no
love in all this My watchfulness has been effectual and though I should
certainly be a more interesting object to all my acquaintance were I
distractedly in love with him I cannot say that I regret my comparative
insignificance Importance may sometimes be purchased too dearly Kitty and
Lydia take his defection much more to heart than I do They are young in the
ways of the world and not yet open to the mortifying conviction that handsome
young men must have something to live on as well as the plain«
Chapter IV
With no greater events than these in the Longbourn family and otherwise
diversified by little beyond the walks to Meryton sometimes dirty and sometimes
cold did January and February pass away March was to take Elizabeth to
Hunsford She had not at first thought very seriously of going thither but
Charlotte she soon found was depending on the plan and she gradually learned
to consider it herself with greater pleasure as well as greater certainty
Absence had increased her desire of seeing Charlotte again and weakened her
disgust of Mr Collins There was novelty in the scheme and as with such a
mother and such uncompanionable sisters home could not be faultless a little
change was not unwelcome for its own sake The journey would moreover give her a
peep at Jane and in short as the time drew near she would have been very
sorry for any delay Every thing however went on smoothly and was finally
settled according to Charlottes first sketch She was to accompany Sir William
and his second daughter The improvement of spending a night in London was added
in time and the plan became perfect as plan could be
The only pain was in leaving her father who would certainly miss her and
who when it came to the point so little liked her going that he told her to
write to him and almost promised to answer her letter
The farewell between herself and Mr Wickham was perfectly friendly on his
side even more His present pursuit could not make him forget that Elizabeth had
been the first to excite and to deserve his attention the first to listen and
to pity the first to be admired and in his manner of bidding her adieu
wishing her every enjoyment reminding her of what she was to expect in Lady
Catherine de Bourgh and trusting their opinion of her their opinion of every
body would always coincide there was a solicitude an interest which she felt
must ever attach her to him with a most sincere regard and she parted from him
convinced that whether married or single he must always be her model of the
amiable and pleasing
Her fellowtravellers the next day were not of a kind to make her think him
less agreeable Sir William Lucas and his daughter Maria a good humoured girl
but as emptyheaded as himself had nothing to say that could be worth hearing
and were listened to with about as much delight as the rattle of the chaise
Elizabeth loved absurdities but she had known Sir Williams too long He could
tell her nothing new of the wonders of his presentation and knighthood and his
civilities were worn out like his information
It was a journey of only twentyfour miles and they began it so early as to
be in Gracechurchstreet by noon As they drove to Mr Gardiners door Jane was
at a drawingroom window watching their arrival when they entered the passage
she was there to welcome them and Elizabeth looking earnestly in her face was
pleased to see it healthful and lovely as ever On the stairs were a troop of
little boys and girls whose eagerness for their cousins appearance would not
allow them to wait in the drawingroom and whose shyness as they had not seen
her for a twelvemonth prevented their coming lower All was joy and kindness
The day passed most pleasantly away the morning in bustle and shopping and the
evening at one of the theatres
Elizabeth then contrived to sit by her aunt Their first subject was her
sister and she was more grieved than astonished to hear in reply to her minute
enquiries that though Jane always struggled to support her spirits there were
periods of dejection It was reasonable however to hope that they would not
continue long Mrs Gardiner gave her the particulars also of Miss Bingleys
visit in Gracechurchstreet and repeated conversations occurring at different
times between Jane and herself which proved that the former had from her
heart given up the acquaintance
Mrs Gardiner then rallied her niece on Wickhams desertion and
complimented her on bearing it so well
»But my dear Elizabeth« she added »what sort of girl is Miss King I
should be sorry to think our friend mercenary«
»Pray my dear aunt what is the difference in matrimonial affairs between
the mercenary and the prudent motive Where does discretion end and avarice
begin Last Christmas you were afraid of his marrying me because it would be
imprudent and now because he is trying to get a girl with only ten thousand
pounds you want to find out that he is mercenary«
»If you will only tell me what sort of girl Miss King is I shall know what
to think«
»She is a very good kind of girl I believe I know no harm of her«
»But he paid her not the smallest attention till her grandfathers death
made her mistress of this fortune«
»No why should he If it was not allowable for him to gain my affections
because I had no money what occasion could there be for making love to a girl
whom he did not care about and who was equally poor«
»But there seems indelicacy in directing his attentions towards her so soon
after this event«
»A man in distressed circumstances has not time for all those elegant
decorums which other people may observe If she does not object to it why
should we«
»Her not objecting does not justify him It only shews her being deficient
in something herself sense or feeling«
»Well« cried Elizabeth »have it as you choose He shall be mercenary and
she shall be foolish«
»No Lizzy that is what I do not choose I should be sorry you know to
think ill of a young man who has lived so long in Derbyshire«
»Oh if that is all I have a very poor opinion of young men who live in
Derbyshire and their intimate friends who live in Hertfordshire are not much
better I am sick of them all Thank Heaven I am going tomorrow where I shall
find a man who has not one agreeable quality who has neither manner nor sense
to recommend him Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing after all«
»Take care Lizzy that speech savours strongly of disappointment«
Before they were separated by the conclusion of the play she had the
unexpected happiness of an invitation to accompany her uncle and aunt in a tour
of pleasure which they proposed taking in the summer
»We have not quite determined how far it shall carry us« said Mrs
Gardiner »but perhaps to the Lakes«
No scheme could have been more agreeable to Elizabeth and her acceptance of
the invitation was most ready and grateful »My dear dear aunt« she
rapturously cried »what delight what felicity You give me fresh life and
vigour Adieu to disappointment and spleen What are men to rocks and mountains
Oh what hours of transport we shall spend And when we do return it shall not
be like other travellers without being able to give one accurate idea of any
thing We will know where we have gone we will recollect what we have seen
Lakes mountains and rivers shall not be jumbled together in our imaginations
nor when we attempt to describe any particular scene will we begin quarrelling
about its relative situation Let our first effusions be less insupportable than
those of the generality of travellers«
Chapter V
Every object in the next days journey was new and interesting to Elizabeth and
her spirits were in a state for enjoyment for she had seen her sister looking
so well as to banish all fear for her health and the prospect of her northern
tour was a constant source of delight
When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford every eye was in
search of the Parsonage and every turning expected to bring it in view The
paling of Rosings Park was their boundary on one side Elizabeth smiled at the
recollection of all that she had heard of its inhabitants
At length the Parsonage was discernible The garden sloping to the road the
house standing in it the green pales and the laurel hedge every thing declared
they were arriving Mr Collins and Charlotte appeared at the door and the
carriage stopped at the small gate which led by a short gravel walk to the
house amidst the nods and smiles of the whole party In a moment they were all
out of the chaise rejoicing at the sight of each other Mrs Collins welcomed
her friend with the liveliest pleasure and Elizabeth was more and more
satisfied with coming when she found herself so affectionately received She
saw instantly that her cousins manners were not altered by his marriage his
formal civility was just what it had been and he detained her some minutes at
the gate to hear and satisfy his enquiries after all her family They were then
with no other delay than his pointing out the neatness of the entrance taken
into the house and as soon as they were in the parlour he welcomed them a
second time with ostentatious formality to his humble abode and punctually
repeated all his wifes offers of refreshment
Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory and she could not help
fancying that in displaying the good proportion of the room its aspect and its
furniture he addressed himself particularly to her as if wishing to make her
feel what she had lost in refusing him But though every thing seemed neat and
comfortable she was not able to gratify him by any sigh of repentance and
rather looked with wonder at her friend that she could have so cheerful an air
with such a companion When Mr Collins said any thing of which his wife might
reasonably be ashamed which certainly was not unseldom she involuntarily
turned her eye on Charlotte Once or twice she could discern a faint blush but
in general Charlotte wisely did not hear After sitting long enough to admire
every article of furniture in the room from the sideboard to the fender to
give an account of their journey and of all that had happened in London Mr
Collins invited them to take a stroll in the garden which was large and well
laid out and to the cultivation of which he attended himself To work in his
garden was one of his most respectable pleasures and Elizabeth admired the
command of countenance with which Charlotte talked of the healthfulness of the
exercise and owned she encouraged it as much as possible Here leading the way
through every walk and cross walk and scarcely allowing them an interval to
utter the praises he asked for every view was pointed out with a minuteness
which left beauty entirely behind He could number the fields in every
direction and could tell how many trees there were in the most distant clump
But of all the views which his garden or which the country or the kingdom
could boast none were to be compared with the prospect of Rosings afforded by
an opening in the trees that bordered the park nearly opposite the front of his
house It was a handsome modern building well situated on rising ground
From his garden Mr Collins would have led them round his two meadows but
the ladies not having shoes to encounter the remains of a white frost turned
back and while Sir William accompanied him Charlotte took her sister and
friend over the house extremely well pleased probably to have the opportunity
of shewing it without her husbands help It was rather small but well built
and convenient and every thing was fitted up and arranged with a neatness and
consistency of which Elizabeth gave Charlotte all the credit When Mr Collins
could be forgotten there was really a great air of comfort throughout and by
Charlottes evident enjoyment of it Elizabeth supposed he must be often
forgotten
She had already learnt that Lady Catherine was still in the country It was
spoken of again while they were at dinner when Mr Collins joining in
observed
»Yes Miss Elizabeth you will have the honour of seeing Lady Catherine de
Bourgh on the ensuing Sunday at church and I need not say you will be delighted
with her She is all affability and condescension and I doubt not but you will
be honoured with some portion of her notice when service is over I have
scarcely any hesitation in saying that she will include you and my sister Maria
in every invitation with which she honours us during your stay here Her
behaviour to my dear Charlotte is charming We dine at Rosings twice every week
and are never allowed to walk home Her ladyships carriage is regularly ordered
for us I should say one of her ladyships carriages for she has several«
»Lady Catherine is a very respectable sensible woman indeed« added
Charlotte »and a most attentive neighbour«
»Very true my dear that is exactly what I say She is the sort of woman
whom one cannot regard with too much deference«
The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshire news and
telling again what had been already written and when it closed Elizabeth in
the solitude of her chamber had to meditate upon Charlottes degree of
contentment to understand her address in guiding and composure in bearing with
her husband and to acknowledge that it was all done very well She had also to
anticipate how her visit would pass the quiet tenor of their usual employments
the vexatious interruptions of Mr Collins and the gaieties of their
intercourse with Rosings A lively imagination soon settled it all
About the middle of the next day as she was in her room getting ready for a
walk a sudden noise below seemed to speak the whole house in confusion and
after listening a moment she heard somebody running up stairs in a violent
hurry and calling loudly after her She opened the door and met Maria in the
landing place who breathless with agitation cried out
»Oh my dear Eliza pray make haste and come into the diningroom for there
is such a sight to be seen I will not tell you what it is Make haste and come
down this moment«
Elizabeth asked questions in vain Maria would tell her nothing more and
down they ran into the diningroom which fronted the lane in quest of this
wonder it was two ladies stopping in a low phaeton at the garden gate
»And is this all« cried Elizabeth »I expected at least that the pigs were
got into the garden and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and her daughter«
»La my dear« said Maria quite shocked at the mistake »it is not Lady
Catherine The old lady is Mrs Jenkinson who lives with them The other is
Miss De Bourgh Only look at her She is quite a little creature Who would have
thought she could be so thin and small«
»She is abominably rude to keep Charlotte out of doors in all this wind Why
does she not come in«
»Oh Charlotte says she hardly ever does It is the greatest of favours
when Miss De Bourgh comes in«
»I like her appearance« said Elizabeth struck with other ideas »She looks
sickly and cross Yes she will do for him very well She will make him a very
proper wife«
Mr Collins and Charlotte were both standing at the gate in conversation
with the ladies and Sir William to Elizabeths high diversion was stationed
in the doorway in earnest contemplation of the greatness before him and
constantly bowing whenever Miss De Bourgh looked that way
At length there was nothing more to be said the ladies drove on and the
others returned into the house Mr Collins no sooner saw the two girls than he
began to congratulate them on their good fortune which Charlotte explained by
letting them know that the whole party was asked to dine at Rosings the next
day
Chapter VI
Mr Collinss triumph in consequence of this invitation was complete The power
of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his wondering visitors and of
letting them see her civility towards himself and his wife was exactly what he
had wished for and that an opportunity of doing it should be given so soon was
such an instance of Lady Catherines condescension as he knew not how to admire
enough
»I confess« said he »that I should not have been at all surprised by her
Ladyships asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at Rosings I
rather expected from my knowledge of her affability that it would happen But
who could have foreseen such an attention as this Who could have imagined that
we should receive an invitation to dine there an invitation moreover including
the whole party so immediately after your arrival«
»I am the less surprised at what has happened« replied Sir William »from
that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are which my situation
in life has allowed me to acquire About the Court such instances of elegant
breeding are not uncommon«
Scarcely any thing was talked of the whole day or next morning but their
visit to Rosings Mr Collins was carefully instructing them in what they were
to expect that the sight of such rooms so many servants and so splendid a
dinner might not wholly overpower them
When the ladies were separating for the toilette he said to Elizabeth
»Do not make yourself uneasy my dear cousin about your apparel Lady
Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which becomes
herself and daughter I would advise you merely to put on whatever of your
clothes is superior to the rest there is no occasion for any thing more Lady
Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed She likes to
have the distinction of rank preserved«
While they were dressing he came two or three times to their different
doors to recommend their being quick as Lady Catherine very much objected to
be kept waiting for her dinner Such formidable accounts of her Ladyship and
her manner of living quite frightened Maria Lucas who had been little used to
company and she looked forward to her introduction at Rosings with as much
apprehension as her father had done to his presentation at St Jamess
As the weather was fine they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile
across the park Every park has its beauty and its prospects and Elizabeth
saw much to be pleased with though she could not be in such raptures as Mr
Collins expected the scene to inspire and was but slightly affected by his
enumeration of the windows in front of the house and his relation of what the
glazing altogether had originally cost Sir Lewis De Bourgh
When they ascended the steps to the hall Marias alarm was every moment
increasing and even Sir William did not look perfectly calm Elizabeths
courage did not fail her She had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke her
awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous virtue and the mere
stateliness of money and rank she thought she could witness without
trepidation
From the entrance hall of which Mr Collins pointed out with a rapturous
air the fine proportion and finished ornaments they followed the servants
through an antichamber to the room where Lady Catherine her daughter and
Mrs Jenkinson were sitting Her Ladyship with great condescension arose to
receive them and as Mrs Collins had settled it with her husband that the
office of introduction should be hers it was performed in a proper manner
without any of those apologies and thanks which he would have thought necessary
In spite of having been at St Jamess Sir William was so completely awed
by the grandeur surrounding him that he had but just courage enough to make a
very low bow and take his seat without saying a word and his daughter
frightened almost out of her senses sat on the edge of her chair not knowing
which way to look Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the scene and could
observe the three ladies before her composedly Lady Catherine was a tall
large woman with stronglymarked features which might once have been handsome
Her air was not conciliating nor was her manner of receiving them such as to
make her visitors forget their inferior rank She was not rendered formidable by
silence but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone as marked
her selfimportance and brought Mr Wickham immediately to Elizabeths mind
and from the observation of the day altogether she believed Lady Catherine to
be exactly what he had represented
When after examining the mother in whose countenance and deportment she
soon found some resemblance of Mr Darcy she turned her eyes on the daughter
she could almost have joined in Marias astonishment at her being so thin and
so small There was neither in figure nor face any likeness between the ladies
Miss De Bourgh was pale and sickly her features though not plain were
insignificant and she spoke very little except in a low voice to Mrs
Jenkinson in whose appearance there was nothing remarkable and who was
entirely engaged in listening to what she said and placing a screen in the
proper direction before her eyes
After sitting a few minutes they were all sent to one of the windows to
admire the view Mr Collins attending them to point out its beauties and Lady
Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth looking at in the
summer
The dinner was exceedingly handsome and there were all the servants and
all the articles of plate which Mr Collins had promised and as he had
likewise foretold he took his seat at the bottom of the table by her
ladyships desire and looked as if he felt that life could furnish nothing
greater He carved and ate and praised with delighted alacrity and every
dish was commended first by him and then by Sir William who was now enough
recovered to echo whatever his son in law said in a manner which Elizabeth
wondered Lady Catherine could bear But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their
excessive admiration and gave most gracious smiles especially when any dish on
the table proved a novelty to them The party did not supply much conversation
Elizabeth was ready to speak whenever there was an opening but she was seated
between Charlotte and Miss De Bourgh the former of whom was engaged in
listening to Lady Catherine and the latter said not a word to her all dinner
time Mrs Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little Miss De Bourgh
ate pressing her to try some other dish and fearing she were indisposed Maria
thought speaking out of the question and the gentlemen did nothing but eat and
admire
When the ladies returned to the drawing room there was little to be done
but to hear Lady Catherine talk which she did without any intermission till
coffee came in delivering her opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner
as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted She enquired
into Charlottes domestic concerns familiarly and minutely and gave her a great
deal of advice as to the management of them all told her how every thing ought
to be regulated in so small a family as hers and instructed her as to the care
of her cows and her poultry Elizabeth found that nothing was beneath this great
Ladys attention which could furnish her with an occasion of dictating to
others In the intervals of her discourse with Mrs Collins she addressed a
variety of questions to Maria and Elizabeth but especially to the latter of
whose connections she knew the least and who she observed to Mrs Collins was
a very genteel pretty kind of girl She asked her at different times how many
sisters she had whether they were older or younger than herself whether any of
them were likely to be married whether they were handsome where they had been
educated what carriage her father kept and what had been her mothers maiden
name Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her questions but answered them
very composedly Lady Catherine then observed
»Your fathers estate is entailed on Mr Collins I think For your sake«
turning to Charlotte »I am glad of it but otherwise I see no occasion for
entailing estates from the female line It was not thought necessary in Sir
Lewis de Bourghs family Do you play and sing Miss Bennet«
»A little«
»Oh then some time or other we shall be happy to hear you Our instrument
is a capital one probably superior to You shall try it some day Do your
sisters play and sing«
»One of them does«
»Why did not you all learn You ought all to have learned The Miss Webbs
all play and their father has not so good an income as yours Do you draw«
»No not at all«
»What none of you«
»Not one«
»That is very strange But I suppose you had no opportunity Your mother
should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters«
»My mother would have had no objection but my father hates London«
»Has your governess left you«
»We never had any governess«
»No governess How was that possible Five daughters brought up at home
without a governess I never heard of such a thing Your mother must have been
quite a slave to your education«
Elizabeth could hardly help smiling as she assured her that had not been
the case
»Then who taught you who attended to you Without a governess you must
have been neglected«
»Compared with some families I believe we were but such of us as wished to
learn never wanted the means We were always encouraged to read and had all
the masters that were necessary Those who chose to be idle certainly might«
»Aye no doubt but that is what a governess will prevent and if I had
known your mother I should have advised her most strenuously to engage one I
always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady and regular
instruction and nobody but a governess can give it It is wonderful how many
families I have been the means of supplying in that way I am always glad to get
a young person well placed out Four nieces of Mrs Jenkinson are most
delightfully situated through my means and it was but the other day that I
recommended another young person who was merely accidentally mentioned to me
and the family are quite delighted with her Mrs Collins did I tell you of
Lady Metcalfes calling yesterday to thank me She finds Miss Pope a treasure
Lady Catherine said she you have given me a treasure Are any of your younger
sisters out Miss Bennet«
»Yes Maam all«
»All What all five out at once Very odd And you only the second
The younger ones out before the elder are married Your younger sisters must
be very young«
»Yes my youngest is not sixteen Perhaps she is full young to be much in
company But really Maam I think it would be very hard upon younger sisters
that they should not have their share of society and amusement because the elder
may not have the means or inclination to marry early The last born has as
good a right to the pleasures of youth as the first And to be kept back on
such a motive I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly
affection or delicacy of mind«
»Upon my word« said her Ladyship »you give your opinion very decidedly for
so young a person Pray what is your age«
»With three younger sisters grown up« replied Elizabeth smiling »your
Ladyship can hardly expect me to own it«
Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer and
Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared to
trifle with so much dignified impertinence
»You cannot be more than twenty I am sure therefore you need not conceal
your age«
»I am not one and twenty«
When the gentlemen had joined them and tea was over the card tables were
placed Lady Catherine Sir William and Mr and Mrs Collins sat down to
quadrille and as Miss De Bourgh chose to play at cassino the two girls had the
honour of assisting Mrs Jenkinson to make up her party Their table was
superlatively stupid Scarcely a syllable was uttered that did not relate to the
game except when Mrs Jenkinson expressed her fears of Miss De Bourghs being
too hot or too cold or having too much or too little light A great deal more
passed at the other table Lady Catherine was generally speaking stating the
mistakes of the three others or relating some anecdote of herself Mr Collins
was employed in agreeing to every thing her Ladyship said thanking her for
every fish he won and apologising if he thought he won too many Sir William
did not say much He was storing his memory with anecdotes and noble names
When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose the
tables were broke up the carriage was offered to Mrs Collins gratefully
accepted and immediately ordered The party then gathered round the fire to
hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were to have on the morrow From
these instructions they were summoned by the arrival of the coach and with many
speeches of thankfulness on Mr Collinss side and as many bows on Sir
Williams they departed As soon as they had driven from the door Elizabeth
was called on by her cousin to give her opinion of all that she had seen at
Rosings which for Charlottes sake she made more favourable than it really
was But her commendation though costing her some trouble could by no means
satisfy Mr Collins and he was very soon obliged to take her Ladyships praise
into his own hands
Chapter VII
Sir William staid only a week at Hunsford but his visit was long enough to
convince him of his daughters being most comfortably settled and of her
possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often met with While
Sir William was with them Mr Collins devoted his mornings to driving him out
in his gig and shewing him the country but when he went away the whole family
returned to their usual employments and Elizabeth was thankful to find that
they did not see more of her cousin by the alteration for the chief of the time
between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden
or in reading and writing and looking out of window in his own book room which
fronted the road The room in which the ladies sat was backwards Elizabeth at
first had rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining parlour
for common use it was a better sized room and had a pleasanter aspect but she
soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did for Mr
Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own apartment had they sat
in one equally lively and she gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement
From the drawing room they could distinguish nothing in the lane and were
indebted to Mr Collins for the knowledge of what carriages went along and how
often especially Miss De Bourgh drove by in her phaeton which he never failed
coming to inform them of though it happened almost every day She not
unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage and had a few minutes conversation with
Charlotte but was scarcely ever prevailed on to get out
Very few days passed in which Mr Collins did not walk to Rosings and not
many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise and till
Elizabeth recollected that there might be other family livings to be disposed
of she could not understand the sacrifice of so many hours Now and then they
were honoured with a call from her Ladyship and nothing escaped her observation
that was passing in the room during these visits She examined into their
employments looked at their work and advised them to do it differently found
fault with the arrangement of the furniture or detected the housemaid in
negligence and if she accepted any refreshment seemed to do it only for the
sake of finding out that Mrs Collinss joints of meat were too large for her
family
Elizabeth soon perceived that though this great lady was not in the
commission of the peace for the county she was a most active magistrate in her
own parish the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by Mr Collins
and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsome discontented
or too poor she sallied forth into the village to settle their differences
silence their complaints and scold them into harmony and plenty
The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week and
allowing for the loss of Sir William and there being only one card table in the
evening every such entertainment was the counterpart of the first Their other
engagements were few as the style of living of the neighbourhood in general
was beyond the Collinses reach This however was no evil to Elizabeth and upon
the whole she spent her time comfortably enough there were half hours of
pleasant conversation with Charlotte and the weather was so fine for the time
of year that she had often great enjoyment out of doors Her favourite walk
and where she frequently went while the others were calling on Lady Catherine
was along the open grove which edged that side of the park where there was a
nice sheltered path which no one seemed to value but herself and where she
felt beyond the reach of Lady Catherines curiosity
In this quiet way the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away Easter
was approaching and the week preceding it was to bring an addition to the
family at Rosings which in so small a circle must be important Elizabeth had
heard soon after her arrival that Mr Darcy was expected there in the course of
a few weeks and though there were not many of her acquaintance whom she did not
prefer his coming would furnish one comparatively new to look at in their
Rosings parties and she might be amused in seeing how hopeless Miss Bingleys
designs on him were by his behaviour to his cousin for whom he was evidently
destined by Lady Catherine who talked of his coming with the greatest
satisfaction spoke of him in terms of the highest admiration and seemed almost
angry to find that he had already been frequently seen by Miss Lucas and
herself
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage for Mr Collins was walking the
whole morning within view of the lodges opening into Hunsford Lane in order to
have the earliest assurance of it and after making his bow as the carriage
turned into the Park hurried home with the great intelligence On the following
morning he hastened to Rosings to pay his respects There were two nephews of
Lady Catherine to require them for Mr Darcy had brought with him a Colonel
Fitzwilliam the younger son of his uncle Lord and to the great surprise of
all the party when Mr Collins returned the gentlemen accompanied him
Charlotte had seen them from her husbands room crossing the road and
immediately running into the other told the girls what an honour they might
expect adding
»I may thank you Eliza for this piece of civility Mr Darcy would never
have come so soon to wait upon me«
Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to the compliment before
their approach was announced by the doorbell and shortly afterwards the three
gentlemen entered the room Colonel Fitzwilliam who led the way was about
thirty not handsome but in person and address most truly the gentleman Mr
Darcy looked just as he had been used to look in Hertfordshire paid his
compliments with his usual reserve to Mrs Collins and whatever might be his
feelings towards her friend met her with every appearance of composure
Elizabeth merely curtseyed to him without saying a word
Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness
and ease of a wellbred man and talked very pleasantly but his cousin after
having addressed a slight observation on the house and garden to Mrs Collins
sat for some time without speaking to any body At length however his civility
was so far awakened as to enquire of Elizabeth after the health of her family
She answered him in the usual way and after a moments pause added
»My eldest sister has been in town these three months Have you never
happened to see her there«
She was perfectly sensible that he never had but she wished to see whether
he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the Bingleys and
Jane and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had
never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet The subject was pursued no
farther and the gentlemen soon afterwards went away
Chapter VIII
Colonel Fitzwilliams manners were very much admired at the parsonage and the
ladies all felt that he must add considerably to the pleasure of their
engagements at Rosings It was some days however before they received any
invitation thither for while there were visitors in the house they could not
be necessary and it was not till Easterday almost a week after the
gentlemens arrival that they were honoured by such an attention and then
they were merely asked on leaving church to come there in the evening For the
last week they had seen very little of either Lady Catherine or her daughter
Colonel Fitzwilliam had called at the parsonage more than once during the time
but Mr Darcy they had only seen at church
The invitation was accepted of course and at a proper hour they joined the
party in Lady Catherines drawing room Her ladyship received them civilly but
it was plain that their company was by no means so acceptable as when she could
get nobody else and she was in fact almost engrossed by her nephews speaking
to them especially to Darcy much more than to any other person in the room
Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed really glad to see them any thing was a welcome
relief to him at Rosings and Mrs Collinss pretty friend had moreover caught
his fancy very much He now seated himself by her and talked so agreeably of
Kent and Hertfordshire of travelling and staying at home of new books and
music that Elizabeth had never been half so well entertained in that room
before and they conversed with so much spirit and flow as to draw the
attention of Lady Catherine herself as well as of Mr Darcy His eyes had been
soon and repeatedly turned towards them with a look of curiosity and that her
ladyship after a while shared the feeling was more openly acknowledged for she
did not scruple to call out
»What is that you are saying Fitzwilliam What is it you are talking of
What are you telling Miss Bennet Let me hear what it is«
»We are speaking of music Madam« said he when no longer able to avoid a
reply
»Of music Then pray speak aloud It is of all subjects my delight I must
have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music There are few
people in England I suppose who have more true enjoyment of music than myself
or a better natural taste If I had ever learnt I should have been a great
proficient And so would Anne if her health had allowed her to apply I am
confident that she would have performed delightfully How does Georgiana get on
Darcy«
Mr Darcy spoke with affectionate praise of his sisters proficiency
»I am very glad to hear such a good account of her« said Lady Catherine
»and pray tell her from me that she cannot expect to excel if she does not
practise a great deal«
»I assure you Madam« he replied »that she does not need such advice She
practises very constantly«
»So much the better It cannot be done too much and when I next write to
her I shall charge her not to neglect it on any account I often tell young
ladies that no excellence in music is to be acquired without constant
practice I have told Miss Bennet several times that she will never play really
well unless she practises more and though Mrs Collins has no instrument she
is very welcome as I have often told her to come to Rosings every day and
play on the piano forte in Mrs Jenkinsons room She would be in nobodys way
you know in that part of the house«
Mr Darcy looked a little ashamed of his aunts ill breeding and made no
answer
When coffee was over Colonel Fitzwilliam reminded Elizabeth of having
promised to play to him and she sat down directly to the instrument He drew a
chair near her Lady Catherine listened to half a song and then talked as
before to her other nephew till the latter walked away from her and moving
with his usual deliberation towards the piano forte stationed himself so as to
command a full view of the fair performers countenance Elizabeth saw what he
was doing and at the first convenient pause turned to him with an arch smile
and said
»You mean to frighten me Mr Darcy by coming in all this state to hear me
But I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well There is a
stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of
others My courage always rises with every attempt to intimidate me«
»I shall not say that you are mistaken« he replied »because you could not
really believe me to entertain any design of alarming you and I have had the
pleasure of your acquaintance long enough to know that you find great enjoyment
in occasionally professing opinions which in fact are not your own«
Elizabeth laughed heartily at this picture of herself and said to Colonel
Fitzwilliam »Your cousin will give you a very pretty notion of me and teach
you not to believe a word I say I am particularly unlucky in meeting with a
person so well able to expose my real character in a part of the world where I
had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credit Indeed Mr Darcy it
is very ungenerous in you to mention all that you knew to my disadvantage in
Hertfordshire and give me leave to say very impolitic too for it is
provoking me to retaliate and such things may come out as will shock your
relations to hear«
»I am not afraid of you« said he smilingly
»Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of« cried Colonel
Fitzwilliam »I should like to know how he behaves among strangers«
»You shall hear then but prepare yourself for something very dreadful The
first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire you must know was at a ball
and at this ball what do you think he did He danced only four dances I am
sorry to pain you but so it was He danced only four dances though gentlemen
were scarce and to my certain knowledge more than one young lady was sitting
down in want of a partner Mr Darcy you cannot deny the fact«
»I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly
beyond my own party«
»True and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball room Well Colonel
Fitzwilliam what do I play next My fingers wait your orders«
»Perhaps« said Darcy »I should have judged better had I sought an
introduction but I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers«
»Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this« said Elizabeth still
addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam »Shall we ask him why a man of sense and
education and who has lived in the world is ill qualified to recommend himself
to strangers«
»I can answer your question« said Fitzwilliam »without applying to him It
is because he will not give himself the trouble«
»I certainly have not the talent which some people possess« said Darcy »of
conversing easily with those I have never seen before I cannot catch their tone
of conversation or appear interested in their concerns as I often see done«
»My fingers« said Elizabeth »do not move over this instrument in the
masterly manner which I see so many womens do They have not the same force or
rapidity and do not produce the same expression But then I have always
supposed it to be my own fault because I would not take the trouble of
practising It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other
womans of superior execution«
Darcy smiled and said »You are perfectly right You have employed your time
much better No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you can think any
thing wanting We neither of us perform to strangers«
Here they were interrupted by Lady Catherine who called out to know what
they were talking of Elizabeth immediately began playing again Lady Catherine
approached and after listening for a few minutes said to Darcy
»Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss if she practised more and could
have the advantage of a London master She has a very good notion of fingering
though her taste is not equal to Annes Anne would have been a delightful
performer had her health allowed her to learn«
Elizabeth looked at Darcy to see how cordially he assented to his cousins
praise but neither at that moment nor at any other could she discern any
symptom of love and from the whole of his behaviour to Miss De Bourgh she
derived this comfort for Miss Bingley that he might have been just as likely to
marry her had she been his relation
Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeths performance mixing with
them many instructions on execution and taste Elizabeth received them with all
the forbearance of civility and at the request of the gentlemen remained at the
instrument till her Ladyships carriage was ready to take them all home
Chapter IX
Elizabeth was sitting by herself the next morning and writing to Jane while
Mrs Collins and Maria were gone on business into the village when she was
startled by a ring at the door the certain signal of a visitor As she had
heard no carriage she thought it not unlikely to be Lady Catherine and under
that apprehension was putting away her halffinished letter that she might
escape all impertinent questions when the door opened and to her very great
surprise Mr Darcy and Mr Darcy only entered the room
He seemed astonished too on finding her alone and apologised for his
intrusion by letting her know that he had understood all the ladies to be
within
They then sat down and when her enquiries after Rosings were made seemed
in danger of sinking into total silence It was absolutely necessary therefore
to think of something and in this emergence recollecting when she had seen him
last in Hertfordshire and feeling curious to know what he would say on the
subject of their hasty departure she observed
»How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November Mr Darcy It
must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr Bingley to see you all after him
so soon for if I recollect right he went but the day before He and his
sisters were well I hope when you left London«
»Perfectly so I thank you«
She found that she was to receive no other answer and after a short
pause added
»I think I have understood that Mr Bingley has not much idea of ever
returning to Netherfield again«
»I have never heard him say so but it is probable that he may spend very
little of his time there in future He has many friends and he is at a time of
life when friends and engagements are continually increasing«
»If he means to be but little at Netherfield it would be better for the
neighbourhood that he should give up the place entirely for then we might
possibly get a settled family there But perhaps Mr Bingley did not take the
house so much for the convenience of the neighbourhood as for his own and we
must expect him to keep or quit it on the same principle«
»I should not be surprised« said Darcy »if he were to give it up as soon
as any eligible purchase offers«
Elizabeth made no answer She was afraid of talking longer of his friend
and having nothing else to say was now determined to leave the trouble of
finding a subject to him
He took the hint and soon began with »This seems a very comfortable house
Lady Catherine I believe did a great deal to it when Mr Collins first came to
Hunsford«
»I believe she did and I am sure she could not have bestowed her kindness
on a more grateful object«
»Mr Collins appears very fortunate in his choice of a wife«
»Yes indeed his friends may well rejoice in his having met with one of the
very few sensible women who would have accepted him or have made him happy if
they had My friend has an excellent understanding though I am not certain
that I consider her marrying Mr Collins as the wisest thing she ever did She
seems perfectly happy however and in a prudential light it is certainly a
very good match for her«
»It must be very agreeable to her to be settled within so easy a distance of
her own family and friends«
»An easy distance do you call it It is nearly fifty miles«
»And what is fifty miles of good road Little more than half a days
journey Yes I call it a very easy distance«
»I should never have considered the distance as one of the advantages of the
match« cried Elizabeth »I should never have said Mrs Collins was settled near
her family«
»It is a proof of your own attachment to Hertfordshire Any thing beyond the
very neighbourhood of Longbourn I suppose would appear far«
As he spoke there was a sort of smile which Elizabeth fancied she
understood he must be supposing her to be thinking of Jane and Netherfield and
she blushed as she answered
»I do not mean to say that a woman may not be settled too near her family
The far and the near must be relative and depend on many varying circumstances
Where there is fortune to make the expence of travelling unimportant distance
becomes no evil But that is not the case here Mr and Mrs Collins have a
comfortable income but not such a one as will allow of frequent journeys and
I am persuaded my friend would not call herself near her family under less than
half the present distance«
Mr Darcy drew his chair a little towards her and said »You cannot have a
right to such very strong local attachment You cannot have been always at
Longbourn«
Elizabeth looked surprised The gentleman experienced some change of
feeling he drew back his chair took a newspaper from the table and glancing
over it said in a colder voice
»Are you pleased with Kent«
A short dialogue on the subject of the country ensued on either side calm
and concise and soon put an end to by the entrance of Charlotte and her
sister just returned from their walk The tête a tête surprised them Mr Darcy
related the mistake which had occasioned his intruding on Miss Bennet and after
sitting a few minutes longer without saying much to any body went away
»What can be the meaning of this« said Charlotte as soon as he was gone
»My dear Eliza he must be in love with you or he would never have called on us
in this familiar way«
But when Elizabeth told of his silence it did not seem very likely even to
Charlottes wishes to be the case and after various conjectures they could at
last only suppose his visit to proceed from the difficulty of finding any thing
to do which was the more probable from the time of year All field sports were
over Within doors there was Lady Catherine books and a billiard table but
gentlemen cannot be always within doors and in the nearness of the Parsonage
or the pleasantness of the walk to it or of the people who lived in it the two
cousins found a temptation from this period of walking thither almost every day
They called at various times of the morning sometimes separately sometimes
together and now and then accompanied by their aunt It was plain to them all
that Colonel Fitzwilliam came because he had pleasure in their society a
persuasion which of course recommended him still more and Elizabeth was
reminded by her own satisfaction in being with him as well as by his evident
admiration of her of her former favourite George Wickham and though in
comparing them she saw there was less captivating softness in Colonel
Fitzwilliams manners she believed he might have the best informed mind
But why Mr Darcy came so often to the Parsonage it was more difficult to
