Chapter 59

by Jane Austen

　　"My dear Lizzy, where can you have been walking to?" was aquestion which Elizabeth received from Jane as soon as sheentered their room, and from all the others when they sat downto table. She had only to say in reply, that they had wanderedabout, till she was beyond her own knowledge. She coloured asshe spoke; but neither that, nor any thing else, awakened asuspicion of the truth.The evening passed quietly, unmarked by any thingextraordinary. The acknowledged lovers talked and laughed, theunacknowledged were silent. Darcy was not of a disposition inwhich happiness overflows in mirth; and Elizabeth, agitated andconfused, rather knew that she was happy than felt herselfto be so; for, besides the immediate embarrassment, there wereother evils before her. She anticipated what would be felt inthe family when her situation became known; she was aware thatno one liked him but Jane; and even feared that with the othersit was a dislike which not all his fortune and consequencemight do away.At night she opened her heart to Jane. Though suspicion wasvery far from Miss Bennet's general habits, she was absolutelyincredulous here."You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be! -- engaged toMr. Darcy! No, no, you shall not deceive me. I know itto be impossible.""This is a wretched beginning indeed! My sole dependence wason you; and I am sure nobody else will believe me, if you donot. Yet, indeed, I am in earnest. I speak nothing but thetruth. 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 insuch cases as these, a good memory is unpardonable. This isthe last time I shall ever remember it myself."Miss Bennet still looked all amazement. Elizabeth again, andmore seriously assured her of its truth."Good Heaven! can it be really so! Yet now I must believeyou," cried Jane. "My dear, dear Lizzy, I would -- I docongratulate 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 usalready, that we are to be the happiest couple in the world.But are you pleased, Jane? Shall you like to have such abrother?""Very, very much. Nothing could give either Bingley ormyself more delight. But we considered it, we talked of it asimpossible. 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 todo, 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 serious. I want to talk veryseriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, withoutdelay. Will you tell me how long you have loved him?""It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when itbegan. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing hisbeautiful grounds at Pemberley."Another intreaty that she would be serious, however, producedthe desired effect; and she soon satisfied Jane by her solemnassurances of attachment. When convinced on that article, MissBennet had nothing farther to wish."Now I am quite happy," said she, "for you will be as happy asmyself. I always had a value for him. Were it for nothing buthis love of you, I must always have esteemed him; but now, asBingley's friend and your husband, there can be only Bingleyand yourself more dear to me. But Lizzy, you have been verysly, very reserved with me. How little did you tell me of whatpassed at Pemberley and Lambton! I owe all that I know of itto another, not to you."Elizabeth told her the motives of her secrecy. She had beenunwilling to mention Bingley; and the unsettled state of herown feelings had made her equally avoid the name of his friend.But now she would no longer conceal from her his share inLydia's marriage. All was acknowledged, and half the nightspent in conversation."Good gracious!" cried Mrs. Bennet, as she stood at a windowthe next morning, "if that disagreeable Mr. Darcy is not cominghere again with our dear Bingley! What can he mean by being sotiresome as to be always coming here? I had no notion but hewould go a-shooting, or something or other, and not disturb uswith his company. What shall we do with him? Lizzy, you mustwalk out with him again, that he may not be in Bingley's way."Elizabeth could hardly help laughing at so convenient aproposal; yet was really vexed that her mother should bealways 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 goodinformation; and he soon afterwards said aloud, "Mrs. Bennet,have you no more lanes hereabouts in which Lizzy may lose herway again to-day?""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; "butI am sure it will be too much for Kitty. Won't it, Kitty?"Kitty owned that she had rather stay at home. Darcy professeda great curiosity to see the view from the Mount, and Elizabethsilently 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 havethat disagreeable man all to yourself. But I hope you will notmind it: it is all for Jane's sake, you know; and there is nooccasion for talking to him, except just now and then. So, donot put yourself to inconvenience."During their walk, it was resolved that Mr. Bennet's consentshould be asked in the course of the evening. Elizabethreserved to herself the application for her mother's. Shecould not determine how her mother would take it; sometimesdoubting whether all his wealth and grandeur would be enoughto overcome her abhorrence of the man. But whether she wereviolently set against the match, or violently delighted withit, it was certain that her manner would be equally ill adaptedto do credit to her sense; and she could no more bear thatMr. Darcy should hear the first raptures of her joy, than thefirst 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 agitationon seeing it was extreme. She did not fear her father'sopposition, but he was going to be made unhappy; and that itshould be through her means -- that she, his favourite child,should be distressing him by her choice, should be filling himwith fears and regrets in disposing of her -- was a