appeared again, when, looking at him, she was a little relieved by his smile. In a few minutes he
approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty; and, while pretending to admire her work
said in a whisper, "Go to your father, he wants you in the library." She was gone directly.
Her father was walking about the room, looking grave and anxious. "Lizzy," said he, "what are
you doing? Are you out of your senses, to be accepting this man? Have not you always hated
him?"
How earnestly did she then wish that her former opinions had been more reasonable, her
expressions more moderate! It would have spared her from explanations and professions which it
was exceedingly awkward to give; but they were now necessary, and she assured him, with some
confusion, of her attachment to Mr. Darcy.
"Or, in other words, you are determined to have him. He is rich, to be sure, and you may have
more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane. But will they make you happy?"
"Have you any other objection," said Elizabeth, "than your belief of my indifference?"
269
"None at all. We all know him to be a proud, unpleasant sort of man; but this would be nothing if
you really liked him."
"I do, I do like him," she replied, with tears in her eyes, "I love him. Indeed he has no improper
pride. He is perfectly amiable. You do not know what he really is; then pray do not pain me by
speaking of him in such terms."
"Lizzy," said her father, "I have given him my consent. He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I
should never dare refuse any thing, which he condescended to ask. I now give it to YOU, if you
are resolved on having him. But let me advise you to think better of it. I know your disposition,
Lizzy. I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable, unless you truly esteemed your
husband; unless you looked up to him as a superior. Your lively talents would place you in the
greatest danger in an unequal marriage. You could scarcely escape discredit and misery. My
child, let me not have the grief of seeing YOU unable to respect your partner in life. You know
not what you are about."
Elizabeth, still more affected, was earnest and solemn in her reply; and at length, by repeated
assurances that Mr. Darcy was really the object of her choice, by explaining the gradual change
which her estimation of him had undergone, relating her absolute certainty that his affection was
not the work of a day, but had stood the test of many months suspense, and enumerating with
energy all his good qualities, she did conquer her father's incredulity, and reconcile him to the
match.
"Well, my dear," said he, when she ceased speaking, "I have no more to say. If this be the case,
he deserves you. I could not have parted with you, my Lizzy, to anyone less worthy."
To complete the favourable impression, she then told him what Mr. Darcy had voluntarily done
for Lydia. He heard her with astonishment.
"This is an evening of wonders, indeed! And so, Darcy did every thing; made up the match, gave
the money, paid the fellow's debts, and got him his commission! So much the better. It will save
me a world of trouble and economy. Had it been your uncle's doing, I must and WOULD have
paid him; but these violent young lovers carry every thing their own way. I shall offer to pay him
to-morrow; he will rant and storm about his love for you, and there will be an end of the matter."
270
He then recollected her embarrassment a few days before, on his reading Mr. Collins's letter; and
after laughing at her some time, allowed her at last to go—saying, as she quitted the room, "If
any young men come for Mary or Kitty, send them in, for I am quite at leisure."
Elizabeth's mind was now relieved from a very heavy weight; and, after half an hour's quiet
reflection in her own room, she was able to join the others with tolerable composure. Every thing
was too recent for gaiety, but the evening passed tranquilly away; there was no longer any thing
material to be dreaded, and the comfort of ease and familiarity would come in time.
When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night, she followed her, and made the
important communication. Its effect was most extraordinary; for on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet
sat quite still, and unable to utter a syllable. Nor was it under many, many minutes that she could
comprehend what she heard; though not in general backward to credit what was for the
advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them. She began at length
to recover, to fidget about in her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself.
"Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it!
And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-
money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it—nothing at all. I am so
pleased—so happy. Such a charming man!—so handsome! so tall!—Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray
apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear
Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a
year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted."
This was enough to prove that her approbation need not be doubted: and Elizabeth, rejoicing that
such an effusion was heard only by herself, soon went away. But before she had been three
minutes in her own room, her mother followed her.
"My dearest child," she cried, "I can think of nothing else! Ten thousand a year, and very likely
more! 'Tis as good as a Lord! And a special licence. You must and shall be married by a special
licence. But my dearest love, tell me what dish Mr. Darcy is particularly fond of, that I may have
it to-morrow."
This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to the gentleman himself might be; and
Elizabeth found that, though in the certain possession of his warmest affection, and secure of her
relations' consent, there was still something to be wished for. But the morrow passed off much
better than she expected; for Mrs. Bennet luckily stood in such awe of her intended son-in-law
271
that she ventured not to speak to him, unless it was in her power to offer him any attention, or
mark her deference for his opinion.
Elizabeth had the satisfaction of seeing her father taking pains to get acquainted with him; and
Mr. Bennet soon assured her that he was rising every hour in his esteem.
"I admire all my three sons-in-law highly," said he. "Wickham, perhaps, is my favourite; but I
think I shall like YOUR husband quite as well as Jane's."
Chapter 60
Elizabeth's spirits soon rising to playfulness again, she wanted Mr. Darcy to account for his
having ever fallen in love with her. "How could you begin?" said she. "I can comprehend your