PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 25

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• Author: Jane Austen

AFTER a week spent in professions of love and schemes of felicity,
  Mr. Collins was called from his amiable Charlotte by the arrival of
  Saturday. The pain of separation, however, might be alleviated on his
  side, by preparations for the reception of his bride, as he had reason
  to hope that shortly after his next return into Hertfordshire, the day
  would be fixed that was to make him the happiest of men. He took leave
  of his relations at Longbourn with as much solemnity as before; wished
  his fair cousins health and happiness again, and promised their father
  another letter of thanks.

On the following Monday, Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving
  her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at
  Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior
  to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield ladies
  would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade,
  and within view of his own warehouses, could have been so well bred
  and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs.
  Bennet and Mrs. Philips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman,
  and a great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. Between the two
  eldest and herself especially, there subsisted a very particular regard.
  They had frequently been staying with her in town.

The first part of Mrs. Gardiner's business on her arrival, was to
  distribute her presents and describe the newest fashions. When this
  was done, she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to
  listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and much to complain
  of. They had all been very ill-used since she last saw her sister. Two
  of her girls had been on the point of marriage, and after all there
  was nothing in it.

"I do not blame Jane," she continued, "for Jane would have got
  Mr. Bingley, if she could. But, Lizzy! Oh, sister! it is very hard to
  think that she might have been Mr. Collins's wife by this time, had
  not it been for her own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very
  room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is, that Lady Lucas
  will have a daughter married before I have, and that Longbourn estate
  is just as much entailed as ever. The Lucases are very artful people
  indeed, sister. They are all for what they can get. I am sorry to say
  it of them, but so it is. It makes me very nervous and poorly, to be
  thwarted so in my own family, and to have neighbours who think of themselves
  before anybody else. However, your coming just at this time is the greatest
  of comforts, and I am very glad to hear what you tell us, of long sleeves."

Mrs. Gardiner, to whom the chief of this news had been given before,
  in the course of Jane and Elizabeth's correspondence with her, made
  her sister a slight answer, and, in compassion to her nieces, turned
  the conversation.

When alone with Elizabeth afterwards, she spoke more on the subject.
  "It seems likely to have been a desirable match for Jane," said she.
  "I am sorry it went off. But these things happen so often! A young
  man, such as you describe Mr. Bingley, so easily falls in love with
  a pretty girl for a few weeks, and when accident separates them, so
  easily forgets her, that these sort of inconstancies are very frequent."

"An excellent consolation in its way," said Elizabeth, "but it
  will not do for us. We do not suffer by accident. It does not often
  happen that the interference of friends will persuade a young man of
  independent fortune to think no more of a girl, whom he was violently
  in love with only a few days before."

"But that expression of "violently in love" is so hackneyed,
  so doubtful, so indefinite, that it gives me very little idea. It is
  as often applied to feelings which arise from an half-hour's acquaintance,
  as to a real, strong attachment. Pray, how violent was Mr. Bingley's
  love?"

"I never saw a more promising inclination. He was growing quite inattentive
  to other people, and wholly engrossed by her. Every time they met, it
  was more decided and remarkable. At his own ball he offended two or
  three young ladies by not asking them to dance, and I spoke to him twice
  myself without receiving an answer. Could there be finer symptoms? Is
  not general incivility the very essence of love?"

"Oh, yes! -- of that kind of love which I suppose him to have felt.
  Poor Jane! I am sorry for her, because, with her disposition, she may
  not get over it immediately. It had better have happened to you, Lizzy;
  you would have laughed yourself out of it sooner. But do you think she
  would be prevailed on to go back with us? Change of scene might be of
  service -- and perhaps a little relief from home, may be as useful as
  anything."

Elizabeth was exceedingly pleased with this proposal, and felt persuaded
  of her sister's ready acquiescence.