understand It could not be for society as he frequently sat there ten minutes
together without opening his lips and when he did speak it seemed the effect
of necessity rather than of choice a sacrifice to propriety not a pleasure to
himself He seldom appeared really animated Mrs Collins knew not what to make
of him Colonel Fitzwilliams occasionally laughing at his stupidity proved
that he was generally different which her own knowledge of him could not have
told her and as she would have liked to believe this change the effect of love
and the object of that love her friend Eliza she sat herself seriously to work
to find it out She watched him whenever they were at Rosings and whenever he
came to Hunsford but without much success He certainly looked at her friend a
great deal but the expression of that look was disputable It was an earnest
steadfast gaze but she often doubted whether there were much admiration in it
and sometimes it seemed nothing but absence of mind
She had once or twice suggested to Elizabeth the possibility of his being
partial to her but Elizabeth always laughed at the idea and Mrs Collins did
not think it right to press the subject from the danger of raising expectations
which might only end in disappointment for in her opinion it admitted not of a
doubt that all her friends dislike would vanish if she could suppose him to
be in her power
In her kind schemes for Elizabeth she sometimes planned her marrying
Colonel Fitzwilliam He was beyond comparison the pleasantest man he certainly
admired her and his situation in life was most eligible but to counterbalance
these advantages Mr Darcy had considerable patronage in the church and his
cousin could have none at all
Chapter X
More than once did Elizabeth in her ramble within the Park unexpectedly meet
Mr Darcy She felt all the perverseness of the mischance that should bring
him where no one else was brought and to prevent its ever happening again took
care to inform him at first that it was a favourite haunt of hers How it
could occur a second time therefore was very odd Yet it did and even a
third It seemed like wilful illnature or a voluntary penance for on these
occasions it was not merely a few formal enquiries and an awkward pause and then
away but he actually thought it necessary to turn back and walk with her He
never said a great deal nor did she give herself the trouble of talking or of
listening much but it struck her in the course of their third rencontre that he
was asking some odd unconnected questions about her pleasure in being at
Hunsford her love of solitary walks and her opinion of Mr and Mrs Collinss
happiness and that in speaking of Rosings and her not perfectly understanding
the house he seemed to expect that whenever she came into Kent again she would
be staying there too His words seemed to imply it Could he have Colonel
Fitzwilliam in his thoughts She supposed if he meant any thing he must mean
an allusion to what might arise in that quarter It distressed her a little and
she was quite glad to find herself at the gate in the pales opposite the
Parsonage
She was engaged one day as she walked in reperusing Janes last letter
and dwelling on some passages which proved that Jane had not written in spirits
when instead of being again surprised by Mr Darcy she saw on looking up that
Colonel Fitzwilliam was meeting her Putting away the letter immediately and
forcing a smile she said
»I did not know before that you ever walked this way«
»I have been making the tour of the Park« he replied »as I generally do
every year and intend to close it with a call at the Parsonage Are you going
much farther«
»No I should have turned in a moment«
And accordingly she did turn and they walked towards the Parsonage
together
»Do you certainly leave Kent on Saturday« said she
»Yes if Darcy does not put it off again But I am at his disposal He
arranges the business just as he pleases«
»And if not able to please himself in the arrangement he has at least great
pleasure in the power of choice I do not know any body who seems more to enjoy
the power of doing what he likes than Mr Darcy«
»He likes to have his own way very well« replied Colonel Fitzwilliam »But
so we all do It is only that he has better means of having it than many others
because he is rich and many others are poor I speak feelingly A younger son
you know must be inured to selfdenial and dependence«
»In my opinion the younger son of an Earl can know very little of either
Now seriously what have you ever known of selfdenial and dependence When
have you been prevented by want of money from going wherever you chose or
procuring any thing you had a fancy for«
»These are home questions and perhaps I cannot say that I have experienced
many hardships of that nature But in matters of greater weight I may suffer
from the want of money Younger sons cannot marry where they like«
»Unless where they like women of fortune which I think they very often do«
»Our habits of expence make us too dependant and there are not many in my
rank of life who can afford to marry without some attention to money«
»Is this« thought Elizabeth »meant for me« and she coloured at the idea
but recovering herself said in a lively tone »And pray what is the usual
price of an Earls younger son Unless the elder brother is very sickly I
suppose you would not ask above fifty thousand pounds«
He answered her in the same style and the subject dropped To interrupt a
silence which might make him fancy her affected with what had passed she soon
afterwards said
»I imagine your cousin brought you down with him chiefly for the sake of
having somebody at his disposal I wonder he does not marry to secure a lasting
convenience of that kind But perhaps his sister does as well for the present
and as she is under his sole care he may do what he likes with her«
»No« said Colonel Fitzwilliam »that is an advantage which he must divide
with me I am joined with him in the guardianship of Miss Darcy«
»Are you indeed And pray what sort of guardians do you make Does your
charge give you much trouble Young ladies of her age are sometimes a little
difficult to manage and if she has the true Darcy spirit she may like to have
her own way«
As she spoke she observed him looking at her earnestly and the manner in
which he immediately asked her why she supposed Miss Darcy likely to give them
any uneasiness convinced her that she had somehow or other got pretty near the
truth She directly replied
»You need not be frightened I never heard any harm of her and I dare say
she is one of the most tractable creatures in the world She is a very great
favourite with some ladies of my acquaintance Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley I
think I have heard you say that you know them«
»I know them a little Their brother is a pleasant gentlemanlike man he
is a great friend of Darcys«
»Oh yes« said Elizabeth drily »Mr Darcy is uncommonly kind to Mr
Bingley and takes a prodigious deal of care of him«
»Care of him Yes I really believe Darcy does take care of him in those
points where he most wants care From something that he told me in our journey
hither I have reason to think Bingley very much indebted to him But I ought to
beg his pardon for I have no right to suppose that Bingley was the person
meant It was all conjecture«
»What is it you mean«
»It is a circumstance which Darcy of course would not wish to be generally
known because if it were to get round to the ladys family it would be an
unpleasant thing«
»You may depend upon my not mentioning it«
»And remember that I have not much reason for supposing it to be Bingley
What he told me was merely this that he congratulated himself on having lately
saved a friend from the inconveniences of a most imprudent marriage but without
mentioning names or any other particulars and I only suspected it to be Bingley
from believing him the kind of young man to get into a scrape of that sort and
from knowing them to have been together the whole of last summer«
»Did Mr Darcy give you his reasons for this interference«
»I understood that there were some very strong objections against the lady«
»And what arts did he use to separate them«
»He did not talk to me of his own arts« said Fitzwilliam smiling »He only
told me what I have now told you«
Elizabeth made no answer and walked on her heart swelling with
indignation After watching her a little Fitzwilliam asked her why she was so
thoughtful
»I am thinking of what you have been telling me« said she »Your cousins
conduct does not suit my feelings Why was he to be the judge«
»You are rather disposed to call his interference officious«
»I do not see what right Mr Darcy had to decide on the propriety of his
friends inclination or why upon his own judgment alone he was to determine
and direct in what manner that friend was to be happy« »But« she continued
recollecting herself »as we know none of the particulars it is not fair to
condemn him It is not to be supposed that there was much affection in the
case«
»That is not an unnatural surmise« said Fitzwilliam »but it is lessening
the honour of my cousins triumph very sadly«
This was spoken jestingly but it appeared to her so just a picture of Mr
Darcy that she would not trust herself with an answer and therefore abruptly
changing the conversation talked on indifferent matters till they reached the
parsonage There shut into her own room as soon as their visitor left them
she could think without interruption of all that she had heard It was not to be
supposed that any other people could be meant than those with whom she was
connected There could not exist in the world two men over whom Mr Darcy could
have such boundless influence That he had been concerned in the measures taken
to separate Mr Bingley and Jane she had never doubted but she had always
attributed to Miss Bingley the principal design and arrangement of them If his
own vanity however did not mislead him he was the cause his pride and
caprice were the cause of all that Jane had suffered and still continued to
suffer He had ruined for a while every hope of happiness for the most
affectionate generous heart in the world and no one could say how lasting an
evil he might have inflicted
»There were some very strong objections against the lady« were Colonel
Fitzwilliams words and these strong objections probably were her having one
uncle who was a country attorney and another who was in business in London
»To Jane herself« she exclaimed »there could be no possibility of
objection All loveliness and goodness as she is Her understanding excellent
her mind improved and her manners captivating Neither could any thing be urged
against my father who though with some peculiarities has abilities which Mr
Darcy himself need not disdain and respectability which he will probably never
reach« When she thought of her mother indeed her confidence gave way a little
but she would not allow that any objections there had material weight with Mr
Darcy whose pride she was convinced would receive a deeper wound from the
want of importance in his friends connections than from their want of sense
and she was quite decided at last that he had been partly governed by this
worst kind of pride and partly by the wish of retaining Mr Bingley for his
sister
The agitation and tears which the subject occasioned brought on a headach
and it grew so much worse towards the evening that added to her unwillingness
to see Mr Darcy it determined her not to attend her cousins to Rosings where
they were engaged to drink tea Mrs Collins seeing that she was really unwell
did not press her to go and as much as possible prevented her husband from
pressing her but Mr Collins could not conceal his apprehension of Lady
Catherines being rather displeased by her staying at home
Chapter XI
When they were gone Elizabeth as if intending to exasperate herself as much as
possible against Mr Darcy chose for her employment the examination of all the
letters which Jane had written to her since her being in Kent They contained no
actual complaint nor was there any revival of past occurrences or any
communication of present suffering But in all and in almost every line of
each there was a want of that cheerfulness which had been used to characterize
her style and which proceeding from the serenity of a mind at ease with
itself and kindly disposed towards every one had been scarcely ever clouded
Elizabeth noticed every sentence conveying the idea of uneasiness with an
attention which it had hardly received on the first perusal Mr Darcys
shameful boast of what misery he had been able to inflict gave her a keener
sense of her sisters sufferings It was some consolation to think that his
visit to Rosings was to end on the day after the next and a still greater that
in less than a fortnight she should herself be with Jane again and enabled to
contribute to the recovery of her spirits by all that affection could do
She could not think of Darcys leaving Kent without remembering that his
cousin was to go with him but Colonel Fitzwilliam had made it clear that he had
no intentions at all and agreeable as he was she did not mean to be unhappy
about him
While settling this point she was suddenly roused by the sound of the door
bell and her spirits were a little fluttered by the idea of its being Colonel
Fitzwilliam himself who had once before called late in the evening and might
now come to enquire particularly after her But this idea was soon banished and
her spirits were very differently affected when to her utter amazement she
saw Mr Darcy walk into the room In an hurried manner he immediately began an
enquiry after her health imputing his visit to a wish of hearing that she were
better She answered him with cold civility He sat down for a few moments and
then getting up walked about the room Elizabeth was surprised but said not a
word After a silence of several minutes he came towards her in an agitated
manner and thus began
»In vain have I struggled It will not do My feelings will not be
repressed You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you«
Elizabeths astonishment was beyond expression She stared coloured
doubted and was silent This he considered sufficient encouragement and the
avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her immediately followed He
spoke well but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed
and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride His
sense of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles
which judgment had always opposed to inclination were dwelt on with a warmth
which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding but was very unlikely to
recommend his suit
In spite of her deeplyrooted dislike she could not be insensible to the
compliment of such a mans affection and though her intentions did not vary for
an instant she was at first sorry for the pain he was to receive till roused
to resentment by his subsequent language she lost all compassion in anger She
tried however to compose herself to answer him with patience when he should
have done He concluded with representing to her the strength of that attachment
which in spite of all his endeavours he had found impossible to conquer and
with expressing his hope that it would now be rewarded by her acceptance of his
hand As he said this she could easily see that he had no doubt of a favourable
answer He spoke of apprehension and anxiety but his countenance expressed real
security Such a circumstance could only exasperate farther and when he ceased
the colour rose into her cheeks and she said
»In such cases as this it is I believe the established mode to express a
sense of obligation for the sentiments avowed however unequally they may be
returned It is natural that obligation should be felt and if I could feel
gratitude I would now thank you But I cannot I have never desired your good
opinion and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly I am sorry to have
occasioned pain to any one It has been most unconsciously done however and I
hope will be of short duration The feelings which you tell me have long
prevented the acknowledgment of your regard can have little difficulty in
overcoming it after this explanation«
Mr Darcy who was leaning against the mantlepiece with his eyes fixed on
her face seemed to catch her words with no less resentment than surprise His
complexion became pale with anger and the disturbance of his mind was visible
in every feature He was struggling for the appearance of composure and would
not open his lips till he believed himself to have attained it The pause was
to Elizabeths feelings dreadful At length in a voice of forced calmness he
said
»And this is all the reply which I am to have the honour of expecting I
might perhaps wish to be informed why with so little endeavour at civility I
am thus rejected But it is of small importance«
»I might as well enquire« replied she »why with so evident a design of
offending and insulting me you chose to tell me that you liked me against your
will against your reason and even against your character Was not this some
excuse for incivility if I was uncivil But I have other provocations You know
I have Had not my own feelings decided against you had they been indifferent
or had they even been favourable do you think that any consideration would
tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining perhaps for ever
the happiness of a most beloved sister«
As she pronounced these words Mr Darcy changed colour but the emotion was
short and he listened without attempting to interrupt her while she continued
»I have every reason in the world to think ill of you No motive can excuse
the unjust and ungenerous part you acted there You dare not you cannot deny
that you have been the principal if not the only means of dividing them from
each other of exposing one to the censure of the world for caprice and
instability the other to its derision for disappointed hopes and involving
them both in misery of the acutest kind«
She paused and saw with no slight indignation that he was listening with an
air which proved him wholly unmoved by any feeling of remorse He even looked at
her with a smile of affected incredulity
»Can you deny that you have done it« she repeated
With assumed tranquillity he then replied »I have no wish of denying that I
did every thing in my power to separate my friend from your sister or that I
rejoice in my success Towards him I have been kinder than towards myself«
Elizabeth disdained the appearance of noticing this civil reflection but
its meaning did not escape nor was it likely to conciliate her
»But it is not merely this affair« she continued »on which my dislike is
founded Long before it had taken place my opinion of you was decided Your
character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr
Wickham On this subject what can you have to say In what imaginary act of
friendship can you here defend yourself or under what misrepresentation can
you here impose upon others«
»You take an eager interest in that gentlemans concerns« said Darcy in a
less tranquil tone and with a heightened colour
»Who that knows what his misfortunes have been can help feeling an interest
in him«
»His misfortunes« repeated Darcy contemptuously »yes his misfortunes have
been great indeed«
»And of your infliction« cried Elizabeth with energy »You have reduced him
to his present state of poverty comparative poverty You have withheld the
advantages which you must know to have been designed for him You have deprived
the best years of his life of that independence which was no less his due than
his desert You have done all this and yet you can treat the mention of his
misfortunes with contempt and ridicule«
»And this« cried Darcy as he walked with quick steps across the room »is
your opinion of me This is the estimation in which you hold me I thank you for
explaining it so fully My faults according to this calculation are heavy
indeed But perhaps« added he stopping in his walk and turning towards her
»these offences might have been overlooked had not your pride been hurt by my
honest confession of the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious
design These bitter accusations might have been suppressed had I with greater
policy concealed my struggles and flattered you into the belief of my being
impelled by unqualified unalloyed inclination by reason by reflection by
every thing But disguise of every sort is my abhorrence Nor am I ashamed of
the feelings I related They were natural and just Could you expect me to
rejoice in the inferiority of your connections To congratulate myself on the
hope of relations whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own«
Elizabeth felt herself growing more angry every moment yet she tried to the
utmost to speak with composure when she said
»You are mistaken Mr Darcy if you suppose that the mode of your
declaration affected me in any other way than as it spared me the concern which
I might have felt in refusing you had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike
manner«
She saw him start at this but he said nothing and she continued
»You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that
would have tempted me to accept it«
Again his astonishment was obvious and he looked at her with an expression
of mingled incredulity and mortification She went on
»From the very beginning from the first moment I may almost say of my
acquaintance with you your manners impressing me with the fullest belief of
your arrogance your conceit and your selfish disdain of the feelings of
others were such as to form that groundwork of disapprobation on which
succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike and I had not known you a
month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be
prevailed on to marry«
»You have said quite enough madam I perfectly comprehend your feelings
and have now only to be ashamed of what my own have been Forgive me for having
taken up so much of your time and accept my bast wishes for your health and
happiness«
And with these words he hastily left the room and Elizabeth heard him the
next moment open the front door and quit the house
The tumult of her mind was now painfully great She knew not how to support
herself and from actual weakness sat down and cried for half an hour Her
astonishment as she reflected on what had passed was increased by every review
of it That she should receive an offer of marriage from Mr Darcy that he
should have been in love with her for so many months so much in love as to wish
to marry her in spite of all the objections which had made him prevent his
friends marrying her sister and which must appear at least with equal force in
his own case was almost incredible it was gratifying to have inspired
unconsciously so strong an affection But his pride his abominable pride his
shameless avowal of what he had done with respect to Jane his unpardonable
assurance in acknowledging though he could not justify it and the unfeeling
manner in which he had mentioned Mr Wickham his cruelty towards whom he had
not attempted to deny soon overcame the pity which the consideration of his
attachment had for a moment excited
She continued in very agitating reflections till the sound of Lady
Catherines carriage made her feel how unequal she was to encounter Charlottes
observation and hurried her away to her room
Chapter XII
Elizabeth awoke the next morning to the same thoughts and meditations which had
at length closed her eyes She could not yet recover from the surprise of what
had happened it was impossible to think of any thing else and totally
indisposed for employment she resolved soon after breakfast to indulge herself
in air and exercise She was proceeding directly to her favourite walk when the
recollection of Mr Darcys sometimes coming there stopped her and instead of
entering the park she turned up the lane which led her farther from the
turnpike road The park paling was still the boundary on one side and she soon
passed one of the gates into the ground
After walking two or three times along that part of the lane she was
tempted by the pleasantness of the morning to stop at the gates and look into
the park The five weeks which she had now passed in Kent had made a great
difference in the country and every day was adding to the verdure of the early
trees She was on the point of continuing her walk when she caught a glimpse of
a gentleman within the sort of grove which edged the park he was moving that
way and fearful of its being Mr Darcy she was directly retreating But the
person who advanced was now near enough to see her and stepping forward with
eagerness pronounced her name She had turned away but on hearing herself
called though in a voice which proved it to be Mr Darcy she moved again
towards the gate He had by that time reached it also and holding out a letter
which she instinctively took said with a look of haughty composure »I have
been walking in the grove some time in the hope of meeting you Will you do me
the honour of reading that letter« And then with a slight bow turned again
into the plantation and was soon out of sight
With no expectation of pleasure but with the strongest curiosity Elizabeth
opened the letter and to her still increasing wonder perceived an envelope
containing two sheets of letter paper written quite through in a very close
hand The envelope itself was likewise full Pursuing her way along the
lane she then began it It was dated from Rosings at eight oclock in the
morning and was as follows
»Be not alarmed Madam on receiving this letter by the apprehension of
its containing any repetition of those sentiments or renewal of those
offers which were last night so disgusting to you I write without any
intention of paining you or humbling myself by dwelling on wishes
which for the happiness of both cannot be too soon forgotten and the
effort which the formation and the perusal of this letter must
occasion should have been spared had not my character required it to
be written and read You must therefore pardon the freedom with which
I demand your attention your feelings I know will bestow it
unwillingly but I demand it of your justice
Two offences of a very different nature and by no means of equal
magnitude you last night laid to my charge The first mentioned was
that regardless of the sentiments of either I had detached Mr Bingley
from your sister and the other that I had in defiance of various
claims in defiance of honour and humanity ruined the immediate
prosperity and blasted the prospects of Mr Wickham Wilfully and
wantonly to have thrown off the companion of my youth the acknowledged
favourite of my father a young man who had scarcely any other
dependence than on our patronage and who had been brought up to expect
its exertion would be a depravity to which the separation of two young
persons whose affection could be the growth of only a few weeks could
bear no comparison But from the severity of that blame which was last
night so liberally bestowed respecting each circumstance I shall hope
to be in future secured when the following account of my actions and
their motives has been read If in the explanation of them which is
due to myself I am under the necessity of relating feelings which may
be offensive to yours I can only say that I am sorry The necessity
must be obeyed and farther apology would be absurd I had not been
long in Hertfordshire before I saw in common with others that Bingley
preferred your eldest sister to any other young woman in the country
But it was not till the evening of the dance at Netherfield that I had
any apprehension of his feeling a serious attachment I had often seen
him in love before At that ball while I had the honour of dancing
with you I was first made acquainted by Sir William Lucass accidental
information that Bingleys attentions to your sister had given rise to
a general expectation of their marriage He spoke of it as a certain
event of which the time alone could be undecided From that moment I
observed my friends behaviour attentively and I could then perceive
that his partiality for Miss Bennet was beyond what I had ever witnessed
in him Your sister I also watched Her look and manners were open
cheerful and engaging as ever but without any symptom of peculiar
regard and I remained convinced from the evenings scrutiny that
though she received his attentions with pleasure she did not invite
them by any participation of sentiment If you have not been mistaken
here I must have been in an error Your superior knowledge of your
sister must make the latter probable If it be so if I have been
misled by such error to inflict pain on her your resentment has not
been unreasonable But I shall not scruple to assert that the serenity
of your sisters countenance and air was such as might have given the
most acute observer a conviction that however amiable her temper her
heart was not likely to be easily touched That I was desirous of
believing her indifferent is certain but I will venture to say that
my investigations and decisions are not usually influenced by my hopes
or fears I did not believe her to be indifferent because I wished it
I believed it on impartial conviction as truly as I wished it in
reason My objections to the marriage were not merely those which I
last night acknowledged to have required the utmost force of passion to
put aside in my own case the want of connection could not be so great
an evil to my friend as to me But there were other causes of
repugnance causes which though still existing and existing to an
equal degree in both instances I had myself endeavoured to forget
because they were not immediately before me These causes must be
stated though briefly The situation of your mothers family though
objectionable was nothing in comparison of that total want of propriety
so frequently so almost uniformly betrayed by herself by your three
younger sisters and occasionally even by your father Pardon me It
pains me to offend you But amidst your concern for the defects of your
nearest relations and your displeasure at this representation of them
let it give you consolation to consider that to have conducted
yourselves so as to avoid any share of the like censure is praise no
less generally bestowed on you and your eldest sister than it is
honourable to the sense and disposition of both I will only say
farther that from what passed that evening my opinion of all parties
was confirmed and every inducement heightened which could have led me
before to preserve my friend from what I esteemed a most unhappy
connection He left Netherfield for London on the day following as
you I am certain remember with the design of soon returning The
part which I acted is now to be explained His sisters uneasiness
had been equally excited with my own our coincidence of feeling was
soon discovered and alike sensible that no time was to be lost in
detaching their brother we shortly resolved on joining him directly in
London We accordingly went and there I readily engaged in the
office of pointing out to my friend the certain evils of such a choice
I described and enforced them earnestly But however this
remonstrance might have staggered or delayed his determination I do not
suppose that it would ultimately have prevented the marriage had it not
been seconded by the assurance which I hesitated not in giving of your
sisters indifference He had before believed her to return his
affection with sincere if not with equal regard But Bingley has
great natural modesty with a stronger dependence on my judgment than on
his own To convince him therefore that he had deceived himself was
no very difficult point To persuade him against returning into
Hertfordshire when that conviction had been given was scarcely the
work of a moment I cannot blame myself for having done thus much
There is but one part of my conduct in the whole affair on which I do
not reflect with satisfaction it is that I condescended to adopt the
measures of art so far as to conceal from him your sisters being in
town I knew it myself as it was known to Miss Bingley but her brother
is even yet ignorant of it That they might have met without ill
consequence is perhaps probable but his regard did not appear to me
enough extinguished for him to see her without some danger Perhaps
this concealment this disguise was beneath me It is done however
and it was done for the best On this subject I have nothing more to
say no other apology to offer If I have wounded your sisters
feelings it was unknowingly done and though the motives which governed
me may to you very naturally appear insufficient I have not yet learnt
to condemn them With respect to that other more weighty accusation
of having injured Mr Wickham I can only refute it by laying before you
the whole of his connection with my family Of what he has particularly
accused me I am ignorant but of the truth of what I shall relate I can
summon more than one witness of undoubted veracity Mr Wickham is the
son of a very respectable man who had for many years the management of
all the Pemberley estates and whose good conduct in the discharge of
his trust naturally inclined my father to be of service to him and on
George Wickham who was his godson his kindness was therefore
liberally bestowed My father supported him at school and afterwards at
Cambridge most important assistance as his own father always poor
from the extravagance of his wife would have been unable to give him a
gentlemans education My father was not only fond of this young mans
society whose manners were always engaging he had also the highest
opinion of him and hoping the church would be his profession intended
to provide for him in it As for myself it is many many years since I
first began to think of him in a very different manner The vicious
propensities the want of principle which he was careful to guard from
the knowledge of his best friend could not escape the observation of a
young man of nearly the same age with himself and who had opportunities
of seeing him in unguarded moments which Mr Darcy could not have Here
again I shall give you pain to what degree you only can tell But
whatever may be the sentiments which Mr Wickham has created a
suspicion of their nature shall not prevent me from unfolding his real
character It adds even another motive My excellent father died about
five years ago and his attachment to Mr Wickham was to the last so
steady that in his will he particularly recommended it to me to
promote his advancement in the best manner that his profession might
allow and if he took orders desired that a valuable family living
might be his as soon as it became vacant There was also a legacy of one
thousand pounds His own father did not long survive mine and within
half a year from these events Mr Wickham wrote to inform me that
having finally resolved against taking orders he hoped I should not
think it unreasonable for him to expect some more immediate pecuniary
advantage in lieu of the preferment by which he could not be
benefited He had some intention he added of studying the law and I
must be aware that the interest of one thousand pounds would be a very
insufficient support therein I rather wished than believed him to be
sincere but at any rate was perfectly ready to accede to his proposal
I knew that Mr Wickham ought not to be a clergyman The business was
therefore soon settled He resigned all claim to assistance in the
church were it possible that he could ever be in a situation to receive
it and accepted in return three thousand pounds All connection between
us seemed now dissolved I thought too ill of him to invite him to
Pemberley or admit his society in town In town I believe he chiefly
lived but his studying the law was a mere pretence and being now free
from all restraint his life was a life of idleness and dissipation For
about three years I heard little of him but on the decease of the
incumbent of the living which had been designed for him he applied to
me again by letter for the presentation His circumstances he assured
me and I had no difficulty in believing it were exceedingly bad He
had found the law a most unprofitable study and was now absolutely
resolved on being ordained if I would present him to the living in
question of which he trusted there could be little doubt as he was
well assured that I had no other person to provide for and I could not
have forgotten my revered fathers intentions You will hardly blame me
for refusing to comply with this entreaty or for resisting every
repetition of it His resentment was in proportion to the distress of
his circumstances and he was doubtless as violent in his abuse of me
to others as in his reproaches to myself After this period every
appearance of acquaintance was dropt How he lived I know not But last
summer he was again most painfully obtruded on my notice I must now
mention a circumstance which I would wish to forget myself and which no
obligation less than the present should induce me to unfold to any human
being Having said thus much I feel no doubt of your secrecy My
sister who is more than ten years my junior was left to the
guardianship of my mothers nephew Colonel Fitzwilliam and myself
About a year ago she was taken from school and an establishment formed
for her in London and last summer she went with the lady who presided
over it to Ramsgate and thither also went Mr Wickham undoubtedly by
design for there proved to have been a prior acquaintance between him
and Mrs Younge in whose character we were most unhappily deceived and
by her connivance and aid he so far recommended himself to Georgiana
whose affectionate heart retained a strong impression of his kindness to
her as a child that she was persuaded to believe herself in love and
to consent to an elopement She was then but fifteen which must be her
excuse and after stating her imprudence I am happy to add that I owed
the knowledge of it to herself I joined them unexpectedly a day or two
before the intended elopement and then Georgiana unable to support the
idea of grieving and offending a brother whom she almost looked up to as
a father acknowledged the whole to me You may imagine what I felt and
how I acted Regard for my sisters credit and feelings prevented any
public exposure but I wrote to Mr Wickham who left the place
immediately and Mrs Younge was of course removed from her charge Mr
Wickhams chief object was unquestionably my sisters fortune which is
thirty thousand pounds but I cannot help supposing that the hope of
revenging himself on me was a strong inducement His revenge would have
been complete indeed This madam is a faithful narrative of every
event in which we have been concerned together and if you do not
absolutely reject it as false you will I hope acquit me henceforth of
cruelty towards Mr Wickham I know not in what manner under what form
of falsehood he has imposed on you but his success is not perhaps to be
wondered at Ignorant as you previously were of every thing concerning
either detection could not be in your power and suspicion certainly
not in your inclination You may possibly wonder why all this was not
told you last night But I was not then master enough of myself to know
what could or ought to be revealed For the truth of every thing here
related I can appeal more particularly to the testimony of Colonel
Fitzwilliam who from our near relationship and constant intimacy and
still more as one of the executors of my fathers will has been
unavoidably acquainted with every particular of these transactions If
your abhorrence of me should make my assertions valueless you cannot be
prevented by the same cause from confiding in my cousin and that there
may be the possibility of consulting him I shall endeavour to find some
opportunity of putting this letter in your hands in the course of the
morning I will only add God bless you
FITZWILLIAM DARCY«
Chapter XIII
If Elizabeth when Mr Darcy gave her the letter did not expect it to contain a
renewal of his offers she had formed no expectation at all of its contents But
such as they were it may be well supposed how eagerly she went through them
and what a contrariety of emotion they excited Her feelings as she read were
scarcely to be defined With amazement did she first understand that he believed
any apology to be in his power and stedfastly was she persuaded that he could
have no explanation to give which a just sense of shame would not conceal With
a strong prejudice against every thing he might say she began his account of
what had happened at Netherfield She read with an eagerness which hardly left
her power of comprehension and from impatience of knowing what the next
sentence might bring was incapable of attending to the sense of the one before
her eyes His belief of her sisters insensibility she instantly resolved to be
false and his account of the real the worst objections to the match made her
too angry to have any wish of doing him justice He expressed no regret for what
he had done which satisfied her his style was not penitent but haughty It was
all pride and insolence
But when this subject was succeeded by his account of Mr Wickham when she
read with somewhat clearer attention a relation of events which if true must
overthrow every cherished opinion of his worth and which bore so alarming an
affinity to his own history of himself her feelings were yet more acutely
painful and more difficult of definition Astonishment apprehension and even
horror oppressed her She wished to discredit it entirely repeatedly
exclaiming »This must be false This cannot be This must be the grossest
falsehood« and when she had gone through the whole letter though scarcely
knowing any thing of the last page or two put it hastily away protesting that
she would not regard it that she would never look in it again
In this perturbed state of mind with thoughts that could rest on nothing
she walked on but it would not do in half a minute the letter was unfolded
again and collecting herself as well as she could she again began the
mortifying perusal of all that related to Wickham and commanded herself so far
as to examine the meaning of every sentence The account of his connection with
the Pemberley family was exactly what he had related himself and the kindness
of the late Mr Darcy though she had not before known its extent agreed
equally well with his own words So far each recital confirmed the other but
when she came to the will the difference was great What Wickham had said of
the living was fresh in her memory and as she recalled his very words it was
impossible not to feel that there was gross duplicity on one side or the other
and for a few moments she flattered herself that her wishes did not err But
when she read and reread with the closest attention the particulars
immediately following of Wickhams resigning all pretensions to the living of
his receiving in lieu so considerable a sum as three thousand pounds again was
she forced to hesitate She put down the letter weighed every circumstance with
what she meant to be impartiality deliberated on the probability of each
statement but with little success On both sides it was only assertion Again
she read on But every line proved more clearly that the affair which she had
believed it impossible that any contrivance could so represent as to render Mr
Darcys conduct in it less than infamous was capable of a turn which must make
him entirely blameless throughout the whole
The extravagance and general profligacy which he scrupled not to lay to Mr
Wickhams charge exceedingly shocked her the more so as she could bring no
proof of its injustice She had never heard of him before his entrance into the
shire Militia in which he had engaged at the persuasion of the young man
who on meeting him accidentally in town had there renewed a slight
acquaintance Of his former way of life nothing had been known in Hertfordshire
but what he told himself As to his real character had information been in her
power she had never felt a wish of enquiring His countenance voice and
manner had established him at once in the possession of every virtue She tried
to recollect some instance of goodness some distinguished trait of integrity or
benevolence that might rescue him from the attacks of Mr Darcy or at least
by the predominance of virtue atone for those casual errors under which she
would endeavour to class what Mr Darcy had described as the idleness and vice
of many years continuance But no such recollection befriended her She could
see him instantly before her in every charm of air and address but she could
remember no more substantial good than the general approbation of the
neighbourhood and the regard which his social powers had gained him in the
mess After pausing on this point a considerable while she once more continued
to read But alas the story which followed of his designs on Miss Darcy
received some confirmation from what had passed between Colonel Fitzwilliam and
herself only the morning before and at last she was referred for the truth of
every particular to Colonel Fitzwilliam himself from whom she had previously
received the information of his near concern in all his cousins affairs and
whose character she had no reason to question At one time she had almost
resolved on applying to him but the idea was checked by the awkwardness of the
application and at length wholly banished by the conviction that Mr Darcy
would never have hazarded such a proposal if he had not been well assured of
his cousins corroboration
She perfectly remembered every thing that had passed in conversation between
Wickham and herself in their first evening at Mr Philipss Many of his
expressions were still fresh in her memory She was now struck with the
impropriety of such communications to a stranger and wondered it had escaped
her before She saw the indelicacy of putting himself forward as he had done
and the inconsistency of his professions with his conduct She remembered that
he had boasted of having no fear of seeing Mr Darcy that Mr Darcy might
leave the country but that he should stand his ground yet he had avoided the
Netherfield ball the very next week She remembered also that till the
Netherfield family had quitted the country he had told his story to no one but
herself but that after their removal it had been every where discussed that
he had then no reserves no scruples in sinking Mr Darcys character though he
had assured her that respect for the father would always prevent his exposing
the son
How differently did every thing now appear in which he was concerned His
attentions to Miss King were now the consequence of views solely and hatefully
mercenary and the mediocrity of her fortune proved no longer the moderation of
his wishes but his eagerness to grasp at any thing His behaviour to herself
could now have had no tolerable motive he had either been deceived with regard
to her fortune or had been gratifying his vanity by encouraging the preference
which she believed she had most incautiously shewn Every lingering struggle in
his favour grew fainter and fainter and in farther justification of Mr Darcy
she could not but allow that Mr Bingley when questioned by Jane had long ago
asserted his blamelessness in the affair that proud and repulsive as were his
manners she had never in the whole course of their acquaintance an
acquaintance which had latterly brought them much together and given her a sort
of intimacy with his ways seen any thing that betrayed him to be unprincipled
or unjust any thing that spoke him of irreligious or immoral habits That
among his own connections he was esteemed and valued that even Wickham had
allowed him merit as a brother and that she had often heard him speak so
affectionately of his sister as to prove him capable of some amiable feeling
That had his actions been what Wickham represented them so gross a violation of
every thing right could hardly have been concealed from the world and that
friendship between a person capable of it and such an amiable man as Mr
Bingley was incomprehensible
She grew absolutely ashamed of herself Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could
she think without feeling that she had been blind partial prejudiced absurd
»How despicably have I acted« she cried »I who have prided myself on my
discernment I who have valued myself on my abilities who have often
disdained the generous candour of my sister and gratified my vanity in useless
or blameable distrust How humiliating is this discovery Yet how just a
humiliation Had I been in love I could not have been more wretchedly blind
But vanity not love has been my folly Pleased with the preference of one
and offended by the neglect of the other on the very beginning of our
acquaintance I have courted prepossession and ignorance and driven reason
away where either were concerned Till this moment I never knew myself«
From herself to Jane from Jane to Bingley her thoughts were in a line
which soon brought to her recollection that Mr Darcys explanation there had
appeared very insufficient and she read it again Widely different was the
effect of a second perusal How could she deny that credit to his assertions
in one instance which she had been obliged to give in the other He declared
himself to have been totally unsuspicious of her sisters attachment and she
could not help remembering what Charlottes opinion had always been Neither
could she deny the justice of his description of Jane She felt that Janes
feelings though fervent were little displayed and that there was a constant
complacency in her air and manner not often united with great sensibility
When she came to that part of the letter in which her family were mentioned
in terms of such mortifying yet merited reproach her sense of shame was
severe The justice of the charge struck her too forcibly for denial and the
circumstances to which he particularly alluded as having passed at the
Netherfield ball and as confirming all his first disapprobation could not have
made a stronger impression on his mind than on hers
The compliment to herself and her sister was not unfelt It soothed but it
could not console her for the contempt which had been thus selfattracted by the
rest of her family and as she considered that Janes disappointment had in
fact been the work of her nearest relations and reflected how materially the
credit of both must be hurt by such impropriety of conduct she felt depressed
beyond any thing she had ever known before
After wandering along the lane for two hours giving way to every variety of
thought reconsidering events determining probabilities and reconciling
herself as well as she could to a change so sudden and so important fatigue
