Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- General Editor’s Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- Introduction
- Note on the Text
- Pride and Prejudice
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume I
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume II
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume III
- Corrections and Emendations to 1813 text
- Appendix 1 Thomas Egerton and the Publication History
- Appendix 2 Legal and Military Background
- Appendix 3 Pemberley and its Models
- Appendix 4 Note on the second and third editions of Pride and Prejudice
- Abbreviations
- Explanatory Notes
Chapter 16
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 19 December 2020
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- General Editor’s Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Chronology
- Introduction
- Note on the Text
- Pride and Prejudice
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume I
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume II
- Pride and Prejudice: Volume III
- Corrections and Emendations to 1813 text
- Appendix 1 Thomas Egerton and the Publication History
- Appendix 2 Legal and Military Background
- Appendix 3 Pemberley and its Models
- Appendix 4 Note on the second and third editions of Pride and Prejudice
- Abbreviations
- Explanatory Notes
Summary
INSTEAD of receiving any such letter of excuse from his friend, as Elizabeth half expected Mr. Bingley to do, he was able to bring Darcy with him to Longbourn before many days had passed after Lady Catherine's visit. The gentlemen arrived early; and, before Mrs. Bennet had time to tell him of their having seen his aunt, of which her daughter sat in momentary dread, Bingley, who wanted to be alone with Jane, proposed their all walking out. It was agreed to. Mrs. Bennet was not in the habit of walking, Mary could never spare time, but the remaining five set off together. Bingley and Jane, however, soon allowed the others to outstrip them. They lagged behind, while Elizabeth, Kitty, and Darcy, were to entertain each other. Very little was said by either; Kitty was too much afraid of him to talk; Elizabeth was secretly forming a desperate resolution; and perhaps he might be doing the same.
They walked towards the Lucases, because Kitty wished to call upon Maria; and as Elizabeth saw no occasion for making it a general concern, when Kitty left them, she went boldly on with him alone. Now was the moment for her resolution to be executed, and, while her courage was high, she immediately said,
“Mr. Darcy, I am a very selfish creature; and, for the sake of giving relief to my own feelings, care not how much I may be wounding your’s. I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister. Ever since I have known it, I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how gratefully I feel it. Were it known to the rest of my family, I should not have merely my own gratitude to express.”
“I am sorry, exceedingly sorry,” replied Darcy, in a tone of surprise and emotion, “that you have ever been informed of what may, in a mistaken light, have given you uneasiness. I did not think Mrs. Gardiner was so little to be trusted.”
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- Information
- Pride and Prejudice , pp. 405 - 412Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006