Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 70

Things did not develop as Elizabeth had expected. Mr. Bingley, instead of receiving a letter of apology from his friend for failing to perform the contract, brought Darcy to Longbourne a few days after Lady Catherine's visit.The two distinguished guests arrived early, and Elizabeth sat in great apprehension lest her mother tell Darcy of his aunt's visit, but Bingley, wishing to be alone with Jane, proposed that they should all go for a walk.Many agreed.Mrs. Bennet was not in the habit of walking, and Mary never wanted to waste time, so there were only five people who went out together.Bingley and Jane had been overtaken not long after their departure.The two of them walked slowly behind, while Elizabeth, Kitty, and Darcy walked in front.None of the three spoke much; Kitty was afraid of Darcy, and dared not speak; Elizabeth was making her final resolution in her heart, and Darcy was probably the same.

They walked in the direction of Lucas's house, because Kitty wanted to see Maria; and since Elizabeth did not think it necessary for everyone to go, Kitty left them both and went to Lou's house by herself.Elizabeth boldly followed Darcy on.Now is the time for her to turn her determination into action. While she still had enough courage, she said immediately:

"I am a very selfish man, Mr. Darcy; and for the relief of my own feelings, I have not been able to think how it might hurt yours. You are too dear to my poor sister, and I Couldn't be more grateful to you. Ever since I found out about it, I've been eagerly looking forward to the day I can tell you how grateful I am for it. If my family knew about it too, now I won't be the only one thanking you."

"I'm sorry, I'm very sorry," said Darcy, in a tone full of surprise and affection, "but I was afraid that if you found out about this, you would think of going elsewhere and disturb yourself unnecessarily. I didn't Guess Mrs Gardiner can't keep a secret like this."

"You shouldn't blame my aunt. It was Lydia's inadvertence that first revealed to me that you were involved in this matter. Of course, I won't rest until I find out. Let me represent my family." Thank you again, for your compassion and compassion, for going to the trouble and enduring so much humiliation in order to find them."

"If you want to thank me," he answered, "thank me for yourself. I will not deny that the desire to make you happy, among other reasons, is the chief reason for my doing so. You People in the family don't need to thank me. Although I respect them, but I was only thinking of you at the time."

Elizabeth was too shy to say a word.After a brief silence, her friend said again: "You are a person of measure and self-cultivation, and you will not argue with me. If your feelings are still the same as in April, please tell me. My feelings and The wish remains the same, as long as you say 'no', I will never bring it up again."

Naturally Elizabeth felt her lover's embarrassment and anxiety at the moment, and felt that she could not be silent now; Since then her feelings had changed greatly, and she was now willing to accept his kindness with great joy and gratitude.This answer brought Darcy a joy he had never known before; he was at once a lover in love, and poured out his love with passion and tenderness.Had Elizabeth only lifted her head and looked him in the eye, she would have seen how beautifully he was set off by the expression of heartfelt joy that flooded his face; though she dared not look up. , but she can listen; listening to him pour out his accumulated feelings proves how important she is to him, and the more she listens, the more precious his feelings become.

The two of them continued walking, not knowing where they were going.There are so many thoughts and feelings between them that need to be expressed, and they no longer have the energy to pay attention to other things.Elizabeth soon learns that their understanding of each other is thanks to the help of his aunt, who has indeed been to London on her way back and told Darcy about her visit to Longbourn, Her motives for doing this and the content of her conversation with Elizabeth; and she focused on describing Elizabeth's words in detail. According to Mrs. Catherine's understanding, these words particularly showed Elizabeth's perverseness and conceit, and she thought that this This kind of telling can help her get promises from her aunt and nephew that she can't get from Elizabeth.However, things backfired, and the actual effect was exactly the opposite of what Lady Catherine had imagined.

"My aunt's words give me hope," said Darcy, "which I never dared to hope for before. I have known your character for a long time, and know that if you really hate me very much, You'll tell Lady Catherine frankly to your face."

Elizabeth blushed and smiled and replied: "Yes, you know my straightforward character very well, and you believe that I dare to do that. Yes, since I dare to scold you with hatred in front of you, then I will I can scold you in front of all your relatives."

"What you criticize me is what I should accept. Because although your accusation against me is groundless and you have heard other people's rumors, but the attitude I treated you at that time should be the most severely reprimanded .That was inexcusable. I always hate myself when I think about it."

"Let us neither quarrel over who deserved the more blame that night," said Elizabeth, "we were both at fault for our attitude, if viewed strictly; but since then, I think we Both have improved in terms of being polite."

"I haven't been able to forgive myself that easily. The way I behaved, my attitude and the words I said was etched in my mind for months and even now. It hurts my heart deeply. I'll never forget your pertinent criticism of me: 'If only you had been more polite.' That's what you said. You don't know, you can't Imagine how tormented I have been with this statement; though it was only after a time, I confess, that I was able to comprehend its truth."

"I never expected that my words would make such an impression on you. I had no idea that they would have such an effect on you."

"It's easy for me to believe that. You thought I'd lost all affection, and I'm sure you did. I'll never forget you looking down and saying, I can't Make any kind of appropriate courtship to persuade you to accept me."

"Oh! Please don't mention what I said then. These recollections mean nothing at all. To tell you the truth, I was ashamed of my words a long time ago."

Darcy referred to his letter: "Has that letter soon changed your opinion of me a little? As you read it, do you believe it or not?"

She explained to him the effect of that letter on her, and told him how gradually all her past prejudices against him had been gradually dispelled.