and a recollection of her long absence made her at length return home and she
entered the house with the wish of appearing cheerful as usual and the
resolution of repressing such reflections as must make her unfit for
conversation
She was immediately told that the two gentlemen from Rosings had each
called during her absence Mr Darcy only for a few minutes to take leave but
that Colonel Fitzwilliam had been sitting with them at least an hour hoping for
her return and almost resolving to walk after her till she could be found
Elizabeth could but just affect concern in missing him she really rejoiced at
it Colonel Fitzwilliam was no longer an object She could think only of her
letter
Chapter XIV
The two gentlemen left Rosings the next morning and Mr Collins having been in
waiting near the lodges to make them his parting obeisance was able to bring
home the pleasing intelligence of their appearing in very good health and in
as tolerable spirits as could be expected after the melancholy scene so lately
gone through at Rosings To Rosings he then hastened to console Lady Catherine
and her daughter and on his return brought back with great satisfaction a
message from her Ladyship importing that she felt herself so dull as to make
her very desirous of having them all to dine with her
Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting that had she
chosen it she might by this time have been presented to her as her future
niece nor could she think without a smile of what her ladyships indignation
would have been »What would she have said how would she have behaved« were
questions with which she amused herself
Their first subject was the diminution of the Rosings party »I assure
you I feel it exceedingly« said Lady Catherine »I believe nobody feels the
loss of friends so much as I do But I am particularly attached to these young
men and know them to be so much attached to me They were excessively sorry
to go But so they always are The dear colonel rallied his spirits tolerably
till just at last but Darcy seemed to feel it most acutely more I think than
last year His attachment to Rosings certainly increases«
Mr Collins had a compliment and an allusion to throw in here which were
kindly smiled on by the mother and daughter
Lady Catherine observed after dinner that Miss Bennet seemed out of
spirits and immediately accounting for it herself by supposing that she did
not like to go home again so soon she added
»But if that is the case you must write to your mother to beg that you may
stay a little longer Mrs Collins will be very glad of your company I am
sure«
»I am much obliged to your ladyship for your kind invitation« replied
Elizabeth »but it is not in my power to accept it I must be in town next
Saturday«
»Why at that rate you will have been here only six weeks I expected you
to stay two months I told Mrs Collins so before you came There can be no
occasion for your going so soon Mrs Bennet could certainly spare you for
another fortnight«
»But my father cannot He wrote last week to hurry my return«
»Oh your father of course may spare you if your mother can Daughters
are never of so much consequence to a father And if you will stay another month
complete it will be in my power to take one of you as far as London for I am
going there early in June for a week and as Dawson does not object to the
Barouche box there will be very good room for one of you and indeed if the
weather should happen to be cool I should not object to taking you both as you
are neither of you large«
»You are all kindness Madam but I believe we must abide by our original
plan«
Lady Catherine seemed resigned
»Mrs Collins you must send a servant with them You know I always speak my
mind and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by
themselves It is highly improper You must contrive to send somebody I have
the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing Young women should
always be properly guarded and attended according to their situation in life
When my niece Georgiana went to Ramsgate last summer I made a point of her
having two men servants go with her Miss Darcy the daughter of Mr Darcy of
Pemberley and Lady Anne could not have appeared with propriety in a different
manner I am excessively attentive to all those things You must send John
with the young ladies Mrs Collins I am glad it occurred to me to mention it
for it would really be discreditable to you to let them go alone«
»My uncle is to send a servant for us«
»Oh Your uncle He keeps a manservant does he I am very glad you
have somebody who thinks of those things Where shall you change horses Oh
Bromley of course If you mention my name at the Bell you will be attended
to«
Lady Catherine had many other questions to ask respecting their journey and
as she did not answer them all herself attention was necessary which Elizabeth
believed to be lucky for her or with a mind so occupied she might have
forgotten where she was Reflection must be reserved for solitary hours
whenever she was alone she gave way to it as the greatest relief and not a day
went by without a solitary walk in which she might indulge in all the delight
of unpleasant recollections
Mr Darcys letter she was in a fair way of soon knowing by heart She
studied every sentence and her feelings towards its writer were at times widely
different When she remembered the style of his address she was still full of
indignation but when she considered how unjustly she had condemned and
upbraided him her anger was turned against herself and his disappointed
feelings became the object of compassion His attachment excited gratitude his
general character respect but she could not approve him nor could she for a
moment repent her refusal or feel the slightest inclination ever to see him
again In her own past behaviour there was a constant source of vexation and
regret and in the unhappy defects of her family a subject of yet heavier
chagrin They were hopeless of remedy Her father contented with laughing at
them would never exert himself to restrain the wild giddiness of his youngest
daughters and her mother with manners so far from right herself was entirely
insensible of the evil Elizabeth had frequently united with Jane in an
endeavour to check the imprudence of Catherine and Lydia but while they were
supported by their mothers indulgence what chance could there be of
improvement Catherine weakspirited irritable and completely under Lydias
guidance had been always affronted by their advice and Lydia selfwilled and
careless would scarcely give them a hearing They were ignorant idle and
vain While there was an officer in Meryton they would flirt with him and
while Meryton was within a walk of Longbourn they would be going there for
ever
Anxiety on Janes behalf was another prevailing concern and Mr Darcys
explanation by restoring Bingley to all her former good opinion heightened the
sense of what Jane had lost His affection was proved to have been sincere and
his conduct cleared of all blame unless any could attach to the implicitness of
his confidence in his friend How grievous then was the thought that of a
situation so desirable in every respect so replete with advantage so promising
for happiness Jane had been deprived by the folly and indecorum of her own
family
When to these recollections was added the developement of Wickhams
character it may be easily believed that the happy spirits which had seldom
been depressed before were now so much affected as to make it almost impossible
for her to appear tolerably cheerful
Their engagements at Rosings were as frequent during the last week of her
stay as they had been at first The very last evening was spent there and her
Ladyship again enquired minutely into the particulars of their journey gave
them directions as to the best method of packing and was so urgent on the
necessity of placing gowns in the only right way that Maria thought herself
obliged on her return to undo all the work of the morning and pack her trunk
afresh
When they parted Lady Catherine with great condescension wished them a
good journey and invited them to come to Hunsford again next year and Miss De
Bourgh exerted herself so far as to curtsey and hold out her hand to both
Chapter XV
On Saturday morning Elizabeth and Mr Collins met for breakfast a few minutes
before the others appeared and he took the opportunity of paying the parting
civilities which he deemed indispensably necessary
»I know not Miss Elizabeth« said he »whether Mrs Collins has yet
expressed her sense of your kindness in coming to us but I am very certain you
will not leave the house without receiving her thanks for it The favour of your
company has been much felt I assure you We know how little there is to tempt
any one to our humble abode Our plain manner of living our small rooms and
few domestics and the little we see of the world must make Hunsford extremely
dull to a young lady like yourself but I hope you will believe us grateful for
the condescension and that we have done every thing in our power to prevent
your spending your time unpleasantly«
Elizabeth was eager with her thanks and assurances of happiness She had
spent six weeks with great enjoyment and the pleasure of being with Charlotte
and the kind attentions she had received must make her feel the obliged Mr
Collins was gratified and with a more smiling solemnity replied
»It gives me the greatest pleasure to hear that you have passed your time
not disagreeably We have certainly done our best and most fortunately having
it in our power to introduce you to very superior society and from our
connection with Rosings the frequent means of varying the humble home scene I
think we may flatter ourselves that your Hunsford visit cannot have been
entirely irksome Our situation with regard to Lady Catherines family is indeed
the sort of extraordinary advantage and blessing which few can boast You see on
what a footing we are You see how continually we are engaged there In truth I
must acknowledge that with all the disadvantages of this humble parsonage I
should not think any one abiding in it an object of compassion while they are
sharers of our intimacy at Rosings«
Words were insufficient for the elevation of his feelings and he was
obliged to walk about the room while Elizabeth tried to unite civility and
truth in a few short sentences
»You may in fact carry a very favourable report of us into Hertfordshire
my dear cousin I flatter myself at least that you will be able to do so Lady
Catherines great attentions to Mrs Collins you have been a daily witness of
and altogether I trust it does not appear that your friend has drawn an
unfortunate but on this point it will be as well to be silent Only let me
assure you my dear Miss Elizabeth that I can from my heart most cordially wish
you equal felicity in marriage My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and
one way of thinking There is in every thing a most remarkable resemblance of
character and ideas between us We seem to have been designed for each other«
Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness where that was the
case and with equal sincerity could add that she firmly believed and rejoiced
in his domestic comforts She was not sorry however to have the recital of
them interrupted by the entrance of the lady from whom they sprung Poor
Charlotte it was melancholy to leave her to such society But she had
chosen it with her eyes open and though evidently regretting that her visitors
were to go she did not seem to ask for compassion Her home and her
housekeeping her parish and her poultry and all their dependent concerns had
not yet lost their charms
At length the chaise arrived the trunks were fastened on the parcels
placed within and it was pronounced to be ready After an affectionate parting
between the friends Elizabeth was attended to the carriage by Mr Collins and
as they walked down the garden he was commissioning her with his best respects
to all her family not forgetting his thanks for the kindness he had received at
Longbourn in the winter and his compliments to Mr and Mrs Gardiner though
unknown He then handed her in Maria followed and the door was on the point of
being closed when he suddenly reminded them with some consternation that they
had hitherto forgotten to leave any message for the ladies of Rosings
»But« he added »you will of course wish to have your humble respects
delivered to them with your grateful thanks for their kindness to you while you
have been here«
Elizabeth made no objection the door was then allowed to be shut and the
carriage drove off
»Good gracious« cried Maria after a few minutes silence »it seems but a
day or two since we first came and yet how many things have happened«
»A great many indeed« said her companion with a sigh
»We have dined nine times at Rosings besides drinking tea there twice
How much I shall have to tell«
Elizabeth privately added »And how much I shall have to conceal«
Their journey was performed without much conversation or any alarm and
within four hours of their leaving Hunsford they reached Mr Gardiners house
where they were to remain a few days
Jane looked well and Elizabeth had little opportunity of studying her
spirits amidst the various engagements which the kindness of her aunt had
reserved for them But Jane was to go home with her and at Longbourn there
would be leisure enough for observation
It was not without an effort meanwhile that she could wait even for
Longbourn before she told her sister of Mr Darcys proposals To know that she
had the power of revealing what would so exceedingly astonish Jane and must at
the same time so highly gratify whatever of her own vanity she had not yet been
able to reason away was such a temptation to openness as nothing could have
conquered but the state of indecision in which she remained as to the extent
of what she should communicate and her fear if she once entered on the
subject of being hurried into repeating something of Bingley which might only
grieve her sister farther
Chapter XVI
It was the second week in May in which the three young ladies set out together
from Gracechurchstreet for the town of in Hertfordshire and as they drew
near the appointed inn where Mr Bennets carriage was to meet them they
quickly perceived in token of the coachmans punctuality both Kitty and Lydia
looking out of a dining room up stairs These two girls had been above an hour
in the place happily employed in visiting an opposite milliner watching the
sentinel on guard and dressing a sallad and cucumber
After welcoming their sisters they triumphantly displayed a table set out
with such cold meat as an inn larder usually affords exclaiming »Is not this
nice is not this an agreeable surprise«
»And we mean to treat you all« added Lydia »but you must lend us the
money for we have just spent ours at the shop out there« Then shewing her
purchases »Look here I have bought this bonnet I do not think it is very
pretty but I thought I might as well buy it as not I shall pull it to pieces
as soon as I get home and see if I can make it up any better«
And when her sisters abused it as ugly she added with perfect unconcern
»Oh but there were two or three much uglier in the shop and when I have bought
some prettiercoloured satin to trim it with fresh I think it will be very
tolerable Besides it will not much signify what one wears this summer after
the shire have left Meryton and they are going in a fortnight«
»Are they indeed« cried Elizabeth with the greatest satisfaction
»They are going to be encamped near Brighton and I do so want papa to take
us all there for the summer It would be such a delicious scheme and I dare say
would hardly cost any thing at all Mamma would like to go too of all things
Only think what a miserable summer else we shall have«
»Yes« thought Elizabeth »that would be a delightful scheme indeed and
completely do for us at once Good Heaven Brighton and a whole campful of
soldiers to us who have been overset already by one poor regiment of militia
and the monthly balls of Meryton«
»Now I have got some news for you« said Lydia as they sat down to table
»What do you think It is excellent news capital news and about a certain
person that we all like«
Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other and the waiter was told that he
need not stay Lydia laughed and said
»Aye that is just like your formality and discretion You thought the
waiter must not hear as if he cared I dare say he often hears worse things
said than I am going to say But he is an ugly fellow I am glad he is gone I
never saw such a long chin in my life Well but now for my news it is about
dear Wickham too good for the waiter is not it There is no danger of
Wickhams marrying Mary King There s for you She is gone down to her uncle at
Liverpool gone to stay Wickham is safe«
»And Mary King is safe« added Elizabeth »safe from a connection imprudent
as to fortune«
»She is a great fool for going away if she liked him«
»But I hope there is no strong attachment on either side« said Jane
»I am sure there is not on his I will answer for it he never cared three
straws about her Who could about such a nasty little freckled thing«
Elizabeth was shocked to think that however incapable of such coarseness of
expression herself the coarseness of the sentiment was little other than her
own breast had formerly harboured and fancied liberal
As soon as all had ate and the elder ones paid the carriage was ordered
and after some contrivance the whole party with all their boxes workbags and
parcels and the unwelcome addition of Kittys and Lydias purchases were
seated in it
»How nicely we are crammed in« cried Lydia »I am glad I bought my bonnet
if it is only for the fun of having another bandbox Well now let us be quite
comfortable and snug and talk and laugh all the way home And in the first
place let us hear what has happened to you all since you went away Have you
seen any pleasant men Have you had any flirting I was in great hopes that one
of you would have got a husband before you came back Jane will be quite an old
maid soon I declare She is almost three and twenty Lord how ashamed I should
be of not being married before three and twenty My aunt Philips wants you so to
get husbands you cant think She says Lizzy had better have taken Mr Collins
but I do not think there would have been any fun in it Lord how I should like
to be married before any of you and then I would chaperon you about to all the
balls Dear me we had such a good piece of fun the other day at Colonel
Forsters Kitty and me were to spend the day there and Mrs Forster promised
to have a little dance in the evening by the bye Mrs Forster and me are such
friends and so she asked the two Harringtons to come but Harriet was ill and
so Pen was forced to come by herself and then what do you think we did We
dressed up Chamberlayne in womans clothes on purpose to pass for a lady
only think what fun Not a soul knew of it but Col and Mrs Forster and Kitty
and me except my aunt for we were forced to borrow one of her gowns and you
cannot imagine how well he looked When Denny and Wickham and Pratt and two
or three more of the men came in they did not know him in the least Lord how
I laughed and so did Mrs Forster I thought I should have died And that made
the men suspect something and then they soon found out what was the matter«
With such kind of histories of their parties and good jokes did Lydia
assisted by Kittys hints and additions endeavour to amuse her companions all
the way to Longbourn Elizabeth listened as little as she could but there was
no escaping the frequent mention of Wickhams name
Their reception at home was most kind Mrs Bennet rejoiced to see Jane in
undiminished beauty and more than once during dinner did Mr Bennet say
voluntarily to Elizabeth
»I am glad you are come back Lizzy«
Their party in the diningroom was large for almost all the Lucases came to
meet Maria and hear the news and various were the subjects which occupied them
lady Lucas was enquiring of Maria across the table after the welfare and
poultry of her eldest daughter Mrs Bennet was doubly engaged on one hand
collecting an account of the present fashions from Jane who sat some way below
her and on the other retailing them all to the younger Miss Lucases and
Lydia in a voice rather louder than any other persons was enumerating the
various pleasures of the morning to any body who would hear her
»Oh Mary« said she »I wish you had gone with us for we had such fun as
we went along Kitty and me drew up all the blinds and pretended there was
nobody in the coach and I should have gone so all the way if Kitty had not
been sick and when we got to the George I do think we behaved very handsomely
for we treated the other three with the nicest cold luncheon in the world and
if you would have gone we would have treated you too And then when we came
away it was such fun I thought we never should have got into the coach I was
ready to die of laughter And then we were so merry all the way home we talked
and laughed so loud that any body might have heard us ten miles off«
To this Mary very gravely replied »Far be it from me my dear sister to
depreciate such pleasures They would doubtless be congenial with the generality
of female minds But I confess they would have no charms for me I should
infinitely prefer a book«
But of this answer Lydia heard not a word She seldom listened to any body
for more than half a minute and never attended to Mary at all
In the afternoon Lydia was urgent with the rest of the girls to walk to
Meryton and see how every body went on but Elizabeth steadily opposed the
scheme It should not be said that the Miss Bennets could not be at home half a
day before they were in pursuit of the officers There was another reason too
for her opposition She dreaded seeing Wickham again and was resolved to avoid
it as long as possible The comfort to her of the regiments approaching
removal was indeed beyond expression In a fortnight they were to go and once
gone she hoped there could be nothing more to plague her on his account
She had not been many hours at home before she found that the Brighton
scheme of which Lydia had given them a hint at the inn was under frequent
discussion between her parents Elizabeth saw directly that her father had not
the smallest intention of yielding but his answers were at the same time so
vague and equivocal that her mother though often disheartened had never yet
despaired of succeeding at last
Chapter XVII
Elizabeths impatience to acquaint Jane with what had happened could no longer
be overcome and at length resolving to suppress every particular in which her
sister was concerned and preparing her to be surprised she related to her the
next morning the chief of the scene between Mr Darcy and herself
Miss Bennets astonishment was soon lessened by the strong sisterly
partiality which made any admiration of Elizabeth appear perfectly natural and
all surprise was shortly lost in other feelings She was sorry that Mr Darcy
should have delivered his sentiments in a manner so little suited to recommend
them but still more was she grieved for the unhappiness which her sisters
refusal must have given him
»His being so sure of succeeding was wrong« said she »and certainly ought
not to have appeared but consider how much it must increase his
disappointment«
»Indeed« replied Elizabeth »I am heartily sorry for him but he has other
feelings which will probably soon drive away his regard for me You do not blame
me however for refusing him«
»Blame you Oh no«
»But you blame me for having spoken so warmly of Wickham«
»No I do not know that you were wrong in saying what you did«
»But you will know it when I have told you what happened the very next
day«
She then spoke of the letter repeating the whole of its contents as far as
they concerned George Wickham What a stroke was this for poor Jane who would
willingly have gone through the world without believing that so much wickedness
existed in the whole race of mankind as was here collected in one individual
Nor was Darcys vindication though grateful to her feelings capable of
consoling her for such discovery Most earnestly did she labour to prove the
probability of error and seek to clear one without involving the other
»This will not do« said Elizabeth »You never will be able to make both of
them good for any thing Take your choice but you must be satisfied with only
one There is but such a quantity of merit between them just enough to make one
good sort of man and of late it has been shifting about pretty much For my
part I am inclined to believe it all Mr Darcys but you shall do as you
chuse«
It was some time however before a smile could be extorted from Jane
»I do not know when I have been more shocked« said she »Wickham so very
bad It is almost past belief And poor Mr Darcy dear Lizzy only consider
what he must have suffered Such a disappointment and with the knowledge of
your ill opinion too and having to relate such a thing of his sister It is
really too distressing I am sure you must feel it so«
»Oh no my regret and compassion are all done away by seeing you so full of
both I know you will do him such ample justice that I am growing every moment
more unconcerned and indifferent Your profusion makes me saving and if you
lament over him much longer my heart will be as light as a feather«
»Poor Wickham there is such an expression of goodness in his countenance
such an openness and gentleness in his manner«
»There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of those two
young men One has got all the goodness and the other all the appearance of
it«
»I never thought Mr Darcy so deficient in the appearance of it as you used
to do«
»And yet I meant to be uncommonly clever in taking so decided a dislike to
him without any reason It is such a spur to ones genius such an opening for
wit to have a dislike of that kind One may be continually abusive without
saying any thing just but one cannot be always laughing at a man without now
and then stumbling on something witty«
»Lizzy when you first read that letter I am sure you could not treat the
matter as you do now«
»Indeed I could not I was uncomfortable enough I was very uncomfortable I
may say unhappy And with no one to speak to of what I felt no Jane to comfort
me and say that I had not been so very weak and vain and nonsensical as I knew I
had Oh how I wanted you«
»How unfortunate that you should have used such very strong expressions in
speaking of Wickham to Mr Darcy for now they do appear wholly undeserved«
»Certainly But the misfortune of speaking with bitterness is a most
natural consequence of the prejudices I had been encouraging There is one
point on which I want your advice I want to be told whether I ought or ought
not to make our acquaintance in general understand Wickhams character«
Miss Bennet paused a little and then replied »Surely there can be no
occasion for exposing him so dreadfully What is your own opinion«
»That it ought not to be attempted Mr Darcy has not authorised me to make
his communication public On the contrary every particular relative to his
sister was meant to be kept as much as possible to myself and if I endeavour
to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct who will believe me The
general prejudice against Mr Darcy is so violent that it would be the death of
half the good people in Meryton to attempt to place him in an amiable light I
am not equal to it Wickham will soon be gone and therefore it will not signify
to anybody here what he really is Sometime hence it will be all found out and
then we may laugh at their stupidity in not knowing it before At present I will
say nothing about it«
»You are quite right To have his errors made public might ruin him for
ever He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done and anxious to reestablish
a character We must not make him desperate«
The tumult of Elizabeths mind was allayed by this conversation She had got
rid of two of the secrets which had weighed on her for a fortnight and was
certain of a willing listener in Jane whenever she might wish to talk again of
either But there was still something lurking behind of which prudence forbad
the disclosure She dared not relate the other half of Mr Darcys letter nor
explain to her sister how sincerely she had been valued by his friend Here was
knowledge in which no one could partake and she was sensible that nothing less
than a perfect understanding between the parties could justify her in throwing
off this last incumbrance of mystery »And then« said she »if that very
improbable event should ever take place I shall merely be able to tell what
Bingley may tell in a much more agreeable manner himself The liberty of
communication cannot be mine till it has lost all its value«
She was now on being settled at home at leisure to observe the real state
of her sisters spirits Jane was not happy She still cherished a very tender
affection for Bingley Having never even fancied herself in love before her
regard had all the warmth of first attachment and from her age and disposition
greater steadiness than first attachments often boast and so fervently did she
value his remembrance and prefer him to every other man that all her good
sense and all her attention to the feelings of her friends were requisite to
check the indulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her own
health and their tranquillity
»Well Lizzy« said Mrs Bennet one day »what is your opinion now of this
sad business of Janes For my part I am determined never to speak of it again
to anybody I told my sister Philips so the other day But I cannot find out
that Jane saw any thing of him in London Well he is a very undeserving young
man and I do not suppose there is the least chance in the world of her ever
getting him now There is no talk of his coming to Netherfield again in the
summer and I have enquired of every body too who is likely to know«
»I do not believe that he will ever live at Netherfield any more«
»Oh well it is just as he chooses Nobody wants him to come Though I
shall always say that he used my daughter extremely ill and if I was her I
would not have put up with it Well my comfort is I am sure Jane will die of a
broken heart and then he will be sorry for what he has done«
But as Elizabeth could not receive comfort from any such expectation she
made no answer
»Well Lizzy« continued her mother soon afterwards »and so the Collinses
live very comfortable do they Well well I only hope it will last And what
sort of table do they keep Charlotte is an excellent manager I dare say If
she is half as sharp as her mother she is saving enough There is nothing
extravagant in their housekeeping I dare say«
»No nothing at all«
»A great deal of good management depend upon it Yes yes They will take
care not to outrun their income They will never be distressed for money Well
much good may it do them And so I suppose they often talk of having Longbourn
when your father is dead They look upon it quite as their own I dare say
whenever that happens«
»It was a subject which they could not mention before me«
»No It would have been strange if they had But I make no doubt they often
talk of it between themselves Well if they can be easy with an estate that is
not lawfully their own so much the better I should be ashamed of having one
that was only entailed on me«
Chapter XVIII
The first week of their return was soon gone The second began It was the last
of the regiments stay in Meryton and all the young ladies in the neighbourhood
were drooping apace The dejection was almost universal The elder Miss Bennets
alone were still able to eat drink and sleep and pursue the usual course of
their employments Very frequently were they reproached for this insensibility
by Kitty and Lydia whose own misery was extreme and who could not comprehend
such hardheartedness in any of the family
»Good Heaven What is to become of us What are we to do« would they often
exclaim in the bitterness of woe »How can you be smiling so Lizzy«
Their affectionate mother shared all their grief she remembered what she
had herself endured on a similar occasion five and twenty years ago
»I am sure« said she »I cried for two days together when Colonel Millars
regiment went away I thought I should have broke my heart«
»I am sure I shall break mine« said Lydia
»If one could but go to Brighton« observed Mrs Bennet
»Oh yes if one could but go to Brighton But papa is so disagreeable«
»A little seabathing would set me up for ever«
»And my aunt Philips is sure it would do me a great deal of good« added
Kitty
Such were the kind of lamentations resounding perpetually through
Longbournhouse Elizabeth tried to be diverted by them but all sense of
pleasure was lost in shame She felt anew the justice of Mr Darcys objections
and never had she before been so much disposed to pardon his interference in the
views of his friend
But the gloom of Lydias prospect was shortly cleared away for she received
an invitation from Mrs Forster the wife of the Colonel of the regiment to
accompany her to Brighton This invaluable friend was a very young woman and
very lately married A resemblance in good humour and good spirits had
recommended her and Lydia to each other and out of their three months
acquaintance they had been intimate two
The rapture of Lydia on this occasion her adoration of Mrs Forster the
delight of Mrs Bennet and the mortification of Kitty are scarcely to be
described Wholly inattentive to her sisters feelings Lydia flew about the
house in restless ecstacy calling for every ones congratulations and laughing
and talking with more violence than ever whilst the luckless Kitty continued in
the parlour repining at her fate in terms as unreasonable as her accent was
peevish
»I cannot see why Mrs Forster should not ask me as well as Lydia« said
she »though I am not her particular friend I have just as much right to be
asked as she has and more too for I am two years older«
In vain did Elizabeth attempt to make her reasonable and Jane to make her
resigned As for Elizabeth herself this invitation was so far from exciting in
her the same feelings as in her mother and Lydia that she considered it as the
deathwarrant of all possibility of common sense for the latter and detestable
as such a step must make her were it known she could not help secretly advising
her father not to let her go She represented to him all the improprieties of
Lydias general behaviour the little advantage she could derive from the
friendship of such a woman as Mrs Forster and the probability of her being yet
more imprudent with such a companion at Brighton where the temptations must be
greater than at home He heard her attentively and then said
»Lydia will never be easy till she has exposed herself in some public place
or other and we can never expect her to do it with so little expense or
inconvenience to her family as under the present circumstances«
»If you were aware« said Elizabeth »of the very great disadvantage to us
all which must arise from the public notice of Lydias unguarded and imprudent
manner nay which has already arisen from it I am sure you would judge
differently in the affair«
»Already arisen« repeated Mr Bennet »What has she frightened away some
of your lovers Poor little Lizzy But do not be cast down Such squeamish
youths as cannot bear to be connected with a little absurdity are not worth a
regret Come let me see the list of the pitiful fellows who have been kept
aloof by Lydias folly«
»Indeed you are mistaken I have no such injuries to resent It is not of
peculiar but of general evils which I am now complaining Our importance our
respectability in the world must be affected by the wild volatility the
assurance and disdain of all restraint which mark Lydias character Excuse me
for I must speak plainly If you my dear father will not take the trouble of
checking her exuberant spirits and of teaching her that her present pursuits
are not to be the business of her life she will soon be beyond the reach of
amendment Her character will be fixed and she will at sixteen be the most
determined flirt that ever made herself and her family ridiculous A flirt too
in the worst and meanest degree of flirtation without any attraction beyond
youth and a tolerable person and from the ignorance and emptiness of her mind
wholly unable to ward off any portion of that universal contempt which her rage
for admiration will excite In this danger Kitty is also comprehended She will
follow wherever Lydia leads Vain ignorant idle and absolutely uncontrouled
Oh my dear father can you suppose it possible that they will not be censured
and despised wherever they are known and that their sisters will not be often
involved in the disgrace«
Mr Bennet saw that her whole heart was in the subject and affectionately
taking her hand said in reply
»Do not make yourself uneasy my love Wherever you and Jane are known you
must be respected and valued and you will not appear to less advantage for
having a couple of or I may say three very silly sisters We shall have no
peace at Longbourn if Lydia does not go to Brighton Let her go then Colonel
Forster is a sensible man and will keep her out of any real mischief and she
is luckily too poor to be an object of prey to any body At Brighton she will be
of less importance even as a common flirt than she has been here The officers
will find women better worth their notice Let us hope therefore that her
being there may teach her her own insignificance At any rate she cannot grow
many degrees worse without authorizing us to lock her up for the rest of her
life«
With this answer Elizabeth was forced to be content but her own opinion
continued the same and she left him disappointed and sorry It was not in her
nature however to increase her vexations by dwelling on them She was
confident of having performed her duty and to fret over unavoidable evils or
augment them by anxiety was no part of her disposition
Had Lydia and her mother known the substance of her conference with her
father their indignation would hardly have found expression in their united
volubility In Lydias imagination a visit to Brighton comprised every
possibility of earthly happiness She saw with the creative eye of fancy the
streets of that gay bathing place covered with officers She saw herself the
object of attention to tens and to scores of them at present unknown She saw
all the glories of the camp its tents stretched forth in beauteous uniformity
of lines crowded with the young and the gay and dazzling with scarlet and to
complete the view she saw herself seated beneath a tent tenderly flirting with
at least six officers at once
Had she known that her sister sought to tear her from such prospects and
such realities as these what would have been her sensations They could have
been understood only by her mother who might have felt nearly the same Lydias
going to Brighton was all that consoled her for the melancholy conviction of her
husbands never intending to go there himself
But they were entirely ignorant of what had passed and their raptures
continued with little intermission to the very day of Lydias leaving home
Elizabeth was now to see Mr Wickham for the last time Having been
frequently in company with him since her return agitation was pretty well over
the agitations of former partiality entirely so She had even learnt to detect
in the very gentleness which had first delighted her an affectation and a
sameness to disgust and weary In his present behaviour to herself moreover
she had a fresh source of displeasure for the inclination he soon testified of
renewing those attentions which had marked the early part of their acquaintance
could only serve after what had since passed to provoke her She lost all
concern for him in finding herself thus selected as the object of such idle and
frivolous gallantry and while she steadily repressed it could not but feel the
reproof contained in his believing that however long and for whatever cause
his attentions had been withdrawn her vanity would be gratified and her
preference secured at any time by their renewal
On the very last day of the regiments remaining in Meryton he dined with
others of the officers at Longbourn and so little was Elizabeth disposed to
part from him in good humour that on his making some enquiry as to the manner
in which her time had passed at Hunsford she mentioned Colonel Fitzwilliams
and Mr Darcys having both spent three weeks at Rosings and asked him if he
were acquainted with the former
He looked surprised displeased alarmed but with a moments recollection
and a returning smile replied that he had formerly seen him often and after
observing that he was a very gentlemanlike man asked her how she had liked him
Her answer was warmly in his favour With an air of indifference he soon
afterwards added »How long did you say that he was at Rosings«
»Nearly three weeks«
»And you saw him frequently«
»Yes almost every day«
»His manners are very different from his cousins«
»Yes very different But I think Mr Darcy improves on acquaintance«
»Indeed« cried Wickham with a look which did not escape her »And pray may
I ask« but checking himself he added in a gayer tone »Is it in address that
he improves Has he deigned to add ought of civility to his ordinary style for
I dare not hope« he continued in a lower and more serious tone »that he is
improved in essentials«
»Oh no« said Elizabeth »In essentials I believe he is very much what he
ever was«
While she spoke Wickham looked as if scarcely knowing whether to rejoice
over her words or to distrust their meaning There was a something in her
countenance which made him listen with an apprehensive and anxious attention
while she added
»When I said that he improved on acquaintance I did not mean that either
his mind or manners were in a state of improvement but that from knowing him
better his disposition was better understood«
Wickhams alarm now appeared in a heightened complexion and agitated look
for a few minutes he was silent till shaking off his embarrassment he turned
to her again and said in the gentlest of accents
»You who so well know my feelings towards Mr Darcy will readily
comprehend how sincerely I must rejoice that he is wise enough to assume even
the appearance of what is right His pride in that direction may be of
service if not to himself to many others for it must deter him from such foul
misconduct as I have suffered by I only fear that the sort of cautiousness to
which you I imagine have been alluding is merely adopted on his visits to his
aunt of whose good opinion and judgment he stands much in awe His fear of her
has always operated I know when they were together and a good deal is to be
imputed to his wish of forwarding the match with Miss De Bourgh which I am
certain he has very much at heart«
Elizabeth could not repress a smile at this but she answered only by a
slight inclination of the head She saw that he wanted to engage her on the old
subject of his grievances and she was in no humour to indulge him The rest of
the evening passed with the appearance on his side of usual cheerfulness but
with no farther attempt to distinguish Elizabeth and they parted at last with
mutual civility and possibly a mutual desire of never meeting again
When the party broke up Lydia returned with Mrs Forster to Meryton from
whence they were to set out early the next morning The separation between her
and her family was rather noisy than pathetic Kitty was the only one who shed
tears but she did weep from vexation and envy Mrs Bennet was diffuse in her
good wishes for the felicity of her daughter and impressive in her injunctions
that she would not miss the opportunity of enjoying herself as much as possible
advice which there was every reason to believe would be attended to and in the
clamorous happiness of Lydia herself in bidding farewell the more gentle adieus
of her sisters were uttered without being heard
Chapter XIX
Had Elizabeths opinion been all drawn from her own family she could not have
formed a very pleasing picture of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort Her
father captivated by youth and beauty and that appearance of good humour which
youth and beauty generally give had married a woman whose weak understanding
and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real
affection for her Respect esteem and confidence had vanished for ever and
all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown But Mr Bennet was not of a
disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had
brought on in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate
for their folly or their vice He was fond of the country and of books and from
these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments To his wife he was very little
otherwise indebted than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his
amusement This is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish
to owe to his wife but where other powers of entertainment are wanting the
true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given
Elizabeth however had never been blind to the impropriety of her fathers
behaviour as a husband She had always seen it with pain but respecting his
abilities and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself she
endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook and to banish from her
thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which in
exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children was so highly
reprehensible But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages
which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage nor ever been so
fully aware of the evils arising from so illjudged a direction of talents
talents which rightly used might at least have preserved the respectability of
his daughters even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife
When Elizabeth had rejoiced over Wickhams departure she found little other
cause for satisfaction in the loss of the regiment Their parties abroad were
less varied than before and at home she had a mother and sister whose constant
repinings at the dulness of every thing around them threw a real gloom over
their domestic circle and though Kitty might in time regain her natural degree
of sense since the disturbers of her brain were removed her other sister from
whose disposition greater evil might be apprehended was likely to be hardened
in all her folly and assurance by a situation of such double danger as a
watering place and a camp Upon the whole therefore she found what has been
sometimes found before that an event to which she had looked forward with
impatient desire did not in taking place bring all the satisfaction she had
promised herself It was consequently necessary to name some other period for
the commencement of actual felicity to have some other point on which her
wishes and hopes might be fixed and by again enjoying the pleasure of
anticipation console herself for the present and prepare for another
disappointment Her tour to the Lakes was now the object of her happiest
thoughts it was her best consolation for all the uncomfortable hours which the
discontentedness of her mother and Kitty made inevitable and could she have
included Jane in the scheme every part of it would have been perfect
»But it is fortunate« thought she »that I have something to wish for Were
the whole arrangement complete my disappointment would be certain But here by
carrying with me one ceaseless source of regret in my sisters absence I may
reasonably hope to have all my expectations of pleasure realized A scheme of
which every part promises delight can never be successful and general
disappointment is only warded off by the defence of some little peculiar
vexation«
When Lydia went away she promised to write very often and very minutely to
her mother and Kitty but her letters were always long expected and always very
short Those to her mother contained little else than that they were just
returned from the library where such and such officers had attended them and
where she had seen such beautiful ornaments as made her quite wild that she had
a new gown or a new parasol which she would have described more fully but was
obliged to leave off in a violent hurry as Mrs Forster called her and they
were going to the camp and from her correspondence with her sister there was
still less to be learnt for her letters to Kitty though rather longer were
much too full of lines under the words to be made public
After the first fortnight or three weeks of her absence health good humour
and cheerfulness began to reappear at Longbourn Everything wore a happier
aspect The families who had been in town for the winter came back again and
summer finery and summer engagements arose Mrs Bennet was restored to her
usual querulous serenity and by the middle of June Kitty was so much recovered
as to be able to enter Meryton without tears an event of such happy promise as
to make Elizabeth hope that by the following Christmas she might be so
tolerably reasonable as not to mention an officer above once a day unless by
some cruel and malicious arrangement at the waroffice another regiment should
be quartered in Meryton
The time fixed for the beginning of their Northern tour was now fast
approaching and a fortnight only was wanting of it when a letter arrived from
Mrs Gardiner which at once delayed its commencement and curtailed its extent
Mr Gardiner would be prevented by business from setting out till a fortnight
later in July and must be in London again within a month and as that left too
short a period for them to go so far and see so much as they had proposed or
at least to see it with the leisure and comfort they had built on they were
obliged to give up the Lakes and substitute a more contracted tour and
according to the present plan were to go no farther northward than Derbyshire
In that county there was enough to be seen to occupy the chief of their three
weeks and to Mrs Gardiner it had a peculiarly strong attraction The town
where she had formerly passed some years of her life and where they were now to
spend a few days was probably as great an object of her curiosity as all the
celebrated beauties of Matlock Chatsworth Dovedale or the Peak
Elizabeth was excessively disappointed she had set her heart on seeing the
Lakes and still thought there might have been time enough But it was her
business to be satisfied and certainly her temper to be happy and all was
soon right again
With the mention of Derbyshire there were many ideas connected It was
impossible for her to see the word without thinking of Pemberley and its owner
