Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 35 Darcy Breaks Up a Good Marriage
During Elizabeth's walks in the park, she met Mr. Darcy many times unexpectedly.It was unfortunate that he should come where no one else came, and it seemed to her that fate was trying to quarrel with her.She told him for the first time that she likes to wander here alone, and her intention at that time was to hope that this kind of thing would not happen again in the future.It would be strange if there was a second time.But then there was a second time, and even a third time, it seemed that he was trying to make trouble with her on purpose, or else he wanted to make amends, because these times he didn't talk to her in a few perfunctory words and just kept silent, It's not like walking away after a while, but turning around and walking with her.

He never talked much, and she was too lazy to talk too much, too lazy to listen too much.But on the third meeting, he asked her if she was happy living in Hunsford, why she liked to walk alone, and whether she thought the Collinses were happy.As for Rosings, she said she didn't know much about the family, and he seemed to hope that she would stay there for a while whenever she came to Kent again. It has this meaning.Was he worrying about Colonel Fitzwilliam?She thought to herself, if he took the truth seriously, then he must have hinted that that person was a little tempted by her, and she felt a little painful.Now that she had reached the gate of the wall opposite the vicarage, she could not help cheering up.

One day, as she was walking, rereading Jane's last letter, and chewing over the paragraphs Jane had written when she was discouraged, she was startled again.Looking up, it was not Darcy this time, but Colonel Fitzwilliam walking towards him.

She immediately put away the letter, forced a smile on her face, and said, "I didn't expect you to come here."

Fitzwilliam replied: "I do this every year. Before I leave, I always go around the manor, and finally pay a visit to the Vicar. Do you want to go on?"

"No, I'm going back soon."

And so she turned, and they walked together toward the vicarage.

"Are you really leaving Kent on Saturday?" she asked.

"Yes, as long as Darcy doesn't delay. But I'm at his disposal, and he does things as he pleases."

"Even if you can't let him do what he wants, at least you have to choose what he wants. I never saw a man who likes to be his own master and do what he wants like Mr. Darcy."

"He's way too capricious," replied Colonel Fitzwilliam, "but we all are. It's just that he's more qualified than the average man to do it, because he's rich and the average man is poor. I mean it. You know, A young son has to restrain himself and rely on others."

"It seems to me that the youngest son of an earl doesn't know anything about these two things. Besides, I want to ask you a serious question, what do you know about self-restraint and dependence on others? Have I When was it that you couldn’t go somewhere you wanted to go or buy something because you didn’t have money?”

"You're a good question. Maybe I don't know how hard it is in this regard. But when I encounter major problems, I may suffer because I don't have money. The youngest son often has someone he likes and cannot get married."

"Unless they're in love with a rich woman, which I think happens to them a lot."

"We are used to spending money, so we have to rely on others. There are not many people like me who can get married without talking about money."

"Did all these words be said to me?" Elizabeth couldn't help blushing when she thought of this, but she immediately returned to normal, and said in a very lively voice: "Excuse me, how much is a status usually worth for the youngest son of an earl? I think , unless your elder brother is in poor health, you can’t bargain for more than [-] pounds.”

He also answered her in the same tone, and did not mention the matter again.

But she was afraid that if she kept silent like this, he would think that she felt uncomfortable after hearing what she had just said, so after a while, she said: "I think your cousin brought you with him mainly to have Just be at his mercy. I don't understand why he doesn't get married yet. Doesn't being married mean that someone can be at his mercy for the rest of his life? However, at present, he may have a younger sister; since he is now alone to take care of her, Then he can treat her as he likes."

"No," said Colonel Fitzwilliam, "the advantage must be shared with me. I am also Miss Darcy's protector."

"Are you really? Excuse me, how are you doing as a protector? You lady is quite difficult to serve, isn't it? A lady of her age is sometimes very difficult to deal with. If she has the same temper as Da She is exactly the same as Xi, and she will naturally do everything according to her own pleasure."

When she said this, she saw that he was looking at her sincerely.He asked her right away why she should have thought that Miss Darcy might make them feel bad.Seeing the way he asked this question, she became more and more convinced that her guess was really close to the truth.She replied at once: "You needn't be alarmed. I've never heard anything wrong with her; and I daresay she's the most obedient girl in the world. Some of my girlfriends, like Hess Mrs. Turt and Miss Bingley are very fond of her. I think you said you knew them too."

"I don't know them very well. Their brother is a very funny gentleman, and a good friend of Darcy's."

"Oh, yes," said Elizabeth coldly, "Mr. Darcy has treated Mr. Bingley very well, and has taken care of him with 12 considerations."

"Take care of him! Yes, I do believe that Mr. Darcy will find a way for him where he can't think of a way. He told me something on our way here, and when I heard it, I believe Mr. Bingley is indebted to him for some help. But, I beg his pardon, I have no right to suppose that the man he speaks of is Bingley. That would be pure wild guessing."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Of course Mr. Darcy doesn't want to let everyone know about it, lest it spread to the lady's house and make people unhappy."

"Don't worry, I won't say anything."

"You will remember that I have no good reason to suppose that it is Bingley that he speaks of. He merely tells me that he has lately saved a great deal of trouble by failing to get a friend into an impromptu marriage. , he felt that this matter was worth consoling, but he did not mention the name of the person involved and the details. The reason why I suspect Bingley is because I believe that a young man like him will indeed attract such a person. Trouble; and two, because I know they spent the whole summer together."

"Did Mr. Darcy say why he meddling in other people's business?"

"I heard that the young lady is too unqualified in some conditions."

"How did he separate them?"

Fitzwilliam smiled and said, "He didn't explain what method he used. He told me, and I told you everything just now."

Elizabeth made no answer, but walked on, really outraged.Fitzwilliam glanced at her and asked her why she was so brooding.

She said: "I'm thinking about what you just told me. I think your cousin's behavior is not very good. Why should he call the shots?"

"Do you think his meddling is entirely meddling?"

"I really don't understand what right Mr. Darcy has to judge whether his friend's love is suitable or not; how can he direct his friend how to get happiness based on his own ideas." She said here, then After calming down for a while, he continued, "But we don't understand the details, so it would be unfair for us to blame him. Maybe there is no love between this pair of men and women."

"This kind of inference cannot be said to be unreasonable," said Fitzwilliam. "My cousin was delighted at first, but if you say that, his contribution will be greatly discounted."

His remark was meant to be joking, but she felt that it was just a vivid portrayal of Mr. Darcy.Because it was inconvenient for her to answer, she suddenly changed the subject and talked about irrelevant things. While talking, she walked unknowingly to the door of the Vicarage.

As soon as the guests left, she went back to her room and sat behind closed doors, thinking carefully about what she had just heard.The couple he just mentioned must be related to her.There is no second person in the world who would obey Mr. Darcy so unconditionally.She never doubted that Mr. Bingley must have played a part in breaking up Mr. Bingley and Jane by all means. She always thought it was entirely Miss Bingley's idea and arrangement.If Mr. Bingley had not been carried away by vanity, it would have been due to him, to his arrogance and self-will, that Jane had suffered, and would suffer in the future.The kindest and most generous heart in the world, let him thus destroy the hope of happiness; and no one dared to say when and when this wrong he had done would be done.

"This lady has some qualifications that are too unqualified," said Colonel Fitzwilliam. These qualifications may mean that she has an uncle who is a lawyer in the country, and an uncle who is a businessman in London.

Thinking of this, she couldn't help shouting: "As for Jane herself, it is impossible to have any defects at all. She is so lovely and kind-she has high opinions, well-cultivated, and charming manners; my father has nothing to blame. Yes, although he has some eccentricities, Mr. Darcy cannot despise his abilities, and as to his character, Mr. Darcy may never match."

Of course, her confidence was shaken a little when she thought of her mother.She did not believe, however, that a weakness in that line should have much effect on Mr. Darcy.Nothing hurts his self-esteem more than letting his friends be married to people of humble family background. As for marrying people with no knowledge, he doesn't think too much about it.She at last fully understood that Darcy was possessed on the one hand by the worst kind of arrogance, and on the other hand by the desire to ration Mr. Bingley to his own sister.

The more she thought the more angry she was, and the more she wept, until at last she had a headache, which was worse in the evening; and she did not want to see Mr. Darcy, so she resolved not to accompany her cousin to Rosings. Went to the tea party.Mrs. Collins saw that she was really ill, so it was inconvenient to force her to go, and she tried not to let her husband force her to go, but Mr. Collins couldn't help being a little flustered, for fear that she would offend Lady Catherine if she didn't go.

(End of this chapter)