Джейн Остин - Гордость и предубеждение / Pride and Prejudice. Great Expectations / Большие надежды

“Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. [354]You know, this marriage 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:

“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? Why can not Mr. Darcy make another choice?”

“Because honour, decorum, prudence, interest, forbid it. Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Tell me, are you engaged to him?”

Elizabeth answered:

“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. [355]”

“Miss Bennet, I am shocked and astonished. I expected to find a more reasonable young woman. I shall not go away till you give me the assurance I require.”

“And I certainly never shall give it. You can now have nothing further to say. You have insulted me in every possible method. I must return to the house.”

And she rose as she spoke. Lady Catherine rose also, and they turned back.

“Unfeeling, selfish girl!”

“Lady Catherine, I have nothing further to say. You know my sentiments.”

“And this is your final resolve! Very well. I shall now know how to act. I am most seriously displeased.”

In this manner Lady Catherine talked on, till they were at the door of the carriage.

Elizabeth, for many hours, was excited. Lady Catherine has come to break her supposed engagement with Mr. Darcy! Elizabeth did not know the exact degree of his affection for his aunt, or his dependence on her judgment.

The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who their visitor had been, was very great. The next morning, as she was going downstairs, 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.”

What is the letter he held? It suddenly struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine.

She followed her father to the fireplace, and they both sat down. He then said,

“I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me exceedingly. As it principally concerns you, you must know its contents. So, let me congratulate you on a very important conquest.”

The colour now rushed into Elizabeth’s cheeks; when her father continued:

“You look conscious. This letter is from Mr. Collins.”

“From Mr. Collins! and what can he have to say?”

“He writes that everybody is talking about you and Mr. Darcy. But, Lizzy, what did Lady Catherine say about this? Is she satisfied? I suppose not.”

To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh.

Soon after Lady Catherine’s visit Bingley brought Darcy with him to Longbourn. The gentlemen arrived early.

Now was the moment for Elizabeth’s words, and, when her courage was high, she immediately said:

“Mr. Darcy, I thank you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister.”

“I am sorry, exceedingly sorry,” replied Darcy, in a tone of surprise and emotion, “that you have been informed of this. I did not think Mrs. Gardiner was so little to be trusted.”

“You must not blame my aunt. Lydia was the first to reveal your secret. Let me thank you again and again, in the name of all my family.”

“If you will thank me,” he replied, “let it be for yourself alone. Your family owe me nothing. I thought only of you .”

Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, “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 could not hide her happiness. They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said. Darcy’s aunt told him about Elizabeth’s behaviour. But, unluckily for her ladyship, its effect had been exactly contrariwise.

“It gave me the hope,” said he.

Elizabeth coloured and laughed.

After walking several miles in a leisurely manner, they found at last, on examining their watches, that it was time to be at home.

“Where are Mr. Bingley and Jane?” asked Elizabeth.

Darcy was delighted with their engagement; his friend had given him the earliest information of it.

“You were surprised, were not you?” said Elizabeth.

“Not at all. When I went away, I felt that it would soon happen. On the evening before my going to London, I talked to him. I told him how I wanted to break his connection with Jane. His surprise was great. He had never had the slightest suspicion. I told him, moreover, that I believed, that your sister was indifferent to him. Bingley is very modest. After our conversation, he rushed to Jane. He was angry. But his anger, I am sure, lasted not long. He has heartily forgiven me now.”

Elizabeth observed that Mr. Bingley had been a good friend.

The evening passed quietly. The lovers talked and laughed. At night Elizabeth opened her heart to Jane.

“You are joking, Lizzy. This cannot be! – engaged to Mr. Darcy! No, no, you shall not deceive me. I know it to be impossible.”

“I am sure nobody else will believe me, if you do not. Yet, indeed, it is true. I speak nothing but the truth. He still loves me, and we are engaged.”

Jane looked at her. “Oh, Lizzy! it cannot be. I know how much you dislike him.”

“You know nothing of the matter. Perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now. But in such cases as these, a good memory is unpardonable.”

Miss Bennet still looked all amazement.

“Good Heaven! can it be really so! Yet now I must believe you,” cried Jane. “My dear, dear Lizzy, I congratulate you – but are you certain? Are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?”

“There can be no doubt of that. Yes, we are 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. And do you really love him quite well enough?”

“Oh, yes! Very much!”

Next evening, soon after Mr. Bennet withdrew to the library, she saw Mr. Darcy rise also and follow him. Then Mr. Darcy appeared again, and Elizabeth, looking at him, was a little relieved by his smile. In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty; and said in a whisper, “Go to your father, he wants you in the library.”

Her father was walking about the room. “Lizzy,” said he, “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 was very proud. But, indeed, he is perfectly amiable. You do not know what he really is.”

“Lizzy,” said her father, “I have given him my consent. I now give it to you . I have no more to say. He deserves you.”

Elizabeth then told him what Mr. Darcy had done for Lydia. He heard her with astonishment.

“This is an evening of wonders, indeed! So much the better. It will save me a world of trouble and economy. I shall offer to pay him tomorrow; he will tell about his love for you, and there will be an end of the matter. [356]”