Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 39
The two gentlemen left Rosings next morning.Mr. Collins, who waited near the porter's to see them off, returned home with the good news that the two distinguished guests, notwithstanding their fresh sorrows at Rosings, were in good health and spirits.Then, he rushed to Rosings to comfort Lady Catherine and her daughter.When he got home, he brought back with great triumph a message from Lady Catherine, saying that she was very dull, and wished very much for the whole family to dine with her.

When Elizabeth saw Mrs. Catherine, she couldn't help but think that if she wanted to be close to Darcy, she would be the lady's unmarried niece and daughter-in-law. She couldn't help laughing when she thought how angry Mrs. Catherine would be.She kept coming up with words to tease herself: "What will she say? What will she do?"

They began by talking about Rosings missing two guests.Lady Catherine said: "I tell you, I am very sorry. I don't believe anyone can be so sad at the loss of relatives and friends as I am. I am very fond of these two young people, and I know they are very fond of it." Me. They were really sad when they went away, as they always are. The lovely colonel did not cheer up until the end; Darcy looked the saddest. Rosings' affection really grows stronger year by year."

At this point, Mr. Collins inserted a compliment and gave another example. The mother and daughter both smiled brightly.

After lunch, Lady Catherine did not seem very pleased to see Miss Bennet.Miss Bennet must not be willing to go home at once, she thought, and said: "If you don't want to go, write to your mother and ask her to let you stay here longer. I believe Collins Madame would be very happy to be with you."

Elizabeth replied: "Thank you for your kindness, but I cannot accept it. I must go to town next Saturday."

"Well, then you're only here six weeks, and I was expecting you to be two months. I told Mrs. Collins that before you came. You needn't be in such a hurry to go. Mrs. Bennet will certainly stay another fortnight."

"But my father won't let me stay so long. He wrote last week to urge me to go back."

"Oh, as long as your mother lets you stay, father will. A father never treats a daughter like a mother. I'm going to London for a week in early June, and if you can stay for another month, I can take either of you by the way, and since Townsend has no objection to carriage driving, I can take either of you in a spacious way; if the weather is cooler, I may as well take you both, of course. , fortunately you are not very big."

"It's very kind of you, ma'am. It's a pity that we have to go ahead with our original plan."

Lady Catherine could not force them to stay, so she said: "Mrs. Collins, you must send a servant to see them off. I have always been outspoken, and I am worried about letting two young ladies go away. This is too shameful, and I can't bear it." It is such a thing that you must send someone to see them off. As for the young ladies, we must take care of them and wait on them according to their status. My niece and niece Georgiana went to Ramsgate last summer. When I go, I must ask her to be accompanied by two male servants. You know, it would be unseemly for her to be Mr. Darcy of Pemberley and the daughter of Lady Anne. Be very careful. You must send John to see these two ladies off, Mrs. Collins. It is a good thing I found out about it and pointed it out in time, or it would be a disgrace to you to let them go off alone."

"My uncle will send someone to fetch us."

"Oh, your uncle! Does he really have a manservant? I'm glad to hear that at last someone has thought of these things for you. Where are you going to change your horses? At Brownley, of course. You just have to mention it at the post." My name, someone will come to entertain you."

Lady Catherine had a lot to ask about their journey, and she didn't quite ask her own questions, so you had to listen, Elizabeth thought it was her luck, otherwise she was so preoccupied she would have Forget about being a guest.If you have something on your mind, you should wait until you are alone.Whenever she had no one else with her, she tossed and turned her thoughts; and there was not a day when she did not walk alone, with unpleasant thoughts in her mind.

She was on the verge of learning Darcy's letter by heart.She studied every sentence over and over again, and her feelings for the writer warmed up for a while, and cooled down again for a while.Remembering his tone of voice, she still couldn't express her anger until now.However, as soon as she thought about how she wrongly blamed him and scolded him before, her anger turned to herself.His despondency aroused her sympathy, his love her gratitude, his character her respect.However, she couldn't develop a good impression of him. After she rejected him, she never regretted it. She didn't want to see him again.

She often feels distressed and remorseful for her past behavior, and various unfortunate defects in her family make her extremely depressed.These defects are irreparable.Her father laughed at these imperfections, and did not bother to restrain the insolence of his younger daughters.As for her mother, since she herself has been out of control, of course she will not feel the harm in this aspect at all.Elizabeth and Jane often work together to restrain Catherine and Lydia's rashness, but since their mother indulges them so much, what chance do they have for improvement?Catherine is weak-willed and easily annoyed. She is completely at the command of Lydia, and she gets angry when she hears advice from Jane and Elizabeth. Lydia is stubborn and careless, and she doesn't listen to them at all.These two sisters were ignorant, lazy, and vain, and they went to court whenever an officer came to Meryton.Meryton and Longburn were not very far apart, and they went there all the time.

She also has a big worry, which is to worry about Jane.Mr. Darcy's explanation certainly restored her good opinion of Mr. Bingley, but at the same time, she felt that Jane suffered too much loss.Bingley had a deep affection for Jane, and his behavior should not be blamed in any way. If he should be blamed, at most he could only blame him for trusting his friends too much.Jane has such an ideal opportunity, she can get all kinds of benefits, and longs for lifelong happiness, but it's a pity that the family's stupid and indisciplined ruined this opportunity, which makes people feel sad when they think about it!
Whenever she thought of these things, she could not help thinking of the deterioration of Wickham's character.So, for a person like her who is always in a happy mood but rarely depressed, she was greatly stimulated in her heart, and she couldn't even force herself to be happy.It is conceivable.

During the week before her departure Rosings' parties were as frequent as they had been when they first arrived.The last night was also spent there, and the old lady asked them carefully about the details of their journey, instructed them how to pack their luggage, and talked repeatedly about how to pack their long clothes.After Maria heard these words, she turned over the boxes that she had packed in the morning and packed them again as soon as she returned.

When they took leave, Lady Catherine condescended to wish them a safe journey, and invited them to come to Hansford again next year.Mademoiselle de Bourgh even curtseyed to them both, and held out her hand to say good-bye to both of them.

(End of this chapter)