Войти в систему
Войти с помощью соц. сетей:
When Mr. Darcy gave Elizabeth the letter, she had formed no expectation at all of its contents. But she read with eagerness. Mr. Darcy expressed no regret for what he had done; his style was not penitent, but haughty. It was all pride and insolence.
When she was reading about Mr. Wickham, she wished to discredit it entirely, repeatedly exclaiming, “This must be false! This cannot be! This must be the grossest falsehood!”
She put down the letter, weighed every circumstance – but with little success. Again she read on; but every line told her that she was wrong about Mr. Wickham. His countenance, voice, and manner had established him at once in the possession of every virtue. She perfectly remembered everything that had passed in conversation between Wickham and herself, in their first evening at Mr. Phillips’s. Many of his expressions were still fresh in her memory.
How differently did everything now appear in which he was concerned! She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd.
“How despicably I have acted!” she cried; “I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! Till this moment I never knew myself.”
She could not deny the justice of his description of Jane. She felt that Jane’s feelings were little displayed.
After wandering along the lane for two hours, giving way to every variety of thought – re-considering events, determining probabilities, and reconciling herself, she entered the house with the wish of appearing cheerful as usual.
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. Elizabeth could think only of her letter.
The two gentlemen left Rosings the next morning, and Mr. Collins hastened to console Lady Catherine and her daughter.
Elizabeth looked at Lady Catherine and thought that she might be her future niece. “What would she have said? how would she have behaved?” were questions with which she amused herself.
“I assure you, no one feels the loss of friends so much as I do,” said Lady Catherine; “I am particularly attached to these young men, and I know how they are attached to me! They were excessively sorry to go!”
Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemed out of spirits. So she said:
“You must write to your mother and 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, I expected you to stay two months. I told Mrs. Collins so before you came. There can be no need for your going so soon.”
“But my father wrote last week to hurry my return. You are all kindness, madam; but I believe I must return home.”
Lady Catherine said, “Mrs. Collins, you must send a servant with them. I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody. 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. I am excessively attentive to all those things. You must send John with the young ladies, Mrs. Collins.”
“My uncle will send a servant for us.”
“Oh! Your uncle! He keeps a man-servant, does he? I am very glad you have somebody who thinks of these things. Where shall you change horses? Oh! Bromley, of course.”
Lady Catherine had many other questions to ask concerning their journey, and as she did not answer them all herself, attention was necessary.
Elizabeth studied every sentence of Mr. Darcy’s letter; and her feelings towards its writer were at times widely different. His attachment deserved gratitude, his general character respect; but she could not approve him. In her own past behaviour, there was a constant source of vexation and regret.
Anxiety on Jane’s behalf was another concern. How grievous was her fate!
When to these recollections was added the development of Wickham’s character, it may be easily understood that the happy spirits which had seldom been depressed before, were now so alarming.
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 held out her hand to both.
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.
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 great pleasure to hear that you have passed your time not disagreeably. We have certainly done our best. You may, in fact, carry a very favourable report of us into Hertfordshire, my dear cousin.”
Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness to meet them here. Poor Charlotte! it was melancholy to leave her to such society! But she had chosen it with her eyes open; and 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.
“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 added privately, “And how much I shall have to conceal!”
Their journey was performed without much conversation; and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford they reached Mr. Gardiner’s house, where they were to remain a few days.
Jane looked well, and Elizabeth had little opportunity of studying her spirits. But Jane was to go home with her, and at Longbourn there would be time enough for observation.
After welcoming their sisters, Kitty and Lydia triumphantly displayed a table set out with cold meat, “Is not this nice? Is not this an agreeable surprise?”
“Look here, I have bought this bonnet.” added Lydia. “I do not think it is very pretty; but I decided to buy it anyway. I shall pull it to pieces as soon as I get home, and see if I can make it better. You know, the officers are going to leave Meryton in a fortnight.”
“Are they indeed!” cried Elizabeth, with the greatest satisfaction.
“They are going to Brighton; and I do so want papa to take us all there for the summer! It would be such a delicious plan; and I dare say would not cost anything at all. Only think what a miserable summer else we shall have!”
“Now I have got some news for you,” said Lydia, as they sat down at table. “What do you think? It is excellent news – capital news – and about a certain person we all like!”
Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other, and the waiter was told he need not stay. Lydia laughed, and said:
“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, it is about dear Wickham. There is no danger of Wickham’s marrying Mary King. She is gone down to her uncle at Liverpool: gone to stay. Wickham is safe.”
“And Mary King is safe, too!” added Elizabeth.
“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 glad I bought my bonnet,” cried Lydia. “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 an old maid soon, I declare. She is almost twenty-three!”
Mrs. Bennet rejoiced to see Jane; 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 dining-room was large, for almost all the Lucases came to meet Maria and hear the news. Lydia seldom listened to anybody for more than half a minute.
In the afternoon Lydia was urgent with the rest of the girls to walk to Meryton, and to see how everybody went on; but Elizabeth steadily opposed the plan. Miss Bennet dreaded seeing Mr. Wickham again, and was resolved to avoid it as long as possible.
Elizabeth’s impatience to acquaint Jane with what had happened could no longer be overcome; and she related to her the next morning the scene between Mr. Darcy and herself.
“His sureness of succeeding was wrong,” said she, “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 will know it, when I tell you what happened the very next day.”
She then spoke of the letter, repeating the whole of its contents. What a stroke was this for poor Jane! It was some time, however, before Jane could smile.
“I do not know when I was more shocked,” said she. “Wickham is so bad! Poor Mr. Darcy! Dear Lizzy, only consider what he must have suffered. Such a disappointment! And poor Wickham! there is such an expression of goodness in his countenance! such an openness and gentleness in his manner! 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 may say unhappy. And there was no Jane to comfort me! Oh! how I wanted you!”
Elizabeth became calm. She had got rid of two of the secrets which had troubled her for a long time. But she noticed that Jane was not happy. She still loved Bingley.
“Well, Lizzy,” said Mrs. Bennet one day, “what is your opinion now of this sad business of Jane’s? For my part, I am determined never to speak of it again to anybody. Well, he is a very undeserving young man. There is no talk of his coming to Netherfield again in the summer; and I have inquired of everybody, too, who is likely to know.”
“I do not believe he will ever live at Netherfield any more.”
“Oh well! it is just as he chooses. Nobody wants him to come.”
Elizabeth 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. Yes, yes. They will take care not to outrun their income. They will never be distressed for money. And so, I suppose, they often talk of having Longbourn when your father is dead. I say, whenever that happens.”
“It was a subject which they could not mention before me.”
“I make no doubt they often talk of it between themselves.”
Войти с помощью соц. сетей: