Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I've just got to love the internet - you're pretty much guaranteed to find most classic books that are in public domain for free, and with any luck as hypertext with references and explanations of more obscure references now completely incomprehensible. So yesterday I was looking for Pride and Prejudice, and was not disappointed - I found the whole book with original illustrations. So of course I had to read through my favourite chapters, and I thought I'd share them with you.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

And so it begins - one of the most famous opening words to a book. Mrs. Bennet has just found out that Netherfield Park has finally got new residents - and it's a single man, and with four or five thousand pounds a year - perfect husband candidate for one of her five daughters. Luckily Mr. Bingley comes to the next ball with his two sisters, the husband of the oldest, and another young man who turns out to be called Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.

It is of course in this ball that Mr. Darcy first lays his eyes on the second oldest daughter of Bennets', Elizabeth, and doesn't find her impressive in any way.

"She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."

Elizabeth takes this to heart and it's the start of the mutual dislike. Mr. Bingley however is well received and loved by all, and dances with Elizabeth's elder sister Jane twice, more than with anyone else. Situation soon changes though, and in the next ball Mr. Darcy starts to admire Elizabeth, who now in turn refuses to dance with him, even when prompted by Sir William. This gets Miss Bingley's attention who has her eyes on Mr. Darcy and his ten thousand a year.

"Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."

Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity,

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet!'' repeated Miss Bingley. "I am all astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite? -- and pray when am I to wish you joy?"

"That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy."

Meanwhile, Mr. Bingley's feelings for Jane deepen, but unlike Elizabeth, Jane is accepted by his sisters and is invited to visit them in Netherfield Park. Due to Mrs. Bennet's scheming, Jane takes a horse instead of carriages and gets wet and ill when it starts raining - and is forced to stay at Netherfield Park. Elizabeth soon joins her sister and spends days looking after her, in which time Mr. Darcy's feelings for unsuspecting Elizabeth start to stir while jealous Miss Bingley looks on.

Mrs. Bennet's plan to get Mr. Bingley more attached to Jane works well, but is interrupted by arrival of Mr. Bennet's cousin Mr. Collins who is to inherit his fortunes and property after his death. At that time, women couldn't own any property so the daughters and the wife would have no security whatsoever without charity from more well off relatives (this is also the reason it's so important to get all the daughters married - so they will be looked after). Mr. Collins however has decided to do the honorable thing and marry one of the Bennet sisters - he has his eyes set on Jane, being the beauty of the household, but soon turns his feelings towards Elizabeth having heard from Jane's impending engagement.

At the same time, a regiment arrives nearby, which of course means arrival of officers to the Bennets' girls delight. Girls are soon introduced to one Mr. Wickham who turns out the be old acquaintance of Mr. Darcy's. Mr. Wickham tells Elizabeth that he used to be a favourite of Mr. Darcy's late father, and that a parish was promised him upon his death, but that the son later refused this right forcing Mr. Wickham to turn to the army. Although shocked by this, Elizabeth's view of Mr. Darcy as a proud and unpleasant man is reinforced. She even takes it up with him in a ball in Netherfield Park when he has finally persuaded her to dance with him, but only gets a reaction that assures her of her prejudices.

After shadowing Elizabeth for a sufficient amount of time, Mr. Collins believes it's time to make his intentions clear to her.

"Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you that I have your respected mother's permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying -- and moreover for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did."

Elizabeth finds the the idea repulsive though, and to her mothers dismay refuses to marry Mr. Collins - but she insists that Mr. Bennet force her favourite daughter to marry him.

Mrs. Bennet rang the bell, and Miss Elizabeth was summoned to the library.

"Come here, child," cried her father as she appeared. "I have sent for you on an affair of importance. I understand that Mr. Collins has made you an offer of marriage. Is it true?" Elizabeth replied that it was. "Very well -- and this offer of marriage you have refused?"

"I have, Sir."

"Very well. We now come to the point. Your mother insists upon your accepting it. Is not it so, Mrs. Bennet?"

"Yes, or I will never see her again."

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. -- Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do."

