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Though Elizabeth would not,for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine,have answered this question,she could not but say,after a moment's deliberation:
“I am not.”
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
“And will you promise me,never to enter into such an engagement?”
“I will make no promise of the kind.”
“Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished.I expected to find a more reasonable young woman.But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede.I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require.”
“And I certainly never shall give it.I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable.Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me,would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin?Allow me to say,Lady Catherine,that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged.You have widely mistaken my character,if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these.How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine.I must beg,therefore,to be importuned no farther on the subject.”
“Not so hasty,if you please.I have by no means done.To all the objections I have already urged,I have still another to add.I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's infamous elopement.I know it all;that the young man's marrying her was a patched-up business,at the expence of your father and uncles. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister?Is her husband,is the son of his late father's steward, to be his brother? Heaven and earth!—of what are you thinking?Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?”
“You can now have nothing further to say,”she resentfully answered.“You have insulted me in every possible method.I must beg to return to the house.”
And she rose as she spoke.Lady Catherine rose also,and they turned back.Her ladyship was highly incensed.
“You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?”
“Lady Catherine, I have nothing further to say.You know my sentiments.”
“You are then resolved to have him?”
“I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that manner,which will,in my own opinion,constitute my happiness, without reference to you,or to any person so wholly unconnected with me.”
“It is well.You refuse,then,to oblige me.You refuse to obey the claims of duty,honour,and gratitude.You are determined to ruin him in the opinion of all his friends,and make him the contempt of the world.”
“Neither duty,nor honour,nor gratitude,”replied Elizabeth,“have any possible claim on me,in the present instance.No principle of either would be violated by my marriage with Mr.Darcy.And with regard to the resentment of his family,or the indignation of the world,if the former were excited by his marrying me,it would not give me one moment's concern—and the world in general would have too much sense to join in the scorn.”
“And this is your real opinion!This is your final resolve!Very well.I shall now know how to act.Do not imagine,Miss Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I came to try you. I hoped to find you reasonable;but,depend upon it,I will carry my point.”
In this manner Lady Catherine talked on,till they were at the door of the carriage,when,turning hastily round,she added,
“I take no leave of you,Miss Bennet.I send no compliments to your mother.You deserve no such attention.I am most seriously displeased.”
Elizabeth made no answer;and without attempting to persuade her ladyship to return into the house,walked quietly into it herself. She heard the carriage drive away as she proceeded up stairs.Her mother impatiently met her at the door of the dressing-room,to ask why Lady Catherine would not come in again and rest herself.
“She did not choose it,”said her daughter,“she would go.”
“She is a very fine-looking woman! and her calling here was prodigiously civil! for she only came, I suppose, to tell us the Collinses were well.She is on her road somewhere,I dare say,and so, passing through Meryton, thought she might as well call on you.I suppose she had nothing particular to say to you,Lizzy?”
Elizabeth was forced to give into a little falsehood here;for to acknowledge the substance of their conversation was impossible.