"I hope," added Mrs. Gardiner, "that no consideration with regard
  to this young man will influence her. We live in so different a part
  of town, all our connections are so different, and, as you well know,
  we go out so little, that it is very improbable they should meet at
  all, unless he really comes to see her."

"And that is quite impossible; for he is now in the custody of his
  friend, and Mr. Darcy would no more suffer him to call on Jane in such
  a part of London -- ! My dear aunt, how could you think of it? Mr. Darcy
  may perhaps have heard of such a place as Gracechurch Street, but he
  would hardly think a month's ablution enough to cleanse him from its
  impurities, were he once to enter it; and depend upon it, Mr. Bingley
  never stirs without him."

"So much the better. I hope they will not meet at all. But does not
  Jane correspond with the sister? She will not be able to help calling."

"She will drop the acquaintance entirely."

But in spite of the certainty in which Elizabeth affected to place
  this point, as well as the still more interesting one of Bingley's being
  withheld from seeing Jane, she felt a solicitude on the subject which
  convinced her, on examination, that she did not consider it entirely
  hopeless. It was possible, and sometimes she thought it probable, that
  his affection might be re-animated, and the influence of his friends
  successfully combated by the more natural influence of Jane's attractions.

Miss Bennet accepted her aunt's invitation with pleasure; and the
  Bingleys were no otherwise in her thoughts at the time, than as she
  hoped that, by Caroline's not living in the same house with her brother,
  she might occasionally spend a morning with her, without any danger
  of seeing him.

The Gardiners staid a week at Longbourn; and what with the Philipses,
  the Lucases, and the officers, there was not a day without its engagement.
  Mrs. Bennet had so carefully provided for the entertainment of her brother
  and sister, that they did not once sit down to a family dinner. When
  the engagement was for home, some of the officers always made part of
  it, of which officers Mr. Wickham was sure to be one; and on these occasions,
  Mrs. Gardiner, rendered suspicious by Elizabeth's warm commendation
  of him, narrowly observed them both. Without supposing them, from what
  she saw, to be very seriously in love, their preference of each other
  was plain enough to make her a little uneasy; and she resolved to speak
  to Elizabeth on the subject before she left Hertfordshire, and represent
  to her the imprudence of encouraging such an attachment.

To Mrs. Gardiner, Wickham had one means of affording pleasure, unconnected
  with his general powers. About ten or a dozen years ago, before her
  marriage, she had spent a considerable time in that very part of Derbyshire
  to which he belonged. They had, therefore, many acquaintance in common;
  and, though Wickham had been little there since the death of Darcy's
  father, five years before, it was yet in his power to give her fresher
  intelligence of her former friends, than she had been in the way of
  procuring.

Mrs. Gardiner had seen Pemberley, and known the late Mr. Darcy by
  character perfectly well. Here, consequently, was an inexhaustible subject
  of discourse. In comparing her recollection of Pemberley with the minute
  description which Wickham could give, and in bestowing her tribute of
  praise on the character of its late possessor, she was delighting both
  him and herself. On being made acquainted with the present Mr. Darcy's
  treatment of him, she tried to remember something of that gentleman's
  reputed disposition, when quite a lad, which might agree with it, and
  was confident at last that she recollected having heard Mr. Fitzwilliam
  Darcy formerly spoken of as a very proud, ill-natured boy.

MISS Bingley's letter arrived, and put an end to doubt. The very first
  sentence conveyed the assurance of their being all settled in London
  for the winter, and concluded with her brother's regret at not having
  had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before
  he left the country.