Mr. Collins lands on his feet though, and to fulfill his patroness' Lady Catherine de Bourgh's wishes he is determined to marry. His feelings are channeled to Elizabeth's best friend Charlotte, who promptly accepts the proposal. Meanwhile, the Bingley party abruptly leaves for London, and decides to spends the winter there. This makes Jane very unhappy and confused, but fortunately Mrs. Bennet's brother Mr. Gardiner with his wife invite her to stay with them in London - but despite all decent attempts she doesn't manage to meet him.

Charlotte soon becomes Mrs. Collins, and Elizabeth keeps her promise to her and visits them at Rosings. The Collins' are invited to visit Lady Catherine, and to Elizabeth's dismay Lady Catherine's nephew Mr. Darcy is visiting there too. In the following days Mr. Darcy seems to want to be in Elizabeth's company, albeit encounters are always formal and awkward. Elizabeth also learns from Colonel Fitzwilliam, a friend of Mr. Darcy's, that Mr. Darcy was the person responsible for persuading Mr. Bingley to move back to London, in count of saving him from an unsuitable woman. This shocks Elizabeth and turns her against Mr. Darcy even more. She tries to avoid him, but unexpectedly he calls on her and to her shock proposes to her.

"In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

Elizabeth's astonishment was beyond expression. She stared, coloured, doubted, and was silent. This he considered sufficient encouragement, and the avowal of all that he felt and had long felt for her immediately followed. He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority -- of its being a degradation -- of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

Elizabeth accuses him of separating the lovers and mistreating Mr. Wickham, and declares that

"From the very beginning, from the first moment I may almost say, of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form that ground-work of disapprobation, on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry."

Mr. Darcy doesn't deny any of this, and leaves hastily, only to return briefly the next morning to deliver the infamous letter where he explains the reasons for his actions. Turns out that separation of Mr. Bingley and Jane he has done in the good faith believing that Jane didn't care for Mr. Bingley, but in case of Mr. Wickham the reasons are more complicated. Mr. Wickham is exposed as a cruel and greedy con-man, who not only had sold his right to the clerical position but also seduced Mr. Darcy's sister and tried to get her to elope with him.

Elizabeth is shocked to learn that she has misjudged the man so, but doesn't get the opportunity to talk to Mr. Darcy again as he hastily leaves for Kent. Elizabeth returns home where Mr. Wickham's regiment is leaving for Brighton much to her younger sister's disappointment. Against Elizabeth's recommendation, her youngest sister Lydia gets the permission to go with the regiment, taken care of by the regiment commander's wife Mrs. Foster. Elizabeth herself is lucky enough to be invited to tour the Lake District with her uncle and aunt.

The tour takes them to Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate, and Elizabeth agrees to visit the house only because she's informed the the owner is in London. She falls in love with the house and hears praises from the housekeeper of the master of the house and by now believes that she has indeed misjudged the gentleman wrongly indeed. And to her shock, Mr. Darcy appears home a day earlier than promised, and Elizabeth is forced to meet him and introduce her relatives to him.

As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also, and while the former was conjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himself suddenly came forward from the road, which led behind it to the stables.

They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party, and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect civility.

She had instinctively turned away; but, stopping on his approach, received his compliments with an embarrassment impossible to be overcome. Had his first appearance, or his resemblance to the picture they had just been examining, been insufficient to assure the other two that they now saw Mr. Darcy, the gardener's expression of surprise on beholding his master must immediately have told it. They stood a little aloof while he was talking to their niece, who, astonished and confused, scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face, and knew not what answer she returned to his civil enquiries after her family. Amazed at the alteration in his manner since they last parted, every sentence that he uttered was increasing her embarrassment; and every idea of the impropriety of her being found there recurring to her mind, the few minutes in which they continued together were some of the most uncomfortable of her life. Nor did he seem much more at ease; when he spoke, his accent had none of its usual sedateness; and he repeated his enquiries as to the time of her having left Longbourn, and of her stay in Derbyshire, so often, and in so hurried a way, as plainly spoke the distraction of his thoughts.