»But surely« said she »I may enter his county with impunity and rob it of a
few petrified spars without his perceiving me«
The period of expectation was now doubled Four weeks were to pass away
before her uncle and aunts arrival But they did pass away and Mr and Mrs
Gardiner with their four children did at length appear at Longbourn The
children two girls of six and eight years old and two younger boys were to be
left under the particular care of their cousin Jane who was the general
favourite and whose steady sense and sweetness of temper exactly adapted her
for attending to them in every way teaching them playing with them and
loving them
The Gardiners staid only one night at Longbourn and set off the next
morning with Elizabeth in pursuit of novelty and amusement One enjoyment was
certain that of suitableness as companions a suitableness which comprehended
health and temper to bear inconveniences cheerfulness to enhance every
pleasure and affection and intelligence which might supply it among
themselves if there were disappointments abroad
It is not the object of this work to give a description of Derbyshire nor
of any of the remarkable places through which their route thither lay Oxford
Blenheim Warwick Kenelworth Birmingham etc are sufficiently known A small
part of Derbyshire is all the present concern To the little town of Lambton
the scene of Mrs Gardiners former residence and where she had lately learned
that some acquaintance still remained they bent their steps after having seen
all the principal wonders of the country and within five miles of Lambton
Elizabeth found from her aunt that Pemberley was situated It was not in their
direct road nor more than a mile or two out of it In talking over their route
the evening before Mrs Gardiner expressed an inclination to see the place
again Mr Gardiner declared his willingness and Elizabeth was applied to for
her approbation
»My love should not you like to see a place of which you have heard so
much« said her aunt »A place too with which so many of your acquaintance are
connected Wickham passed all his youth there you know«
Elizabeth was distressed She felt that she had no business at Pemberley
and was obliged to assume a disinclination for seeing it She must own that she
was tired of great houses after going over so many she really had no pleasure
in fine carpets or satin curtains
Mrs Gardiner abused her stupidity »If it were merely a fine house richly
furnished« said she »I should not care about it myself but the grounds are
delightful They have some of the finest woods in the country«
Elizabeth said no more but her mind could not acquiesce The possibility
of meeting Mr Darcy while viewing the place instantly occurred It would be
dreadful She blushed at the very idea and thought it would be better to speak
openly to her aunt than to run such a risk But against this there were
objections and she finally resolved that it could be the last resource if her
private enquiries as to the absence of the family were unfavourably answered
Accordingly when she retired at night she asked the chambermaid whether
Pemberley were not a very fine place what was the name of its proprietor and
with no little alarm whether the family were down for the summer A most
welcome negative followed the last question and her alarms being now removed
she was at leisure to feel a great deal of curiosity to see the house herself
and when the subject was revived the next morning and she was again applied to
could readily answer and with a proper air of indifference that she had not
really any dislike to the scheme
To Pemberley therefore they were to go
End of the Second Volume
Volume III
Chapter I
Elizabeth as they drove along watched for the first appearance of Pemberley
Woods with some perturbation and when at length they turned in at the lodge
her spirits were in a high flutter
The park was very large and contained great variety of ground They entered
it in one of its lowest points and drove for some time through a beautiful
wood stretching over a wide extent
Elizabeths mind was too full for conversation but she saw and admired
every remarkable spot and point of view They gradually ascended for half a
mile and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence where the
wood ceased and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House situated on
the opposite side of a valley into which the road with some abruptness wound
It was a large handsome stone building standing well on rising ground and
backed by a ridge of high woody hills and in front a stream of some natural
importance was swelled into greater but without any artificial appearance Its
banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned Elizabeth was delighted She had
never seen a place for which nature had done more or where natural beauty had
been so little counteracted by an awkward taste They were all of them warm in
their admiration and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley
might be something
They descended the hill crossed the bridge and drove to the door and
while examining the nearer aspect of the house all her apprehensions of meeting
its owner returned She dreaded lest the chambermaid had been mistaken On
applying to see the place they were admitted into the hall and Elizabeth as
they waited for the housekeeper had leisure to wonder at her being where she
was
The housekeeper came a respectablelooking elderly woman much less fine
and more civil than she had any notion of finding her They followed her into
the diningparlour It was a large wellproportioned room handsomely fitted
up Elizabeth after slightly surveying it went to a window to enjoy its
prospect The hill crowned with wood from which they had descended receiving
increased abruptness from the distance was a beautiful object Every
disposition of the ground was good and she looked on the whole scene the
river the trees scattered on its banks and the winding of the valley as far
as she could trace it with delight As they passed into other rooms these
objects were taking different positions but from every window there were
beauties to be seen The rooms were lofty and handsome and their furniture
suitable to the fortune of their proprietor but Elizabeth saw with admiration
of his taste that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine with less of
splendor and more real elegance than the furniture of Rosings
»And of this place« thought she »I might have been mistress With these
rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted Instead of viewing them as a
stranger I might have rejoiced in them as my own and welcomed to them as
visitors my uncle and aunt But no« recollecting herself »that could
never be my uncle and aunt would have been lost to me I should not have been
allowed to invite them«
This was a lucky recollection it saved her from something like regret
She longed to enquire of the housekeeper whether her master were really
absent but had not courage for it At length however the question was asked
by her uncle and she turned away with alarm while Mrs Reynolds replied that
he was adding »but we expect him tomorrow with a large party of friends«
How rejoiced was Elizabeth that their own journey had not by any circumstance
been delayed a day
Her aunt now called her to look at a picture She approached and saw the
likeness of Mr Wickham suspended amongst several other miniatures over the
mantlepiece Her aunt asked her smilingly how she liked it The housekeeper
came forward and told them it was the picture of a young gentleman the son of
her late masters steward who had been brought up by him at his own expence
»He is now gone into the army« she added »but I am afraid he has turned out
very wild«
Mrs Gardiner looked at her niece with a smile but Elizabeth could not
return it
»And that« said Mrs Reynolds pointing to another of the miniatures »is
my master and very like him It was drawn at the same time as the other
about eight years ago«
»I have heard much of your masters fine person« said Mrs Gardiner
looking at the picture »it is a handsome face But Lizzy you can tell us
whether it is like or not«
Mrs Reynoldss respect for Elizabeth seemed to increase on this intimation
of her knowing her master
»Does that young lady know Mr Darcy«
Elizabeth coloured and said »A little«
»And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman Maam«
»Yes very handsome«
»I am sure I know none so handsome but in the gallery up stairs you will
see a finer larger picture of him than this This room was my late masters
favourite room and these miniatures are just as they used to be then He was
very fond of them«
This accounted to Elizabeth for Mr Wickhams being among them
Mrs Reynolds then directed their attention to one of Miss Darcy drawn when
she was only eight years old
»And is Miss Darcy as handsome as her brother« said Mr Gardiner
»Oh yes the handsomest young lady that ever was seen and so
accomplished She plays and sings all day long In the next room is a new
instrument just come down for her a present from my master she comes here
tomorrow with him«
Mr Gardiner whose manners were easy and pleasant encouraged her
communicativeness by his questions and remarks Mrs Reynolds either from pride
or attachment had evidently great pleasure in talking of her master and his
sister
»Is your master much at Pemberley in the course of the year«
»Not so much as I could wish Sir but I dare say he may spend half his time
here and Miss Darcy is always down for the summer months«
»Except« thought Elizabeth »when she goes to Ramsgate«
»If your master would marry you might see more of him«
»Yes Sir but I do not know when that will be I do not know who is good
enough for him«
Mr and Mrs Gardiner smiled Elizabeth could not help saying »It is very
much to his credit I am sure that you should think so«
»I say no more than the truth and what every body 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 had 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 goodtempered 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 was to go through the world I could not meet
with a better But I have always observed that they who are goodnatured when
children are goodnatured when they grow up and he was always the
sweetesttempered most generoushearted 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 Maam that he was indeed and his son will be just like him just as
affable to the poor«
Elizabeth listened wondered doubted and was impatient for more Mrs
Reynolds could interest her on no other point She related the subject of the
pictures the dimensions of the rooms and the price of the furniture in vain
Mr Gardiner highly amused by the kind of family prejudice to which he
attributed her excessive commendation of her master soon led again to the
subject and she dwelt with energy on his many merits as they proceeded
together up the great staircase
»He is the best landlord and the best master« said she »that ever lived
Not like the wild young men nowadays who think of nothing but themselves
There is not one of his tenants or servants but what will give him a good name
Some people call him proud but I am sure I never saw any thing of it To my
fancy it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men«
»In what an amiable light does this place him« thought Elizabeth
»This fine account of him« whispered her aunt as they walked »is not
quite consistent with his behaviour to our poor friend«
»Perhaps we might be deceived«
»That is not very likely our authority was too good«
On reaching the spacious lobby above they were shewn into a very pretty
sittingroom lately fitted up with greater elegance and lightness than the
apartments below and were informed that it was but just done to give pleasure
to Miss Darcy who had taken a liking to the room when last at Pemberley
»He is certainly a good brother« said Elizabeth as she walked towards one
of the windows
Mrs Reynolds anticipated Miss Darcys delight when she should enter the
room »And this is always the way with him« she added »Whatever can give his
sister any pleasure is sure to be done in a moment There is nothing he would
not do for her«
The picture gallery and two or three of the principal bedrooms were all
that remained to be shewn In the former were many good paintings but Elizabeth
knew nothing of the art and from such as had been already visible below she
had willingly turned to look at some drawings of Miss Darcys in crayons whose
subjects were usually more interesting and also more intelligible
In the gallery there were many family portraits but they could have little
to fix the attention of a stranger Elizabeth walked on in quest of the only
face whose features would be known to her At last it arrested her and she
beheld a striking resemblance of Mr Darcy with such a smile over the face as
she remembered to have sometimes seen when he looked at her She stood several
minutes before the picture in earnest contemplation and returned to it again
before they quitted the gallery Mrs Reynolds informed them that it had been
taken in his fathers life time
There was certainly at this moment in Elizabeths mind a more gentle
sensation towards the original than she had ever felt in the height of their
acquaintance The commendation bestowed on him by Mrs Reynolds was of no
trifling nature What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent
servant As a brother a landlord a master she considered how many peoples
happiness were in his guardianship How much of pleasure or pain it was in his
power to bestow How much of good or evil must be done by him Every idea that
had been brought forward by the housekeeper was favourable to his character and
as she stood before the canvas on which he was represented and fixed his eyes
upon herself she thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment of gratitude
than it had ever raised before she remembered its warmth and softened its
impropriety of expression
When all of the house that was open to general inspection had been seen
they returned down stairs and taking leave of the housekeeper were consigned
over to the gardener who met them at the hall door
As they walked across the lawn towards the river Elizabeth turned back to
look again her uncle and aunt stopped also and while the former was
conjecturing as to the date of the building the owner of it himself suddenly
came forward from the road which led behind it to the stables
They were within twenty yards of each other and so abrupt was his
appearance that it was impossible to avoid his sight Their eyes instantly met
and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush He absolutely
started and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise but shortly
recovering himself advanced towards the party and spoke to Elizabeth if not
in terms of perfect composure at least of perfect civility
She had instinctively turned away but stopping on his approach received
his compliments with an embarrassment impossible to be overcome Had his first
appearance or his resemblance to the picture they had just been examining been
insufficient to assure the other two that they now saw Mr Darcy the gardeners
expression of surprise on beholding his master must immediately have told it
They stood a little aloof while he was talking to their niece who astonished
and confused scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face and knew not what answer
she returned to his civil enquiries after her family Amazed at the alteration
in his manner since they last parted every sentence that he uttered was
increasing her embarrassment and every idea of the impropriety of her being
found there recurring to her mind the few minutes in which they continued
together were some of the most uncomfortable of her life Nor did he seem much
more at ease when he spoke his accent had none of its usual sedateness and he
repeated his enquiries as to the time of her having left Longbourn and of her
stay in Derbyshire so often and in so hurried a way as plainly spoke the
distraction of his thoughts
At length every idea seemed to fail him and after standing a few moments
without saying a word he suddenly recollected himself and took leave
The others then joined her and expressed their admiration of his figure
but Elizabeth heard not a word and wholly engrossed by her own feelings
followed them in silence She was overpowered by shame and vexation Her coming
there was the most unfortunate the most illjudged thing in the world How
strange must it appear to him In what a disgraceful light might it not strike
so vain a man It might seem as if she had purposely thrown herself in his way
again Oh why did she come or why did he thus come a day before he was
expected Had they been only ten minutes sooner they should have been beyond
the reach of his discrimination for it was plain that he was that moment
arrived that moment alighted from his horse or his carriage She blushed again
and again over the perverseness of the meeting And his behaviour so strikingly
altered what could it mean That he should even speak to her was amazing
but to speak with such civility to enquire after her family Never in her life
had she seen his manners so little dignified never had he spoken with such
gentleness as on this unexpected meeting What a contrast did it offer to his
last address in Rosings Park when he put his letter into her hand She knew
not what to think nor how to account for it
They had now entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water and every
step was bringing forward a nobler fall of ground or a finer reach of the woods
to which they were approaching but it was some time before Elizabeth was
sensible of any of it and though she answered mechanically to the repeated
appeals of her uncle and aunt and seemed to direct her eyes to such objects as
they pointed out she distinguished no part of the scene Her thoughts were all
fixed on that one spot of Pemberley House whichever it might be where Mr
Darcy then was She longed to know what at that moment was passing in his mind
in what manner he thought of her and whether in defiance of every thing she
was still dear to him Perhaps he had been civil only because he felt himself
at ease yet there had been that in his voice which was not like ease Whether
he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her she could not tell but
he certainly had not seen her with composure
At length however the remarks of her companions on her absence of mind
roused her and she felt the necessity of appearing more like herself
They entered the woods and bidding adieu to the river for a while ascended
some of the higher grounds whence in spots where the opening of the trees gave
the eye power to wander were many charming views of the valley the opposite
hills with the long range of woods overspreading many and occasionally part of
the stream Mr Gardiner expressed a wish of going round the whole Park but
feared it might be beyond a walk With a triumphant smile they were told that
it was ten miles round It settled the matter and they pursued the accustomed
circuit which brought them again after some time in a descent among hanging
woods to the edge of the water in one of its narrowest parts They crossed it
by a simple bridge in character with the general air of the scene it was a
spot less adorned than any they had yet visited and the valley here contracted
into a glen allowed room only for the stream and a narrow walk amidst the
rough coppicewood which bordered it Elizabeth longed to explore its windings
but when they had crossed the bridge and perceived their distance from the
house Mrs Gardiner who was not a great walker could go no farther and
thought only of returning to the carriage as quickly as possible Her niece was
therefore obliged to submit and they took their way towards the house on the
opposite side of the river in the nearest direction but their progress was
slow for Mr Gardiner though seldom able to indulge the taste was very fond
of fishing and was so much engaged in watching the occasional appearance of
some trout in the water and talking to the man about them that he advanced but
little Whilst wandering on in this slow manner they were again surprised and
Elizabeths astonishment was quite equal to what it had been at first by the
sight of Mr Darcy approaching them and at no great distance The walk being
here less sheltered than on the other side allowed them to see him before they
met Elizabeth however astonished was at least more prepared for an interview
than before and resolved to appear and to speak with calmness if he really
intended to meet them For a few moments indeed she felt that he would
probably strike into some other path This idea lasted while a turning in the
walk concealed him from their view the turning past he was immediately before
them With a glance she saw that he had lost none of his recent civility and
to imitate his politeness she began as they met to admire the beauty of the
place but she had not got beyond the words delightful and charming when some
unlucky recollections obtruded and she fancied that praise of Pemberley from
her might be mischievously construed Her colour changed and she said no more
Mrs Gardiner was standing a little behind and on her pausing he asked
her if she would do him the honour of introducing him to her friends This was
a stroke of civility for which she was quite unprepared and she could hardly
suppress a smile at his being now seeking the acquaintance of some of those
very people against whom his pride had revolted in his offer to herself »What
will be his surprise« thought she »when he knows who they are He takes them
now for people of fashion«
The introduction however was immediately made and as she named their
relationship to herself she stole a sly look at him to see how he bore it and
was not without the expectation of his decamping as fast as he could from such
disgraceful companions That he was surprised by the connexion was evident he
sustained it however with fortitude and so far from going away turned back
with them and entered into conversation with Mr Gardiner Elizabeth could not
but be pleased could not but triumph It was consoling that he should know she
had some relations for whom there was no need to blush She listened most
attentively to all that passed between them and gloried in every expression
every sentence of her uncle which marked his intelligence his taste or his
good manners
The conversation soon turned upon fishing and she heard Mr Darcy invite
him with the greatest civility to fish there as often as he chose while he
continued in the neighbourhood offering at the same time to supply him with
fishing tackle and pointing out those parts of the stream where there was
usually most sport Mrs Gardiner who was walking arm in arm with Elizabeth
gave her a look expressive of her wonder Elizabeth said nothing but it
gratified her exceedingly the compliment must be all for herself Her
astonishment however was extreme and continually was she repeating »Why is
he so altered From what can it proceed It cannot be for me it cannot be for
my sake that his manners are thus softened My reproofs at Hunsford could not
work such a change as this It is impossible that he should still love me«
After walking some time in this way the two ladies in front the two
gentlemen behind on resuming their places after descending to the brink of the
river for the better inspection of some curious waterplant there chanced to be
a little alteration It originated in Mrs Gardiner who fatigued by the
exercise of the morning found Elizabeths arm inadequate to her support and
consequently preferred her husbands Mr Darcy took her place by her niece and
they walked on together After a short silence the lady first spoke She wished
him to know that she had been assured of his absence before she came to the
place and accordingly began by observing that his arrival had been very
unexpected »for your housekeeper« she added »informed us that you would
certainly not be here till tomorrow and indeed before we left Bakewell we
understood that you were not immediately expected in the country« He
acknowledged the truth of it all and said that business with his steward had
occasioned his coming forward a few hours before the rest of the party with whom
he had been travelling »They will join me early tomorrow« he continued »and
among them are some who will claim an acquaintance with you Mr Bingley and
his sisters«
Elizabeth answered only by a slight bow Her thoughts were instantly driven
back to the time when Mr Bingleys name had been last mentioned between them
and if she might judge from his complexion his mind was not very differently
engaged
»There is also one other person in the party« he continued after a pause
»who more particularly wishes to be known to you Will you allow me or do I
ask too much to introduce my sister to your acquaintance during your stay at
Lambton«
The surprise of such an application was great indeed it was too great for
her to know in what manner she acceded to it She immediately felt that whatever
desire Miss Darcy might have of being acquainted with her must be the work of
her brother and without looking farther it was satisfactory it was gratifying
to know that his resentment had not made him think really ill of her
They now walked on in silence each of them deep in thought Elizabeth was
not comfortable that was impossible but she was flattered and pleased His
wish of introducing his sister to her was a compliment of the highest kind
They soon outstripped the others and when they had reached the carriage Mr
and Mrs Gardiner were half a quarter of a mile behind
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 Dove Dale with great perseverance Yet time and
her aunt moved slowly and her patience and her ideas were nearly worn out
before the teteatete was over On Mr and Mrs Gardiners 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 any thing they had expected »He is
perfectly well behaved polite and unassuming« said her uncle
»There is something a little stately in him to be sure« replied her aunt
»but it is confined to his air and is not unbecoming I can now say with the
housekeeper that though some people may call him proud I have seen nothing of
it«
»I was never more surprised than by his behaviour to us It was more than
civil it was really attentive and there was no necessity for such attention
His acquaintance with Elizabeth was very trifling«
»To be sure Lizzy« said her aunt »he is not so handsome as Wickham or
rather he has not Wickhams countenance for his features are perfectly good
But how came you to tell us that he was so disagreeable«
Elizabeth excused herself as well as she could said that she had liked him
better when they met in Kent than before and that she had never seen him so
pleasant as this morning
»But perhaps he may be a little whimsical in his civilities« replied her
uncle »Your great men often are and therefore I shall not take him at his word
about fishing as he might change his mind another day and warn me off his
grounds«
Elizabeth felt that they had entirely mistaken his character but said
nothing
»From what we have seen of him« continued Mrs Gardiner »I really should
not have thought that he could have behaved in so cruel a way by any body as he
has done by poor Wickham He has not an illnatured look On the contrary there
is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks And there is something of
dignity in his countenance that would not give one an unfavourable idea of his
heart But to be sure the good lady who shewed us the house did give him a
most flaming character I could hardly help laughing aloud sometimes But he is
a liberal master I suppose and that in the eye of a servant comprehends every
virtue«
Elizabeth here felt herself called on to say something in vindication of his
behaviour to Wickham and therefore gave them to understand in as guarded a
manner as she could that by what she had heard from his relations in Kent his
actions were capable of a very different construction and that his character
was by no means so faulty nor Wickhams so amiable as they had been considered
in Hertfordshire In confirmation of this she related the particulars of all
the pecuniary transactions in which they had been connected without actually
naming her authority but stating it to be such as might be relied on
Mrs Gardiner was surprised and concerned but as they were now approaching
the scene of her former pleasures every idea gave way to the charm of
recollection and she was too much engaged in pointing out to her husband all
the interesting spots in its environs to think of any thing else Fatigued as
she had been by the mornings walk they had no sooner dined than she set off
again in quest of her former acquaintance and the evening was spent in the
satisfactions of an intercourse renewed after many years discontinuance
The occurrences of the day were too full of interest to leave Elizabeth much
attention for any of these new friends and she could do nothing but think and
think with wonder of Mr Darcys civility and above all of his wishing her to
be acquainted with his sister
Chapter II
Elizabeth had settled it that Mr Darcy would bring his sister to visit her the
very day after her reaching Pemberley and was consequently resolved not to be
out of sight of the inn the whole of that morning But her conclusion was false
for on the very morning after their own arrival at Lambton these visitors came
They had been walking about the place with some of their new friends and were
just returned to the inn to dress themselves for dining with the same family
when the sound of a carriage drew them to a window and they saw a gentleman and
lady in a curricle driving up the street Elizabeth immediately recognising the
livery guessed what it meant and imparted no small degree of surprise to her
relations by acquainting them with the honour which she expected Her uncle and
aunt were all amazement and the embarrassment of her manner as she spoke
joined to the circumstance itself and many of the circumstances of the
preceding day opened to them a new idea on the business Nothing had ever
suggested it before but they now felt that there was no other way of accounting
for such attentions from such a quarter than by supposing a partiality for
their niece While these newlyborn notions were passing in their heads the
perturbation of Elizabeths feelings was every moment increasing She was quite
amazed at her own discomposure but amongst other causes of disquiet she
dreaded lest the partiality of the brother should have said too much in her
favour and more than commonly anxious to please she naturally suspected that
every power of pleasing would fail her
She retreated from the window fearful of being seen and as she walked up
and down the room endeavouring to compose herself saw such looks of enquiring
surprise in her uncle and aunt as made every thing worse
Miss Darcy and her brother appeared and this formidable introduction took
place With astonishment did Elizabeth see that her new acquaintance was at
least as much embarrassed as herself Since her being at Lambton she had heard
that Miss Darcy was exceedingly proud but the observation of a very few minutes
convinced her that she was only exceedingly shy She found it difficult to
obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable
Miss Darcy was tall and on a larger scale than Elizabeth and though
little more than sixteen her figure was formed and her appearance womanly and
graceful She was less handsome than her brother but there was sense and good
humour in her face and her manners were perfectly unassuming and gentle
Elizabeth who had expected to find in her as acute and unembarrassed an
observer as ever Mr Darcy had been was much relieved by discerning such
different feelings
They had not been long together before Darcy told her that Bingley was also
coming to wait on her and she had barely time to express her satisfaction and
prepare for such a visitor when Bingleys quick step was heard on the stairs
and in a moment he entered the room All Elizabeths anger against him had been
long done away but had she still felt any it could hardly have stood its
ground against the unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself on
seeing her again He enquired in a friendly though general way after her
family and looked and spoke with the same goodhumoured ease that he had ever
done
To Mr and Mrs Gardiner he was scarcely a less interesting personage than
to herself They had long wished to see him The whole party before them
indeed excited a lively attention The suspicions which had just arisen of Mr
Darcy and their niece directed their observation towards each with an earnest
though guarded enquiry and they soon drew from those enquiries the full
conviction that one of them at least knew what it was to love Of the ladys
sensations they remained a little in doubt but that the gentleman was
overflowing with admiration was evident enough
Elizabeth on her side had much to do She wanted to ascertain the feelings
of each of her visitors she wanted to compose her own and to make herself
agreeable to all and in the latter object where she feared most to fail she
was most sure of success for those to whom she endeavoured to give pleasure
were prepossessed in her favour Bingley was ready Georgiana was eager and
Darcy determined to be pleased
In seeing Bingley her thoughts naturally flew to her sister and oh how
ardently did she long to know whether any of his were directed in a like
manner Sometimes she could fancy that he talked less than on former occasions
and once or twice pleased herself with the notion that as he looked at her he
was trying to trace a resemblance But though this might be imaginary she
could not be deceived as to his behaviour to Miss Darcy who had been set up as
a rival of Jane No look appeared on either side that spoke particular regard
Nothing occurred between them that could justify the hopes of his sister On
this point she was soon satisfied and two or three little circumstances
occurred ere they parted which in her anxious interpretation denoted a
recollection of Jane not untinctured by tenderness and a wish of saying more
that might lead to the mention of her had he dared He observed to her at a
moment when the others were talking together and in a tone which had something
of real regret that it »was a very long time since he had had the pleasure of
seeing her« and before she could reply he added »It is above eight months
We have not met since the 26th of November when we were all dancing together at
Netherfield«
Elizabeth was pleased to find his memory so exact and he afterwards took
occasion to ask her when unattended to by any of the rest whether all her
sisters were at Longbourn There was not much in the question nor in the
preceding remark but there was a look and a manner which gave them meaning
It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr Darcy himself but
whenever she did catch a glimpse she saw an expression of general complaisance
and in all that he said she heard an accent so far removed from hauteur or
disdain of his companions as convinced her that the improvement of manners
which she had yesterday witnessed however temporary its existence might prove
had at least outlived one day When she saw him thus seeking the acquaintance
and courting the good opinion of people with whom any intercourse a few months
ago would have been a disgrace when she saw him thus civil not only to
herself but to the very relations whom he had openly disdained and recollected
their last lively scene in Hunsford Parsonage the difference the change was so
great and struck so forcibly on her mind that she could hardly restrain her
astonishment from being visible Never even in the company of his dear friends
at Netherfield or his dignified relations at Rosings had she seen him so
desirous to please so free from selfconsequence or unbending reserve as now
when no importance could result from the success of his endeavours and when
even the acquaintance of those to whom his attentions were addressed would draw
down the ridicule and censure of the ladies both of Netherfield and Rosings
Their visitors staid with them above half an hour and when they arose to
depart Mr Darcy called on his sister to join him in expressing their wish of
seeing Mr and Mrs Gardiner and Miss Bennet to dinner at Pemberley before
they left the country Miss Darcy though with a diffidence which marked her
little in the habit of giving invitations readily obeyed Mrs Gardiner looked
at her niece desirous of knowing how she whom the invitation most concerned
felt disposed as to its acceptance but Elizabeth had turned away her head
Presuming however that this studied avoidance spoke rather a momentary
embarrassment than any dislike of the proposal and seeing in her husband who
was fond of society a perfect willingness to accept it she ventured to engage
for her attendance and the day after the next was fixed on
Bingley expressed great pleasure in the certainty of seeing Elizabeth again
having still a great deal to say to her and many enquiries to make after all
their Hertfordshire friends Elizabeth construing all this into a wish of
hearing her speak of her sister was pleased and on this account as well as
some others found herself when their visitors left them capable of
considering the last half hour with some satisfaction though while it was
passing the enjoyment of it had been little Eager to be alone and fearful of
enquiries or hints from her uncle and aunt she staid with them only long enough
to hear their favourable opinion of Bingley and then hurried away to dress
But she had no reason to fear Mr and Mrs Gardiners curiosity it was not
their wish to force her communication It was evident that she was much better
acquainted with Mr Darcy than they had before any idea of it was evident that
he was very much in love with her They saw much to interest but nothing to
justify enquiry
Of Mr Darcy it was now a matter of anxiety to think well and as far as
their acquaintance reached there was no fault to find They could not be
untouched by his politeness and had they drawn his character from their own
feelings and his servants report without any reference to any other account
the circle in Hertfordshire to which he was known would not have recognised it
for Mr Darcy There was now an interest however in believing the housekeeper
and they soon became sensible that the authority of a servant who had known him
since he was four years old and whose own manners indicated respectability was
not to be hastily rejected Neither had any thing occurred in the intelligence
of their Lambton friends that could materially lessen its weight They had
nothing to accuse him of but pride pride he probably had and if not it would
certainly be imputed by the inhabitants of a small markettown where the family
did not visit It was acknowledged however that he was a liberal man and did
much good among the poor
With respect to Wickham the travellers soon found that he was not held
there in much estimation for though the chief of his concerns with the son of
his patron were imperfectly understood it was yet a well known fact that on
his quitting Derbyshire he had left many debts behind him which Mr Darcy
afterwards discharged
As for Elizabeth her thoughts were at Pemberley this evening more than the
last and the evening though as it passed it seemed long was not long enough
to determine her feelings towards one in that mansion and she lay awake two
whole hours endeavouring to make them out She certainly did not hate him No
hatred had vanished long ago and she had almost as long been ashamed of ever
feeling a dislike against him that could be so called The respect created by
the conviction of his valuable qualities though at first unwillingly admitted
had for some time ceased to be repugnant to her feelings and it was now
heightened into somewhat of a friendlier nature by the testimony so highly in
his favour and bringing forward his disposition in so amiable a light which
yesterday had produced But above all above respect and esteem there was a
motive within her of good will which could not be overlooked It was gratitude
Gratitude not merely for having once loved her but for loving her still well
enough to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her manner in rejecting
him and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection He who she had
been persuaded would avoid her as his greatest enemy seemed on this
accidental meeting most eager to preserve the acquaintance and without any
indelicate display of regard or any peculiarity of manner where their two
selves only were concerned was soliciting the good opinion of her friends and
bent on making her known to his sister Such a change in a man of so much pride
excited not only astonishment but gratitude for to love ardent love it must
be attributed and as such its impression on her was of a sort to be encouraged
as by no means unpleasing though it could not be exactly defined She
respected she esteemed she was grateful to him she felt a real interest in
his welfare and she only wanted to know how far she wished that welfare to
depend upon herself and how far it would be for the happiness of both that she
should employ the power which her fancy told her she still possessed of
bringing on the renewal of his addresses
It had been settled in the evening between the aunt and niece that such a
striking civility as Miss Darcys in coming to them on the very day of her
arrival at Pemberley for she had reached it only to a late breakfast ought to
be imitated though it could not be equalled by some exertion of politeness on
their side and consequently that it would be highly expedient to wait on her
at Pemberley the following morning They were therefore to go Elizabeth was
pleased though when she asked herself the reason she had very little to say
in reply
Mr Gardiner left them soon after breakfast The fishing scheme had been
renewed the day before and a positive engagement made of his meeting some of
the gentlemen at Pemberley by noon
Chapter III
Convinced as Elizabeth now was that Miss Bingleys dislike of her had originated
in jealousy she could not help feeling how very unwelcome her appearance at
Pemberley must be to her and was curious to know with how much civility on that
ladys side the acquaintance would now be renewed
On reaching the house they were shewn through the hall into the saloon
whose northern aspect rendered it delightful for summer Its windows opening to
the ground admitted a most refreshing view of the high woody hills behind the
house and of the beautiful oaks and Spanish chesnuts which were scattered over
the intermediate lawn
In this room they were received by Miss Darcy who was sitting there with
Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley and the lady with whom she lived in London
Georgianas reception of them was very civil but attended with all that
embarrassment which though proceeding from shyness and the fear of doing wrong
would easily give to those who felt themselves inferior the belief of her being
proud and reserved Mrs Gardiner and her niece however did her justice and
pitied her
By Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley they were noticed only by a curtsey and on
their being seated a pause awkward as such pauses must always be succeeded
for a few moments It was first broken by Mrs Annesley a genteel
agreeablelooking woman whose endeavour to introduce some kind of discourse
proved her to be more truly well bred than either of the others and between her
and Mrs Gardiner with occasional help from Elizabeth the conversation was
carried on Miss Darcy looked as if she wished for courage enough to join in it
and sometimes did venture a short sentence when there was least danger of its
being heard
Elizabeth soon saw that she was herself closely watched by Miss Bingley and
that she could not speak a word especially to Miss Darcy without calling her
attention This observation would not have prevented her from trying to talk to
the latter had they not been seated at an inconvenient distance but she was
not sorry to be spared the necessity of saying much Her own thoughts were
employing her She expected every moment that some of the gentlemen would enter
the room She wished she feared that the master of the house might be amongst
them and whether she wished or feared it most she could scarcely determine
After sitting in this manner a quarter of an hour without hearing Miss
Bingleys voice Elizabeth was roused by receiving from her a cold enquiry after
the health of her family She answered with equal indifference and brevity and
the other said no more
The next variation which their visit afforded was produced by the entrance
of servants with cold meat cake and a variety of all the finest fruits in
season but this did not take place till after many a significant look and smile
from Mrs Annesley to Miss Darcy had been given to remind her of her post
There was now employment for the whole party for though they could not all
talk they could all eat and the beautiful pyramids of grapes nectarines and
peaches soon collected them round the table
While thus engaged Elizabeth had a fair opportunity of deciding whether she
most feared or wished for the appearance of Mr Darcy by the feelings which
prevailed on his entering the room and then though but a moment before she had
believed her wishes to predominate she began to regret that he came
He had been some time with Mr Gardiner who with two or three other
gentlemen from the house was engaged by the river and had left him only on
learning that the ladies of the family intended a visit to Georgiana that
morning No sooner did he appear than Elizabeth wisely resolved to be perfectly
easy and unembarrassed a resolution the more necessary to be made but
perhaps not the more easily kept because she saw that the suspicions of the
whole party were awakened against them and that there was scarcely an eye which
did not watch his behaviour when he first came into the room In no countenance
was attentive curiosity so strongly marked as in Miss Bingleys in spite of the
smiles which overspread her face whenever she spoke to one of its objects for
jealousy had not yet made her desperate and her attentions to Mr Darcy were by
no means over Miss Darcy on her brothers entrance exerted herself much more
to talk and Elizabeth saw that he was anxious for his sister and herself to get
acquainted and forwarded as much as possible every attempt at conversation on
either side Miss Bingley saw all this likewise and in the imprudence of
anger took the first opportunity of saying with sneering civility
»Pray Miss Eliza are not the shire militia removed from Meryton They
must be a great loss to your family«
In Darcys presence she dared not mention Wickhams name but Elizabeth
instantly comprehended that he was uppermost in her thoughts and the various
recollections connected with him gave her a moments distress but exerting
herself vigorously to repel the illnatured attack she presently answered the
question in a tolerably disengaged tone While she spoke an involuntary glance
shewed her Darcy with an heightened complexion earnestly looking at her and
his sister overcome with confusion and unable to lift up her eyes Had Miss
Bingley known what pain she was then giving her beloved friend she undoubtedly
would have refrained from the hint but she had merely intended to discompose
Elizabeth by bringing forward the idea of a man to whom she believed her
partial to make her betray a sensibility which might injure her in Darcys
opinion and perhaps to remind the latter of all the follies and absurdities by
which some part of her family were connected with that corps Not a syllable had
ever reached her of Miss Darcys meditated elopement To no creature had it been
revealed where secresy was possible except to Elizabeth and from all
Bingleys connections her brother was particularly anxious to conceal it from
that very wish which Elizabeth had long ago attributed to him of their becoming
hereafter her own He had certainly formed such a plan and without meaning that
it should affect his endeavour to separate him from Miss Bennet it is probable
that it might add something to his lively concern for the welfare of his friend
Elizabeths collected behaviour however soon quieted his emotion and as
Miss Bingley vexed and disappointed dared not approach nearer to Wickham
Georgiana also recovered in time though not enough to be able to speak any
more Her brother whose eye she feared to meet scarcely recollected her
interest in the affair and the very circumstance which had been designed to
turn his thoughts from Elizabeth seemed to have fixed them on her more and
more cheerfully
Their visit did not continue long after the question and answer
abovementioned and while Mr Darcy was attending them to their carriage Miss
Bingley was venting her feelings in criticisms on Elizabeths person behaviour
and dress But Georgiana would not join her Her brothers recommendation was
enough to ensure her favour his judgment could not err and he had spoken in
such terms of Elizabeth as to leave Georgiana without the power of finding her
otherwise than lovely and amiable When Darcy returned to the saloon Miss
Bingley could not help repeating to him some part of what she had been saying to
his sister
»How very ill Eliza Bennet looks this morning Mr Darcy« she cried »I
never in my life saw any one so much altered as she is since the winter She is
grown so brown and coarse Louisa and I were agreeing that we should not have
known her again«
However little Mr Darcy might have liked such an address he contented
himself with coolly replying that he perceived no other alteration than her
being rather tanned no miraculous consequence of travelling in the summer
»For my own part« she rejoined »I must confess that I never could see any
beauty in her Her face is too thin her complexion has no brilliancy and her
features are not at all handsome Her nose wants character there is nothing
marked in its lines Her teeth are tolerable but not out of the common way and
as for her eyes which have sometimes been called so fine I never could
perceive any thing extraordinary in them They have a sharp shrewish look
which I do not like at all and in her air altogether there is a
selfsufficiency without fashion which is intolerable«
Persuaded as Miss Bingley was that Darcy admired Elizabeth this was not the
best method of recommending herself but angry people are not always wise and
