Chapter 2.18 #6
“Lady Catherine, I am afraid I am lost again. I understand your ladyship wants Mr Darcy to marry your daughter, and I suspect he is not willing to do so. You pretend he was engaged to your daughter, but I understand it was not he who promised anything to his cousin but you and his mother planning for them. I have difficulty comprehending what my daughter’s fault is in this unfortunate situation.
If Mr Darcy admires Elizabeth, he surely cannot be bound either by affection or by honour to his cousin. ”
“Your daughter’s fault is that she attempted to insinuate herself with him, to gain his attention by all manner of schemes, to trap him into a marriage, no doubt very advantageous for her and for your family but disastrous for him and his good name.
But that will never happen—I shall never allow it to happen!
And you, if you know the best interests of your family, will help me with this. If you are as sensible as I hope—”
“Lady Catherine, though I find this discussion entertaining, I still do not understand what your ladyship proposes to accomplish by coming here today. What would you expect me to do? Should I forbid Mr Darcy’s admiring my daughter?
Should I force him to marry your daughter?
Do you believe he will obey if I ask him to do so? ”
“You should demand that your daughter stay away from my nephew forever! You should keep her at home and make her understand that, no matter how hard she may try, a union with my nephew will never be possible.”
“Now…forgive me for being so bold, but I must ask—why would I do such thing? As far as I can see, there are only two choices here: either Mr Darcy accepts your notion of his marrying your daughter or he does not. In the first instance, things would be settled to your liking. In the second, even if I keep my daughter at home and never allow her to see Mr Darcy again, it would not make him return to his cousin. And if he indeed admires Elizabeth and has any serious design on her, why would I intentionally ruin my daughter’s chance for happiness?
Why would I not welcome the union of such a worthy man with my daughter? ”
“Because honour, decorum, prudence, even interest forbid it! If you love your daughter, you should not expose her to ridicule by attempting to attain a goal so far above her! Mr Darcy and my daughter would be a perfect match in all the ways that matter; anyone can see that. Your daughter is merely a temporary distraction for him; he will never ask for her hand in marriage, and you will be left with only disappointment and shame!”
“Lady Catherine, does Mr Darcy know of your visit here? Have you spoken to him lately?” Mr Bennet was suddenly weary of their conversation.
“I did speak to him yesterday! I told him everything I told you!”
“And, considering you came such a long way to repeat everything to me, I imagine he was not receptive to your interference.”
“He was not—because he is already addled! That is why I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose! I wished to speak to your daughter directly, but perhaps it is better that I spoke to you instead. Mr Bennet—you must know I never fail in my plans, and I am always willing to pay the price. Here is what I propose to you: if you agree to help me with this situation, I shall insist that Mr Collins take care of your family after you are gone. I shall see that he allows your widow and your daughters to remain in this house as long as they wish!”
Mr Bennet looked at her with great interest and complete seriousness.
“Lady Catherine, your offer is generous indeed. It makes me happy to know that, after I die, your ladyship—who undoubtedly will live much longer than me—will convince my cousin not to throw my family out of their home. On the other hand, were my daughter to marry Mr Darcy, the problem would be solved in a more desirable manner. So I am afraid my choice is final, and I must refuse you.”
“How dare you! You refuse to obey the claim of duty and honour? You and your daughter are determined to ruin my nephew and make him the contempt of the world!”
“Neither duty nor honour would be violated by my daughter marrying Mr Darcy—quite the contrary. And with regard to the resentment of his family, I had the pleasure of meeting Lord Matlock, and I am certain he would welcome such a union. As for the world in general, I dare say it would have too much sense to join in the scorn.”
“And this is your real opinion! This is your final resolve! Very well—I shall now know how to act. Do not imagine, Mr Bennet, that your ambition will ever be gratified. I hoped to find you reasonable, but depend upon it, I will carry my point.”
“I am sorry I must disappoint you even more, but there is little you can do now. It pains me to give you more bad news, but there is something else you must know. I suspect Mr Darcy did not inform you because he wished to speak formally to me first. Our entire discussion was pointless, because Mr Darcy asked for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage a week ago.
He wrote and asked for my consent; I await his arrival at any moment as he accompanies Elizabeth home.
You are more than welcome to wait for him if you wish.
It would be exhilarating for all of us to debate his engagement to Elizabeth. ”
Mr Bennet smiled, but he suppressed his mirth when he saw Lady Catherine turn white and lean slowly against the settee.
She seemed unable to breathe, and he hurried to pour her a glass of water when the room was suddenly invaded by Mrs Bennet, Lydia, Kitty, Mrs Philips and Lady Lucas.
Mrs Bennet’s voice almost made him drop the glass.
“Oh dear Lord, did I hear you correctly? Lizzy is engaged to Mr Darcy? Oh heavens! Mr Darcy and Lizzy? Hill, where are you? Lady Catherine, Hill told me you were here, and I was wondering about your visit… Oh dear Lord, you came to tell us about the engagement? Lizzy and Mr Darcy? Oh, Lord, this cannot be! My dear Lizzy, she is such a smart, spirited girl! So bright, so well read! And such a good dancer! Oh, such a handsome man! Tall and handsome! Oh, dearest Lizzy! Hill, Hill, where are you?”
Mrs Bennet’s cries of happiness continued for a time, and Lady Catherine, suddenly recovered from her shock, strove to find the exit from the house. Her retreating steps attempted to outpace Mrs Bennet’s persistent words of gratitude for bringing them such extraordinary news.
Mr Bennet asked John to help Lady Catherine to her carriage and then closed the library door with a heavy heart.
Why could he not manage to control his anger better?
He should have kept the secret as Darcy and Elizabeth requested.
How could he betray their confidence? Surely they would be upset with him—and reasonably so.
He was upset with himself, but there was little he could do for the present.
Lady Catherine—with tentative steps, unable to interrupt Mrs Bennet and looking desperately from one woman the other, all of whom were discussing her nephew’s engagement—finally entered her carriage, wailing at the coachman to make haste.
As the carriage departed, Mrs Bennet’s voice still rang loud and clear.
∞∞∞
Looking out the carriage, Elizabeth thought there could be no day more perfect for travel.
They had left London immediately after breakfast with a tender farewell from Lord Matlock, his sons, Miss Darcy, Lady Selina, Mrs Gardiner and the children.
After spending such a long and eventful time together in London as well as at Matlock Manor, Elizabeth felt as though she were departing from one family to be reunited with another.