And indeed, Mr. Darcy seems to be completely different to what Elizabeth's earlier encounters have lead her to believe - most amicable and polite. Elizabeth and Gardiners are invited to meet with Mr. Darcy's sister along with Mr. Bingley and his sisters, and are invited to dine with them. Elizabeth is starting to have warm feelings towards Mr. Darcy, but unfortunately before the dinner Elizabeth receives a letter from Jane with bad news indeed.

"Since writing the above, dearest Lizzy, something has occurred of a most unexpected and serious nature; but I am afraid of alarming you -- be assured that we are all well. What I have to say relates to poor Lydia. An express came at twelve last night, just as we were all gone to bed, from Colonel Forster, to inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, with Wickham! -- Imagine our surprise. To Kitty, however, it does not seem so wholly unexpected. I am very, very sorry. So imprudent a match on both sides! -- But I am willing to hope the best, and that his character has been misunderstood. Thoughtless and indiscreet I can easily believe him, but this step (and let us rejoice over it) marks nothing bad at heart. His choice is disinterested at least, for he must know my father can give her nothing. Our poor mother is sadly grieved. My father bears it better. How thankful am I, that we never let them know what has been said against him; we must forget it ourselves. They were off Saturday night about twelve, as is conjectured, but were not missed till yesterday morning at eight. The express was sent off directly. My dear Lizzy, they must have passed within ten miles of us. Colonel Forster gives us reason to expect him here soon. Lydia left a few lines for his wife, informing her of their intention. I must conclude, for I cannot be long from my poor mother. I am afraid you will not be able to make it out, but I hardly know what I have written."

After reading the letter Elizabeth is about to go and find her uncle, when Mr. Darcy appears. Distressed, she explains the situation to him, only to have him promptly disappear - she is now certain that after this there is no hope of him ever wanting to associate himself with her family again. Elizabeth leaves for home while Gardiners head to London where the couple are suspected to hide. After several weeks of agitation and involvement of Mr. Bennet, news from London is that the couple has been found and Mr. Wickham has been persuaded to marry Lydia in exchange for an allowance and paying of his debts. Mrs. Bennet promptly forgets all the sorrow and bad feelings towards Mr. Wickham and starts to plan the wedding that against her wishes will take place in London.

"My dear, dear Lydia!" she cried: "This is delightful indeed! -- She will be married! -- I shall see her again! -- She will be married at sixteen! -- My good, kind brother! -- I knew how it would be -- I knew he would manage every thing. How I long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister Gardiner about them directly. Lizzy, my dear, run down to your father, and ask him how much he will give her. Stay, stay, I will go myself. Ring the bell, Kitty, for Hill. I will put on my things in a moment. My dear, dear Lydia! -- How merry we shall be together when we meet!"

The young couple arrives to meet the family to mixed feelings - Lydia is totally incapable to see that she's done anything wrong, while Mr. Wickham is his charming self. But then Lydia lets a secret slip:

"Well, and so we breakfasted at ten as usual; I thought it would never be over; for, by the bye, you are to understand, that my uncle and aunt were horrid unpleasant all the time I was with them. If you'll believe me, I did not once put my foot out of doors, though I was there a fortnight. Not one party, or scheme, or any thing. To be sure London was rather thin, but, however, the Little Theatre was open. Well, and so just as the carriage came to the door, my uncle was called away upon business to that horrid man Mr. Stone. And then, you know, when once they get together, there is no end of it. Well, I was so frightened I did not know what to do, for my uncle was to give me away; and if we were beyond the hour, we could not be married all day. But, luckily, he came back again in ten minutes' time, and then we all set out. However, I recollected afterwards that if he had been prevented going, the wedding need not be put off, for Mr. Darcy might have done as well."

"Mr. Darcy!" repeated Elizabeth, in utter amazement.

"Oh, yes! -- he was to come there with Wickham, you know, But gracious me! I quite forgot! I ought not to have said a word about it. I promised them so faithfully! What will Wickham say? It was to be such a secret!"

