Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 71

"My dear Lizzy, where did you go for a walk?" asked Jane, as soon as Elizabeth entered the room, and was subsequently asked of her when they sat down at the table.She could only answer that the two of them were walking casually, and she didn't know where they went in the end.She blushed as she spoke; but whatever she looked, no one suspected the matter.

The afternoon passed peacefully.Nothing in particular happened.The pair of lovers who have made it public are talking and laughing, while the pair of lovers who are yet to be made public are silent.Darcy's personality is calm, and the joy in his heart can not be revealed on the surface; Elizabeth feels restless and restless, she has no time to appreciate this happiness, she just knows that she has this happiness.Because apart from the current embarrassment, there are other kinds of troubles waiting in front of her.She anticipated how her family would react when she told her story; she knew that no one liked Mr. Darcy anymore except Jane's family; his disgust.

In the evening, she poured out her feelings to Jiying.Although Suspiciousness was far from Jane's usual behavior, she could not believe it in this matter.

"You're kidding, Lizzy. It's impossible! Engaged to Mr. Darcy! No, no, you can't coax me. I know it's impossible."

"It's been so hard since the beginning! I put all my hopes in you; if you don't believe me, I'm sure no one will believe me again. But I'm not kidding. I said True. He still loves me and we are engaged."

Jane eyed her suspiciously. "Oh, Lizzy! It's impossible. I know how much you hate him."

"You don't know a thing. The past you speak of should have been forgotten. Perhaps I didn't always love him as much as I do now. I don't like that I have a good memory in such things, though. It's the last time I remember this past event."

Jane still looked bewildered.Elizabeth then assured her once again, solemnly, that this was the truth.

"My dear! can it be true! But I must believe you now," cried Jane; "my dear Lizzy, I congratulate you, but have you really thought it over? Please forgive me Ask this way, are you sure that you will be happy with him?"

"Of course there is no doubt about it. We both think we are the happiest couple in the world. Are you happy, Jane? Do you like such a brother-in-law?"

"Very, very fondly. What could please Bingley and myself more than that. We've both considered talking about it before, and thought it impossible. Do you really love him that much? Oh Lizzy! The greatest tragedy in the world is a marriage without love. Are you sure you really want to do it?"

"Oh, of course! When I tell you the whole thing, you'll think you haven't done enough."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh, I must confess that I love him more than I love Bingley. I'm afraid you're going to be angry."

"Dear sister, can you be serious now? I want to have a serious talk with you. Tell me everything I need to know. Can you tell me how long you have loved him?"

"It came slowly, and I can hardly tell when it began. But I think it must have begun when I last saw him at his beautiful estate at Pemberley."

Again her sister called her to be serious, and this time it was effectual; she told Jane seriously how she loved him, and Jane was soon satisfied.Convinced of the matter, Miss Bennet had nothing to worry about.

"I'm really happy now," she said, "because you're going to be as happy as myself. I've always thought highly of him. For nothing but the fact that he can still love you, and I should forever I respect him; and as Bingley's friend and your husband, he is of course my favorite now, besides Bingley and yourself. But, Lizzy, you have concealed the matter from me. Your mind is off. You have told me almost nothing about Pemberley and Lambton! Some of the things I know have been told to me by others than you."

Elizabeth told her why she wanted to keep it secret.One is that she is unwilling to mention Bingley; the other is that her own feelings are still in a state of confusion, which makes her also unwilling to mention Darcy's name.But it was no longer necessary for her to conceal it from her now, and she told Jane, too, of Darcy's help to Lydia.All was told, and the conversation went on until midnight.

"Dear me!" cried Mrs. Bennet next morning, as she stood at the window, "this odious Mr. Darcy has come again with our lovely Bingley! He has come so often without knowing why." What's the matter? I hope he'll go hunting or do something else and stop bothering us. What are we going to do with him? Lizzy, I have to ask you to go out with him again so he won't hurt Bin Gray's business."

Elizabeth could scarcely refrain from laughing at such an easy suggestion; but she did feel a little irritated at hearing her mother call him "disgusting."

As soon as the two distinguished guests entered the door, Bingley looked at Elizabeth meaningfully, and shook hands with her warmly, indicating that he had heard the good news about her; and then he said loudly: "Bennet Ma'am, there are no more secluded trails around here, it's best to let Lizzy get lost again today."

Mrs. Bennet said: "I am going to persuade Mr. Darcy, Lizzy and Kitty to take a walk over Oakham Hill this morning. It is a very interesting walk, and Mr. Darcy has never seen anything like it. "

"Such a walk might be very good for others," resumed Mr. Bingley, "but I think it would be too much for Kitty. Is that so, Kitty?"

Kitty admits she'd rather stay at home.Darcy said that he would like to see the scenery on the mountain, and Elizabeth nodded her agreement.As she went upstairs to get ready, Mrs. Bennet followed her and said:
"I'm sorry, Lizzy, for forcing you to be alone with that odious man. I hope you don't mind it: it's all for Jane's own good, and you know it; you'll just have to put him in the way now and then, There's no need to bother talking to him."

In the middle of their walk, they decided to go and get Mr. Bennet's permission that very evening.As for the mother, it was up to Elizabeth to speak for herself.She wondered what her mother would think of it; she sometimes wondered whether his high position and wealth would be enough to overcome her mother's distaste for him.However, whether the mother disapproved too much or was ecstatic about the marriage, her speech and manners were not so decency as to give the impression of mediocrity; and Elizabeth did not wish Mr. Darcy to see Her mother was ecstatic about it, and she didn't want Darcy to see her vehement disapproval.