wretchedreflection, and she sat in misery till Mr. Darcy appearedagain, when, looking at him, she was a little relieved by hissmile. In a few minutes he approached the table where she wassitting with Kitty; and, while pretending to admire her worksaid in a whisper, "Go to your father, he wants you in thelibrary." She was gone directly.Her father was walking about the room, looking grave andanxious. "Lizzy," said he, "what are you doing? Are you outof your senses, to be accepting this man? Have not you alwayshated him?"How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions hadbeen more reasonable, her expressions more moderate! It wouldhave spared her from explanations and professions which it wasexceedingly awkward to give; but they were now necessary, andshe assured him, with some confusion, of her attachment toMr. Darcy."Or, in other words, you are determined to have him. He isrich, to be sure, and you may have more fine clothes and finecarriages than Jane. But will they make you happy?""Have you any other objection," said Elizabeth, "than yourbelief of my indifference?""None at all. We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sortof 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 perfectlyamiable. You do not know what he really is; then pray do notpain 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 darerefuse any thing, which he condescended to ask. I now give itto you, if you are resolved on having him. But let me adviseyou to think better of it. I know your disposition, Lizzy.I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unlessyou truly esteemed your husband; unless you looked up to himas a superior. Your lively talents would place you in thegreatest danger in an unequal marriage. You could scarcelyescape discredit and misery. My child, let me not have thegrief 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 herreply; and at length, by repeated assurances that Mr. Darcy wasreally the object of her choice, by explaining the gradualchange which her estimation of him had undergone, relating herabsolute certainty that his affection was not the work of aday, but had stood the test of many months suspense, andenumerating with energy all his good qualities, she did conquerher father's incredulity, and reconcile him to the match."Well, my dear," said he, when she ceased speaking, "I have nomore to say. If this be the case, he deserves you. I couldnot have parted with you, my Lizzy, to any one less worthy."To complete the favourable impression, she then told him whatMr. Darcy had voluntarily done for Lydia. He heard her withastonishment."This is an evening of wonders, indeed! And so, Darcy didevery thing: made up the match, gave the money, paid thefellow's debts, and got him his commission! So much thebetter. It will save me a world of trouble and economy.Had it been your uncle's doing, I must and would have paidhim; but these violent young lovers carry every thing theirown way. I shall offer to pay him to-morrow; he will rantand storm about his love for you, and there will be an endof the matter."He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before, on hisreading Mr. Collins's letter; and after laughing at her sometime, allowed her at last to go -- saying, as she quitted theroom, "If any young men come for Mary or Kitty, send them in,for I am quite at leisure."Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight;and, after half an hour's 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 passedtranquilly away; there was no longer any thing material tobe dreaded, and the comfort of ease and familiarity wouldcome in time.When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night, shefollowed her, and made the important communication. Its effectwas most extraordinary; for on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennetsat quite still, and unable to utter a syllable. Nor was itunder many, many minutes that she could comprehend what sheheard; though not in general backward to credit what was forthe advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of alover to any of them. She began at length to recover, tofidget 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 pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have!Jane's 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 himso much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy.A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Threedaughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What willbecome of me. I shall go distracted."This was enough to prove that her approbation need not bedoubted: and Elizabeth, rejoicing that such an effusion washeard only by herself, soon went away. But before she hadbeen 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 aLord! And a special licence. You must and shall be marriedby a special licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dishMr. Darcy is particularly fond of, that I may have ittomorrow."This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to thegentleman himself might be; and Elizabeth found that, though inthe certain possession of his warmest affection, and secure ofher relations' consent, there was still something to be wishedfor. But the morrow passed off much better than she expected;for Mrs. Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intendedson-in-law that she ventured not to speak to him, unless it wasin her power to offer him any attention, or mark her deferencefor his opinion.Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father takingpains to get acquainted with him; and Mr. Bennet soon assuredher that he was rising every hour in his esteem."I admire all my three sons-in-law highly," said he."Wickham, perhaps, is my favourite; but I think I shalllike your husband quite as well as Jane's."