Elizabeth's spiritssoonrisingtoplayfulnessagain, shewantedMr. Darcytoaccountforhishavingeverfalleninlovewithher. "Howcouldyoubegin?" saidshe. "I cancomprehendyourgoingoncharmingly, whenyouhadoncemade a beginning; butwhatcouldsetyouoffinthefirstplace?"
1
"I cannotfixonthehour, orthespot, orthelook, orthewords, whichlaidthefoundation. Itistoolongago. I wasinthemiddlebefore I knewthat I hadbegun."
2
"Mybeautyyouhadearlywithstood, andasformymanners—mybehaviourtoyouwasatleastalwaysborderingontheuncivil, and I neverspoketoyouwithoutratherwishingtogiveyoupainthannot. Nowbesincere; didyouadmiremeformyimpertinence?"
3
"Forthelivelinessofyourmind, I did."
4
"Youmayaswellcallitimpertinenceatonce. Itwasverylittleless. Thefactis, thatyouweresickofcivility, ofdeference, ofofficiousattention. Youweredisgustedwiththewomenwhowerealwaysspeaking, andlooking, andthinkingforyourapprobationalone. I roused, andinterestedyou, because I wassounlikethem. Hadyounotbeenreallyamiable, youwouldhavehatedmeforit; butinspiteofthepainsyoutooktodisguiseyourself, yourfeelingswerealwaysnobleandjust; andinyourheart, youthoroughlydespisedthepersonswhosoassiduouslycourtedyou. There—I havesavedyouthetroubleofaccountingforit; andreally, allthingsconsidered, I begintothinkitperfectlyreasonable. Tobesure, youknewnoactualgoodofme—butnobodythinksofthatwhentheyfallinlove."
"Howunluckythatyoushouldhave a reasonableanswertogive, andthat I shouldbesoreasonableastoadmitit! But I wonderhowlongyouwouldhavegoneon, ifyouhadbeenlefttoyourself. I wonderwhenyouwouldhavespoken, if I hadnotaskedyou! MyresolutionofthankingyouforyourkindnesstoLydiahadcertainlygreateffect. Toomuch, I amafraid; forwhatbecomesofthemoral, ifourcomfortspringsfrom a breachofpromise? for I oughtnottohavementionedthesubject. Thiswillneverdo."
13
"Youneednotdistressyourself. Themoralwillbeperfectlyfair. LadyCatherine's unjustifiableendeavourstoseparateuswerethemeansofremovingallmydoubts. I amnotindebtedformypresenthappinesstoyoureagerdesireofexpressingyourgratitude. I wasnotin a humourtowaitforanyopeningofyours. Myaunt's intelligencehadgivenmehope, and I wasdeterminedatoncetoknoweverything."
"Myrealpurposewastoseeyou, andtojudge, if I could, whether I mighteverhopetomakeyouloveme. Myavowedone, orwhat I avowedtomyself, wastoseewhetheryoursisterwerestillpartialtoBingley, andifshewere, tomaketheconfessiontohimwhich I havesincemade."
"I ammorelikelytowantmoretimethancourage, Elizabeth. Butitoughttobedone, andifyouwillgiveme a sheetofpaper, itshallbedonedirectly."
18
"Andif I hadnot a lettertowritemyself, I mightsitbyyouandadmiretheevennessofyourwriting, asanotheryoungladyoncedid. But I haveanaunt, too, whomustnotbelongerneglected."
"I wouldhavethankedyoubefore, mydearaunt, as I oughttohavedone, foryourlong, kind, satisfactory, detailofparticulars; buttosaythetruth, I wastoocrosstowrite. Yousupposedmorethanreallyexisted. Butnowsupposeasmuchasyouchoose; give a loosereintoyourfancy, indulgeyourimaginationineverypossibleflightwhichthesubjectwillafford, andunlessyoubelievemeactuallymarried, youcannotgreatlyerr. Youmustwriteagainverysoon, andpraisehim a greatdealmorethanyoudidinyourlast. I thankyou, againandagain, fornotgoingtotheLakes. Howcould I besosillyastowishit! Yourideaoftheponiesisdelightful. WewillgoroundtheParkeveryday. I amthehappiestcreatureintheworld. Perhapsotherpeoplehavesaidsobefore, butnotonewithsuchjustice. I amhappiereventhanJane; sheonlysmiles, I laugh. Mr. Darcysendsyoualltheloveintheworldthathecansparefromme. YouarealltocometoPemberleyatChristmas. Yours, etc."
21
Mr. Darcy's lettertoLadyCatherinewasin a differentstyle; andstilldifferentfromeitherwaswhatMr. BennetsenttoMr. Collins, inreplytohislast.
22
"DEARSIR,
23
"I musttroubleyouoncemoreforcongratulations. ElizabethwillsoonbethewifeofMr. Darcy. ConsoleLadyCatherineaswellasyoucan. But, if I wereyou, I wouldstandbythenephew. Hehasmoretogive.