That evening, as Mr. Bennet was about to return to his study, Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy rising and following him, and her heart rose to her throat at the sight.She wasn't worried that her father would object, but that her father would be unhappy because of this matter.If her father's favorite daughter, because of her choice, made him suffer, worry and regret her marriage, she would be very sad.She sat there anxiously, until Mr. Darcy came out and saw him smiling, and she breathed a little relief.He went to the table where she and Kitty were sitting; pretending to watch her sewing, he said in a low voice, "Go to your father, please; he is waiting for you in the study." She got up at once.

Her father was pacing up and down the room, looking serious and uneasy. "Lizzy," he said, "what's the matter with you? Are you out of your wits to accept this man's proposal? Haven't you hated him all along?"

At this time, she really wished that her views on Darcy were not so extreme before, and her words were not so harsh!That would save her the most embarrassing explanation and confession; but now that she had to, she could not help telling her father, with some confusion, that she was in love with Mr. Darcy.

"Or, to put it another way, you must marry him. He is very rich, that is certain, and you may have more fine clothes and finer carriages than Jane. But will that make you happy?" ?”

Elizabeth said: "What you object to me now is that you think I have no relationship with him?"

"Yes. We all know he's a proud and unapproachable man; but if you really like him. It's nothing."

"I really, really like him very much," she replied, with tears in her eyes, "I love him. He doesn't have any undue pride, to be honest. He's very amiable. You don't understand He is what he really is; so please don't make me miserable by talking about him like that."

"Lizzy," said her father, "I have given him my consent. Indeed, I would have no reason to refuse a man of his kind, if he would honor his request. I give you my consent now." , if you have made up your mind to marry him. However, I advise you to think carefully. I know your character, Lizzy. I know that unless you really respect your husband from the bottom of your heart, otherwise, You will be neither happy nor decent; unless you think he is better than you in many respects. If the marriage is not satisfactory, your many lively natures will put you in a dangerous situation. You will inevitably A disgraceful and miserable end. My child, don't let me grieve you later when you fail to respect your life partner. You don't know the consequences of your doing so."

Elizabeth was still more moved when she heard this, and she related the whole story to her father with great sincerity and seriousness, and he explained the gradual changes in her affection for him, saying that she firmly believed that his affection did not come overnight, but after a long time. Many months of frustration, and enumerating his various advantages, to prove to her father that Mr. Darcy is the object of her true love.At last she allayed her father's doubts, and made him fully approve of the marriage.

"Well, my dear daughter," said he, when she had broken off her story, "I have nothing more to say. If so, he is worthy of your love. My Lizzy, papa would not let You marry someone who is not as good as you."

In order to make her father more fond of Mr. Darcy, she then told him what Mr. Darcy had offered to do for Lydia.He was greatly taken aback.

"What a wonderful evening! Well, it was Darcy who did it all: he arranged their marriage, paid his debts, and got him a place in the army! That's very nice." It not only saved me money, but also saved me a lot of trouble. However, these young people who are in love nowadays like to make their own decisions about everything. I will ask him to return his money tomorrow; then he will definitely Talk about how much he loves you, and then this matter (referring to the matter of paying back the money——Translator's Note) will be forever."

Then, Mr. Bennet recalled Elizabeth's embarrassment when he had read Mr. Collins's letter the other day; and he did not let her go at last after teasing his daughter for a while, and said as she came out of the room: "If there are boys coming looking for Mary and Kitty, bring them here, for I've got plenty of time to spare now."

Elizabeth's heart was now under a heavy burden; and after half an hour of quiet thought in her own room, she was more at ease with the company again.It all happened too quickly to please her, but the evening passed peacefully; there was nothing more to worry about here, and the ease and comfort would soon return.

When her mother was going upstairs to the dressing-room in the evening, Elizabeth followed her, and told her mother this important event.The mother's reaction was very special: when she first heard about it, Mrs. Bennet sat there motionless, unable to utter a word.And it was a long time before she made sense of what she had heard; though she was usually indifferent to such favors to her family, or in the manner of her daughter's suitors, The response was not slow.It was only at last that she began to recover, and began to wriggle restlessly in the chair, standing up now, sitting down again, expressing surprise again, and blessing herself now.

"My God! God is blessing me! Oh, who would have thought it! Mr. Darcy! Is it true? Oh! My dearest Lizzy! How rich you will be! How much you will have!" How much money, what jewels and carriages! Jane can't compare with you. I'm so happy, so happy. What a lovely boy! How handsome! How tall! Oh, my dear daughter! Please forgive mother A distaste for him before. I hope he will let it go. Dearest Lizzy. Luxurious house in the city of London! Beautiful things all in one place! I have three married daughters! Ten thousand pounds a year! Oh Oh my God! I don't know what to do. I'm going crazy."

These words were sufficient to show Mrs. Bennet's approval, and Elizabeth soon rose and went away, thanking herself that she was the only one who had seen this outpouring of affection.But before she returned to her room for 3 minutes, her mother followed.

"My dear daughter," she exclaimed, "that's all I can think of! Ten thousand pounds a year, and probably much more! That's as rich as a royal! And there's A license to marry. Of course you will get married by a license. Now, mother's darling, tell me what Mr. Darcy's favorite food is, and I'll make it for him tomorrow."

It was not a good sign, and her mother might make a fool of herself in the presence of the gentleman; and Eliza felt that, though she had won Darcy's warmest affections, and had her parents' consent, there was still something to be done here. A few things to worry about.On the second day, however, the situation was much better than she had imagined; for Mrs. Bennet was too much in awe of her future son-in-law to speak to him unless she met someone who could show him her Care about, or show respect for his opinion.

Elizabeth was relieved to see her father endeavoring to get close to Mr. Darcy; and Mr. Bennet soon told her that his admiration for Mr. Darcy was growing with time.

"I am very fond of all three of my sons-in-law," said he; "Wickham may be my favourite; but I think I shall like your husband as much as Jane's."

(End of this chapter)