PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40

Description

ELIZABETH'S impatience
to acquaint Jane with what had happened could no longer be overcome; and
at length resolving to suppress every particular in which her sister was
concerned, and preparing her to be surprised, she related to her the next
morning the chief of the scene between Mr. Darcy and herself.

Miss Bennet's astonishment was soon lessened by the strong sisterly partiality
which made any admiration of Elizabeth appear perfectly natural; and all
surprise was shortly lost in other feelings. She was sorry that Mr. Darcy
should have delivered his sentiments in a manner so little suited to recommend
them; but still more was she grieved for the unhappiness which her sister's
refusal must have given him.

"His being so sure of succeeding, was wrong," said she; "and certainly
  ought not to have appeared; but consider how much it must increase his
  disappointment."

"Indeed," replied Elizabeth, "I am heartily sorry for him; but
  he has other feelings which will probably soon drive away his regard
  for me. You do not blame me, however, for refusing him?"

"Blame you! Oh, no."

"But you blame me for having spoken so warmly of Wickham."

"No -- I do not know that you were wrong in saying what you did."

"But you will know it, when I have told you what happened the very
  next day."

She then spoke of the letter, repeating the whole of its contents
  as far as they concerned George Wickham. What a stroke was this for
  poor Jane! who would willingly have gone through the world without believing
  that so much wickedness existed in the whole race of mankind, as was
  here collected in one individual. Nor was Darcy's vindication, though
  grateful to her feelings, capable of consoling her for such discovery.
  Most earnestly did she labour to prove the probability of error, and
  seek to clear one without involving the other.

"This will not do," said Elizabeth. "You never will be able to
  make both of them good for any thing. Take your choice, but you must
  be satisfied with only one. There is but such a quantity of merit between
  them; just enough to make one good sort of man; and of late it has been
  shifting about pretty much. For my part, I am inclined to believe it
  all Mr. Darcy's, but you shall do as you chuse."

It was some time, however, before a smile could be extorted from Jane.

"I do not know when I have been more shocked," said she. "Wickham
  so very bad! It is almost past belief. And poor Mr. Darcy! dear Lizzy,
  only consider what he must have suffered. Such a disappointment! and
  with the knowledge of your ill opinion too! and having to relate such
  a thing of his sister! It is really too distressing. I am sure you must
  feel it so."

"Oh! no, my regret and compassion are all done away by seeing you
  so full of both. I know you will do him such ample justice, that I am
  growing every moment more unconcerned and indifferent. Your profusion
  makes me saving; and if you lament over him much longer, my heart will
  be as light as a feather."

"Poor Wickham; there is such an expression of goodness in his countenance!
  such an openness and gentleness in his manner."

"There certainly was some great mismanagement in the education of
  those two young men. One has got all the goodness, and the other all
  the appearance of it."

"I never thought Mr. Darcy so deficient in the appearance of it as
  you used to do."

"And yet I meant to be uncommonly clever in taking so decided a dislike
  to him, without any reason. It is such a spur to one's genius, such
  an opening for wit to have a dislike of that kind. One may be continually
  abusive without saying any thing just; but one cannot be always laughing
  at a man without now and then stumbling on something witty."

"Lizzy when you first read that letter, I am sure you could not treat
  the matter as you do now."

"Indeed I could not. I was uncomfortable enough. I was very uncomfortable,
  I may say unhappy. And with no one to speak to of what I felt, no Jane
  to comfort me and say that I had not been so very weak and vain and
  nonsensical as I knew I had! Oh! how I wanted you!"

"How unfortunate that you should have used such very strong expressions
  in speaking of Wickham to Mr. Darcy, for now they do appear wholly undeserved."

"Certainly. But the misfortune of speaking with bitterness is a most
  natural consequence of the prejudices I had been encouraging. There
  is one point on which I want your advice. I want to be told whether
  I ought, or ought not, to make our acquaintance in general understand
  Wickham's character."

Miss Bennet paused a little and then replied, "Surely there can be
  no occasion for exposing him so dreadfully. What is your own opinion?"

