Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 37

The next morning, Mrs. Collins and Maria went to the village for business. Elizabeth was sitting alone in the house writing to Jane when she was startled by the ringing of the doorbell. It was obvious that someone had visited.As she did not hear the carriage, she thought it might be Lady Catherine, and she put away the unfinished letter, lest the lady see it and make further inquiries.At this moment the door opened, and Mr. Darcy, to her surprise, entered the room, and Mr. Darcy alone.

Mr. Darcy, too, looked surprised at seeing her alone, and hastily apologized for his intrusion, and explained to her that he had thought his wife and her sister were also there.

Then they both sat down, and after Elizabeth asked him a few words about Rosings, both seemed to feel that they were about to fall into an awkward silence.So she had to think of something to talk about, and she was quick to think, remembering the last time she saw him in Hertfordshire, and she wondered what he would say about their hasty departure, so she spoke. road:

"How quickly and hastily you left Netherfield last November, Mr. Darcy! Mr. Bingley was in London and saw you all going back after him so soon. It must have been another Surprise and delight; he left only a day before you, if I remember correctly. How were Mr. Bingley and his sister when you left London this time?"

"Very well—thank you for your concern."

When she realized that the other party didn't want to answer her any more on this topic, she added after a short pause:
"I suppose Mr. Bingley has no intention of returning to Netherfield?"

"I haven't heard him speak of it; but I'm afraid he's going to spend very little time there in the future, and at his age the number of friends and engagements is increasing every day."

"It would be better for his neighbours, if he had no intention of staying at Netherfield, if he should give up the place altogether, because then we might have a permanent family as neighbours. But, Bingley Mr. Ren probably thought of himself mainly when he rented the house, and he didn't care about the convenience of the neighbors. We think that whether he left it or kept it, he followed his hasty attitude. Let’s work on the principle.”

"As long as the buyer is asking the right price," Darcy said, "it makes sense for him to give up the house."

Elizabeth said nothing.She didn't want to say any more about his friend, and she couldn't think of anything else to say, so she decided to wait for him to bring up the subject.

He took her meaning, and said presently: "The house looks very comfortable. I am sure Mrs. Catherine must have been of great help in this to Mr. Collins when he first came to Hansford."

"I think so—and I am sure that her kindness was not misplaced, to a man who knows how to be most grateful."

"Mr. Collins also seems to have been lucky in choosing his wife."

"It is true; it is not easy for him to find a woman who is clear and sensible enough to accept him, or make him happy, and his friends deserve to be happy for him. My friend is a very wise Woman—though I dare not say that she was wise in marrying Mr. Collins. Still, she seemed very happy, and from a practical and life-conscious point of view, the marriage she Of course it worked out well."

"She must be very happy to marry so close to her natal family and her friends."

"Can you call that near? It's almost fifty miles away."

"The road is easy to walk. What is fifty miles? It only takes a little more than half a day to get there. Yes, I call this near."

"I do not think that the advantages of this marriage include the proximity of her mother's family," cried Elizabeth; "I would not say that Mrs. Collins lived near hers."

"It only shows your attachment to Hertfordshire. I think you feel a long way from anywhere near Longbourn."

There was a smile on his face as he spoke, which Elizabeth thought she understood; he must have thought she was thinking of Jane and Nicefeld, and she blushed and replied:

"I'm not saying that no matter how married a woman is, it's impossible for a woman to marry too close to her natal family. The distance is only relative and depends on various situations. If you have enough life, you don't care about the travel expenses, and it doesn't matter if you are far away. Not so with the family of which we are speaking. Although the Collinses were well fed, their income could not afford them to come home so often—I am sure my friend would not have been at half the present distance. would say she is near her home."

Mr. Darcy moved his chair a little towards her, and said: "You shouldn't be so country-minded. You can't stay at Longbourne all your life."

Elizabeth couldn't help but startled.Darcy felt a bit of that emotionally, too; drawing back his chair, he took a newspaper from the table, looked at it broadly, and asked in a cool voice:
"You like Kent, don't you?"

So the two chatted a little about the village, both of them indifferent to each other—the conversation ended when Carlotti and her sister returned from their walk.The two sisters were surprised to see the two of them talking here.Mr. Darcy complained that he had mistakenly thought they were all there.Unexpectedly, he disturbed Miss Bennet. After that, he didn't say much to anyone, sat for a few more minutes, and then left.

"What does it mean that he comes?" said Carlotta, as soon as Mr. Darcy had gone out of the room. "My dear Eliza, he must be in love with you, or he would never have come so easily. Come and see us."

But when Elizabeth told her of his silence since his arrival, it seemed impossible to Carlotta, notwithstanding his good intentions; His visit was probably due to nothing to do, for it was the most idle season of the year.All outdoor activities are out of season at this time.Although staying at home with Lady Catherine and books, and playing billiards, men can't stay at home all the time; perhaps because it is near to the vicarage, or because the walk here is more exciting. Pleasing to the eye, or more agreeable to the people in that house, the two cousins ​​visited almost every day during their stay at their aunt's.They came mostly in the morning, sometimes alone, sometimes together, sometimes accompanied by their aunts.It was plain to all that Colonel Fitzwilliam had come because he liked their company, which in turn made them like him the more; Her evident affection reminded her of her former sweetheart, George Wickham; though she found Colonel Fitzwilliam, by comparison, less charming and gentle in his manner and manner, yet she Believe that he may be more knowledgeable.

But why Mr. Darcy called so often at the Vicar's was rather puzzling.He couldn't just be talking to people, because he often sat there for 10 minutes without opening his lips; Sacrifice to make, not to have the zest for yourself.He rarely talks and laughs.Mrs. Collins wondered what was the matter with him.Colonel Fitzwilliam sometimes teased him for his stiff look, which was not what he usually was, and what she knew of him, of course, she could not understand; she hoped his This change was effected by love, and the object of his love was her friend Elizabeth, and she set her mind solemnly to ascertain it.Whether they went to Rosings, or he came to Hansford, she watched him carefully, but gained little.It was true that Mr. Darcy looked at her friend many times, but the expression in those eyes was difficult to determine.It was a frank and focused gaze, but she often doubted whether there was any element of admiration in this gaze, and sometimes this gaze seemed to be just an expression of absent-minded emotion.

She had once or twice suggested to Elizabeth that he might be in love with her, but Elizabeth always laughed it off; It ended in disappointment; for it seemed to her that if Elizabeth thought she had him in her hands, all her dislike of him would undoubtedly disappear.

In her good intentions for Elizabeth's affairs she sometimes wished to have her marry Colonel Fitzwilliam.He was the most agreeable sort of man, he undoubtedly had a crush on her, and his social position was considerable; however, these advantages were offset by the fact that Mr. Darcy had great power in the church. , while his cousin had none at all.

(End of this chapter)