  Hope was over, entirely over; and when Jane could attend to the rest
  of the letter, she found little, except the professed affection of the
  writer, that could give her any comfort. Miss Darcy's praise occupied
  the chief of it. Her many attractions were again dwelt on, and Caroline
  boasted joyfully of their increasing intimacy, and ventured to predict
  the accomplishment of the wishes which had been unfolded in her former
  letter. She wrote also with great pleasure of her brother's being an
  inmate of Mr. Darcy's house, and mentioned with raptures some plans
  of the latter with regard to new furniture. Elizabeth, to whom Jane
  very soon communicated the chief of all this, heard it in silent indignation.
  Her heart was divided between concern for her sister, and resentment
  against all the others. To Caroline's assertion of her brother's being
  partial to Miss Darcy she paid no credit. That he was really fond of
  Jane, she doubted no more than she had ever done; and much as she had
  always been disposed to like him, she could not think without anger,
  hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that want of proper
  resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends, and
  led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.
  Had his own happiness, however, been the only sacrifice, he might have
  been allowed to sport with it in what ever manner he thought best; but
  her sister's was involved in it, as, she thought, he must be sensible
  himself. It was a subject, in short, on which reflection would be long
  indulged, and must be unavailing. She could think of nothing else, and
  yet whether Bingley's regard had really died away, or were suppressed
  by his friends' interference; whether he had been aware of Jane's attachment,
  or whether it had escaped his observation; whichever were the case,
  though her opinion of him must be materially affected by the difference,
  her sister's situation remained the same, her peace equally wounded.

A day or two passed before Jane had courage to speak of her feelings
  to Elizabeth; but at last on Mrs. Bennet's leaving them together, after
  a longer irritation than usual about Netherfield and its master, she
  could not help saying,

"Oh! that my dear mother had more command over herself; she can have
  no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him.
  But I will not repine. It cannot last long. He will be forgot, and we
  shall all be as we were before."

Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude, but said
  nothing.

"You doubt me," cried Jane, slightly colouring; "indeed you have
  no reason. He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance,
  but that is all. I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing
  to reproach him with. Thank God! I have not that pain. A little time
  therefore. -- I shall certainly try to get the better."

With a stronger voice she soon added, "I have this comfort immediately,
  that it has not been more than an error of fancy on my side, and that
  it has done no harm to any one but myself."

"My dear Jane!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "you are too good. Your sweetness
  and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say
  to you. I feel as if I had never done you justice, or loved you as you
  deserve."

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit, and threw
  back the praise on her sister's warm affection.

"Nay," said Elizabeth, "this is not fair. You wish to think all
  the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of any body. I only
  want to think you perfect, and you set yourself against it. Do not be
  afraid of my running into any excess, of my encroaching on your privilege
  of universal good will. You need not. There are few people whom I really
  love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world,
  the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief
  of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence
  that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense. I have
  met with two instances lately; one I will not mention; the other is
  Charlotte's marriage. It is unaccountable! in every view it is unaccountable!"

"My dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will
  ruin your happiness. You do not make allowance enough for difference
  of situation and temper. Consider Mr. Collins's respectability, and
  Charlotte's prudent, steady character. Remember that she is one of a
  large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible match; and be
  ready to believe, for every body's sake, that she may feel something
  like regard and esteem for our cousin."

"To oblige you, I would try to believe almost any thing, but no one
  else could be benefited by such a belief as this; for were I persuaded
  that Charlotte had any regard for him, I should only think worse of
  her understanding, than I now do of her heart. My dear Jane, Mr. Collins
  is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man; you know he is, as
  well as I do; and you must feel, as well as I do, that the woman who
  marries him, cannot have a proper way of thinking. You shall not defend
  her, though it is Charlotte Lucas. You shall not, for the sake of one
  individual, change the meaning of principle and integrity, nor endeavour
  to persuade yourself or me that selfishness is prudence, and insensibility
  of danger, security for happiness."

"I must think your language too strong in speaking of both," replied
  Jane, "and I hope you will be convinced of it, by seeing them happy
  together. But enough of this. You alluded to something else. You mentioned
  two instances. I cannot misunderstand you, but I intreat you, dear Lizzy,
  not to pain me by thinking that person to blame, and saying your opinion
  of him is sunk. We must not be so ready to fancy ourselves intentionally
  injured. We must not expect a lively young man to be always so guarded
  and circumspect. It is very often nothing but our own vanity that deceives
  us. Women fancy admiration means more than it does."

"And men take care that they should."

"If it is designedly done, they cannot be justified; but I have no
  idea of there being so much design in the world as some persons imagine."

"I am far from attributing any part of Mr. Bingley's conduct to design,"
  said Elizabeth; "but without scheming to do wrong, or to make others
  unhappy, there may be error, and there may be misery. Thoughtlessness,
  want of attention to other people's feelings, and want of resolution,
  will do the business,"

"And do you impute it to either of those?"

"Yes; to the last. But if I go on, I shall displease you by saying
  what I think of persons you esteem. Stop me whilst you can."

"You persist, then, in supposing his sisters influence him."

"Yes, in conjunction with his friend."

"I cannot believe it. Why should they try to influence him? They
  can only wish his happiness, and if he is attached to me, no other woman
  can secure it."

"Your first position is false. They may wish many things besides
  his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence;
  they may wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money,
  great connections, and pride."

"Beyond a doubt, they do wish him to chuse Miss Darcy," replied
  Jane; "but this may be from better feelings than you are supposing.
  They have known her much longer than they have known me; no wonder if
  they love her better. But, whatever may be their own wishes, it is very
  unlikely they should have opposed their brother's. What sister would
  think herself at liberty to do it, unless there were something very
  objectionable? If they believed him attached to me, they would not try
  to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed. By supposing such
  an affection, you make every body acting unnaturally and wrong, and
  me most unhappy. Do not distress me by the idea. I am not ashamed of
  having been mistaken -- or, at least, it is slight, it is nothing in
  comparison of what I should feel in thinking ill of him or his sisters.
  Let me take it in the best light, in the light in which it may be understood."

Elizabeth could not oppose such a wish; and from this time Mr. Bingley's
  name was scarcely ever mentioned between them.

Mrs. Bennet still continued to wonder and repine at his returning
  no more, and though a day seldom passed in which Elizabeth did not account
  for it clearly, there seemed little chance of her ever considering it
  with less perplexity. Her daughter endeavoured to convince her of what
  she did not believe herself, that his attentions to Jane had been merely
  the effect of a common and transient liking, which ceased when he saw
  her no more; but though the probability of the statement was admitted
  at the time, she had the same story to repeat every day. Mrs. Bennet's
  best comfort was that Mr. Bingley must be down again in the summer.

Mr. Bennet treated the matter differently. "So, Lizzy," said he
  one day, "your sister is crossed in love I find. I congratulate her.
  Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now
  and then. It is something to think of, and gives her a sort of distinction
  among her companions. When is your turn to come? You will hardly bear
  to be long outdone by Jane. Now is your time. Here are officers enough
  at Meryton to disappoint all the young ladies in the country. Let Wickham
  be your man. He is a pleasant fellow, and would jilt you creditably."

"Thank you, Sir, but a less agreeable man would satisfy me. We must
  not all expect Jane's good fortune."

"True," said Mr. Bennet, "but it is a comfort to think that, whatever
  of that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will
  always make the most of it."

Mr. Wickham's society was of material service in dispelling the gloom,
  which the late perverse occurrences had thrown on many of the Longbourn
  family. They saw him often, and to his other recommendations was now
  added that of general unreserve. The whole of what Elizabeth had already
  heard, his claims on Mr. Darcy, and all that he had suffered from him,
  was now openly acknowledged and publicly canvassed; and every body was
  pleased to think how much they had always disliked Mr. Darcy before
  they had known any thing of the matter.

Miss Bennet was the only creature who could suppose there might be
  any extenuating circumstances in the case, unknown to the society of
  Hertfordshire; her mild and steady candour always pleaded for allowances,
  and urged the possibility of mistakes -- but by everybody else Mr. Darcy
  was condemned as the worst of men.

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1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 23
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 42
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 47
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 48
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 50
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 51
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 52
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 53
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 54
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55