"That it ought not to be attempted. Mr. Darcy has not authorised
  me to make his communication public. On the contrary, every particular
  relative to his sister was meant to be kept as much as possible to myself;
  and if I endeavour to undeceive people as to the rest of his conduct,
  who will believe me? The general prejudice against Mr. Darcy is so violent,
  that it would be the death of half the good people in Meryton to attempt
  to place him in an amiable light. I am not equal to it. Wickham will
  soon be gone; and therefore it will not signify to anybody here, what
  he really is. Sometime hence it will be all found out, and then we may
  laugh at their stupidity in not knowing it before. At present I will
  say nothing about it."

"You are quite right. To have his errors made public might ruin him
  for ever. He is now perhaps sorry for what he has done, and anxious
  to re-establish a character. We must not make him desperate."

The tumult of Elizabeth's mind was allayed by this conversation. She
  had got rid of two of the secrets which had weighed on her for a fortnight,
  and was certain of a willing listener in Jane, whenever she might wish
  to talk again of either. But there was still something lurking behind,
  of which prudence forbad the disclosure. She dared not relate the other
  half of Mr. Darcy's letter, nor explain to her sister how sincerely
  she had been valued by his friend. Here was knowledge in which no one
  could partake; and she was sensible that nothing less than a perfect
  understanding between the parties could justify her in throwing off
  this last incumbrance of mystery. "And then," said she, "if that
  very improbable event should ever take place, I shall merely be able
  to tell what Bingley may tell in a much more agreeable manner himself.
  The liberty of communication cannot be mine till it has lost all its
  value!"

She was now, on being settled at home, at leisure to observe the real
  state of her sister's spirits. Jane was not happy. She still cherished
  a very tender affection for Bingley. Having never even fancied herself
  in love before, her regard had all the warmth of first attachment, and,
  from her age and disposition, greater steadiness than first attachments
  often boast; and so fervently did she value his remembrance, and prefer
  him to every other man, that all her good sense, and all her attention
  to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check the indulgence
  of those regrets which must have been injurious to her own health and
  their tranquillity.

"Well, Lizzy," said Mrs. Bennet one day, "what is your opinion
  now of this sad business of Jane's? For my part, I am determined never
  to speak of it again to anybody. I told my sister Philips so the other
  day. But I cannot find out that Jane saw any thing of him in London.
  Well, he is a very undeserving young man -- and I do not suppose there
  is the least chance in the world of her ever getting him now. There
  is no talk of his coming to Netherfield again in the summer; and I have
  enquired of every body, too, who is likely to know."

"I do not believe that he will ever live at Netherfield any more."

"Oh, well! it is just as he chooses. Nobody wants him to come. Though
  I shall always say that he used my daughter extremely ill; and if I
  was her, I would not have put up with it. Well, my comfort is, I am
  sure Jane will die of a broken heart, and then he will be sorry for
  what he has done."

But as Elizabeth could not receive comfort from any such expectation,
  she made no answer.

"Well, Lizzy," continued her mother soon afterwards, "and so the
  Collinses live very comfortable, do they? Well, well, I only hope it
  will last. And what sort of table do they keep? Charlotte is an excellent
  manager, I dare say. If she is half as sharp as her mother, she is saving
  enough. There is nothing extravagant in their housekeeping, I dare say."

"No, nothing at all."

"A great deal of good management, depend upon it. Yes, yes. They
  will take care not to outrun their income. They will never be distressed
  for money. Well, much good may it do them! And so, I suppose, they often
  talk of having Longbourn when your father is dead. They look upon it
  quite as their own, I dare say, whenever that happens."

"It was a subject which they could not mention before me."

"No. It would have been strange if they had. But I make no doubt,
  they often talk of it between themselves. Well, if they can be easy
  with an estate that is not lawfully their own, so much the better. I
  should be ashamed of having one that was only entailed on me."

$$ Buy "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40" on Amazon $$

Please check the description for download links if any or do a search to find alternative books.

Can't Download?
Please search mirrors if you can't find download links for "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 40" in "Description" and someone else may update the links. Check the comments when back to find any updates.

Search Mirrors
Maybe some mirror pages will be helpful, search this book at top of this page or click here to find more info.

1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 58
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 44
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 42
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 41
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 11
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 12
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 45
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 46
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 49
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 57
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 56
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 55
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 54