in seeing him at last look somewhat nettled she had all the success she
expected He was resolutely silent however and from a determination of making
him speak she continued
»I remember when we first knew her in Hertfordshire how amazed we all were
to find that she was a reputed beauty and I particularly recollect your saying
one night after they had been dining at Netherfield She a beauty I should
as soon call her mother a wit But afterwards she seemed to improve on you and
I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time«
»Yes« replied Darcy who could contain himself no longer »but that was
only when I first knew her for it is many months since I have considered her as
one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance«
He then went away and Miss Bingley was left to all the satisfaction of
having forced him to say what gave no one any pain but herself
Mrs Gardiner and Elizabeth talked of all that had occurred during their
visit as they returned except what had particularly interested them both The
looks and behavior of every body they had seen were discussed except of the
person who had mostly engaged their attention They talked of his sister his
friends his house his fruit of every thing but himself yet Elizabeth was
longing to know what Mrs Gardiner thought of him and Mrs Gardiner would have
been highly gratified by her nieces beginning the subject
Chapter IV
Elizabeth had been a good deal disappointed in not finding a letter from Jane
on their first arrival at Lambton and this disappointment had been renewed on
each of the mornings that had now been spent there but on the third her
repining was over and her sister justified by the receipt of two letters from
her at once on one of which was marked that it had been missent elsewhere
Elizabeth was not surprised at it as Jane had written the direction remarkably
ill
They had just been preparing to walk as the letters came in and her uncle
and aunt leaving her to enjoy them in quiet set off by themselves The one
missent must be first attended to it had been written five days ago The
beginning contained an account of all their little parties and engagements with
such news as the country afforded but the latter half which was dated a day
later and written in evident agitation gave more important intelligence It
was to this effect
»Since writing the above dearest Lizzy something has occurred of a most
unexpected and serious nature but I am afraid of alarming you be assured that
we are all well What I have to say relates to poor Lydia An express came at
twelve last night just as we were all gone to bed from Colonel Forster to
inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers to own the
truth with Wickham Imagine our surprise To Kitty however it does not seem
so wholly unexpected I am very very sorry So imprudent a match on both sides
But I am willing to hope the best and that his character has been
misunderstood Thoughtless and indiscreet I can easily believe him but this
step and let us rejoice over it marks nothing bad at heart His choice is
disinterested at least for he must know my father can give her nothing Our
poor mother is sadly grieved My father bears it better How thankful am I that
we never let them know what has been said against him we must forget it
ourselves They were off Saturday night about twelve as is conjectured but
were not missed till yesterday morning at eight The express was sent off
directly My dear Lizzy they must have passed within ten miles of us Colonel
Forster gives us reason to expect him here soon Lydia left a few lines for his
wife informing her of their intention I must conclude for I cannot be long
from my poor mother I am afraid you will not be able to make it out but I
hardly know what I have written«
Without allowing herself time for consideration and scarcely knowing what
she felt Elizabeth on finishing this letter instantly seized the other and
opening it with the utmost impatience read as follows it had been written a
day later than the conclusion of the first
»By this time my dearest sister you have received my hurried letter I
wish this may be more intelligible but though not confined for time my head is
so bewildered that I cannot answer for being coherent Dearest Lizzy I hardly
know what I would write but I have bad news for you and it cannot be delayed
Imprudent as a marriage between Mr Wickham and our poor Lydia would be we are
now anxious to be assured it has taken place for there is but too much reason
to fear they are not gone to Scotland Colonel Forster came yesterday having
left Brighton the day before not many hours after the express Though Lydias
short letter to Mrs F gave them to understand that they were going to Gretna
Green something was dropped by Denny expressing his belief that W never
intended to go there or to marry Lydia at all which was repeated to Colonel F
who instantly taking the alarm set off from B intending to trace their route
He did trace them easily to Clapham but no farther for on entering that place
they removed into a hackneycoach and dismissed the chaise that brought them
from Epsom All that is known after this is that they were seen to continue the
London road I know not what to think After making every possible enquiry on
that side London Colonel F came on into Hertfordshire anxiously renewing them
at all the turnpikes and at the inns in Barnet and Hatfield but without any
success no such people had been seen to pass through With the kindest concern
he came on to Longbourn and broke his apprehensions to us in a manner most
creditable to his heart I am sincerely grieved for him and Mrs F but no one
can throw any blame on them Our distress my dear Lizzy is very great My
father and mother believe the worst but I cannot think so ill of him Many
circumstances might make it more eligible for them to be married privately in
town than to pursue their first plan and even if he could form such a design
against a young woman of Lydias connections which is not likely can I suppose
her so lost to every thing Impossible I grieve to find however that
Colonel F is not disposed to depend upon their marriage he shook his head when
I expressed my hopes and said he feared W was not a man to be trusted My poor
mother is really ill and keeps her room Could she exert herself it would be
better but this is not to be expected and as to my father I never in my life
saw him so affected Poor Kitty has anger for having concealed their attachment
but as it was a matter of confidence one cannot wonder I am truly glad dearest
Lizzy that you have been spared something of these distressing scenes but now
as the first shock is over shall I own that I long for your return I am not so
selfish however as to press for it if inconvenient Adieu I take up my pen
again to do what I have just told you I would not but circumstances are such
that I cannot help earnestly begging you all to come here as soon as possible
I know my dear uncle and aunt so well that I am not afraid of requesting it
though I have still something more to ask of the former My father is going to
London with Colonel Forster instantly to try to discover her What he means to
do I am sure I know not but his excessive distress will not allow him to
pursue any measure in the best and safest way and Colonel Forster is obliged to
be at Brighton again tomorrow evening In such an exigence my uncles advice
and assistance would be every thing in the world he will immediately comprehend
what I must feel and I rely upon his goodness«
»Oh where where is my uncle« cried Elizabeth darting from her seat as
she finished the letter in eagerness to follow him without losing a moment of
the time so precious but as she reached the door it was opened by a servant
and Mr Darcy appeared Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start and
before he could recover himself enough to speak she in whose mind every idea
was superseded by Lydias situation hastily exclaimed »I beg your pardon but
I must leave you I must find Mr Gardiner this moment on business that cannot
be delayed I have not an instant to lose«
»Good God what is the matter« cried he with more feeling than politeness
then recollecting himself »I will not detain you a minute but let me or let
the servant go after Mr and Mrs Gardiner You are not well enough you
cannot go yourself«
Elizabeth hesitated but her knees trembled under her and she felt how
little would be gained by her attempting to pursue them Calling back the
servant therefore she commissioned him though in so breathless an accent as
made her almost unintelligible to fetch his master and mistress home
instantly
On his quitting the room she sat down unable to support herself and
looking so miserably ill that it was impossible for Darcy to leave her or to
refrain from saying in a tone of gentleness and commiseration »Let me call
your maid Is there nothing you could take to give you present relief A
glass of wine shall I get you one You are very ill«
»No I thank you« she replied endeavouring to recover herself »There is
nothing the matter with me I am quite well I am only distressed by some
dreadful news which I have just received from Longbourn«
She burst into tears as she alluded to it and for a few minutes could not
speak another word Darcy in wretched suspense could only say something
indistinctly of his concern and observe her in compassionate silence At
length she spoke again »I have just had a letter from Jane with such dreadful
news It cannot be concealed from any one My youngest sister has left all her
friends has eloped has thrown herself into the power of of Mr Wickham
They are gone off together from Brighton You know him too well to doubt the
rest She has no money no connections nothing that can tempt him to she is
lost for ever«
Darcy was fixed in astonishment »When I consider« she added in a yet more
agitated voice »that I might have prevented it I who knew what he was Had I
but explained some part of it only some part of what I learnt to my own
family Had his character been known this could not have happened But it is
all all too late now«
»I am grieved indeed« cried Darcy »grieved shocked But is it certain
absolutely certain«
»Oh yes They left Brighton together on Sunday night and were traced
almost to London but not beyond they are certainly not gone to Scotland«
»And what has been done what has been attempted to recover her«
»My father is gone to London and Jane has written to beg my uncles
immediate assistance and we shall be off I hope in half an hour But nothing
can be done I know very well that nothing can be done How is such a man to be
worked on How are they even to be discovered I have not the smallest hope It
is every way horrible«
Darcy shook his head in silent acquiesence
»When my eyes were opened to his real character Oh had I known what I
ought what I dared to do But I knew not I was afraid of doing too much
Wretched wretched mistake«
Darcy made no answer He seemed scarcely to hear her and was walking up and
down the room in earnest meditation his brow contracted his air gloomy
Elizabeth soon observed and instantly understood it Her power was sinking
every thing must sink under such a proof of family weakness such an assurance
of the deepest disgrace She could neither wonder nor condemn but the belief of
his selfconquest brought nothing consolatory to her bosom afforded no
palliation of her distress It was on the contrary exactly calculated to make
her understand her own wishes and never had she so honestly felt that she could
have loved him as now when all love must be vain
But self though it would intrude could not engross her Lydia the
humiliation the misery she was bringing on them all soon swallowed up every
private care and covering her face with her handkerchief Elizabeth was soon
lost to every thing else and after a pause of several minutes was only
recalled to a sense of her situation by the voice of her companion who in a
manner which though it spoke compassion spoke likewise restraint said »I am
afraid you have been long desiring my absence nor have I any thing to plead in
excuse of my stay but real though unavailing concern Would to heaven that
any thing could be either said or done on my part that might offer consolation
to such distress But I will not torment you with vain wishes which may seem
purposely to ask for your thanks This unfortunate affair will I fear prevent
my sisters having the pleasure of seeing you at Pemberley to day«
»Oh yes Be so kind as to apologize for us to Miss Darcy Say that urgent
business calls us home immediately Conceal the unhappy truth as long as it is
possible I know it cannot be long«
He readily assured her of his secrecy again expressed his sorrow for her
distress wished it a happier conclusion than there was at present reason to
hope and leaving his compliments for her relations with only one serious
parting look went away
As he quitted the room Elizabeth felt how improbable it was that they
should ever see each other again on such terms of cordiality as had marked their
several meetings in Derbyshire and as she threw a retrospective glance over the
whole of their acquaintance so full of contradictions and varieties sighed at
the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its
continuance and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination
If gratitude and esteem are good foundations of affection Elizabeths
change of sentiment will be neither improbable nor faulty But if otherwise if
the regard springing from such sources is unreasonable or unnatural in
comparison of what is so often described as arising on a first interview with
its object and even before two words have been exchanged nothing can be said
in her defence except that she had given somewhat of a trial to the latter
method in her partiality for Wickham and that its illsuccess might perhaps
authorise her to seek the other less interesting mode of attachment Be that as
it may she saw him go with regret and in this early example of what Lydias
infamy must produce found additional anguish as she reflected on that wretched
business Never since reading Janes second letter had she entertained a hope
of Wickhams meaning to marry her No one but Jane she thought could flatter
herself with such an expectation Surprise was the least of her feelings on this
developement While the contents of the first letter remained on her mind she
was all surprise all astonishment that Wickham should marry a girl whom it
was impossible he could marry for money and how Lydia could ever have attached
him had appeared incomprehensible But now it was all too natural For such an
attachment as this she might have sufficient charms and though she did not
suppose Lydia to be deliberately engaging in an elopement without the intention
of marriage she had no difficulty in believing that neither her virtue nor her
understanding would preserve her from falling an easy prey
She had never perceived while the regiment was in Hertfordshire that Lydia
had any partiality for him but she was convinced that Lydia had wanted only
encouragement to attach herself to any body Sometimes one officer sometimes
another had been her favourite as their attentions raised them in her opinion
Her affections had been continually fluctuating but never without an object
The mischief of neglect and mistaken indulgence towards such a girl Oh how
acutely did she now feel it
She was wild to be at home to hear to see to be upon the spot to share
with Jane in the cares that must now fall wholly upon her in a family so
deranged a father absent a mother incapable of exertion and requiring
constant attendance and though almost persuaded that nothing could be done for
Lydia her uncles interference seemed of the utmost importance and till he
entered the room the misery of her impatience was severe Mr and Mrs Gardiner
had hurried back in alarm supposing by the servants account that their niece
was taken suddenly ill but satisfying them instantly on that head she
eagerly communicated the cause of their summons reading the two letters aloud
and dwelling on the postscript of the last with trembling energy Though
Lydia had never been a favourite with them Mr and Mrs Gardiner could not but
be deeply affected Not Lydia only but all were concerned in it and after the
first exclamations of surprise and horror Mr Gardiner readily promised every
assistance in his power Elizabeth though expecting no less thanked him with
tears of gratitude and all three being actuated by one spirit every thing
relating to their journey was speedily settled They were to be off as soon as
possible »But what is to be done about Pemberley« cried Mrs Gardiner »John
told us Mr Darcy was here when you sent for us was it so«
»Yes and I told him we should not be able to keep our engagement That is
all settled«
»That is all settled« repeated the other as she ran into her room to
prepare »And are they upon such terms as for her to disclose the real truth
Oh that I knew how it was«
But wishes were vain or at best could serve only to amuse her in the hurry
and confusion of the following hour Had Elizabeth been at leisure to be idle
she would have remained certain that all employment was impossible to one so
wretched as herself but she had her share of business as well as her aunt and
amongst the rest there were notes to be written to all their friends in Lambton
with false excuses for their sudden departure An hour however saw the whole
completed and Mr Gardiner meanwhile having settled his account at the inn
nothing remained to be done but to go and Elizabeth after all the misery of
the morning found herself in a shorter space of time than she could have
supposed seated in the carriage and on the road to Longbourn
Chapter V
»I have been thinking it over again Elizabeth« said her uncle as they drove
from the town »and really upon serious consideration I am much more inclined
than I was to judge as your eldest sister does of the matter It appears to me
so very unlikely that any young man should form such a design against a girl
who is by no means unprotected or friendless and who was actually staying in
his colonels family that I am strongly inclined to hope the best Could he
expect that her friends would not step forward Could he expect to be noticed
again by the regiment after such an affront to Colonel Forster His temptation
is not adequate to the risk«
»Do you really think so« cried Elizabeth brightening up for a moment
»Upon my word« said Mrs Gardiner »I begin to be of your uncles opinion
It is really too great a violation of decency honour and interest for him to
be guilty of it I cannot think so very ill of Wickham Can you yourself
Lizzy so wholly give him up as to believe him capable of it«
»Not perhaps of neglecting his own interest But of every other neglect I
can believe him capable If indeed it should be so But I dare not hope it
Why should they not go on to Scotland if that had been the case«
»In the first place« replied Mr Gardiner »there is no absolute proof that
they are not gone to Scotland«
»Oh but their removing from the chaise into an hackney coach is such a
presumption And besides no traces of them were to be found on the Barnet
road«
»Well then supposing them to be in London They may be there though for
the purpose of concealment for no more exceptionable purpose It is not likely
that money should be very abundant on either side and it might strike them that
they could be more economically though less expeditiously married in London
than in Scotland«
»But why all this secrecy Why any fear of detection Why must their
marriage be private Oh no no this is not likely His most particular friend
you see by Janes account was persuaded of his never intending to marry her
Wickham will never marry a woman without some money He cannot afford it And
what claims has Lydia what attractions has she beyond youth health and good
humour that could make him for her sake forego every chance of benefiting
himself by marrying well As to what restraint the apprehension of disgrace in
the corps might throw on a dishonourable elopement with her I am not able to
judge for I know nothing of the effects that such a step might produce But as
to your other objection I am afraid it will hardly hold good Lydia has no
brothers to step forward and he might imagine from my fathers behaviour from
his indolence and the little attention he has ever seemed to give to what was
going forward in his family that he would do as little and think as little
about it as any father could do in such a matter«
»But can you think that Lydia is so lost to every thing but love of him as
to consent to live with him on any other terms than marriage«
»It does seem and it is most shocking indeed« replied Elizabeth with
tears in her eyes »that a sisters sense of decency and virtue in such a point
should admit of doubt But really I know not what to say Perhaps I am not
doing her justice But she is very young she has never been taught to think on
serious subjects and for the last half year nay for a twelvemonth she has
been given up to nothing but amusement and vanity She has been allowed to
dispose of her time in the most idle and frivolous manner and to adopt any
opinions that came in her way Since the shire were first quartered in
Meryton nothing but love flirtation and officers have been in her head She
has been doing every thing in her power by thinking and talking on the subject
to give greater what shall I call it susceptibility to her feelings which
are naturally lively enough And we all know that Wickham has every charm of
person and address that can captivate a woman«
»But you see that Jane« said her aunt »does not think so ill of Wickham
as to believe him capable of the attempt«
»Of whom does Jane ever think ill And who is there whatever might be their
former conduct that she would believe capable of such an attempt till it were
proved against them But Jane knows as well as I do what Wickham really is We
both know that he has been profligate in every sense of the word That he has
neither integrity nor honour That he is as false and deceitful as he is
insinuating«
»And do you really know all this« cried Mrs Gardiner whose curiosity as
to the mode of her intelligence was all alive
»I do indeed« replied Elizabeth colouring »I told you the other day of
his infamous behaviour to Mr Darcy and you yourself when last at Longbourn
heard in what manner he spoke of the man who had behaved with such forbearance
and liberality towards him And there are other circumstances which I am not at
liberty which it is not worth while to relate but his lies about the whole
Pemberley family are endless From what he said of Miss Darcy I was thoroughly
prepared to see a proud reserved disagreeable girl Yet he knew to the
contrary himself He must know that she was as amiable and unpretending as we
have found her«
»But does Lydia know nothing of this Can she be ignorant of what you and
Jane seem so well to understand«
»Oh yes that that is the worst of all Till I was in Kent and saw so
much both of Mr Darcy and his relation Colonel Fitzwilliam I was ignorant of
the truth myself And when I returned home the shire was to leave Meryton in
a week or fortnights time As that was the case neither Jane to whom I
related the whole nor I thought it necessary to make our knowledge public for
of what use could it apparently be to any one that the good opinion which all
the neighbourhood had of him should then be overthrown And even when it was
settled that Lydia should go with Mrs Forster the necessity of opening her
eyes to his character never occurred to me That she could be in any danger from
the deception never entered my head That such a consequence as this should
ensue you may easily believe was far enough from my thoughts«
»When they all removed to Brighton therefore you had no reason I suppose
to believe them fond of each other«
»Not the slightest I can remember no symptom of affection on either side
and had any thing of the kind been perceptible you must be aware that ours is
not a family on which it could be thrown away When first he entered the corps
she was ready enough to admire him but so we all were Every girl in or near
Meryton was out of her senses about him for the first two months but he never
distinguished her by any particular attention and consequently after a
moderate period of extravagant and wild admiration her fancy for him gave way
and others of the regiment who treated her with more distinction again became
her favourites«
It may be easily believed that however little of novelty could be added to
their fears hopes and conjectures on this interesting subject by its
repeated discussion no other could detain them from it long during the whole
of the journey From Elizabeths thoughts it was never absent Fixed there by
the keenest of all anguish self reproach she could find no interval of ease or
forgetfulness
They travelled as expeditiously as possible and sleeping one night on the
road reached Longbourn by dinnertime the next day It was a comfort to
Elizabeth to consider that Jane could not have been wearied by long
expectations
The little Gardiners attracted by the sight of a chaise were standing on
the steps of the house as they entered the paddock and when the carriage drove
up to the door the joyful surprise that lighted up their faces and displayed
itself over their whole bodies in a variety of capers and frisks was the first
pleasing earnest of their welcome
Elizabeth jumped out and after giving each of them an hasty kiss hurried
into the vestibule where Jane who came running down stairs from her mothers
apartment immediately met her
Elizabeth as she affectionately embraced her whilst tears filled the eyes
of both lost not a moment in asking whether any thing had been heard of the
fugitives
»Not yet« replied Jane »But now that my dear uncle is come I hope every
thing will be well«
»Is my father in town«
»Yes he went on Tuesday as I wrote you word«
»And have you heard from him often«
»We have heard only once He wrote me a few lines on Wednesday to say that
he had arrived in safety and to give me his directions which I particularly
begged him to do He merely added that he should not write again till he had
something of importance to mention«
»And my mother How is she How are you all«
»My mother is tolerably well I trust though her spirits are greatly
shaken She is up stairs and will have great satisfaction in seeing you all
She does not yet leave her dressingroom Mary and Kitty thank Heaven are
quite well«
»But you How are you« cried Elizabeth »You look pale How much you must
have gone through«
Her sister however assured her of her being perfectly well and their
conversation which had been passing while Mr and Mrs Gardiner were engaged
with their children was now put an end to by the approach of the whole party
Jane ran to her uncle and aunt and welcomed and thanked them both with
alternate smiles and tears
When they were all in the drawing room the questions which Elizabeth had
already asked were of course repeated by the others and they soon found that
Jane had no intelligence to give The sanguine hope of good however which the
benevolence of her heart suggested had not yet deserted her she still expected
that it would all end well and that every morning would bring some letter
either from Lydia or her father to explain their proceedings and perhaps
announce the marriage
Mrs Bennet to whose apartment they all repaired after a few minutes
conversation together received them exactly as might be expected with tears
and lamentations of regret invectives against the villanous conduct of Wickham
and complaints of her own sufferings and ill usage blaming every body but the
person to whose ill judging indulgence the errors of her daughter must be
principally owing
»If I had been able« said she »to carry my point of going to Brighton
with all my family this would not have happened but poor dear Lydia had nobody
to take care of her Why did the Forsters ever let her go out of their sight I
am sure there was some great neglect or other on their side for she is not the
kind of girl to do such a thing if she had been well looked after I always
thought they were very unfit to have the charge of her but I was overruled as
I always am Poor dear child And now here s Mr Bennet gone away and I know
he will fight Wickham wherever he meets him and then he will be killed and
what is to become of us all The Collinses will turn us out before he is cold
in his grave and if you are not kind to us brother I do not know what we
shall do«
They all exclaimed against such terrific ideas and Mr Gardiner after
general assurances of his affection for her and all her family told her that he
meant to be in London the very next day and would assist Mr Bennet in every
endeavour for recovering Lydia
»Do not give way to useless alarm« added he »though it is right to be
prepared for the worst there is no occasion to look on it as certain It is not
quite a week since they left Brighton In a few days more we may gain some news
of them and till we know that they are not married and have no design of
marrying do not let us give the matter over as lost As soon as I get to town
I shall go to my brother and make him come home with me to Gracechurch Street
and then we may consult together as to what is to be done«
»Oh my dear brother« replied Mrs Bennet »that is exactly what I could
most wish for And now do when you get to town find them out wherever they
may be and if they are not married already make them marry And as for wedding
clothes do not let them wait for that but tell Lydia she shall have as much
money as she chuses to buy them after they are married And above all things
keep Mr Bennet from fighting Tell him what a dreadful state I am in that I
am frightened out of my wits and have such tremblings such flutterings all
over me such spasms in my side and pains in my head and such beatings at
heart that I can get no rest by night nor by day And tell my dear Lydia not
to give any directions about her clothes till she has seen me for she does not
know which are the best warehouses Oh brother how kind you are I know you
will contrive it all«
But Mr Gardiner though he assured her again of his earnest endeavours in
the cause could not avoid recommending moderation to her as well in her hopes
as her fears and after talking with her in this manner till dinner was on
table they left her to vent all her feelings on the housekeeper who attended
in the absence of her daughters
Though her brother and sister were persuaded that there was no real occasion
for such a seclusion from the family they did not attempt to oppose it for
they knew that she had not prudence enough to hold her tongue before the
servants while they waited at table and judged it better that one only of the
household and the one whom they could most trust should comprehend all her
fears and solicitude on the subject
In the diningroom they were soon joined by Mary and Kitty who had been too
busily engaged in their separate apartments to make their appearance before
One came from her books and the other from her toilette The faces of both
however were tolerably calm and no change was visible in either except that
the loss of her favourite sister or the anger which she had herself incurred in
the business had given something more of fretfulness than usual to the accents
of Kitty As for Mary she was mistress enough of herself to whisper to
Elizabeth with a countenance of grave reflection soon after they were seated at
table
»This is a most unfortunate affair and will probably be much talked of But
we must stem the tide of malice and pour into the wounded bosoms of each other
the balm of sisterly consolation«
Then perceiving in Elizabeth no inclination of replying she added
»Unhappy as the event must be for Lydia we may draw from it this useful lesson
that loss of virtue in a female is irretrievable that one false step involves
her in endless ruin that her reputation is no less brittle than it is
beautiful and that she cannot be too much guarded in her behaviour towards
the undeserving of the other sex«
Elizabeth lifted up her eyes in amazement but was too much oppressed to
make any reply Mary however continued to console herself with such kind of
moral extractions from the evil before them
In the afternoon the two elder Miss Bennets were able to be for half an
hour by themselves and Elizabeth instantly availed herself of the opportunity
of making many enquiries which Jane was equally eager to satisfy After joining
in general lamentations over the dreadful sequel of this event which Elizabeth
considered as all but certain and Miss Bennet could not assert to be wholly
impossible the former continued the subject by saying »But tell me all and
every thing about it which I have not already heard Give me farther
particulars What did Colonel Forster say Had they no apprehension of any thing
before the elopement took place They must have seen them together for ever«
»Colonel Forster did own that he had often suspected some partiality
especially on Lydias side but nothing to give him any alarm I am so grieved
for him His behaviour was attentive and kind to the utmost He was coming to
us in order to assure us of his concern before he had any idea of their not
being gone to Scotland when that apprehension first got abroad it hastened his
journey«
»And was Denny convinced that Wickham would not marry Did he know of their
intending to go off Had Colonel Forster seen Denny himself«
»Yes but when questioned by him Denny denied knowing any thing of their
plan and would not give his real opinion about it He did not repeat his
persuasion of their not marrying and from that I am inclined to hope he
might have been misunderstood before«
»And till Colonel Forster came himself not one of you entertained a doubt
I suppose of their being really married«
»How was it possible that such an idea should enter our brains I felt a
little uneasy a little fearful of my sisters happiness with him in marriage
because I knew that his conduct had not been always quite right My father and
mother knew nothing of that they only felt how imprudent a match it must be
Kitty then owned with a very natural triumph on knowing more than the rest of
us that in Lydias last letter she had prepared her for such a step She had
known it seems of their being in love with each other many weeks«
»But not before they went to Brighton«
»No I believe not«
»And did Colonel Forster appear to think ill of Wickham himself Does he
know his real character«
»I must confess that he did not speak so well of Wickham as he formerly did
He believed him to be imprudent and extravagant And since this sad affair has
taken place it is said that he left Meryton greatly in debt but I hope this
may be false«
»Oh Jane had we been less secret had we told what we knew of him this
could not have happened«
»Perhaps it would have been better« replied her sister »But to expose the
former faults of any person without knowing what their present feelings were
seemed unjustifiable We acted with the best intentions«
»Could Colonel Forster repeat the particulars of Lydias note to his wife«
»He brought it with him for us to see«
Jane then took it from her pocketbook and gave it to Elizabeth These were
the contents
»My dear Harriet
You will laugh when you know where I am gone and I cannot help
laughing myself at your surprise tomorrow morning as soon as I am
missed I am going to Gretna Green and if you cannot guess with who I
shall think you a simpleton for there is but one man in the world I
love and he is an angel I should never be happy without him so think
it no harm to be off You need not send them word at Longbourn of my
going if you do not like it for it will make the surprise the greater
when I write to them and sign my name Lydia Wickham What a good joke
it will be I can hardly write for laughing Pray make my excuses to
Pratt for not keeping my engagement and dancing with him to night
Tell him I hope he will excuse me when he knows all and tell him I will
dance with him at the next ball we meet with great pleasure I shall
send for my clothes when I get to Longbourn but I wish you would tell
Sally to mend a great slit in my worked muslin gown before they are
packed up Good bye Give my love to Colonel Forster I hope you will
drink to our good journey
Your affectionate friend
LYDIA BENNET«
»Oh thoughtless thoughtless Lydia« cried Elizabeth when she had finished it
»What a letter is this to be written at such a moment But at least it shews
that she was serious in the object of her journey Whatever he might afterwards
persuade her to it was not on her side a scheme of infamy My poor father how
he must have felt it«
»I never saw any one so shocked He could not speak a word for full ten
minutes My mother was taken ill immediately and the whole house in such
confusion«
»Oh Jane« cried Elizabeth »was there a servant belonging to it who did
not know the whole story before the end of the day«
»I do not know I hope there was But to be guarded at such a time is
very difficult My mother was in hysterics and though I endeavoured to give her
every assistance in my power I am afraid I did not do so much as I might have
done But the horror of what might possibly happen almost took from me my
faculties«
»Your attendance upon her has been too much for you You do not look well
Oh that I had been with you you have had every care and anxiety upon yourself
alone«
»Mary and Kitty have been very kind and would have shared in every fatigue
I am sure but I did not think it right for either of them Kitty is slight and
delicate and Mary studies so much that her hours of repose should not be
broken in on My aunt Phillips came to Longbourn on Tuesday after my father
went away and was so good as to stay till Thursday with me She was of great
use and comfort to us all and lady Lucas has been very kind she walked here on
Wednesday morning to condole with us and offered her services or any of her
daughters if they could be of use to us«
»She had better have stayed at home« cried Elizabeth »perhaps she meant
well but under such a misfortune as this one cannot see too little of ones
neighbours Assistance is impossible condolence insufferable Let them triumph
over us at a distance and be satisfied«
She then proceeded to enquire into the measures which her father had
intended to pursue while in town for the recovery of his daughter
»He meant I believe« replied Jane »to go to Epsom the place where they
last changed horses see the postilions and try if any thing could be made out
from them His principal object must be to discover the number of the hackney
coach which took them from Clapham It had come with a fare from London and as
he thought the circumstance of a gentleman and ladys removing from one carriage
into another might be remarked he meant to make enquiries at Clapham If he
could any how discover at what house the coachman had before set down his fare
he determined to make enquiries there and hoped it might not be impossible to
find out the stand and number of the coach I do not know of any other designs
that he had formed but he was in such a hurry to be gone and his spirits so
greatly discomposed that I had difficulty in finding out even so much as this«
Chapter VI
The whole party were in hopes of a letter from Mr Bennet the next morning but
the post came in without bringing a single line from him His family knew him to
be on all common occasions a most negligent and dilatory correspondent but at
such a time they had hoped for exertion They were forced to conclude that he
had no pleasing intelligence to send but even of that they would have been glad
to be certain Mr Gardiner had waited only for the letters before he set off
When he was gone they were certain at least of receiving constant
information of what was going on and their uncle promised at parting to
prevail on Mr Bennet to return to Longbourn as soon as he could to the great
consolation of his sister who considered it as the only security for her
husbands not being killed in a duel
Mrs Gardiner and the children were to remain in Hertfordshire a few days
longer as the former thought her presence might be serviceable to her nieces
She shared in their attendance on Mrs Bennet and was a great comfort to them
in their hours of freedom Their other aunt also visited them frequently and
always as she said with the design of cheering and heartening them up though
as she never came without reporting some fresh instance of Wickhams
extravagance or irregularity she seldom went away without leaving them more
dispirited than she found them
All Meryton seemed striving to blacken the man who but three months
before had been almost an angel of light He was declared to be in debt to
every tradesman in the place and his intrigues all honoured with the title of
seduction had been extended into every tradesmans family Every body declared
that he was the wickedest young man in the world and every body began to find
out that they had always distrusted the appearance of his goodness Elizabeth
though she did not credit above half of what was said believed enough to make
her former assurance of her sisters ruin still more certain and even Jane who
believed still less of it became almost hopeless more especially as the time
was now come when if they had gone to Scotland which she had never before
entirely despaired of they must in all probability have gained some news of
them
Mr Gardiner left Longbourn on Sunday on Tuesday his wife received a
letter from him it told them that on his arrival he had immediately found out
his brother and persuaded him to come to Gracechurch street That Mr Bennet
had been to Epsom and Clapham before his arrival but without gaining any
satisfactory information and that he was now determined to enquire at all the
principal hotels in town as Mr Bennet thought it possible they might have gone
to one of them on their first coming to London before they procured lodgings
Mr Gardiner himself did not expect any success from this measure but as his
brother was eager in it he meant to assist him in pursuing it He added that
Mr Bennet seemed wholly disinclined at present to leave London and promised
to write again very soon There was also a postscript to this effect
»I have written to Colonel Forster to desire him to find out if possible
from some of the young mans intimates in the regiment whether Wickham has any
relations or connections who would be likely to know in what part of the town
he has now concealed himself If there were any one that one could apply to
with a probability of gaining such a clue as that it might be of essential
consequence At present we have nothing to guide us Colonel Forster will I
dare say do every thing in his power to satisfy us on this head But on second
thoughts perhaps Lizzy could tell us what relations he has now living better
than any other person«
Elizabeth was at no loss to understand from whence this deference for her
authority proceeded but it was not in her power to give any information of so
satisfactory a nature as the compliment deserved
She had never heard of his having had any relations except a father and
mother both of whom had been dead many years It was possible however that
some of his companions in the shire might be able to give more information
and though she was not very sanguine in expecting it the application was a
something to look forward to
Every day at Longbourn was now a day of anxiety but the most anxious part
of each was when the post was expected The arrival of letters was the first
grand object of every mornings impatience Through letters whatever of good or
bad was to be told would be communicated and every succeeding day was expected
to bring some news of importance
But before they heard again from Mr Gardiner a letter arrived for their
father from a different quarter from Mr Collins which as Jane had received
directions to open all that came for him in his absence she accordingly read
and Elizabeth who knew what curiosities his letters always were looked over
her and read it likewise It was as follows
»My Dear Sir
I feel myself called upon by our relationship and my situation in
life to condole with you on the grievous affliction you are now
suffering under of which we were yesterday informed by a letter from
Hertfordshire Be assured my dear Sir that Mrs Collins and myself
sincerely sympathise with you and all your respectable family in your
present distress which must be of the bitterest kind because
proceeding from a cause which no time can remove No arguments shall be
wanting on my part that can alleviate so severe a misfortune or that
may comfort you under a circumstance that must be of all others most
afflicting to a parents mind The death of your daughter would have
been a blessing in comparison of this And it is the more to be
lamented because there is reason to suppose as my dear Charlotte
informs me that this licentiousness of behaviour in your daughter has
proceeded from a faulty degree of indulgence though at the same time
for the consolation of yourself and Mrs Bennet I am inclined to think
that her own disposition must be naturally bad or she could not be
guilty of such an enormity at so early an age Howsoever that may be
you are grievously to be pitied in which opinion I am not only joined
by Mrs Collins but likewise by lady Catherine and her daughter to
whom I have related the affair They agree with me in apprehending that
this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of
all the others for who as lady Catherine herself condescendingly says
will connect themselves with such a family And this consideration leads
me moreover to reflect with augmented satisfaction on a certain event of
last November for had it been otherwise I must have been involved in
all your sorrow and disgrace Let me advise you then my dear Sir to
console yourself as much as possible to throw off your unworthy child
from your affection for ever and leave her to reap the fruits of her
own heinous offence
I am dear Sir etc etc«
Mr Gardiner did not write again till he had received an answer from Colonel
Forster and then he had nothing of a pleasant nature to send It was not known
that Wickham had a single relation with whom he kept up any connection and it
was certain that he had no near one living His former acquaintance had been
numerous but since he had been in the militia it did not appear that he was on
terms of particular friendship with any of them There was no one therefore who
could be pointed out as likely to give any news of him And in the wretched
state of his own finances there was a very powerful motive for secrecy in
addition to his fear of discovery by Lydias relations for it had just
transpired that he had left gaming debts behind him to a very considerable
amount Colonel Forster believed that more than a thousand pounds would be
necessary to clear his expences at Brighton He owed a good deal in the town
but his debts of honour were still more formidable Mr Gardiner did not attempt
to conceal these particulars from the Longbourn family Jane heard them with
horror »A gamester« she cried »This is wholly unexpected I had not an idea
of it«
Mr Gardiner added in his letter that they might expect to see their father
at home on the following day which was Saturday Rendered spiritless by the
illsuccess of all their endeavours he had yielded to his brotherinlaws
intreaty that he would return to his family and leave it to him to do whatever
occasion might suggest to be advisable for continuing their pursuit When Mrs
Bennet was told of this she did not express so much satisfaction as her
children expected considering what her anxiety for his life had been before
»What is he coming home and without poor Lydia« she cried »Sure he will
not leave London before he has found them Who is to fight Wickham and make him
marry her if he comes away«
As Mrs Gardiner began to wish to be at home it was settled that she and
her children should go to London at the same time that Mr Bennet came from it
The coach therefore took them the first stage of their journey and brought
its master back to Longbourn
Mrs Gardiner went away in all the perplexity about Elizabeth and her
Derbyshire friend that had attended her from that part of the world His name
had never been voluntarily mentioned before them by her niece and the kind of
halfexpectation which Mrs Gardiner had formed of their being followed by a
letter from him had ended in nothing Elizabeth had received none since her
return that could come from Pemberley
The present unhappy state of the family rendered any other excuse for the
lowness of her spirits unnecessary nothing therefore could be fairly
conjectured from that though Elizabeth who was by this time tolerably well
acquainted with her own feelings was perfectly aware that had she known
nothing of Darcy she could have borne the dread of Lydias infamy somewhat
better It would have spared her she thought one sleepless night out of two
When Mr Bennet arrived he had all the appearance of his usual philosophic
composure He said as little as he had ever been in the habit of saying made no
mention of the business that had taken him away and it was some time before his
daughters had courage to speak of it
It was not till the afternoon when he joined them at tea that Elizabeth
ventured to introduce the subject and then on her briefly expressing her
sorrow for what he must have endured he replied »Say nothing of that Who
should suffer but myself It has been my own doing and I ought to feel it«
»You must not be too severe upon yourself« replied Elizabeth
»You may well warn me against such an evil Human nature is so prone to fall
into it No Lizzy let me once in my life feel how much I have been to blame I
am not afraid of being overpowered by the impression It will pass away soon
enough«
»Do you suppose them to be in London«
»Yes where else can they be so well concealed«
»And Lydia used to want to go to London« added Kitty
»She is happy then« said her father drily »and her residence there will
probably be of some duration«
Then after a short silence he continued »Lizzy I bear you no illwill
for being justified in your advice to me last May which considering the event
shews some greatness of mind«
They were interrupted by Miss Bennet who came to fetch her mothers tea
»This is a parade« cried he »which does one good it gives such an
elegance to misfortune Another day I will do the same I will sit in my
library in my night cap and powdering gown and give as much trouble as I can
or perhaps I may defer it till Kitty runs away«
»I am not going to run away Papa« said Kitty fretfully »if I should ever