"If it was to be secret," said Jane, "say not another word on the subject. You may depend upon my seeking no further."

"Oh! certainly," said Elizabeth, though burning with curiosity; "we will ask you no questions."

Immediately Elizabeth writes to her aunt to find out about Mr. Darcy's involvement, and receives a prompt reply that surprises her greatly. Mr. Darcy has been instrumental in finding the young couple, as well as the chief benefactor in paying off Wickham's debts, the allowance and a new position in the military. Elizabeth hopes that the reasons behind this are his feelings for her, and her hopes are soon reinforced with the news of Mr. Bingley returning to Netherfield Park. Mr. Bingley soon rekindles the flame between himself and Jane, but Mr. Darcy, although with him, remains distant to Elizabeth. And soon enough, Mr. Bingley proposes to Jane who happily accepts.

"You are a good girl;" he [Mr. Bennet] replied, "and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income."

"I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me."

"Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet," cried his wife, "what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more." Then addressing her daughter, "Oh! my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy! I am sure I shan't get a wink of sleep all night. I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so, at last. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing! I remember, as soon as ever I saw him, when he first came into Hertfordshire last year, I thought how likely it was that you should come together. Oh! he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen!"

Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten. Jane was beyond competition her favourite child. At that moment, she cared for no other. Her younger sisters soon began to make interest with her for objects of happiness which she might in future be able to dispense.

Elizabeth is happy for her sister, but wonders about Mr. Darcy who has now left to take care of business elsewhere. But surprises are plentiful when Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays the Bennets a surprise visit. After it becomes clear that this is no courtesy call, Lady Catherine asks Elizabeth for a walk to demand some answers.

"You can be at no loss, Miss Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience, must tell you why I come."

Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment.

"Indeed, you are mistaken, Madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here."

"Miss Bennet," replied her ladyship, in an angry tone, "you ought to know, that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would, in all likelihood, be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this place, that I might make my sentiments known to you."

"If you believed it impossible to be true," said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, "I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it?"

Elizabeth refuses to promise Lady Catherine that he will not marry Mr. Darcy, and she leaves, outraged that someone has dared to go against her will. To her family, Elizabeth tells that Lady Catherine only wanted to give greetings from the Collinses, but remains deeply shaken inside. She doesn't give up though, and soon Mr. Bennet receives a letter from Mr. Collins urging him to forbid Elizabeth on marrying Mr. Darcy - Mr. Bennet of course is much surprised as he, like all others, think that Elizabeth's feelings for Mr. Darcy as as cold as ever. Soon, much to Elizabeth's delight, Mr. Darcy returns and for the first time since Darbyshire, they get to be alone together and Elizabeth immediately expresses her gratitude for all he has done.

"If you will thank me," he replied, "let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you."

Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever."

Elizabeth, feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances. The happiness which this reply produced, was such as he had probably never felt before; and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eye, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight, diffused over his face, became him; but, though she could not look, she could listen, and he told her of feelings, which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable.

They walked on, without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought, and felt, and said, for attention to any other objects. She soon learnt that they were indebted for their present good understanding to the efforts of his aunt, who did call on him in her return through London, and there relate her journey to Longbourn, its motive, and the substance of her conversation with Elizabeth; dwelling emphatically on every expression of the latter which, in her ladyship's apprehension, peculiarly denoted her perverseness and assurance; in the belief that such a relation must assist her endeavours to obtain that promise from her nephew which she had refused to give. But, unluckily for her ladyship, its effect had been exactly contrariwise.

The young couple is deliriously happy, although they need to keep it under wraps until her father's consent, which is soon asked and given.

"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 any one 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."

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."

The news, of course is much welcomed by Mrs. Bennet.

"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."

And what can I say - it's such a perfect and happy ending. I especially love the last chapters - how Elizabeth soon pries all the details out of Mr. Darcy on how he fell in love with her, and the final chapter that wraps up all the odds and ends and tells how they lived happily ever after.

This book is indeed the masterpiece I remember it to be.

Posted by kolibri at 5 November 14:28, 2005

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