"I know," he said, "that my letter must have pained you, but I had to. I hope you have burned this letter. Especially at the beginning, I am worried whether you will be able to Have the courage to re-read it. I still remember some of the sentences, and you'll probably hate me if you read them."

"If you think it necessary to preserve my love, I must, of course, burn it; but though we both have reason to think that my views and ideas are not wholly inalterable, I hope They are not so easily changed as here said."

"When I wrote that letter," replied Darcy, "I thought I was in a very peaceful and calm mood, but since then I have realized that my letter was written in a mood of extreme passion. of."

"The letter may begin with resentment, but it does not end with resentment. That closing sentence is a kind of forgiveness in itself. Let us not think about the letter any more. Both the writer and the recipient are now in a relationship. It is very different from that time, so all the unpleasant things that came with this letter should be forgotten. You should learn my philosophy of life. When recalling the past, only think of those things that left a good impression on you .”

"I don't think you have a philosophy of life of that sort. There is absolutely no blameworthy element in your reflections, and the satisfaction you get from such reflections is not a philosophy, but rather an innocence. But for me This is how it is, generally speaking. Painful memories haunt me all the time, and they cannot and should not be kept out. I have lived so long that I have been selfish in practice, though not in creed and principle. .Since I was a child, adults have told me what is right, but no one has ever taught me to change my temperament. They have taught me good principles, but let me be proud and pretentious ways to practice them.

Since I was the only son in the family (I was the only child for many years), I was spoiled by my parents. Although they were very good in themselves (especially my father, he was very kind and kind to others), they allowed and indulged me, even Teach me to be selfish and arrogant, not to care about anyone outside of my family, to think that everyone in the world is bad, and hope or at least think that other people's opinions, understanding, and character are not as good as mine.In this way I lived from eight to twenty-eight; and I might go on living like this, were it not for you, my dearest and sweetest Elizabeth!I didn't lose you at all!You taught me a lesson which, though painful at first, has been very instructive.You humiliated me for good reason.When I first proposed to you, I never expected to be rejected.You taught me how little my pretensions are when it comes to pleasing a woman worthy of my love. "

"Did you really think at the time that I would accept you with pleasure?"

"Indeed. You must laugh at me for being too conceited, right? I really believed that you were expecting my courtship."

"My attitude at the time must have been inappropriate, but I assure you, I never did it on purpose. I never thought of deceiving your feelings, but I often made mistakes out of a whim. Since that day After night, you must hate me very much, right?"

"Hate you! Maybe I was a little angry at the moment, but my anger soon began to channel into the right direction."

"I'm afraid to ask you, what did you think of me when we met at Pemberley? Did you blame me for being there?"

"Not at all; I'm just surprised."

"When I was seen by you, my surprise was no less than yours. My conscience told me that I did not deserve to be treated so well by you. I confess that I did not expect you to treat me like that."

"What I meant," replied Darcy, "was to tell you, with all the civility I possessed, that I was not such a small-hearted man, and that I still brooded over the past; Bad impression, I told you to discover the shortcomings of your criticism of me, I am paying attention to correcting it. As for when other thoughts entered my mind, I can’t say clearly, but I think it was probably in Within half an hour of seeing you."

Darcy then told Elizabeth how glad Georgiana was to have known her, and how disappointed she was when this acquaintance was suddenly broken off; The determination to follow her from Derbyshire to find her sister had been made long before he left the inn, and the serious concentration on his face in the shop at that time was caused by the inner struggle with this intention.

She again expressed her thanks, but both parties found the subject too painful to discuss further.

They walked for miles in this leisurely way, absorbed in talking, not realizing the distance they had traveled, and only when they finally remembered to look at their watch did they know it was time to go back.

"Where are Bingley and Jane?" This question gave rise to a discussion of their lovers.Darcy expressed his heartfelt delight at their marriage; his friend Bingley had first told him the news.

"I want to ask, were you surprised to hear that?" Elizabeth said.

"Not at all. As soon as I was gone, I felt it was going to be a success."

"That means you've given him permission. I've guessed so." Though Darcy objected to her choice of words, she found that the facts were pretty much what she had guessed.

"The night before I left for London," said Darcy, "I confessed to Bingley what I thought I should have told him long ago. I told him all about the past, and made him understand my It was absurd and presumptuous to interfere with him in this matter. He was so amazed. He had no doubt that it would be so. Besides, I told him that I thought your sister had no affection for him. It is not right; for I see at once that he is still deeply attached to your sister, and I am sure that they will be happy together."

Elizabeth could not help smiling at the ease with which he was able to control his friend.

"When you told him my sister loved him," she said, "did you do it from your observation, or from what I told you in the spring?"

"From my observation. During my last two visits to your house, I have observed her carefully; I am convinced that she is sincere."

"I think your confirmation quickly brought him confidence."

"Yes. Bingley was extremely humble. His lack of self-confidence prevented him from exercising his own judgment in so much a matter of thought; but his habit of relying on mine made everything very difficult. Easy. I had to admit to him one thing, and he was really mad about it for a while. I told him that your sister lived in the city for three months last winter, and I knew about it, but Deliberately concealed it from him. He was very angry. However, I believe that when he understood your sister's true feelings, his anger died down. Now he has forgiven me with all his heart."

Elizabeth was tempted to say now that Mr. Bingley was such a delightful friend, and so easily manipulated, that he was invaluable to his friend; but she restrained herself.She thought that he still had to adapt to this aspect, and it was too early to make fun of him.In this way they talked of Bingley's coming happiness (second only to his own) till they came to the door.In the hall they parted.

(End of this chapter)