go to Brighton I would behave better than Lydia«
»You go to Brighton I would not trust you so near it as East Bourne for
fifty pounds No Kitty I have at last learnt to be cautious and you will feel
the effects of it No officer is ever to enter my house again nor even to pass
through the village Balls will be absolutely prohibited unless you stand up
with one of your sisters And you are never to stir out of doors till you can
prove that you have spent ten minutes of every day in a rational manner«
Kitty who took all these threats in a serious light began to cry
»Well well« said he »do not make yourself unhappy If you are a good girl
for the next ten years I will take you to a review at the end of them«
Chapter VII
Two days after Mr Bennets return as Jane and Elizabeth were walking together
in the shrubbery behind the house they saw the housekeeper coming towards them
and concluding that she came to call them to their mother went forward to meet
her but instead of the expected summons when they approached her she said to
Miss Bennet »I beg your pardon madam for interrupting you but I was in hopes
you might have got some good news from town so I took the liberty of coming to
ask«
»What do you mean Hill We have heard nothing from town«
»Dear madam« cried Mrs Hill in great astonishment »dont you know there
is an express come for master from Mr Gardiner He has been here this half
hour and master has had a letter«
Away ran the girls too eager to get in to have time for speech They ran
through the vestibule into the breakfast room from thence to the library
their father was in neither and they were on the point of seeking him up stairs
with their mother when they were met by the butler who said
»If you are looking for my master maam he is walking towards the little
copse«
Upon this information they instantly passed through the hall once more and
ran across the lawn after their father who was deliberately pursuing his way
towards a small wood on one side of the paddock
Jane who was not so light nor so much in the habit of running as
Elizabeth soon lagged behind while her sister panting for breath came up
with him and eagerly cried out
»Oh Papa what news what news have you heard from my uncle«
»Yes I have had a letter from him by express«
»Well and what news does it bring good or bad«
»What is there of good to be expected« said he taking the letter from his
pocket »but perhaps you would like to read it«
Elizabeth impatiently caught it from his hand Jane now came up
»Read it aloud« said their father »for I hardly know myself what it is
about«
»Gracechurchstreet Monday
August 2
My dear Brother
At last I am able to send you some tidings of my niece and such as
upon the whole I hope will give you satisfaction Soon after you left
me on Saturday I was fortunate enough to find out in what part of
London they were The particulars I reserve till we meet It is enough
to know they are discovered I have seen them both «
»Then it is as I always hoped« cried Jane »they are married«
Elizabeth read on »I have seen them both They are not married nor
can I find there was any intention of being so but if you are willing
to perform the engagements which I have ventured to make on your side I
hope it will not be long before they are All that is required of you
is to assure to your daughter by settlement her equal share of the
five thousand pounds secured among your children after the decease of
yourself and my sister and moreover to enter into an engagement of
allowing her during your life one hundred pounds per annum These are
conditions which considering every thing I had no hesitation in
complying with as far as I thought myself privileged for you I shall
send this by express that no time may be lost in bringing me your
answer You will easily comprehend from these particulars that Mr
Wickhams circumstances are not so hopeless as they are generally
believed to be The world has been deceived in that respect and I am
happy to say there will be some little money even when all his debts
are discharged to settle on my niece in addition to her own fortune
If as I conclude will be the case you send me full powers to act in
your name throughout the whole of this business I will immediately
give directions to Haggerston for preparing a proper settlement There
will not be the smallest occasion for your coming to town again
therefore stay quietly at Longbourn and depend on my diligence and
care Send back your answer as soon as you can and be careful to write
explicitly We have judged it best that my niece should be married from
this house of which I hope you will approve She comes to us today I
shall write again as soon as any thing more is determined on Yours
etc
EDW GARDINER«
»Is it possible« cried Elizabeth when she had finished »Can it be possible
that he will marry her«
»Wickham is not so undeserving then as we have thought him« said her
sister »My dear father I congratulate you«
»And have you answered the letter« said Elizabeth
»No but it must be done soon«
Most earnestly did she then intreat him to lose no more time before he
wrote
»Oh my dear father« she cried »come back and write immediately Consider
how important every moment is in such a case«
»Let me write for you« said Jane »if you dislike the trouble yourself«
»I dislike it very much« he replied »but it must be done«
And so saying he turned back with them and walked towards the house
»And may I ask« said Elizabeth »but the terms I suppose must be complied
with«
»Complied with I am only ashamed of his asking so little«
»And they must marry Yet he is such a man«
»Yes yes they must marry There is nothing else to be done But there are
two things that I want very much to know one is how much money your uncle
has laid down to bring it about and the other how I am ever to pay him«
»Money my uncle« cried Jane »what do you mean Sir«
»I mean that no man in his senses would marry Lydia on so slight a
temptation as one hundred ayear during my life and fifty after I am gone«
»That is very true« said Elizabeth »though it had not occurred to me
before His debts to be discharged and something still to remain Oh it must
be my uncles doings Generous good man I am afraid he has distressed himself
A small sum could not do all this«
»No« said her father »Wickham s a fool if he takes her with a farthing
less than ten thousand pounds I should be sorry to think so ill of him in the
very beginning of our relationship«
»Ten thousand pounds Heaven forbid How is half such a sum to be repaid«
Mr Bennet made no answer and each of them deep in thought continued
silent till they reached the house Their father then went to the library to
write and the girls walked into the breakfastroom
»And they are really to be married« cried Elizabeth as soon as they were
by themselves »How strange this is And for this we are to be thankful That
they should marry small as is their chance of happiness and wretched as is his
character we are forced to rejoice Oh Lydia«
»I comfort myself with thinking« replied Jane »that he certainly would not
marry Lydia if he had not a real regard for her Though our kind uncle has done
something towards clearing him I cannot believe that ten thousand pounds or
any thing like it has been advanced He has children of his own and may have
more How could he spare half ten thousand pounds«
»If we are ever able to learn what Wickhams debts have been« said
Elizabeth »and how much is settled on his side on our sister we shall exactly
know what Mr Gardiner has done for them because Wickham has not sixpence of
his own The kindness of my uncle and aunt can never be requited Their taking
her home and affording her their personal protection and countenance is such a
sacrifice to her advantage as years of gratitude cannot enough acknowledge By
this time she is actually with them If such goodness does not make her
miserable now she will never deserve to be happy What a meeting for her when
she first sees my aunt«
»We must endeavour to forget all that has passed on either side« said Jane
»I hope and trust they will yet be happy His consenting to marry her is a
proof I will believe that he is come to a right way of thinking Their mutual
affection will steady them and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly
and live in so rational a manner as may in time make their past imprudence
forgotten«
»Their conduct has been such« replied Elizabeth »as neither you nor I
nor any body can ever forget It is useless to talk of it«
It now occurred to the girls that their mother was in all likelihood
perfectly ignorant of what had happened They went to the library therefore
and asked their father whether he would not wish them to make it known to her
He was writing and without raising his head coolly replied
»Just as you please«
»May we take my uncles letter to read to her«
»Take whatever you like and get away«
Elizabeth took the letter from his writing table and they went up stairs
together Mary and Kitty were both with Mrs Bennet one communication would
therefore do for all After a slight preparation for good news the letter was
read aloud Mrs Bennet could hardly contain herself As soon as Jane had read
Mr Gardiners hope of Lydias being soon married her joy burst forth and
every following sentence added to its exuberance She was now in an irritation
as violent from delight as she had ever been fidgetty from alarm and vexation
To know that her daughter would be married was enough She was disturbed by no
fear for her felicity nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct
»My dear dear Lydia« she cried »This is delightful indeed She will be
married I shall see her again She will be married at sixteen My good
kind brother I knew how it would be I knew he would manage every thing How
I long to see her and to see dear Wickham too But the clothes the wedding
clothes I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly Lizzy my dear
run down to your father and ask him how much he will give her Stay stay I
will go myself Ring the bell Kitty for Hill I will put on my things in a
moment My dear dear Lydia How merry we shall be together when we meet«
Her eldest daughter endeavoured to give some relief to the violence of these
transports by leading her thoughts to the obligations which Mr Gardiners
behaviour laid them all under
»For we must attribute this happy conclusion« she added »in a great
measure to his kindness We are persuaded that he has pledged himself to assist
Mr Wickham with money«
»Well« cried her mother »it is all very right who should do it but her
own uncle If he had not had a family of his own I and my children must have
had all his money you know and it is the first time we have ever had any thing
from him except a few presents Well I am so happy In a short time I shall
have a daughter married Mrs Wickham How well it sounds And she was only
sixteen last June My dear Jane I am in such a flutter that I am sure I cant
write so I will dictate and you write for me We will settle with your father
about the money afterwards but the things should be ordered immediately«
She was then proceeding to all the particulars of calico muslin and
cambric and would shortly have dictated some very plentiful orders had not
Jane though with some difficulty persuaded her to wait till her father was at
leisure to be consulted One days delay she observed would be of small
importance and her mother was too happy to be quite so obstinate as usual
Other schemes too came into her head
»I will go to Meryton« said she »as soon as I am dressed and tell the
good good news to my sister Phillips And as I come back I can call on Lady
Lucas and Mrs Long Kitty run down and order the carriage An airing would do
me a great deal of good I am sure Girls can I do any thing for you in
Meryton Oh here comes Hill My dear Hill have you heard the good news Miss
Lydia is going to be married and you shall all have a bowl of punch to make
merry at her wedding«
Mrs Hill began instantly to express her joy Elizabeth received her
congratulations amongst the rest and then sick of this folly took refuge in
her own room that she might think with freedom
Poor Lydias situation must at best be bad enough but that it was no
worse she had need to be thankful She felt it so and though in looking
forward neither rational happiness nor worldly prosperity could be justly
expected for her sister in looking back to what they had feared only two hours
ago she felt all the advantages of what they had gained
Chapter VIII
Mr Bennet had very often wished before this period of his life that instead
of spending his whole income he had laid by an annual sum for the better
provision of his children and of his wife if she survived him He now wished
it more than ever Had he done his duty in that respect Lydia need not have
been indebted to her uncle for whatever of honour or credit could now be
purchased for her The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless
young men in Great Britain to be her husband might then have rested in its
proper place
He was seriously concerned that a cause of so little advantage to any one
should be forwarded at the sole expence of his brotherinlaw and he was
determined if possible to find out the extent of his assistance and to
discharge the obligation as soon as he could
When first Mr Bennet had married economy was held to be perfectly useless
for of course they were to have a son This son was to join in cutting off the
entail as soon as he should be of age and the widow and younger children would
by that means be provided for Five daughters successively entered the world
but yet the son was to come and Mrs Bennet for many years after Lydias
birth had been certain that he would This event had at last been despaired of
but it was then too late to be saving Mrs Bennet had no turn for economy and
her husbands love of independence had alone prevented their exceeding their
income
Five thousand pounds was settled by marriage articles on Mrs Bennet and the
children But in what proportions it should be divided amongst the latter
depended on the will of the parents This was one point with regard to Lydia at
least which was now to be settled and Mr Bennet could have no hesitation in
acceding to the proposal before him In terms of grateful acknowledgment for the
kindness of his brother though expressed most concisely he then delivered on
paper his perfect approbation of all that was done and his willingness to
fulfil the engagements that had been made for him He had never before supposed
that could Wickham be prevailed on to marry his daughter it would be done with
so little inconvenience to himself as by the present arrangement He would
scarcely be ten pounds ayear the loser by the hundred that was to be paid
them for what with her board and pocket allowance and the continual presents
in money which passed to her through her mothers hands Lydias expences had
been very little within that sum
That it would be done with such trifling exertion on his side too was
another very welcome surprise for his chief wish at present was to have as
little trouble in the business as possible When the first transports of rage
which had produced his activity in seeking her were over he naturally returned
to all his former indolence His letter was soon dispatched for though dilatory
in undertaking business he was quick in its execution He begged to know
farther particulars of what he was indebted to his brother but was too angry
with Lydia to send any message to her
The good news quickly spread through the house and with proportionate speed
through the neighbourhood It was borne in the latter with decent philosophy To
be sure it would have been more for the advantage of conversation had Miss
Lydia Bennet come upon the town or as the happiest alternative been secluded
from the world in some distant farm house But there was much to be talked of
in marrying her and the goodnatured wishes for her welldoing which had
proceeded before from all the spiteful old ladies in Meryton lost but little
of their spirit in this change of circumstances because with such an husband
her misery was considered certain
It was a fortnight since Mrs Bennet had been down stairs but on this happy
day she again took her seat at the head of her table and in spirits
oppressively high No sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph The
marriage of a daughter which had been the first object of her wishes since
Jane was sixteen was now on the point of accomplishment and her thoughts and
her words ran wholly on those attendants of elegant nuptials fine muslins new
carriages and servants She was busily searching through the neighbourhood for
a proper situation for her daughter and without knowing or considering what
their income might be rejected many as deficient in size and importance
»HayePark might do« said she »if the Gouldings would quit it or the
great house at Stoke if the drawingroom were larger but Ashworth is too far
off I could not bear to have her ten miles from me and as for Purvis Lodge
the attics are dreadful«
Her husband allowed her to talk on without interruption while the servants
remained But when they had withdrawn he said to her »Mrs Bennet before you
take any or all of these houses for your son and daughter let us come to a
right understanding Into one house in this neighbourhood they shall never have
admittance I will not encourage the impudence of either by receiving them at
Longbourn«
A long dispute followed this declaration but Mr Bennet was firm it soon
led to another and Mrs Bennet found with amazement and horror that her
husband would not advance a guinea to buy clothes for his daughter He protested
that she should receive from him no mark of affection whatever on the occasion
Mrs Bennet could hardly comprehend it That his anger could be carried to such
a point of inconceivable resentment as to refuse his daughter a privilege
without which her marriage would scarcely seem valid exceeded all that she
could believe possible She was more alive to the disgrace which the want of
new clothes must reflect on her daughters nuptials than to any sense of shame
at her eloping and living with Wickham a fortnight before they took place
Elizabeth was now most heartily sorry that she had from the distress of the
moment been led to make Mr Darcy acquainted with their fears for her sister
for since her marriage would so shortly give the proper termination to the
elopement they might hope to conceal its unfavourable beginning from all those
who were not immediately on the spot
She had no fear of its spreading farther through his means There were few
people on whose secrecy she would have more confidently depended but at the
same time there was no one whose knowledge of a sisters frailty would have
mortified her so much Not however from any fear of disadvantage from it
individually to herself for at any rate there seemed a gulf impassable between
them Had Lydias marriage been concluded on the most honourable terms it was
not to be supposed that Mr Darcy would connect himself with a family where to
every other objection would now be added an alliance and relationship of the
nearest kind with the man whom he so justly scorned
From such a connection she could not wonder that he should shrink The wish
of procuring her regard which she had assured herself of his feeling in
Derbyshire could not in rational expectation survive such a blow as this She
was humbled she was grieved she repented though she hardly knew of what She
became jealous of his esteem when she could no longer hope to be benefited by
it She wanted to hear of him when there seemed the least chance of gaining
intelligence She was convinced that she could have been happy with him when it
was no longer likely they should meet
What a triumph for him as she often thought could he know that the
proposals which she had proudly spurned only four months ago would now have
been gladly and gratefully received He was as generous she doubted not as the
most generous of his sex But while he was mortal there must be a triumph
She began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who in disposition
and talents would most suit her His understanding and temper though unlike
her own would have answered all her wishes It was an union that must have been
to the advantage of both by her ease and liveliness his mind might have been
softened his manners improved and from his judgment information and
knowledge of the world she must have received benefit of greater importance
But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what
connubial felicity really was An union of a different tendency and precluding
the possibility of the other was soon to be formed in their family
How Wickham and Lydia were to be supported in tolerable independence she
could not imagine But how little of permanent happiness could belong to a
couple who were only brought together because their passions were stronger than
their virtue she could easily conjecture
Mr Gardiner soon wrote again to his brother To Mr Bennets acknowledgments he
briefly replied with assurances of his eagerness to promote the welfare of any
of his family and concluded with intreaties that the subject might never be
mentioned to him again The principal purport of his letter was to inform them
that Mr Wickham had resolved on quitting the Militia
»It was greatly my wish that he should do so« he added »as soon as his
marriage was fixed on And I think you will agree with me in
considering a removal from that corps as highly advisable both on his
account and my nieces It is Mr Wickhams intention to go into the
regulars and among his former friends there are still some who are
able and willing to assist him in the army He has the promise of an
ensigncy in General s regiment now quartered in the North It is an
advantage to have it so far from this part of the kingdom He promises
fairly and I hope among different people where they may each have a
character to preserve they will both be more prudent I have written to
Colonel Forster to inform him of our present arrangements and to
request that he will satisfy the various creditors of Mr Wickham in and
near Brighton with assurances of speedy payment for which I have
pledged myself And will you give yourself the trouble of carrying
similar assurances to his creditors in Meryton of whom I shall subjoin
a list according to his information He has given in all his debts I
hope at least he has not deceived us Haggerston has our directions and
all will be completed in a week They will then join his regiment
unless they are first invited to Longbourn and I understand from Mrs
Gardiner that my niece is very desirous of seeing you all before she
leaves the South She is well and begs to be dutifully remembered to
you and her mother Yours etc
E GARDINER«
Mr Bennet and his daughters saw all the advantages of Wickhams removal from
the shire as clearly as Mr Gardiner could do But Mrs Bennet was not so
well pleased with it Lydias being settled in the North just when she had
expected most pleasure and pride in her company for she had by no means given
up her plan of their residing in Hertfordshire was a severe disappointment and
besides it was such a pity that Lydia should be taken from a regiment where she
was acquainted with every body and had so many favourites
»She is so fond of Mrs Forster« said she »it will be quite shocking to
send her away And there are several of the young men too that she likes very
much The officers may not be so pleasant in General s regiment«
His daughters request for such it might be considered of being admitted
into her family again before she set off for the North received at first an
absolute negative But Jane and Elizabeth who agreed in wishing for the sake
of their sisters feelings and consequence that she should be noticed on her
marriage by her parents urged him so earnestly yet so rationally and so
mildly to receive her and her husband at Longbourn as soon as they were
married that he was prevailed on to think as they thought and act as they
wished And their mother had the satisfaction of knowing that she should be
able to shew her married daughter in the neighbourhood before she was banished
to the North When Mr Bennet wrote again to his brother therefore he sent his
permission for them to come and it was settled that as soon as the ceremony
was over they should proceed to Longbourn Elizabeth was surprised however
that Wickham should consent to such a scheme and had she consulted only her
own inclination any meeting with him would have been the last object of her
wishes
Chapter IX
Their sisters wedding day arrived and Jane and Elizabeth felt for her probably
more than she felt for herself The carriage was sent to meet them at and
they were to return in it by dinnertime Their arrival was dreaded by the
elder Miss Bennets and Jane more especially who gave Lydia the feelings which
would have attended herself had she been the culprit was wretched in the
thought of what her sister must endure
They came The family were assembled in the breakfast room to receive them
Smiles decked the face of Mrs Bennet as the carriage drove up to the door her
husband looked impenetrably grave her daughters alarmed anxious uneasy
Lydias voice was heard in the vestibule the door was thrown open and she
ran into the room Her mother stepped forwards embraced her and welcomed her
with rapture gave her hand with an affectionate smile to Wickham who followed
his lady and wished them both joy with an alacrity which shewed no doubt of
their happiness
Their reception from Mr Bennet to whom they then turned was not quite so
cordial His countenance rather gained in austerity and he scarcely opened his
lips The easy assurance of the young couple indeed was enough to provoke him
Elizabeth was disgusted and even Miss Bennet was shocked Lydia was Lydia
still untamed unabashed wild noisy and fearless She turned from sister to
sister demanding their congratulations and when at length they all sat down
looked eagerly round the room took notice of some little alteration in it and
observed with a laugh that it was a great while since she had been there
Wickham was not at all more distressed than herself but his manners were
always so pleasing that had his character and his marriage been exactly what
they ought his smiles and his easy address while he claimed their
relationship would have delighted them all Elizabeth had not before believed
him quite equal to such assurance but she sat down resolving within herself
to draw no limits in future to the impudence of an impudent man She blushed
and Jane blushed but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered
no variation of colour
There was no want of discourse The bride and her mother could neither of
them talk fast enough and Wickham who happened to sit near Elizabeth began
enquiring after his acquaintance in that neighbourhood with a good humoured
ease which she felt very unable to equal in her replies They seemed each of
them to have the happiest memories in the world Nothing of the past was
recollected with pain and Lydia led voluntarily to subjects which her sisters
would not have alluded to for the world
»Only think of its being three months« she cried »since I went away it
seems but a fortnight I declare and yet there have been things enough happened
in the time Good gracious when I went away I am sure I had no more idea of
being married till I came back again though I thought it would be very good fun
if I was«
Her father lifted up his eyes Jane was distressed Elizabeth looked
expressively at Lydia but she who never heard nor saw any thing of which she
chose to be insensible gaily continued »Oh mamma do the people here abouts
know I am married today I was afraid they might not and we overtook William
Goulding in his curricle so I was determined he should know it and so I let
down the side glass next to him and took off my glove and let my hand just
rest upon the window frame so that he might see the ring and then I bowed and
smiled like any thing«
Elizabeth could bear it no longer She got up and ran out of the room and
returned no more till she heard them passing through the hall to the dining
parlour She then joined them soon enough to see Lydia with anxious parade
walk up to her mothers right hand and hear her say to her eldest sister »Ah
Jane I take your place now and you must go lower because I am a married
woman«
It was not to be supposed that time would give Lydia that embarrassment
from which she had been so wholly free at first Her ease and good spirits
increased She longed to see Mrs Phillips the Lucasses and all their other
neighbours and to hear herself called Mrs Wickham by each of them and in the
mean time she went after dinner to shew her ring and boast of being married to
Mrs Hill and the two housemaids
»Well mamma« said she when they were all returned to the breakfast room
»and what do you think of my husband Is not he a charming man I am sure my
sisters must all envy me I only hope they may have half my good luck They must
all go to Brighton That is the place to get husbands What a pity it is mamma
we did not all go«
»Very true and if I had my will we should But my dear Lydia I dont at
all like your going such a way off Must it be so«
»Oh lord yes there is nothing in that I shall like it of all things
You and papa and my sisters must come down and see us We shall be at
Newcastle all the winter and I dare say there will be some balls and I will
take care to get good partners for them all«
»I should like it beyond any thing« said her mother
»And then when you go away you may leave one or two of my sisters behind
you and I dare say I shall get husbands for them before the winter is over«
»I thank you for my share of the favour« said Elizabeth »but I do not
particularly like your way of getting husbands«
Their visitors were not to remain above ten days with them Mr Wickham had
received his commission before he left London and he was to join his regiment
at the end of a fortnight
No one but Mrs Bennet regretted that their stay would be so short and she
made the most of the time by visiting about with her daughter and having very
frequent parties at home These parties were acceptable to all to avoid a
family circle was even more desirable to such as did think than such as did
not
Wickhams affection for Lydia was just what Elizabeth had expected to find
it not equal to Lydias for him She had scarcely needed her present
observation to be satisfied from the reason of things that their elopement had
been brought on by the strength of her love rather than by his and she would
have wondered why without violently caring for her he chose to elope with her
at all had she not felt certain that his flight was rendered necessary by
distress of circumstances and if that were the case he was not the young man
to resist an opportunity of having a companion
Lydia was exceedingly fond of him He was her dear Wickham on every
occasion no one was to be put in competition with him He did every thing best
in the world and she was sure he would kill more birds on the first of
September than any body else in the country
One morning soon after their arrival as she was sitting with her two elder
sisters she said to Elizabeth
»Lizzy I never gave you an account of my wedding I believe You were not
by when I told mamma and the others all about it Are not you curious to hear
how it was managed«
»No really« replied Elizabeth »I think there cannot be too little said on
the subject«
»La You are so strange But I must tell you how it went off We were
married you know at St Clements because Wickhams lodgings were in that
parish And it was settled that we should all be there by eleven oclock My
uncle and aunt and I were to go together and the others were to meet us at the
church Well Monday morning came and I was in such a fuss I was so afraid you
know that something would happen to put it off and then I should have gone
quite distracted And there was my aunt all the time I was dressing preaching
and talking away just as if she was reading a sermon However I did not hear
above one word in ten for I was thinking you may suppose of my dear Wickham
I longed to know whether he would be married in his blue coat
Well and so we breakfasted at ten as usual I thought it would never be
over for by the bye you are to understand that my uncle and aunt were horrid
unpleasant all the time I was with them If you ll believe me I did not once
put my foot out of doors though I was there a fortnight Not one party or
scheme or any thing To be sure London was rather thin but however the little
Theatre was open Well and so just as the carriage came to the door my uncle
was called away upon business to that horrid man Mr Stone And then you know
when once they get together there is no end of it Well I was so frightened I
did not know what to do for my uncle was to give me away and if we were beyond
the hour we could not be married all day But luckily he came back again in
ten minutes time and then we all set out However I recollected afterwards
that if he had been prevented going the wedding need not be put off for Mr
Darcy might have done as well«
»Mr Darcy« repeated Elizabeth in utter amazement
»Oh yes he was to come there with Wickham you know But gracious me I
quite forgot I ought not to have said a word about it I promised them so
faithfully What will Wickham say It was to be such a secret«
»If it was to be secret« said Jane »say not another word on the subject
You may depend upon my seeking no further«
»Oh certainly« said Elizabeth though burning with curiosity »we will ask
you no questions«
»Thank you« said Lydia »for if you did I should certainly tell you all
and then Wickham would be angry«
On such encouragement to ask Elizabeth was forced to put it out of her
power by running away
But to live in ignorance on such a point was impossible or at least it was
impossible not to try for information Mr Darcy had been at her sisters
wedding It was exactly a scene and exactly among people where he had
apparently least to do and least temptation to go Conjectures as to the
meaning of it rapid and wild hurried into her brain but she was satisfied
with none Those that best pleased her as placing his conduct in the noblest
light seemed most improbable She could not bear such suspense and hastily
seizing a sheet of paper wrote a short letter to her aunt to request an
explanation of what Lydia had dropt if it were compatible with the secrecy
which had been intended
»You may readily comprehend« she added »what my curiosity must be to know
how a person unconnected with any of us and comparatively speaking a stranger
to our family should have been amongst you at such a time Pray write
instantly and let me understand it unless it is for very cogent reasons to
remain in the secrecy which Lydia seems to think necessary and then I must
endeavour to be satisfied with ignorance«
»Not that I shall though« she added to herself as she finished the letter
»and my dear aunt if you do not tell me in an honourable manner I shall
certainly be reduced to tricks and stratagems to find it out«
Janes delicate sense of honour would not allow her to speak to Elizabeth
privately of what Lydia had let fall Elizabeth was glad of it till it
appeared whether her inquiries would receive any satisfaction she had rather be
without a confidante
Chapter X
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of receiving an answer to her letter as soon as
she possibly could She was no sooner in possession of it than hurrying into
the little copse where she was least likely to be interrupted she sat down on
one of the benches and prepared to be happy for the length of the letter
convinced her that it did not contain a denial
»Gracechurchstreet Sept 6
My dear niece
I have just received your letter and shall devote this whole
morning to answering it as I foresee that a little writing will not
comprise what I have to tell you I must confess myself surprised by
your application I did not expect it from you Dont think me angry
however for I only mean to let you know that I had not imagined such
enquiries to be necessary on your side If you do not choose to
understand me forgive my impertinence Your uncle is as much surprised
as I am and nothing but the belief of your being a party concerned
would have allowed him to act as he has done But if you are really
innocent and ignorant I must be more explicit On the very day of my
coming home from Longbourn your uncle had a most unexpected visitor
Mr Darcy called and was shut up with him several hours It was all
over before I arrived so my curiosity was not so dreadfully racked as
yours seems to have been He came to tell Mr Gardiner that he had
found out where your sister and Mr Wickham were and that he had seen
and talked with them both Wickham repeatedly Lydia once From what I
can collect he left Derbyshire only one day after ourselves and came
to town with the resolution of hunting for them The motive professed
was his conviction of its being owing to himself that Wickhams
worthlessness had not been so well known as to make it impossible for
any young woman of character to love or confide in him He generously
imputed the whole to his mistaken pride and confessed that he had
before thought it beneath him to lay his private actions open to the
world His character was to speak for itself He called it therefore
his duty to step forward and endeavour to remedy an evil which had
been brought on by himself If he had another motive I am sure it would
never disgrace him He had been some days in town before he was able to
discover them but he had something to direct his search which was more
than we had and the consciousness of this was another reason for his
resolving to follow us There is a lady it seems a Mrs Younge who
was some time ago governess to Miss Darcy and was dismissed from her
charge on some cause of disapprobation though he did not say what She
then took a large house in Edward street and has since maintained
herself by letting lodgings This Mrs Younge was he knew intimately
acquainted with Wickham and he went to her for intelligence of him as
soon as he got to town But it was two or three days before he could get
from her what he wanted She would not betray her trust I suppose
without bribery and corruption for she really did know where her friend
was to be found Wickham indeed had gone to her on their first arrival
in London and had she been able to receive them into her house they
would have taken up their abode with her At length however our kind
friend procured the wishedfor direction They were in street He saw
Wickham and afterwards insisted on seeing Lydia His first object with
her he acknowledged had been to persuade her to quit her present
disgraceful situation and return to her friends as soon as they could
be prevailed on to receive her offering his assistance as far as it
would go But he found Lydia absolutely resolved on remaining where she
was She cared for none of her friends she wanted no help of his she
would not hear of leaving Wickham She was sure they should be married
some time or other and it did not much signify when Since such were
her feelings it only remained he thought to secure and expedite a
marriage which in his very first conversation with Wickham he easily
learnt had never been his design He confessed himself obliged to leave
the regiment on account of some debts of honour which were very
pressing and scrupled not to lay all the illconsequences of Lydias
flight on her own folly alone He meant to resign his commission
immediately and as to his future situation he could conjecture very
little about it He must go somewhere but he did not know where and he
knew he should have nothing to live on Mr Darcy asked him why he had
not married your sister at once Though Mr Bennet was not imagined to
be very rich he would have been able to do something for him and his
situation must have been benefited by marriage But he found in reply
to this question that Wickham still cherished the hope of more
effectually making his fortune by marriage in some other country Under
such circumstances however he was not likely to be proof against the
temptation of immediate relief They met several times for there was
much to be discussed Wickham of course wanted more than he could get
but at length was reduced to be reasonable Every thing being settled
between them Mr Darcys next step was to make your uncle acquainted
with it and he first called in Gracechurchstreet the evening before I
came home But Mr Gardiner could not be seen and Mr Darcy found on
further enquiry that your father was still with him but would quit
town the next morning He did not judge your father to be a person whom
he could so properly consult as your uncle and therefore readily
postponed seeing him till after the departure of the former He did not
leave his name and till the next day it was only known that a
gentleman had called on business On Saturday he came again Your father
was gone your uncle at home and as I said before they had a great
deal of talk together They met again on Sunday and then I saw him too
It was not all settled before Monday as soon as it was the express was
sent off to Longbourn But our visitor was very obstinate I fancy
Lizzy that obstinacy is the real defect of his character after all He
has been accused of many faults at different times but this is the true
one Nothing was to be done that he did not do himself though I am sure
and I do not speak it to be thanked therefore say nothing about it
your uncle would most readily have settled the whole They battled it
together for a long time which was more than either the gentleman or
lady concerned in it deserved But at last your uncle was forced to
yield and instead of being allowed to be of use to his niece was
forced to put up with only having the probable credit of it which went
sorely against the grain and I really believe your letter this morning
gave him great pleasure because it required an explanation that would
rob him of his borrowed feathers and give the praise where it was due
But Lizzy this must go no farther than yourself or Jane at most You
know pretty well I suppose what has been done for the young people
His debts are to be paid amounting I believe to considerably more
than a thousand pounds another thousand in addition to her own settled
upon her and his commission purchased The reason why all this was to
be done by him alone was such as I have given above It was owing to
him to his reserve and want of proper consideration that Wickhams
character had been so misunderstood and consequently that he had been
received and noticed as he was Perhaps there was some truth in this
though I doubt whether his reserve or anybodys reserve can be
answerable for the event But in spite of all this fine talking my dear
Lizzy you may rest perfectly assured that your uncle would never have
yielded if we had not given him credit for another interest in the
affair When all this was resolved on he returned again to his friends
who were still staying at Pemberley but it was agreed that he should be
in London once more when the wedding took place and all money matters
were then to receive the last finish I believe I have now told you
every thing It is a relation which you tell me is to give you great
surprise I hope at least it will not afford you any displeasure Lydia
came to us and Wickham had constant admission to the house He was
exactly what he had been when I knew him in Hertfordshire but I would
not tell you how little I was satisfied with her behaviour while she
staid with us if I had not perceived by Janes letter last Wednesday
that her conduct on coming home was exactly of a piece with it and
therefore what I now tell you can give you no fresh pain I talked to
her repeatedly in the most serious manner representing to her all the
wickedness of what she had done and all the unhappiness she had brought
on her family If she heard me it was by good luck for I am sure she
did not listen I was sometimes quite provoked but then I recollected
my dear Elizabeth and Jane and for their sakes had patience with her
Mr Darcy was punctual in his return and as Lydia informed you
attended the wedding He dined with us the next day and was to leave
town again on Wednesday or Thursday Will you be very angry with me my
dear Lizzy if I take this opportunity of saying what I was never bold
enough to say before how much I like him His behaviour to us has in
every respect been as pleasing as when we were in Derbyshire His
understanding and opinions all please me he wants nothing but a little
more liveliness and that if he marry prudently his wife may teach
him I thought him very sly he hardly ever mentioned your name But
slyness seems the fashion Pray forgive me if I have been very
presuming or at least do not punish me so far as to exclude me from P
I shall never be quite happy till I have been all round the park A low
phaeton with a nice little pair of ponies would be the very thing But
I must write no more The children have been wanting me this half hour
Yours very sincerely
M GARDINER«
The contents of this letter threw Elizabeth into a flutter of spirits in which
it was difficult to determine whether pleasure or pain bore the greatest share
The vague and unsettled suspicions which uncertainty had produced of what Mr
Darcy might have been doing to forward her sisters match which she had feared
to encourage as an exertion of goodness too great to be probable and at the
same time dreaded to be just from the pain of obligation were proved beyond
their greatest extent to be true He had followed them purposely to town he had
taken on himself all the trouble and mortification attendant on such a research
in which supplication had been necessary to a woman whom he must abominate and
despise and where he was reduced to meet frequently meet reason with
persuade and finally bribe the man whom he always most wished to avoid and
whose very name it was punishment to him to pronounce He had done all this for
a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem Her heart did whisper that he
had done it for her But it was a hope shortly checked by other considerations
and she soon felt that even her vanity was insufficient when required to depend
on his affection for her for a woman who had already refused him as able to
overcome a sentiment so natural as abhorrence against relationship with Wickham
Brotherinlaw of Wickham Every kind of pride must revolt from the connection
He had to be sure done much She was ashamed to think how much But he had given
a reason for his interference which asked no extraordinary stretch of belief
It was reasonable that he should feel he had been wrong he had liberality and
he had the means of exercising it and though she would not place herself as his
principal inducement she could perhaps believe that remaining partiality for
her might assist his endeavours in a cause where her peace of mind must be
materially concerned It was painful exceedingly painful to know that they
were under obligations to a person who could never receive a return They owed
the restoration of Lydia her character every thing to him Oh how heartily
did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged every
saucy speech she had ever directed towards him For herself she was humbled but
she was proud of him Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour he had
been able to get the better of himself She read over her aunts commendation of
him again and again It was hardly enough but it pleased her She was even
sensible of some pleasure though mixed with regret on finding how steadfastly
both she and her uncle had been persuaded that affection and confidence
subsisted between Mr Darcy and herself
She was roused from her seat and her reflections by some ones approach
and before she could strike into another path she was overtaken by Wickham
»I am afraid I interrupt your solitary ramble my dear sister« said he as
he joined her
»You certainly do« she replied with a smile »but it does not follow that
the interruption must be unwelcome«
»I should be sorry indeed if it were We were always good friends and now
we are better«
»True Are the others coming out«
»I do not know Mrs Bennet and Lydia are going in the carriage to Meryton
And so my dear sister I find from our uncle and aunt that you have actually
seen Pemberley«
She replied in the affirmative
»I almost envy you the pleasure and yet I believe it would be too much for
me or else I could take it in my way to Newcastle And you saw the old
housekeeper I suppose Poor Reynolds she was always very fond of me But of
course she did not mention my name to you«
»Yes she did«
»And what did she say«
»That you were gone into the army and she was afraid had not turned out
well At such a distance as that you know things are strangely
misrepresented«
»Certainly« he replied biting his lips Elizabeth hoped she had silenced
him but he soon afterwards said
»I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month We passed each other
several times I wonder what he can be doing there«
»Perhaps preparing for his marriage with Miss de Bourgh« said Elizabeth
»It must be something particular to take him there at this time of year«
»Undoubtedly Did you see him while you were at Lambton I thought I
understood from the Gardiners that you had«
»Yes he introduced us to his sister«
»And do you like her«
»Very much«
»I have heard indeed that she is uncommonly improved within this year or
two When I last saw her she was not very promising I am very glad you liked
her I hope she will turn out well«
»I dare say she will she has got over the most trying age«
»Did you go by the village of Kympton«
»I do not recollect that we did«
»I mention it because it is the living which I ought to have had A most
delightful place Excellent Parsonage House It would have suited me in every
respect«
»How should you have liked making sermons«
»Exceedingly well I should have considered it as part of my duty and the
exertion would soon have been nothing One ought not to repine but to be
sure it would have been such a thing for me The quiet the retirement of such
a life would have answered all my ideas of happiness But it was not to be Did
you ever hear Darcy mention the circumstance when you were in Kent«
»I have heard from authority which I thought as good that it was left you
conditionally only and at the will of the present patron«
»You have Yes there was something in that I told you so from the first
you may remember«
»I did hear too that there was a time when sermonmaking was not so
palatable to you as it seems to be at present that you actually declared your
