Chapter 57

Elizabeth's mind was greatly disturbed by this strange visit. It did not settle easily. For several hours she tried not to think of it, but she could not. Lady Catherine had taken the trouble of coming all the way here from Rosings in order to break down the supposition that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth were really engaged. It was a likely plan indeed! But she could not tell at all where the report of their engagement had begun. Then it came into her mind that it was enough that Mr. Darcy was a close friend of Bingley and that she was Jane's sister. It was a time when everyone, looking forward to one marriage, eagerly wished for another as well. It was natural enough that such an idea should arise. Elizabeth herself had hoped that after her sister's marriage she would meet Mr. Darcy more often. So she could guess as well how the report had spread. Through the talk that passed between the neighbors of Lucas Lodge and Mr. and Mrs. Collins, the report must have reached Lady Catherine. Those neighbors had only settled as almost certain and immediate the very thing that Elizabeth had thought might happen some day.

But when she thought again of Lady Catherine's words, Elizabeth felt a little uneasy about what might come of that lady's continued meddling. From what she had said of her resolve to prevent the marriage, it seemed that she meant to speak to her nephew himself. How would he take it if his aunt laid before him, in the same way, all the troubles that a connection with Elizabeth would bring? Elizabeth did not dare to decide. She did not know how dearly he cared for his aunt, nor how far he depended on her judgment. Still, it was natural to suppose that he thought far more highly of Lady Catherine than of herself. If his aunt set out, one by one, the misfortunes of marrying a woman whose near relations were so different from his own in position, she would be touching Mr. Darcy at his weakest point. Remembering what he thought of dignity, it seemed very likely that words which appeared petty and ridiculous to Elizabeth would sound to him quite sensible and reasonable.

If he had been wavering before about what he should do, there had in truth been many times when he seemed to be. The advice and the entreaty of so near a relation might put an end to all his doubt. And it might soon make him resolve to be as happy as spotless dignity would allow. In that case he would not come back again. Lady Catherine might meet him on her way to London. And he would not keep his promise to Bingley of returning to Netherfield.

"So if within a few days an excuse comes to his friend for not keeping his promise," Elizabeth went on, "I shall know what it means. Then I shall give up every expectation and every wish that he still loves me. If he is content merely to regret me, when he might have had my love and my hand, I shall soon cease to regret him at all."

The rest of the family were greatly surprised when they heard who the visitor had been. But they kindly satisfied themselves with the same guess that had quieted Mrs. Bennet's curiosity. So Elizabeth was spared a great deal of troublesome questioning on the subject.

The next morning, as Elizabeth was going downstairs, she met her father coming out of the library. He had a letter in his hand.

"Lizzy," said her father, "I was going to look for you. Come into my room."

She followed him. What he had to tell her was surely connected with the letter he held. That made her all the more curious. It suddenly came into her mind that the letter might be from Lady Catherine. She dreaded the explanation that would follow.

She followed her father to the fireplace, and then the two of them sat down. He said.

"I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me very much. Since it concerns you chiefly, you ought to know what it contains. I did not know before that I had two daughters on the point of marriage. Let me congratulate you on a very great conquest."

In a moment she felt sure that the letter came from the nephew and not from the aunt. Elizabeth's cheeks turned red. Was she to be pleased that Mr. Darcy had in some way explained his feelings? Or was she to be angry that he had written to her father instead of to herself? She could not decide which. Then her father went on.

"You look guilty. Young ladies are very sharp in such matters. But I will answer for it that even your quickness cannot find out the name of your admirer. This letter is from Mr. Collins."

"From Mr. Collins! And what can he have to say?"

"Something very much to the purpose, of course. He begins with congratulations on the coming marriage of my eldest daughter. It seems he has heard of it from one of the good-natured, gossiping Lucases. I shall not play with your impatience by reading that part. What concerns you is this. 'Having thus offered the sincere congratulations of Mrs. Collins and myself on this happy event, let me now add a brief word of advice about another matter, of which we have been told by the same source. Your daughter Elizabeth, they say, will not bear the name of Bennet much longer after her eldest sister has given it up. And the one whom she has chosen as the partner of her fate may fairly be looked up to as one of the most distinguished persons in this land.' Lizzy, can you guess who is meant? 'This young gentleman is blessed in a special way with everything that the heart of man can most desire, namely a splendid fortune, noble relations, and wide patronage. Yet in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin Elizabeth, and you as well, of the trouble that may follow if you accept this gentleman's offer too hastily. You will both of course be eager to seize the chance at once.' Lizzy, have you any idea who this gentleman is? But now it comes out. 'My reason for giving you this warning is as follows. There is ground to believe that his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, does not regard this marriage with favor.' Mr. Darcy, it seems! Now, Lizzy, I think I have surprised you this time. Could Mr. Collins or the Lucases have chosen any man among our acquaintance whose name would prove their own story false more surely than his? Mr. Darcy, who never looks at a woman except to find a fault in her, and who has probably never looked at you in his life! It is admirable!"

Elizabeth tried to join in her father's joke. But she could manage only one unwilling smile. Never had his wit been turned in a way so little pleasing to her.

"Is it not amusing?"

"Oh, yes. Please go on reading."

"'Last night I mentioned to Lady Catherine the possibility of this marriage, and with her usual gracious kindness she at once made known her thoughts on the matter. It became plain that, because of some objections in my cousin's family, she would never give her consent to what she called a disgraceful match. I thought it my duty to send this news as quickly as I could, so that my cousin and her noble admirer may know what they are about, and may not hurry into a marriage that has not been properly approved.' Mr. Collins adds this as well. 'I am truly glad that the sad business of my cousin Lydia has been so well hushed up. My one fear is that it is so widely known that the two of them lived together before they were married. But I must not neglect the duties of my office, and I cannot help declaring my astonishment at hearing that you received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice. Had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should have opposed it very strongly. As a Christian you must certainly forgive them, but you should never admit them into your sight again, nor allow their names to be spoken in your hearing.' That is his idea of Christian forgiveness! The rest of the letter is only about the condition of his dear Charlotte and his hope of a young olive branch. But Lizzy, you look as if you were not amused. You are not going to be prim, I hope, and pretend to be hurt by an idle report. For what do we live, except to make sport for our neighbors, and to laugh at them in our turn?"

"Oh," cried Elizabeth, "it is very amusing. But it is so strange!"

"Yes, that is exactly what makes it amusing. If they had fixed on any other man, it would have been nothing. But his perfect indifference and your open dislike make it so delightfully absurd! Much as I hate writing, I would not give up my letters with Mr. Collins for any reward. When I read one of his letters, I cannot help liking him better than Wickham, however highly I may value the shamelessness and hypocrisy of my son-in-law. And now, Lizzy, what did Lady Catherine say about this report? Did she call in order to refuse her consent?"

His daughter answered only with a laugh. Since he had asked without the least suspicion, it did not distress her that he asked again. Never had Elizabeth found it so hard to put on a face different from her real feelings. She had to laugh when she wished to cry. What her father had said about Mr. Darcy's indifference shamed her most cruelly. It was strange that he should notice so little. Or else she could not help fearing that it was not that her father had seen too little, but that she herself had imagined too much.