During their walk, it was resolved that Mr. Bennet's consent should be asked in the course of the evening.Elizabeth reserved to herself the application for her mother's. She could not determine how her mother would take it; sometimes doubting whether all his wealth and grandeur would be enough to overcome her abhorrence of the man. But whether she were violently set against the match, or violently delighted with it, it was certain that her manner would be equally ill adapted to do credit to her sense; and she could no more bear that Mr. Darcy should hear the first raptures of her joy, than the first vehemence of her disapprobation.
In the evening,soon after Mr.Bennet withdrew to the library, she saw Mr.Darcy rise also and follow him,and her agitation on seeing it was extreme.She did not fear her father's opposition,but he was going to be made unhappy;and that it should be through her means—that she, his favourite child, should be distressing him by her choice,should be filling him with fears and regrets in disposing of her—was a wretched reflection,and she sat in misery till Mr. Darcy 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?”
“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 anything,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.