resolution of never taking orders and that the business had been compromised
accordingly«
»You did and it was not wholly without foundation You may remember what I
told you on that point when first we talked of it«
They were now almost at the door of the house for she had walked fast to
get rid of him and unwilling for her sisters sake to provoke him she only
said in reply with a goodhumoured smile
»Come Mr Wickham we are brother and sister you know Do not let us
quarrel about the past In future I hope we shall be always of one mind«
She held out her hand he kissed it with affectionate gallantry though he
hardly knew how to look and they entered the house
Chapter XI
Mr Wickham was so perfectly satisfied with this conversation that he never
again distressed himself or provoked his dear sister Elizabeth by introducing
the subject of it and she was pleased to find that she had said enough to keep
him quiet
The day of his and Lydias departure soon came and Mrs Bennet was forced
to submit to a separation which as her husband by no means entered into her
scheme of their all going to Newcastle was likely to continue at least a
twelvemonth
»Oh my dear Lydia« she cried »when shall we meet again«
»Oh lord I dont know Not these two or three years perhaps«
»Write to me very often my dear«
»As often as I can But you know married women have never much time for
writing My sisters may write to me They will have nothing else to do«
Mr Wickhams adieus were much more affectionate than his wifes He smiled
looked handsome and said many pretty things
»He is as fine a fellow« said Mr Bennet as soon as they were out of the
house »as ever I saw He simpers and smirks and makes love to us all I am
prodigiously proud of him I defy even Sir William Lucas himself to produce a
more valuable soninlaw«
The loss of her daughter made Mrs Bennet very dull for several days
»I often think« said she »that there is nothing so bad as parting with
ones friends One seems so forlorn without them«
»This is the consequence you see Madam of marrying a daughter« said
Elizabeth »It must make you better satisfied that your other four are single«
»It is no such thing Lydia does not leave me because she is married but
only because her husbands regiment happens to be so far off If that had been
nearer she would not have gone so soon«
But the spiritless condition which this event threw her into was shortly
relieved and her mind opened again to the agitation of hope by an article of
news which then began to be in circulation The housekeeper at Netherfield had
received orders to prepare for the arrival of her master who was coming down in
a day or two to shoot there for several weeks Mrs Bennet was quite in the
fidgets She looked at Jane and smiled and shook her head by turns
»Well well and so Mr Bingley is coming down sister« for Mrs Phillips
first brought her the news »Well so much the better Not that I care about
it though He is nothing to us you know and I am sure I never want to see him
again But however he is very welcome to come to Netherfield if he likes it
And who knows what may happen But that is nothing to us You know sister we
agreed long ago never to mention a word about it And so is it quite certain he
is coming«
»You may depend on it« replied the other »for Mrs Nicholls was in Meryton
last night I saw her passing by and went out myself on purpose to know the
truth of it and she told me that it was certain true He comes down on Thursday
at the latest very likely on Wednesday She was going to the butchers she
told me on purpose to order in some meat on Wednesday and she has got three
couple of ducks just fit to be killed«
Miss Bennet had not been able to hear of his coming without changing
colour It was many months since she had mentioned his name to Elizabeth but
now as soon as they were alone together she said
»I saw you look at me to day Lizzy when my aunt told us of the present
report and I know I appeared distressed But dont imagine it was from any
silly cause I was only confused for the moment because I felt that I should be
looked at I do assure you that the news does not affect me either with
pleasure or pain I am glad of one thing that he comes alone because we shall
see the less of him Not that I am afraid of myself but I dread other peoples
remarks«
Elizabeth did not know what to make of it Had she not seen him in
Derbyshire she might have supposed him capable of coming there with no other
view than what was acknowledged but she still thought him partial to Jane and
she wavered as to the greater probability of his coming there with his friends
permission or being bold enough to come without it
»Yet it is hard« she sometimes thought »that this poor man cannot come to
a house which he has legally hired without raising all this speculation I
will leave him to himself«
In spite of what her sister declared and really believed to be her
feelings in the expectation of his arrival Elizabeth could easily perceive
that her spirits were affected by it They were more disturbed more unequal
than she had often seen them
The subject which had been so warmly canvassed between their parents about
a twelvemonth ago was now brought forward again
»As soon as ever Mr Bingley comes my dear« said Mrs Bennet »you will
wait on him of course«
»No no You forced me into visiting him last year and promised if I went
to see him he should marry one of my daughters But it ended in nothing and I
will not be sent on a fools errand again«
His wife represented to him how absolutely necessary such an attention would
be from all the neighbouring gentlemen on his returning to Netherfield
»Tis an etiquette I despise« said he »If he wants our society let him
seek it He knows where we live I will not spend my hours in running after my
neighbours every time they go away and come back again«
»Well all I know is that it will be abominably rude if you do not wait on
him But however that shant prevent my asking him to dine here I am
determined We must have Mrs Long and the Gouldings soon That will make
thirteen with ourselves so there will be just room at table for him«
Consoled by this resolution she was the better able to bear her husbands
incivility though it was very mortifying to know that her neighbours might all
see Mr Bingley in consequence of it before they did As the day of his arrival
drew near
»I begin to be sorry that he comes at all« said Jane to her sister »It
would be nothing I could see him with perfect indifference but I can hardly
bear to hear it thus perpetually talked of My mother means well but she does
not know no one can know how much I suffer from what she says Happy shall I
be when his stay at Netherfield is over«
»I wish I could say any thing to comfort you« replied Elizabeth »but it is
wholly out of my power You must feel it and the usual satisfaction of
preaching patience to a sufferer is denied me because you have always so much«
Mr Bingley arrived Mrs Bennet through the assistance of servants
contrived to have the earliest tidings of it that the period of anxiety and
fretfulness on her side might be as long as it could She counted the days that
must intervene before their invitation could be sent hopeless of seeing him
before But on the third morning after his arrival in Hertfordshire she saw him
from her dressingroom window enter the paddock and ride towards the house
Her daughters were eagerly called to partake of her joy Jane resolutely
kept her place at the table but Elizabeth to satisfy her mother went to the
window she looked she saw Mr Darcy with him and sat down again by her
sister
»There is a gentleman with him mamma« said Kitty »who can it be«
»Some acquaintance or other my dear I suppose I am sure I do not know«
»La« replied Kitty »it looks just like that man that used to be with him
before Mr whats his name That tall proud man«
»Good gracious Mr Darcy and so it does I vow Well any friend of Mr
Bingleys will always be welcome here to be sure but else I must say that I
hate the very sight of him«
Jane looked at Elizabeth with surprise and concern She knew but little of
their meeting in Derbyshire and therefore felt for the awkwardness which must
attend her sister in seeing him almost for the first time after receiving his
explanatory letter Both sisters were uncomfortable enough Each felt for the
other and of course for themselves and their mother talked on of her dislike
of Mr Darcy and her resolution to be civil to him only as Mr Bingleys
friend without being heard by either of them But Elizabeth had sources of
uneasiness which could not be suspected by Jane to whom she had never yet had
courage to shew Mrs Gardiners letter or to relate her own change of sentiment
towards him To Jane he could be only a man whose proposals she had refused
and whose merit she had undervalued but to her own more extensive information
he was the person to whom the whole family were indebted for the first of
benefits and whom she regarded herself with an interest if not quite so
tender at least as reasonable and just as what Jane felt for Bingley Her
astonishment at his coming at his coming to Netherfield to Longbourn and
voluntarily seeking her again was almost equal to what she had known on first
witnessing his altered behaviour in Derbyshire
The colour which had been driven from her face returned for half a minute
with an additional glow and a smile of delight added lustre to her eyes as she
thought for that space of time that his affection and wishes must still be
unshaken But she would not be secure
»Let me first see how he behaves« said she »it will then be early enough
for expectation«
She sat intently at work striving to be composed and without daring to
lift up her eyes till anxious curiosity carried them to the face of her sister
as the servant was approaching the door Jane looked a little paler than usual
but more sedate than Elizabeth had expected On the gentlemens appearing her
colour increased yet she received them with tolerable ease and with a
propriety of behaviour equally free from any symptom of resentment or any
unnecessary complaisance
Elizabeth said as little to either as civility would allow and sat down
again to her work with an eagerness which it did not often command She had
ventured only one glance at Darcy He looked serious as usual and she thought
more as he had been used to look in Hertfordshire than as she had seen him at
Pemberley But perhaps he could not in her mothers presence be what he was
before her uncle and aunt It was a painful but not an improbable conjecture
Bingley she had likewise seen for an instant and in that short period saw
him looking both pleased and embarrassed He was received by Mrs Bennet with a
degree of civility which made her two daughters ashamed especially when
contrasted with the cold and ceremonious politeness of her curtsey and address
to his friend
Elizabeth particularly who knew that her mother owed to the latter the
preservation of her favourite daughter from irremediable infamy was hurt and
distressed to a most painful degree by a distinction so ill applied
Darcy after enquiring of her how Mr and Mrs Gardiner did a question
which she could not answer without confusion said scarcely any thing He was
not seated by her perhaps that was the reason of his silence but it had not
been so in Derbyshire There he had talked to her friends when he could not to
herself But now several minutes elapsed without bringing the sound of his
voice and when occasionally unable to resist the impulse of curiosity she
raised her eyes to his face she as often found him looking at Jane as at
herself and frequently on no object but the ground More thoughtfulness and
less anxiety to please than when they last met were plainly expressed She was
disappointed and angry with herself for being so
»Could I expect it to be otherwise« said she »Yet why did he come«
She was in no humour for conversation with any one but himself and to him
she had hardly courage to speak
She enquired after his sister but could do no more
»It is a long time Mr Bingley since you went away« said Mrs Bennet
He readily agreed to it
»I began to be afraid you would never come back again People did say you
meant to quit the place entirely at Michaelmas but however I hope it is not
true A great many changes have happened in the neighbourhood since you went
away Miss Lucas is married and settled And one of my own daughters I suppose
you have heard of it indeed you must have seen it in the papers It was in the
Times and the Courier I know though it was not put in as it ought to be It
was only said Lately George Wickham Esq to Miss Lydia Bennet without there
being a syllable said of her father or the place where she lived or any thing
It was my brother Gardiners drawing up too and I wonder how he came to make
such an awkward business of it Did you see it«
Bingley replied that he did and made his congratulations Elizabeth dared
not lift up her eyes How Mr Darcy looked therefore she could not tell
»It is a delightful thing to be sure to have a daughter well married«
continued her mother »but at the same time Mr Bingley it is very hard to
have her taken such a way from me They are gone down to Newcastle a place
quite northward it seems and there they are to stay I do not know how long
His regiment is there for I suppose you have heard of his leaving the shire
and of his being gone into the regulars Thank Heaven he has some friends
though perhaps not so many as he deserves«
Elizabeth who knew this to be levelled at Mr Darcy was in such misery of
shame that she could hardly keep her seat It drew from her however the
exertion of speaking which nothing else had so effectually done before and she
asked Bingley whether he meant to make any stay in the country at present A
few weeks he believed
»When you have killed all your own birds Mr Bingley« said her mother »I
beg you will come here and shoot as many as you please on Mr Bennets manor
I am sure he will be vastly happy to oblige you and will save all the best of
the covies for you«
Elizabeths misery increased at such unnecessary such officious attention
Were the same fair prospect to arise at present as had flattered them a year
ago every thing she was persuaded would be hastening to the same vexatious
conclusion At that instant she felt that years of happiness could not make
Jane or herself amends for moments of such painful confusion
»The first wish of my heart« said she to herself »is never more to be in
company with either of them Their society can afford no pleasure that will
atone for such wretchedness as this Let me never see either one or the other
again«
Yet the misery for which years of happiness were to offer no compensation
received soon afterwards material relief from observing how much the beauty of
her sister rekindled the admiration of her former lover When first he came in
he had spoken to her but little but every five minutes seemed to be giving her
more of his attention He found her as handsome as she had been last year as
good natured and as unaffected though not quite so chatty Jane was anxious
that no difference should be perceived in her at all and was really persuaded
that she talked as much as ever But her mind was so busily engaged that she
did not always know when she was silent
When the gentlemen rose to go away Mrs Bennet was mindful of her intended
civility and they were invited and engaged to dine at Longbourn in a few days
time
»You are quite a visit in my debt Mr Bingley« she added »for when you
went to town last winter you promised to take a family dinner with us as soon
as you returned I have not forgot you see and I assure you I was very much
disappointed that you did not come back and keep your engagement«
Bingley looked a little silly at this reflection and said something of his
concern at having been prevented by business They then went away
Mrs Bennet had been strongly inclined to ask them to stay and dine there
that day but though she always kept a very good table she did not think any
thing less than two courses could be good enough for a man on whom she had
such anxious designs or satisfy the appetite and pride of one who had ten
thousand ayear
Chapter XII
As soon as they were gone Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits or in
other words to dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden
them more Mr Darcys behaviour astonished and vexed her
»Why if he came only to be silent grave and indifferent« said she »did
he come at all«
She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure
»He could be still amiable still pleasing to my uncle and aunt when he
was in town and why not to me If he fears me why come hither If he no longer
cares for me why silent Teazing teazing man I will think no more about
him«
Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of
her sister who joined her with a cheerful look which shewed her better
satisfied with their visitors than Elizabeth
»Now« said she »that this first meeting is over I feel perfectly easy I
know my own strength and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming I am
glad he dines here on Tuesday It will then be publicly seen that on both
sides we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance«
»Yes very indifferent indeed« said Elizabeth laughingly »Oh Jane take
care«
»My dear Lizzy you cannot think me so weak as to be in danger now«
»I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you
as ever«
They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday and Mrs Bennet in the
meanwhile was giving way to all the happy schemes which the good humour and
common politeness of Bingley in half an hours visit had revived
On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn and the two who
were most anxiously expected to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen
were in very good time When they repaired to the diningroom Elizabeth eagerly
watched to see whether Bingley would take the place which in all their former
parties had belonged to him by her sister Her prudent mother occupied by the
same ideas forbore to invite him to sit by herself On entering the room he
seemed to hesitate but Jane happened to look round and happened to smile it
was decided He placed himself by her
Elizabeth with a triumphant sensation looked towards his friend He bore
it with noble indifference and she would have imagined that Bingley had
received his sanction to be happy had she not seen his eyes likewise turned
towards Mr Darcy with an expression of halflaughing alarm
His behaviour to her sister was such during dinner time as shewed an
admiration of her which though more guarded than formerly persuaded
Elizabeth that if left wholly to himself Janes happiness and his own would
be speedily secured Though she dared not depend upon the consequence she yet
received pleasure from observing his behaviour It gave her all the animation
that her spirits could boast for she was in no cheerful humour Mr Darcy was
almost as far from her as the table could divide them He was on one side of
her mother She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either
or make either appear to advantage She was not near enough to hear any of their
discourse but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other and how formal
and cold was their manner whenever they did Her mothers ungraciousness made
the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeths mind and she would
at times have given any thing to be privileged to tell him that his kindness
was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family
She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing
them together that the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling
them to enter into something more of conversation than the mere ceremonious
salutation attending his entrance Anxious and uneasy the period which passed
in the drawingroom before the gentlemen came was wearisome and dull to a
degree that almost made her uncivil She looked forward to their entrance as
the point on which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend
»If he does not come to me then« said she »I shall give him up for ever«
The gentlemen came and she thought he looked as if he would have answered
her hopes but alas the ladies had crowded round the table where Miss Bennet
was making tea and Elizabeth pouring out the coffee in so close a confederacy
that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair And
on the gentlemens approaching one of the girls moved closer to her than ever
and said in a whisper
»The men shant come and part us I am determined We want none of them do
we«
Darcy had walked away to another part of the room She followed him with her
eyes envied every one to whom he spoke had scarcely patience enough to help
anybody to coffee and then was enraged against herself for being so silly
»A man who has once been refused How could I ever be foolish enough to
expect a renewal of his love Is there one among the sex who would not protest
against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman There is no
indignity so abhorrent to their feelings«
She was a little revived however by his bringing back his coffee cup
himself and she seized the opportunity of saying
»Is your sister at Pemberley still«
»Yes she will remain there till Christmas«
»And quite alone Have all her friends left her«
»Mrs Annesley is with her The others have been gone on to Scarborough
these three weeks«
She could think of nothing more to say but if he wished to converse with
her he might have better success He stood by her however for some minutes
in silence and at last on the young ladys whispering to Elizabeth again he
walked away
When the teathings were removed and the card tables placed the ladies all
rose and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him when all her views
were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mothers rapacity for whist
players and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party She now
lost every expectation of pleasure They were confined for the evening at
different tables and she had nothing to hope but that his eyes were so often
turned towards her side of the room as to make him play as unsuccessfully as
herself
Mrs Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper
but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others and she had
no opportunity of detaining them
»Well girls« said she as soon as they were left to themselves »What say
you to the day I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well I assure
you The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw The venison was roasted
to a turn and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch The soup was
fifty times better than what we had at the Lucass last week and even Mr Darcy
acknowledged that the partridges were remarkably well done and I suppose he
has two or three French cooks at least And my dear Jane I never saw you look
in greater beauty Mrs Long said so too for I asked her whether you did not
And what do you think she said besides Ah Mrs Bennet we shall have her at
Netherfield at last She did indeed I do think Mrs Long is as good a creature
as ever lived and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls and not at all
handsome I like them prodigiously«
Mrs Bennet in short was in very great spirits she had seen enough of
Bingleys behaviour to Jane to be convinced that she would get him at last and
her expectations of advantage to her family when in a happy humour were so far
beyond reason that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the
next day to make his proposals
»It has been a very agreeable day« said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth »The
party seemed so well selected so suitable one with the other I hope we may
often meet again«
Elizabeth smiled
»Lizzy you must not do so You must not suspect me It mortifies me I
assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and
sensible young man without having a wish beyond it I am perfectly satisfied
from what his manners now are that he never had any design of engaging my
affection It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address and
a stronger desire of generally pleasing than any other man«
»You are very cruel« said her sister »you will not let me smile and are
provoking me to it every moment«
»How hard it is in some cases to be believed«
»And how impossible in others«
»But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I
acknowledge«
»That is a question which I hardly know how to answer We all love to
instruct though we can teach only what is not worth knowing Forgive me and if
you persist in indifference do not make me your confidante«
Chapter XIII
A few days after this visit Mr Bingley called again and alone His friend had
left him that morning for London but was to return home in ten days time He
sat with them above an hour and was in remarkably good spirits Mrs Bennet
invited him to dine with them but with many expressions of concern he
confessed himself engaged elsewhere
»Next time you call« said she »I hope we shall be more lucky«
He should be particularly happy at any time etc etc and if she would
give him leave would take an early opportunity of waiting on them
»Can you come tomorrow«
Yes he had no engagement at all for tomorrow and her invitation was
accepted with alacrity
He came and in such very good time that the ladies were none of them
dressed In ran Mrs Bennet to her daughters room in her dressing gown and
with her hair half finished crying out
»My dear Jane make haste and hurry down He is come Mr Bingley is come
He is indeed Make haste make haste Here Sarah come to Miss Bennet this
moment and help her on with her gown Never mind Miss Lizzys hair«
»We will be down as soon as we can« said Jane »but I dare say Kitty is
forwarder than either of us for she went up stairs half an hour ago«
»Oh hang Kitty what has she to do with it Come be quick be quick where
is your sash my dear«
But when her mother was gone Jane would not be prevailed on to go down
without one of her sisters
The same anxiety to get them by themselves was visible again in the
evening After tea Mr Bennet retired to the library as was his custom and
Mary went up stairs to her instrument Two obstacles of the five being thus
removed Mrs Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Catherine for a
considerable time without making any impression on them Elizabeth would not
observe her and when at last Kitty did she very innocently said »What is the
matter mamma What do you keep winking at me for What am I to do«
»Nothing child nothing I did not wink at you« She then sat still five
minutes longer but unable to waste such a precious occasion she suddenly got
up and saying to Kitty
»Come here my love I want to speak to you« took her out of the room Jane
instantly gave a look at Elizabeth which spoke her distress at such
premeditation and her intreaty that she would not give into it In a few
minutes Mrs Bennet half opened the door and called out
»Lizzy my dear I want to speak with you«
Elizabeth was forced to go
»We may as well leave them by themselves you know« said her mother as soon
as she was in the hall »Kitty and I are going upstairs to sit in my dressing
room«
Elizabeth made no attempt to reason with her mother but remained quietly in
the hall till she and Kitty were out of sight then returned into the drawing
room
Mrs Bennets schemes for this day were ineffectual Bingley was every thing
that was charming except the professed lover of her daughter His ease and
cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party and
he bore with the illjudged officiousness of the mother and heard all her silly
remarks with a forbearance and command of countenance particularly grateful to
the daughter
He scarcely needed an invitation to stay supper and before he went away an
engagement was formed chiefly through his own and Mrs Bennets means for his
coming next morning to shoot with her husband
After this day Jane said no more of her indifference Not a word passed
between the sisters concerning Bingley but Elizabeth went to bed in the happy
belief that all must speedily be concluded unless Mr Darcy returned within the
stated time Seriously however she felt tolerably persuaded that all this must
have taken place with that gentlemans concurrence
Bingley was punctual to his appointment and he and Mr Bennet spent the
morning together as had been agreed on The latter was much more agreeable than
his companion expected There was nothing of presumption or folly in Bingley
that could provoke his ridicule or disgust him into silence and he was more
communicative and less eccentric than the other had ever seen him Bingley of
course returned with him to dinner and in the evening Mrs Bennets invention
was again at work to get every body away from him and her daughter Elizabeth
who had a letter to write went into the breakfast room for that purpose soon
after tea for as the others were all going to sit down to cards she could not
be wanted to counteract her mothers schemes
But on returning to the drawing room when her letter was finished she saw
to her infinite surprise there was reason to fear that her mother had been too
ingenious for her On opening the door she perceived her sister and Bingley
standing together over the hearth as if engaged in earnest conversation and
had this led to no suspicion the faces of both as they hastily turned round
and moved away from each other would have told it all Their situation was
awkward enough but hers she thought was still worse Not a syllable was
uttered by either and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again when
Bingley who as well as the other had sat down suddenly rose and whispering a
few words to her sister ran out of the room
Jane could have no reserves from Elizabeth where confidence would give
pleasure and instantly embracing her acknowledged with the liveliest emotion
that she was the happiest creature in the world
»Tis too much« she added »by far too much I do not deserve it Oh why
is not every body as happy«
Elizabeths congratulations were given with a sincerity a warmth a
delight which words could but poorly express Every sentence of kindness was a
fresh source of happiness to Jane But she would not allow herself to stay with
her sister or say half that remained to be said for the present
»I must go instantly to my mother« she cried »I would not on any account
trifle with her affectionate solicitude or allow her to hear it from any one
but myself He is gone to my father already Oh Lizzy to know that what I have
to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family how shall I bear so
much happiness«
She then hastened away to her mother who had purposely broken up the card
party and was sitting up stairs with Kitty
Elizabeth who was left by herself now smiled at the rapidity and ease with
which an affair was finally settled that had given them so many previous months
of suspense and vexation
»And this« said she »is the end of all his friends anxious
circumspection of all his sisters falsehood and contrivance the happiest
wisest most reasonable end«
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley whose conference with her father
had been short and to the purpose
»Where is your sister« said he hastily as he opened the door
»With my mother up stairs She will be down in a moment I dare say«
He then shut the door and coming up to her claimed the good wishes and
affection of a sister Elizabeth honestly and heartily expressed her delight in
the prospect of their relationship They shook hands with great cordiality and
then till her sister came down she had to listen to all he had to say of his
own happiness and of Janes perfections and in spite of his being a lover
Elizabeth really believed all his expectations of felicity to be rationally
founded because they had for basis the excellent understanding and
superexcellent disposition of Jane and a general similarity of feeling and
taste between her and himself
It was an evening of no common delight to them all the satisfaction of Miss
Bennets mind gave a glow of such sweet animation to her face as made her look
handsomer than ever Kitty simpered and smiled and hoped her turn was coming
soon Mrs Bennet could not give her consent or speak her approbation in terms
warm enough to satisfy her feelings though she talked to Bingley of nothing
else for half an hour and when Mr Bennet joined them at supper his voice and
manner plainly shewed how really happy he was
Not a word however passed his lips in allusion to it till their visitor
took his leave for the night but as soon as he was gone he turned to his
daughter and said
»Jane I congratulate you You will be a very happy woman«
Jane went to him instantly kissed him and thanked him for his goodness
»You are a good girl« he replied »and I have great pleasure in thinking
you will be so happily settled I have not a doubt of your doing very well
together Your tempers are by no means unlike You are each of you so complying
that nothing will ever be resolved on so easy that every servant will cheat
you and so generous that you will always exceed your income«
»I hope not so Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be
unpardonable in me«
»Exceed their income My dear Mr Bennet« cried his wife »what are you
talking of Why he has four or five thousand ayear and very likely more«
Then addressing her daughter »Oh my dear dear Jane I am so happy I am sure
I shant get a wink of sleep all night I knew how it would be I always said it
must be so at last I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing I
remember as soon as ever I saw him when he first came into Hertfordshire last
year I thought how likely it was that you should come together Oh he is the
handsomest young man that ever was seen«
Wickham Lydia were all forgotten Jane was beyond competition her
favourite child At that moment she cared for no other Her younger sisters
soon began to make interest with her for objects of happiness which she might in
future be able to dispense
Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield and Kitty begged
very hard for a few balls there every winter
Bingley from this time was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn coming
frequently before breakfast and always remaining till after supper unless when
some barbarous neighbour who could not be enough detested had given him an
invitation to dinner which he thought himself obliged to accept
Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister for
while he was present Jane had no attention to bestow on any one else but she
found herself considerably useful to both of them in those hours of separation
that must sometimes occur In the absence of Jane he always attached himself to
Elizabeth for the pleasure of talking of her and when Bingley was gone Jane
constantly sought the same means of relief
»He has made me so happy« said she one evening »by telling me that he
was totally ignorant of my being in town last spring I had not believed it
possible«
»I suspected as much« replied Elizabeth »But how did he account for it«
»It must have been his sisters doing They were certainly no friends to his
acquaintance with me which I cannot wonder at since he might have chosen so
much more advantageously in many respects But when they see as I trust they
will that their brother is happy with me they will learn to be contented and
we shall be on good terms again though we can never be what we once were to
each other«
»That is the most unforgiving speech« said Elizabeth »that I ever heard
you utter Good girl It would vex me indeed to see you again the dupe of Miss
Bingleys pretended regard«
»Would you believe it Lizzy that when he went to town last November he
really loved me and nothing but a persuasion of my being indifferent would
have prevented his coming down again«
»He made a little mistake to be sure but it is to the credit of his
modesty«
This naturally introduced a panegyric from Jane on his diffidence and the
little value he put on his own good qualities
Elizabeth was pleased to find that he had not betrayed the interference of
his friend for though Jane had the most generous and forgiving heart in the
world she knew it was a circumstance which must prejudice her against him
»I am certainly the most fortunate creature that ever existed« cried Jane
»Oh Lizzy why am I thus singled from my family and blessed above them all If
I could but see you as happy If there were but such another man for you«
»If you were to give me forty such men I never could be so happy as you
Till I have your disposition your goodness I never can have your happiness
No no let me shift for myself and perhaps if I have very good luck I may
meet with another Mr Collins in time«
The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be long a secret
Mrs Bennet was privileged to whisper it to Mrs Philips and she ventured
without any permission to do the same by all her neighbours in Meryton
The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world
though only a few weeks before when Lydia had first run away they had been
generally proved to be marked out for misfortune
Chapter XIV
One morning about a week after Bingleys engagement with Jane had been formed
as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining room
their attention was suddenly drawn to the window by the sound of a carriage
and they perceived a chaise and four driving up the lawn It was too early in
the morning for visitors and besides the equipage did not answer to that of
any of their neighbours The horses were post and neither the carriage nor the
livery of the servant who preceded it were familiar to them As it was certain
however that somebody was coming Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to
avoid the confinement of such an intrusion and walk away with him into the
shrubbery They both set off and the conjectures of the remaining three
continued though with little satisfaction till the door was thrown open and
their visitor entered It was lady Catherine de Bourgh
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
She entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious made no other
reply to Elizabeths 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 ladyships entrance though no request of introduction had been made
Mrs Bennet all amazement though flattered by having a guest of such high
importance received her with the utmost politeness After sitting for a moment
in silence she said very stiffly to Elizabeth
»I hope you are well Miss Bennet That lady I suppose is your mother«
Elizabeth replied very concisely that she was
»And that I suppose is one of your sisters«
»Yes madam« said Mrs Bennet delighted to speak to a 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«
»You have a very small park here« returned lady Catherine after a short
silence
»It is nothing in comparison of Rosings my lady I dare say but I assure
you it is much larger than Sir William Lucass«
»This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening in summer
the windows are full west«
Mrs Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner and then
added
»May I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr and
Mrs Collins well«
»Yes very well I saw them the night before last«
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 any thing and then rising up said to Elizabeth
»Miss Bennet there seemed to be a prettyish kind of a little wilderness on
one side of your lawn I should be glad to take a turn in it if you will favour
me with your company«
»Go my dear« cried her mother »and shew her ladyship about the different
walks I think she will be pleased with the hermitage«
Elizabeth obeyed and running into her own room for her parasol attended
her noble guest down stairs As they passed through the hall Lady Catherine
opened the doors into the diningparlour and drawingroom and pronouncing them
after a short survey to be decent looking rooms walked on
Her carriage remained at the door and Elizabeth saw that her waitingwoman
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
»How could I ever think her like her nephew« said she as she looked in her
face
As soon as they entered the copse Lady Catherine began in the following
manner
»You can be at no loss Miss Bennet to understand the reason of my journey
hither Your own heart your own conscience must tell you why I come«
Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment
»Indeed you are mistaken Madam I have not been at all able to account for
the honour of seeing you here«
»Miss Bennet« replied her ladyship in an angry tone »you ought to know
that I am not to be trifled with But however insincere you may choose to be
you shall not find me so My character has ever been celebrated for its
sincerity and frankness and in a cause of such moment as this I shall
certainly not depart from it A report of a most alarming nature reached me two
days ago I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most
advantageously married but that you that Miss Elizabeth Bennet would in all
likelihood be soon afterwards united to my nephew my own nephew Mr Darcy
Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood though I would not injure him
so much as to suppose the truth of it possible I instantly resolved on setting
off for this place that I might make my sentiments known to you«
»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«
»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«
»I never heard that it was«
»And can you likewise declare that there is no foundation for it«
»I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship You may ask
questions which I shall not choose to answer«
»This is not to be borne Miss Bennet I insist on being satisfied Has he
has my nephew made you an offer of marriage«
»Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible«
»It ought to be so it must be so while he retains the use of his reason
But your arts and allurements may in a moment of infatuation have made him
forget what he owes to himself and to all his family You may have drawn him
in«
»If I have I shall be the last person to confess it«
»Miss Bennet do you know who I am I have not been accustomed to such
language as this I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world and am
entitled to know all his dearest concerns«
»But you are not entitled to know mine nor will such behaviour as this
ever induce me to be explicit«
»Let me be rightly understood This match to which you have the presumption
to aspire can never take place No never Mr Darcy is engaged to my daughter
Now what have you to say«
»Only this that if he is so you can have no reason to suppose he will make
an offer to me«
Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment and then replied
»The engagement between them is of a peculiar kind From their infancy they
have been intended for each other It was the favourite wish of his mother as
well as of hers While in their cradles we planned the union and now at the
moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished in their marriage
to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth of no importance in the
world and wholly unallied to the family Do you pay no regard to the wishes of
his friends To his tacit engagement with Miss De Bourgh Are you lost to every
feeling of propriety and delicacy Have you not heard me say that from his
earliest hours he was destined for his cousin«
»Yes and I had heard it before But what is that to me If there is no
other objection to my marrying your nephew I shall certainly not be kept from
it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss De Bourgh You
both did as much as you could in planning the marriage Its completion depended
on others If Mr Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his
cousin why is not he to make another choice And if I am that choice why may
not I accept him«
»Because honour decorum prudence nay interest forbid it Yes Miss
Bennet interest for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends if
you wilfully act against the inclinations of all You will be censured
slighted and despised by every one connected with him Your alliance will be a
disgrace your name will never even be mentioned by any of us«
»These are heavy misfortunes« replied Elizabeth »But the wife of Mr Darcy
must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her
situation that she could upon the whole have no cause to repine«
»Obstinate headstrong girl I am ashamed of you Is this your gratitude for
my attentions to you last spring Is nothing due to me on that score
Let us sit down You are to understand Miss Bennet that I came here with
the determined resolution of carrying my purpose nor will I be dissuaded from
it I have not been used to submit to any persons whims I have not been in the
habit of brooking disappointment«
»That will make your ladyships situation at present more pitiable but it
will have no effect on me«
»I will not be interrupted Hear me in silence My daughter and my nephew
are formed for each other They are descended on the maternal side from the
same noble line and on the fathers from respectable honourable and
ancient though untitled families Their fortune on both sides is splendid They
are destined for each other by the voice of every member of their respective
houses and what is to divide them The upstart pretensions of a young woman
without family connections or fortune Is this to be endured But it must not
shall not be If you were sensible of your own good you would not wish to quit
the sphere in which you have been brought up«
»In marrying your nephew I should not consider myself as quitting that
sphere He is a gentleman I am a gentlemans daughter so far we are equal«
»True You are a gentlemans daughter But who was your mother Who are your
uncles and aunts Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition«
»Whatever my connections may be« said Elizabeth »if your nephew does not
object to them they can be nothing to you«
»Tell me once for all are you engaged to him«
Though Elizabeth would not for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine
have answered this question she could not but say after a moments
deliberation
»I am not«
Lady Catherine seemed pleased
»And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement«
»I will make no promise of the kind«
»Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished I expected to find a more
reasonable young woman But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will
ever recede I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I
require«
»And I certainly never shall give it I am not to be intimidated into
anything so wholly unreasonable Your ladyship wants Mr Darcy to marry your
daughter but would my giving you the wishedfor promise make their marriage at
all more probable Supposing him to be attached to me would my refusing to
accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin Allow me to say Lady
Catherine that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary
application have been as frivolous as the application was illjudged You have
widely mistaken my character if you think I can be worked on by such
persuasions as these How far your nephew might approve of your interference in
his affairs I cannot tell but you have certainly no right to concern yourself
in mine I must beg therefore to be importuned no farther on the subject«
»Not so hasty if you please I have by no means done To all the objections
I have already urged I have still another to add I am no stranger to the
particulars of your youngest sisters infamous elopement I know it all that
the young mans marrying her was a patchedup business at the expence of your
father and uncles And is such a girl to be my nephews sister Is her husband
is the son of his late fathers steward to be his brother Heaven and earth
of what are you thinking Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted«
»You can now have nothing farther to say« she resentfully answered »You
have insulted me in every possible method I must beg to return to the house«
And she rose as she spoke Lady Catherine rose also and they turned back
Her ladyship was highly incensed
»You have no regard then for the honour and credit of my nephew
Unfeeling selfish girl Do you not consider that a connection with you must
disgrace him in the eyes of everybody«
»Lady Catherine I have nothing farther to say You know my sentiments«
»You are then resolved to have him«
»I have said no such thing I am only resolved to act in that manner which
will in my own opinion constitute my happiness without reference to you or
to any person so wholly unconnected with me«
»It is well You refuse then to oblige me You refuse to obey the claims
of duty honour and gratitude You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of
all his friends and make him the contempt of the world«
»Neither duty nor honour nor gratitude« replied Elizabeth »have any
possible claim on me in the present instance No principle of either would be
violated by my marriage with Mr Darcy And with regard to the resentment of his
family or the indignation of the world if the former were excited by his
marrying me it would not give me one moments concern and the world in
general would have too much sense to join in the scorn«
»And this is your real opinion This is your final resolve Very well I
shall now know how to act Do not imagine Miss Bennet that your ambition will
ever be gratified I came to try you I hoped to find you reasonable but depend
upon it I will carry my point«
In this manner Lady Catherine talked on till they were at the door of the
carriage when turning hastily round she added
»I take no leave of you Miss Bennet I send no compliments to your mother
You deserve no such attention I am most seriously displeased«
Elizabeth made no answer and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to
return into the house walked quietly into it herself She heard the carriage
drive away as she proceeded up stairs Her mother impatiently met her at the
door of the dressingroom to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and
rest herself
»She did not choose it« said her daughter »she would go«
»She is a very finelooking woman and her calling here was prodigiously
civil for she only came I suppose to tell us the Collinses were well She is
on her road somewhere I dare say and so passing through Meryton thought she
might as well call on you I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you
Lizzy«
Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here for to
acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible
Chapter XV
The discomposure of spirits which this extraordinary visit threw Elizabeth
into could not be easily overcome nor could she for many hours learn to think
of it less than incessantly Lady Catherine it appeared had actually taken the
trouble of this journey from Rosings for the sole purpose of breaking off her
supposed engagement with Mr Darcy It was a rational scheme to be sure but
from what the report of their engagement could originate Elizabeth was at a
loss to imagine till she recollected that his being the intimate friend of
Bingley and her being the sister of Jane was enough at a time when the
expectation of one wedding made every body eager for another to supply the
idea She had not herself forgotten to feel that the marriage of her sister must
bring them more frequently together And her neighbours at Lucas lodge
therefore for through their communication with the Collinses the report she
concluded had reached lady Catherine had only set that down as almost certain
and immediate which she had looked forward to as possible at some future time
In revolving lady Catherines expressions however she could not help
feeling some uneasiness as to the possible consequence of her persisting in this
interference From what she had said of her resolution to prevent their
marriage it occurred to Elizabeth that she must meditate an application to her
nephew and how he might take a similar representation of the evils attached to
a connection with her she dared not pronounce She knew not the exact degree of
his affection for his aunt or his dependence on her judgment but it was
natural to suppose that he thought much higher of her ladyship than she could
do and it was certain that in enumerating the miseries of a marriage with one
whose immediate connections were so unequal to his own his aunt would address
him on his weakest side With his notions of dignity he would probably feel
that the arguments which to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous
contained much good sense and solid reasoning
If he had been wavering before as to what he should do which had often
seemed likely the advice and intreaty of so near a relation might settle every
doubt and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could
make him In that case he would return no more Lady Catherine might see him in
her way through town and his engagement to Bingley of coming again to
Netherfield must give way
»If therefore an excuse for not keeping his promise should come to his
friend within a few days« she added »I shall know how to understand it I
shall then give over every expectation every wish of his constancy If he is
satisfied with only regretting me when he might have obtained my affections and
hand I shall soon cease to regret him at all«
The surprise of the rest of the family on hearing who their visitor had been
was very great but they obligingly satisfied it with the same kind of
supposition which had appeased Mrs Bennets curiosity and Elizabeth was
spared from much teazing on the subject
The next morning as she was going down stairs she was met by her father
who came out of his library with a letter in his hand
»Lizzy« said he »I was going to look for you come into my room«
She followed him thither and her curiosity to know what he had to tell her
was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner connected with the
letter he held It suddenly struck her that it might be from lady Catherine and
she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explanations
She followed her father to the fire place and they both sat down He then
said
»I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me exceedingly
As it principally concerns yourself you ought to know its contents I did not
know before that I had two daughters on the brink of matrimony Let me
congratulate you on a very important conquest«
The colour now rushed into Elizabeths cheeks in the instantaneous
conviction of its being a letter from the nephew instead of the aunt and she
was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all or
offended that his letter was not rather addressed to herself when her father
continued
»You look conscious Young ladies have great penetration in such matters as
these but I think I may defy even your sagacity to discover the name of your
admirer This letter is from Mr Collins«
»From Mr Collins and what can he have to say«
»Something very much to the purpose of course He begins with
congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter of which it
seems he has been told by some of the goodnatured gossiping Lucases I shall
not sport with your impatience by reading what he says on that point What
relates to yourself is as follows Having thus offered you the sincere
congratulations of Mrs Collins and myself on this happy event let me now add a
short hint on the subject of another of which we have been advertised by the
same authority Your daughter Elizabeth it is presumed will not long bear the
name of Bennet after her elder sister has resigned it and the chosen partner
of her fate may be reasonably looked up to as one of the most illustrious
personages in this land«
»Can you possibly guess Lizzy who is meant by this« »This young gentleman
is blessed in a peculiar way with every thing the heart of mortal can most
desire splendid property noble kindred and extensive patronage Yet in
spite of all these temptations let me warn my cousin Elizabeth and yourself
of what evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentlemans
proposals which of course you will be inclined to take immediate advantage
of«
»Have you any idea Lizzy who this gentleman is But now it comes out«
»My motive for cautioning you is as follows We have reason to imagine that
his aunt lady Catherine de Bourgh does not look on the match with a friendly
eye«
»Mr Darcy you see is the man Now Lizzy I think I have surprised you
Could he or the Lucases have pitched on any man within the circle of our
acquaintance whose name would have given the lie more effectually to what they
related Mr Darcy who never looks at any woman but to see a blemish and who
probably never looked at you in his life It is admirable«
Elizabeth tried to join in her fathers pleasantry but could only force one
most reluctant smile Never had his wit been directed in a manner so little
agreeable to her
»Are you not diverted«
»Oh yes Pray read on«
»After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last
night she immediately with her usual condescension expressed what she felt on
the occasion when it became apparent that on the score of some family
objections on the part of my cousin she would never give her consent to what
she termed so disgraceful a match I thought it my duty to give the speediest
intelligence of this to my cousin that she and her noble admirer may be aware
of what they are about and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been
properly sanctioned« »Mr Collins moreover adds« »I am truly rejoiced that my
cousin Lydias sad business has been so well hushed up and am only concerned
that their living together before the marriage took place should be so
generally known I must not however neglect the duties of my station or
refrain from declaring my amazement at hearing that you received the young
couple into your house as soon as they were married It was an encouragement of
vice and had I been the rector of Longbourn I should very strenuously have
opposed it You ought certainly to forgive them as a christian but never to
admit them in your sight or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing«
»That is his notion of christian forgiveness The rest of his letter is only
about his dear Charlottes situation and his expectation of a young
olivebranch But Lizzy you look as if you did not enjoy it You are not going
to be Missish I hope and pretend to be affronted at an idle report For what
do we live but to make sport for our neighbours and laugh at them in our
turn«
»Oh« cried Elizabeth »I am excessively diverted But it is so strange«
»Yes that is what makes it amusing Had they fixed on any other man it
would have been nothing but his perfect indifference and your pointed dislike
make it so delightfully absurd Much as I abominate writing I would not give up
Mr Collinss correspondence for any consideration Nay when I read a letter of
his I cannot help giving him the preference even over Wickham much as I value
the impudence and hypocrisy of my soninlaw And pray Lizzy what said Lady
Catherine about this report Did she call to refuse her consent«
To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh and as it had been
asked without the least suspicion she was not distressed by his repeating it
Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her feelings appear what they
were not It was necessary to laugh when she would rather have cried Her
father had most cruelly mortified her by what he said of Mr Darcys
indifference and she could do nothing but wonder at such a want of penetration
or fear that perhaps instead of his seeing too little she might have fancied
too much
Chapter XVI
Instead of receiving any such letter of excuse from his friend as Elizabeth
half expected Mr Bingley to do he was able to bring Darcy with him to
Longbourn before many days had passed after Lady Catherines visit The
gentlemen arrived early and before Mrs Bennet had time to tell him of their
having seen his aunt of which her daughter sat in momentary dread Bingley who
wanted to be alone with Jane proposed their all walking out It was agreed to
Mrs Bennet was not in the habit of walking Mary could never spare time but
the remaining five set off together Bingley and Jane however soon allowed the
others to outstrip them They lagged behind while Elizabeth Kitty and Darcy
were to entertain each other Very little was said by either Kitty was too much
afraid of him to talk Elizabeth was secretly forming a desperate resolution
and perhaps he might be doing the same
They walked towards the Lucases because Kitty wished to call upon Maria
and as Elizabeth saw no occasion for making it a general concern when Kitty
left them she went boldly on with him alone Now was the moment for her
resolution to be executed and while her courage was high she immediately
said
»Mr Darcy I am a very selfish creature and for the sake of giving relief
to my own feelings care not how much I may be wounding yours I can no longer
help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister Ever since I
have known it I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how gratefully I
feel it Were it known to the rest of my family I should not have merely my own
gratitude to express«
»I am sorry exceedingly sorry« replied Darcy in a tone of surprise and
emotion »that you have ever been informed of what may in a mistaken light
have given you uneasiness I did not think Mrs Gardiner was so little to be
trusted«
»You must not blame my aunt Lydias thoughtlessness first betrayed to me
that you had been concerned in the matter and of course I could not rest till
I knew the particulars Let me thank you again and again in the name of all my
family for that generous compassion which induced you to take so much trouble
and bear so many mortifications for the sake of discovering them«
»If you will thank me« he replied »let it be for yourself alone That the
wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which
led me on I shall not attempt to deny But your family owe me nothing Much as
I respect them I believe I thought only of you«
Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word After a short pause her
companion added »You are too generous to trifle with me If your feelings are
still what they were last April tell me so at once My affections and wishes
are unchanged but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever«
Elizabeth feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his
situation now forced herself to speak and immediately though not very
fluently gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material
a change since the period to which he alluded as to make her receive with
gratitude and pleasure his present assurances The happiness which this reply
produced was such as he had probably never felt before and he expressed
himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can
be supposed to do Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eye she might have
seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight diffused over his face
became him but though she could not look she could listen and he told her of
feelings which in proving of what importance she was to him made his
affection every moment more valuable
They walked on without knowing in what direction There was too much to be
thought and felt and said for attention to any other objects She soon learnt
that they were indebted for their present good understanding to the efforts of
his aunt who did call on him in her return through London and there relate her
journey to Longbourn its motive and the substance of her conversation with
Elizabeth dwelling emphatically on every expression of the latter which in
her ladyships apprehension peculiarly denoted her perverseness and assurance
in the belief that such a relation must assist her endeavours to obtain that
promise from her nephew which she had refused to give But unluckily for her
ladyship its effect had been exactly contrariwise
»It taught me to hope« said he »as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to
hope before I knew enough of your disposition to be certain that had you been
absolutely irrevocably decided against me you would have acknowledged it to
Lady Catherine frankly and openly«
Elizabeth coloured and laughed as she replied »Yes you know enough of my
frankness to believe me capable of that After abusing you so abominably to your
face I could have no scruple in abusing you to all your relations«
»What did you say of me that I did not deserve For though your
accusations were illfounded formed on mistaken premises my behaviour to you
at the time had merited the severest reproof It was unpardonable I cannot
think of it without abhorrence«
»We will not quarrel for the greater share of blame annexed to that
evening« said Elizabeth »The conduct of neither if strictly examined will be
irreproachable but since then we have both I hope improved in civility«
»I cannot be so easily reconciled to myself The recollection of what I then
said of my conduct my manners my expressions during the whole of it is now
and has been many months inexpressibly painful to me Your reproof so well
applied I shall never forget had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner
Those were your words You know not you can scarcely conceive how they have
tortured me though it was some time I confess before I was reasonable
enough to allow their justice«
»I was certainly very far from expecting them to make so strong an
impression I had not the smallest idea of their being ever felt in such a way«
»I can easily believe it You thought me then devoid of every proper
feeling I am sure you did The turn of your countenance I shall never forget
as you said that I could not have addressed you in any possible way that would
induce you to accept me«
»Oh do not repeat what I then said These recollections will not do at all
I assure you that I have long been most heartily ashamed of it«
Darcy mentioned his letter »Did it« said he »did it soon make you think
better of me Did you on reading it give any credit to its contents«
She explained what its effect on her had been and how gradually all her
former prejudices had been removed
»I knew« said he »that what I wrote must give you pain but it was
necessary I hope you have destroyed the letter There was one part especially
the opening of it which I should dread your having the power of reading again
I can remember some expressions which might justly make you hate me«
»The letter shall certainly be burnt if you believe it essential to the
preservation of my regard but though we have both reason to think my opinions
not entirely unalterable they are not I hope quite so easily changed as that
implies«
»When I wrote that letter« replied Darcy »I believed myself perfectly calm
and cool but I am since convinced that it was written in a dreadful bitterness
of spirit«
»The letter perhaps began in bitterness but it did not end so The adieu
is charity itself But think no more of the letter The feelings of the person
who wrote and the person who received it are now so widely different from what
they were then that every unpleasant circumstance attending it ought to be
forgotten You must learn some of my philosophy Think only of the past as its
remembrance gives you pleasure«
»I cannot give you credit for any philosophy of the kind Your
retrospections must be so totally void of reproach that the contentment arising
from them is not of philosophy but what is much better of ignorance But with
me it is not so Painful recollections will intrude which cannot which ought
not to be repelled I have been a selfish being all my life in practice though
not in principle As a child I was taught what was right but I was not taught
to correct my temper I was given good principles but left to follow them in
pride and conceit Unfortunately an only son for many years an only child I
was spoilt by my parents who though good themselves my father particularly
all that was benevolent and amiable allowed encouraged almost taught me to
be selfish and overbearing to care for none beyond my own family circle to
think meanly of all the rest of the world to wish at least to think meanly of
their sense and worth compared with my own Such I was from eight to eight and
twenty and such I might still have been but for you dearest loveliest
Elizabeth What do I not owe you You taught me a lesson hard indeed at first
but most advantageous By you I was properly humbled I came to you without a
doubt of my reception You shewed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to
please a woman worthy of being pleased«
»Had you then persuaded yourself that I should«
»Indeed I had What will you think of my vanity I believed you to be
wishing expecting my addresses«
»My manners must have been in fault but not intentionally I assure you I
never meant to deceive you but my spirits might often lead me wrong How you
must have hated me after that evening«
»Hate you I was angry perhaps at first but my anger soon began to take a
proper direction«
»I am almost afraid of asking what you thought of me when we met at
Pemberley You blamed me for coming«
»No indeed I felt nothing but surprise«
»Your surprise could not be greater than mine in being noticed by you My
conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary politeness and I confess
that I did not expect to receive more than my due«
»My object then« replied Darcy »was to shew you by every civility in my
power that I was not so mean as to resent the past and I hoped to obtain your
forgiveness to lessen your ill opinion by letting you see that your reproofs
had been attended to How soon any other wishes introduced themselves I can
hardly tell but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you«
He then told her of Georgianas delight in her acquaintance and of her
disappointment at its sudden interruption which naturally leading to the cause
of that interruption she soon learnt that his resolution of following her from
Derbyshire in quest of her sister had been formed before he quitted the inn
and that his gravity and thoughtfulness there had arisen from no other
struggles than what such a purpose must comprehend
She expressed her gratitude again but it was too painful a subject to each
to be dwelt on farther
After walking several miles in a leisurely manner and too busy to know any
thing about it they found at last on examining their watches that it was time
to be at home
»What could become of Mr Bingley and Jane« was a wonder which introduced
the discussion of their affairs Darcy was delighted with their engagement his
friend had given him the earliest information of it
»I must ask whether you were surprised« said Elizabeth
»Not at all When I went away I felt that it would soon happen«
»That is to say you had given your permission I guessed as much« And
though he exclaimed at the term she found that it had been pretty much the
case
»On the evening before my going to London« said he »I made a confession to
him which I believe I ought to have made long ago I told him of all that had
occurred to make my former interference in his affairs absurd and impertinent
His surprise was great He had never had the slightest suspicion I told him
moreover that I believed myself mistaken in supposing as I had done that your
sister was indifferent to him and as I could easily perceive that his
attachment to her was unabated I felt no doubt of their happiness together«
Elizabeth could not help smiling at his easy manner of directing his friend
»Did you speak from your own observation« said she »when you told him that
my sister loved him or merely from my information last spring«
»From the former I had narrowly observed her during the two visits which I
had lately made her here and I was convinced of her affection«
»And your assurance of it I suppose carried immediate conviction to him«
»It did Bingley is most unaffectedly modest His diffidence had prevented
his depending on his own judgment in so anxious a case but his reliance on
mine made every thing easy I was obliged to confess one thing which for a
time and not unjustly offended him I could not allow myself to conceal that
your sister had been in town three months last winter that I had known it and
purposely kept it from him He was angry But his anger I am persuaded lasted
no longer than he remained in any doubt of your sisters sentiments He has
heartily forgiven me now«
Elizabeth longed to observe that Mr Bingley had been a most delightful
friend so easily guided that his worth was invaluable but she checked herself
She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laught at and it was rather too
early to begin In anticipating the happiness of Bingley which of course was to
be inferior only to his own he continued the conversation till they reached the
house In the hall they parted
Chapter XVII
»My dear Lizzy where can you have been walking to« was a question which
Elizabeth received from Jane as soon as she entered the room and from all the
others when they sat down to table She had only to say in reply that they had
wandered about till she was beyond her own knowledge She coloured as she
spoke but neither that nor any thing else awakened a suspicion of the truth
The evening passed quietly unmarked by any thing extraordinary The
acknowledged lovers talked and laughed the unacknowledged were silent Darcy
was not of a disposition in which happiness overflows in mirth and Elizabeth
agitated and confused rather knew that she was happy than felt herself to be
so for besides the immediate embarrassment there were other evils before her
She anticipated what would be felt in the family when her situation became
known she was aware that no one liked him but Jane and even feared that with
the others it was a dislike which not all his fortune and consequence might do
away
At night she opened her heart to Jane Though suspicion was very far from
Miss Bennets general habits she was absolutely incredulous here
»You are joking Lizzy This cannot be engaged to Mr Darcy No no you
shall not deceive me I know it to be impossible«
»This is a wretched beginning indeed My sole dependence was on you and I
am sure nobody else will believe me if you do not Yet indeed I am in
earnest I speak nothing but the truth He still loves me and we are engaged«
Jane looked at her doubtingly »Oh Lizzy it cannot be I know how much you
dislike him«
»You know nothing of the matter That is all to be forgot Perhaps I did not
always love him so well as I do now But in such cases as these a good memory
is unpardonable This is the last time I shall ever remember it myself«
Miss Bennet still looked all amazement Elizabeth again and more seriously
assured her of its truth
»Good Heaven can it be really so Yet now I must believe you« cried Jane
»My dear dear Lizzy I would I do congratulate you but are you certain
forgive the question are you quite certain that you can be happy with him«
»There can be no doubt of that It is settled between us already that we
are to be the happiest couple in the world But are you pleased Jane Shall you
like to have such a brother«
»Very very much Nothing could give either Bingley or myself more delight
But we considered it we talked of it as impossible And do you really love him
quite well enough Oh Lizzy do any thing rather than marry without affection
Are you quite sure that you feel what you ought to do«
»Oh yes You will only think I feel more than I ought to do when I tell
you all«
»What do you mean«
»Why I must confess that I love him better than I do Bingley I am afraid
you will be angry«
»My dearest sister now be be serious I want to talk very seriously Let me
know every thing that I am to know without delay Will you tell me how long you
have loved him«
»It has been coming on so gradually that I hardly know when it began But I
believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley«
Another intreaty that she would be serious however produced the desired
effect and she soon satisfied Jane by her solemn assurances of attachment When
convinced on that article Miss Bennet had nothing farther to wish
»Now I am quite happy« said she »for you will be as happy as myself I
always had a value for him Were it for nothing but his love of you I must
always have esteemed him but now as Bingleys friend and your husband there
can be only Bingley and yourself more dear to me But Lizzy you have been very
sly very reserved with me How little did you tell me of what passed at
Pemberley and Lambton I owe all that I know of it to another not to you«
Elizabeth told her the motives of her secrecy She had been unwilling to
mention Bingley and the unsettled state of her own feelings had made her
equally avoid the name of his friend But now she would no longer conceal from
her his share in Lydias marriage All was acknowledged and half the night
spent in conversation
»Good gracious« cried Mrs Bennet as she stood at a window the next morning
»if that disagreeable Mr Darcy is not coming here again with our dear Bingley
What can he mean by being so tiresome as to be always coming here I had no
notion but he would go a shooting or something or other and not disturb us
with his company What shall we do with him Lizzy you must walk out with him
again that he may not be in Bingleys way«
Elizabeth could hardly help laughing at so convenient a proposal yet was
really vexed that her mother should be always giving him such an epithet
As soon as they entered Bingley looked at her so expressively and shook
hands with such warmth as left no doubt of his good information and he soon
afterwards said aloud »Mr Bennet have you no more lanes hereabouts in which
Lizzy may lose her way again today«
»I advise Mr Darcy and Lizzy and Kitty« said Mrs Bennet »to walk to
Oakham Mount this morning It is a nice long walk and Mr Darcy has never seen
the view«
»It may do very well for the others« replied Mr Bingley »but I am sure it
will be too much for Kitty Wont it Kitty«
Kitty owned that she had rather stay at home Darcy professed a great
curiosity to see the view from the Mount and Elizabeth silently consented As
she went up stairs to get ready Mrs Bennet followed her saying
»I am quite sorry Lizzy that you should be forced to have that
disagreeable man all to yourself But I hope you will not mind it it is all for
Janes sake you know and there is no occasion for talking to him except just
now and then So do not put yourself to inconvenience«
During their walk it was resolved that Mr Bennets consent should be asked
in the course of the evening Elizabeth reserved to herself the application for
her mothers She could not determine how her mother would take it sometimes
doubting whether all his wealth and grandeur would be enough to overcome her
abhorrence of the man But whether she were violently set against the match or
violently delighted with it it was certain that her manner would be equally ill
adapted to do credit to her sense and she could no more bear that Mr Darcy
should hear the first raptures of her joy than the first vehemence of her
disapprobation
In the evening soon after Mr Bennet withdrew to the library she saw Mr Darcy
rise also and follow him and her agitation on seeing it was extreme She did
not fear her fathers opposition but he was going to be made unhappy and that
it should be through her means that she his favourite child should be
distressing him by her choice should be filling him with fears and regrets in
disposing of her was a wretched reflection and she sat in misery till Mr
Darcy appeared again when looking at him she was a little relieved by his
smile In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with
Kitty and while pretending to admire her work said in a whisper »Go to your
father he wants you in the library« She was gone directly
Her father was walking about the room looking grave and anxious »Lizzy«
said he »what are you doing Are you out of your senses to be accepting this
man Have not you always hated him«
How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more
reasonable her expressions more moderate It would have spared her from
explanations and professions which it was exceedingly awkward to give but they
were now necessary and she assured him with some confusion of her attachment
to Mr Darcy
»Or in other words you are determined to have him He is rich to be sure
and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane But will they
make you happy«
»Have you any other objection« said Elizabeth »than your belief of my
indifference«
»None at all We all know him to be a proud unpleasant sort of man but
this would be nothing if you really liked him«
»I do I do like him« she replied with tears in her eyes »I love him
Indeed he has no improper pride He is perfectly amiable You do not know what
he really is then pray do not pain me by speaking of him in such terms«
»Lizzy« said her father »I have given him my consent He is the kind of
man indeed to whom I should never dare refuse any thing which he condescended
to ask I now give it to you if you are resolved on having him But let me
advise you to think better of it I know your disposition Lizzy I know that
you could be neither happy nor respectable unless you truly esteemed your
husband unless you looked up to him as a superior Your lively talents would
place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage You could scarcely
escape discredit and misery My child let me not have the grief of seeing you
unable to respect your partner in life You know not what you are about«
Elizabeth still more affected was earnest and solemn in her reply and at
length by repeated assurances that Mr Darcy was really the object of her
choice by explaining the gradual change which her estimation of him had
undergone relating her absolute certainty that his affection was not the work
of a day but had stood the test of many months suspense and enumerating with
energy all his good qualities she did conquer her fathers incredulity and
reconcile him to the match
»Well my dear« said he when she ceased speaking »I have no more to say
If this be the case he deserves you I could not have parted with you my
Lizzy to any one less worthy«
To complete the favourable impression she then told him what Mr Darcy had
voluntarily done for Lydia He heard her with astonishment
»This is an evening of wonders indeed And so Darcy did every thing made
up the match gave the money paid the fellows debts and got him his
commission So much the better It will save me a world of trouble and economy
Had it been your uncles doing I must and would have paid him but these
violent young lovers carry every thing their own way I shall offer to pay him
tomorrow he will rant and storm about his love for you and there will be an
end of the matter«
He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before on his reading Mr
Collinss letter and after laughing at her some time allowed her at last to go
saying as she quitted the room »If any young men come for Mary or Kitty
send them in for I am quite at leisure«
Elizabeths mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight and after half
an hours quiet reflection in her own room she was able to join the others with
tolerable composure Every thing was too recent for gaiety but the evening
passed tranquilly away there was no longer any thing material to be dreaded
and the comfort of ease and familiarity would come in time
When her mother went up to her dressingroom at night she followed her and
made the important communication Its effect was most extraordinary for on
first hearing it Mrs Bennet sat quite still and unable to utter a syllable
Nor was it under many many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard
though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her
family or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them She began at length
to recover to fidget about in her chair get up sit down again wonder and
bless herself
»Good gracious Lord bless me only think dear me Mr Darcy Who would
have thought it And is it really true Oh my sweetest Lizzy how rich and how
great you will be What pinmoney what jewels what carriages you will have
Janes is nothing to it nothing at all I am so pleased so happy Such a
charming man so handsome so tall Oh my dear Lizzy pray apologise for my
having disliked him so much before I hope he will overlook it Dear dear
Lizzy A house in town Every thing that is charming Three daughters married
Ten thousand a year Oh Lord What will become of me I shall go distracted«
This was enough to prove that her approbation need not be doubted and
Elizabeth rejoicing that such an effusion was heard only by herself soon went
away But before she had been three minutes in her own room her mother followed
her
»My dearest child« she cried »I can think of nothing else Ten thousand a
year and very likely more Tis as good as a Lord And a special licence You
must and shall be married by a special licence But my dearest love tell me
what dish Mr Darcy is particularly fond of that I may have it tomorrow«
This was a sad omen of what her mothers behaviour to the gentleman himself
might be and Elizabeth found that though in the certain possession of his
warmest affection and secure of her relations consent there was still
something to be wished for But the morrow passed off much better than she
expected for Mrs Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intended soninlaw
that she ventured not to speak to him unless it was in her power to offer him
any attention or mark her deference for his opinion
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father taking pains to get
acquainted with him and Mr Bennet soon assured her that he was rising every
hour in his esteem
»I admire all my three sonsinlaw highly« said he »Wickham perhaps is
my favourite but I think I shall like your husband quite as well as Janes«
Chapter XVIII
Elizabeths spirits soon rising to playfulness again she wanted Mr Darcy to
account for his having ever fallen in love with her »How could you begin« said
she »I can comprehend your going on charmingly when you had once made a
beginning but what could set you off in the first place«
»I cannot fix on the hour or the spot or the look or the words which
laid the foundation It is too long ago I was in the middle before I knew that
I had begun«
»My beauty you had early withstood and as for my manners my behaviour to
you was at least always bordering on the uncivil and I never spoke to you
without rather wishing to give you pain than not Now be sincere did you admire
me for my impertinence«
»For the liveliness of your mind I did«
»You may as well call it impertinence at once It was very little less The
fact is that you were sick of civility of deference of officious attention
You were disgusted with the women who were always speaking and looking and
thinking for your approbation alone I roused and interested you because I was
so unlike them Had you not been really amiable you would have hated me for it
but in spite of the pains you took to disguise yourself your feelings were
always noble and just and in your heart you thoroughly despised the persons
who so assiduously courted you There I have saved you the trouble of
accounting for it and really all things considered I begin to think it
perfectly reasonable To be sure you knew no actual good of me but nobody
thinks of that when they fall in love«
»Was there no good in your affectionate behaviour to Jane while she was ill
at Netherfield«
»Dearest Jane who could have done less for her But make a virtue of it by
all means My good qualities are under your protection and you are to
exaggerate them as much as possible and in return it belongs to me to find
occasions for teazing and quarrelling with you as often as may be and I shall
begin directly by asking you what made you so unwilling to come to the point at
last What made you so shy of me when you first called and afterwards dined
here Why especially when you called did you look as if you did not care
about me«
»Because you were grave and silent and gave me no encouragement«
»But I was embarrassed«
»And so was I«
»You might have talked to me more when you came to dinner«
»A man who had felt less might«
»How unlucky that you should have a reasonable answer to give and that I
should be so reasonable as to admit it But I wonder how long you would have
gone on if you had been left to yourself I wonder when you would have spoken
if I had not asked you My resolution of thanking you for your kindness to Lydia
had certainly great effect Too much I am afraid for what becomes of the
moral if our comfort springs from a breach of promise for I ought not to have
mentioned the subject This will never do«
»You need not distress yourself The moral will be perfectly fair Lady
Catherines unjustifiable endeavours to separate us were the means of removing
all my doubts I am not indebted for my present happiness to your eager desire
of expressing your gratitude I was not in a humour to wait for any opening of
yours My aunts intelligence had given me hope and I was determined at once
to know every thing«
»Lady Catherine has been of infinite use which ought to make her happy for
she loves to be of use But tell me what did you come down to Netherfield for
Was it merely to ride to Longbourn and be embarrassed or had you intended any
more serious consequence«
»My real purpose was to see you and to judge if I could whether I might
ever hope to make you love me My avowed one or what I avowed to myself was to
see whether your sister were still partial to Bingley and if she were to make
the confession to him which I have since made«
»Shall you ever have courage to announce to Lady Catherine what is to
befall her«
»I am more likely to want time than courage Elizabeth But it ought to be
done and if you will give me a sheet of paper it shall be done directly«
»And if I had not a letter to write myself I might sit by you and admire
the evenness of your writing as another young lady once did But I have an
aunt too who must not be longer neglected«
From an unwillingness to confess how much her intimacy with Mr Darcy had
been overrated Elizabeth had never yet answered Mrs Gardiners long letter
but now having that to communicate which she knew would be most welcome she
was almost ashamed to find that her uncle and aunt had already lost three days
of happiness and immediately wrote as follows
»I would have thanked you before my dear aunt as I ought to have done
for your long kind satisfactory detail of particulars but to say the
truth I was too cross to write You supposed more than really existed
But now suppose as much as you chuse give a loose to your fancy
indulge your imagination in every possible flight which the subject will
afford and unless you believe me actually married you cannot greatly
err You must write again very soon and praise him a great deal more
than you did in your last I thank you again and again for not going
to the Lakes How could I be so silly as to wish it Your idea of the
ponies is delightful We will go round the Park every day I am the
happiest creature in the world Perhaps other people have said so
before but not one with such justice I am happier even than Jane she
only smiles I laugh Mr Darcy sends you all the love in the world
that he can spare from me You are all to come to Pemberley at
Christmas
Yours etc«
Mr Darcys letter to Lady Catherine was in a different style and still
different from either was what Mr Bennet sent to Mr Collins in reply to his
last
»Dear Sir
I must trouble you once more for congratulations Elizabeth will
soon be the wife of Mr Darcy Console Lady Catherine as well as you
can But if I were you I would stand by the nephew He has more to
give
Yours sincerely etc«
Miss Bingleys congratulations to her brother on his approaching marriage were
all that was affectionate and insincere She wrote even to Jane on the occasion
to express her delight and repeat all her former professions of regard Jane
was not deceived but she was affected and though feeling no reliance on her
could not help writing her a much kinder answer than she knew was deserved
The joy which Miss Darcy expressed on receiving similar information was as
sincere as her brothers in sending it Four sides of paper were insufficient to
contain all her delight and all her earnest desire of being loved by her
sister
Before any answer could arrive from Mr Collins or any congratulations to
Elizabeth from his wife the Longbourn family heard that the Collinses were
come themselves to Lucas lodge The reason of this sudden removal was soon
evident Lady Catherine had been rendered so exceedingly angry by the contents
of her nephews letter that Charlotte really rejoicing in the match was
anxious to get away till the storm was blown over At such a moment the arrival
of her friend was a sincere pleasure to Elizabeth though in the course of their
meetings she must sometimes think the pleasure dearly bought when she saw Mr
Darcy exposed to all the parading and obsequious civility of her husband He
bore it however with admirable calmness He could even listen to Sir William
Lucas when he complimented him on carrying away the brightest jewel of the
country and expressed his hopes of their all meeting frequently at St Jamess
with very decent composure If he did shrug his shoulders it was not till Sir
William was out of sight
Mrs Philipss vulgarity was another and perhaps a greater tax on his
forbearance and though Mrs Philips as well as her sister stood in too much
awe of him to speak with the familiarity which Bingleys good humour encouraged
yet whenever she did speak she must be vulgar Nor was her respect for him
though it made her more quiet at all likely to make her more elegant Elizabeth
did all she could to shield him from the frequent notice of either and was
ever anxious to keep him to herself and to those of her family with whom he
might converse without mortification and though the uncomfortable feelings
arising from all this took from the season of courtship much of its pleasure it
added to the hope of the future and she looked forward with delight to the time
when they should be removed from society so little pleasing to either to all
the comfort and elegance of their family party at Pemberley
Chapter XIX
Happy for all her maternal feelings was the day on which Mrs Bennet got rid of
her two most deserving daughters With what delighted pride she afterwards
visited Mrs Bingley and talked of Mrs Darcy may be guessed I wish I could
say for the sake of her family that the accomplishment of her earnest desire
in the establishment of so many of her children produced so happy an effect as
to make her a sensible amiable wellinformed woman for the rest of her life
though perhaps it was lucky for her husband who might not have relished
domestic felicity in so unusual a form that she still was occasionally nervous
and invariably silly
Mr Bennet missed his second daughter exceedingly his affection for her
drew him oftener from home than any thing else could do He delighted in going
to Pemberley especially when he was least expected
Mr Bingley and Jane remained at Netherfield only a twelvemonth So near a
vicinity to her mother and Meryton relations was not desirable even to his easy
temper or her affectionate heart The darling wish of his sisters was then
gratified he bought an estate in a neighbouring county to Derbyshire and Jane
and Elizabeth in addition to every other source of happiness were within
thirty miles of each other
Kitty to her very material advantage spent the chief of her time with her
two elder sisters In society so superior to what she had generally known her
improvement was great She was not of so ungovernable a temper as Lydia and
removed from the influence of Lydias example she became by proper attention
and management less irritable less ignorant and less insipid From the
farther disadvantage of Lydias society she was of course carefully kept and
though Mrs Wickham frequently invited her to come and stay with her with the
promise of balls and young men her father would never consent to her going
Mary was the only daughter who remained at home and she was necessarily
drawn from the pursuit of accomplishments by Mrs Bennets being quite unable to
sit alone Mary was obliged to mix more with the world but she could still
moralize over every morning visit and as she was no longer mortified by
comparisons between her sisters beauty and her own it was suspected by her
father that she submitted to the change without much reluctance
As for Wickham and Lydia their characters suffered no revolution from the
marriage of her sisters He bore with philosophy the conviction that Elizabeth
must now become acquainted with whatever of his ingratitude and falsehood had
before been unknown to her and in spite of every thing was not wholly without
hope that Darcy might yet be prevailed on to make his fortune The
congratulatory letter which Elizabeth received from Lydia on her marriage
explained to her that by his wife at least if not by himself such a hope was
cherished The letter was to this effect
»My dear Lizzy
I wish you joy If you love Mr Darcy half as well as I do my dear
Wickham you must be very happy It is a great comfort to have you so
rich and when you have nothing else to do I hope you will think of us
I am sure Wickham would like a place at court very much and I do not
think we shall have quite money enough to live upon without some help
Any place would do of about three or four hundred a year but however
do not speak to Mr Darcy about it if you had rather not
Yours etc«
As it happened that Elizabeth had much rather not she endeavoured in her answer
to put an end to every intreaty and expectation of the kind Such relief
however as it was in her power to afford by the practice of what might be
called economy in her own private expences she frequently sent them It had
always been evident to her that such an income as theirs under the direction of
two persons so extravagant in their wants and heedless of the future must be
very insufficient to their support and whenever they changed their quarters
either Jane or herself were sure of being applied to for some little assistance
towards discharging their bills Their manner of living even when the
restoration of peace dismissed them to a home was unsettled in the extreme
They were always moving from place to place in quest of a cheap situation and
always spending more than they ought His affection for her soon sunk into
indifference hers lasted a little longer and in spite of her youth and her
manners she retained all the claims to reputation which her marriage had given
her
Though Darcy could never receive him at Pemberley yet for Elizabeths
sake he assisted him farther in his profession Lydia was occasionally a
visitor there when her husband was gone to enjoy himself in London or Bath and
with the Bingleys they both of them frequently staid so long that even
Bingleys good humour was overcome and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving
them a hint to be gone
Miss Bingley was very deeply mortified by Darcys marriage but as she
thought it advisable to retain the right of visiting at Pemberley she dropt all
her resentment was fonder than ever of Georgiana almost as attentive to Darcy
as heretofore and paid off every arrear of civility to Elizabeth
Pemberley was now Georgianas home and the attachment of the sisters was
exactly what Darcy had hoped to see They were able to love each other even as
well as they intended Georgiana had the highest opinion in the world of
Elizabeth though at first she often listened with an astonishment bordering on
alarm at her lively sportive manner of talking to her brother He who had
always inspired in herself a respect which almost overcame her affection she
now saw the object of open pleasantry Her mind received knowledge which had
never before fallen in her way By Elizabeths instructions she began to
comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her husband which a brother
will not always allow in a sister more than ten years younger than himself
Lady Catherine was extremely indignant on the marriage of her nephew and as
she gave way to all the genuine frankness of her character in her reply to the
letter which announced its arrangement she sent him language so very abusive
especially of Elizabeth that for some time all intercourse was at an end But
at length by Elizabeths persuasion he was prevailed on to overlook the
offence and seek a reconciliation and after a little farther resistance on
the part of his aunt her resentment gave way either to her affection for him
or her curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself and she condescended to
wait on them at Pemberley in spite of that pollution which its woods had
received not merely from the presence of such a mistress but the visits of her
uncle and aunt from the city
With the Gardiners they were always on the most intimate terms Darcy as
well as Elizabeth really loved them and they were both ever sensible of the
warmest gratitude towards the persons who by bringing her into Derbyshire had
been the means of uniting them
Finis