kittyownedthatshehadratherstayathome.darcyprofessedagreatcuriositytoseetheviewfromthemount,andelizabethsilentlyconsented.asshewentupstairstogetready,mrs.bennetfollowedher,saying,"iamquitesorry,lizzy,thatyoushouldbeforcedtohavethatdisagreeablemanalltoyourself.butihopeyouwillnotmindit:itisallforjane'ssake,youknow;andthereisnooccasionfortalkingtohim,exceptjustnowandthen.so,donotputyourselftoinconvenience."

duringtheirwalk,itwasresolvedthatmr.bennet'sconsentshouldbeaskedinthecourseoftheevening.elizabethreservedtoherselftheapplicationforhermother's.shecouldnotdeterminehowhermotherwouldtakeit;sometimesdoubtingwhetherallhiswealthandgrandeurwouldbeenoughtoovercomeherabhorrenceoftheman.butwhethershewereviolentlysetagainstthematch,orviolentlydelightedwithit,itwascertainthathermannerwouldbeequallyilladaptedtodocredittohersense;andshecouldnomorebearthatmr.darcyshouldhearthefirstrapturesofherjoy,thanthefirstvehemenceofherdisapprobation.

intheevening,soonaftermr.bennetwithdrewtothelibrary,shesawmr.darcyrisealsoandfollowhim,andheragitationonseeingitwasextreme.shedidnotfearherfather'sopposition,buthewasgoingtobemadeunhappy;andthatitshouldbethroughhermeans—thatshe,hisfavouritechild,shouldbedistressinghimbyherchoice,shouldbefillinghimwithfearsandregretsindisposingofher—wasawretchedreflection,andshesatinmiserytillmr.darcyappearedagain,when,lookingathim,shewasalittlerelievedbyhissmile.inafewminutesheapproachedthetablewhereshewassittingwithkitty;and,whilepretendingtoadmireherworksaidinawhisper,"gotoyourfather,hewantsyouinthelibrary."shewasgonedirectly.

herfatherwaswalkingabouttheroom,lookinggraveandanxious."lizzy,"saidhe,"whatareyoudoing?areyououtofyoursenses,tobeacceptingthisman?havenotyoualwayshatedhim?"

howearnestlydidshethenwishthatherformeropinionshadbeenmorereasonable,herexpressionsmoremoderate!itwouldhavesparedherfromexplanationsandprofessionswhichitwasexceedinglyawkwardtogive;buttheywerenownecessary,andsheassuredhim,withsomeconfusion,ofherattachmenttomr.darcy.

"or,inotherwords,youaredeterminedtohavehim.heisrich,tobesure,andyoumayhavemorefineclothesandfinecarriagesthanjane.butwilltheymakeyouhappy?"

"haveyouanyotherobjection,"saidelizabeth,"thanyourbeliefofmyindifference?"

"noneatall.weallknowhimtobeaproud,unpleasantsortofman;butthiswouldbenothingifyoureallylikedhim."

"ido,idolikehim,"shereplied,withtearsinhereyes,"ilovehim.indeedhehasnoimproperpride.heisperfectlyamiable.youdonotknowwhathereallyis;thenpraydonotpainmebyspeakingofhiminsuchterms."

"lizzy,"saidherfather,"ihavegivenhimmyconsent.heisthekindofman,indeed,towhomishouldneverdarerefuseanything,whichhecondescendedtoask.inowgiveittoyou,ifyouareresolvedonhavinghim.butletmeadviseyoutothinkbetterofit.iknowyourdisposition,lizzy.iknowthatyoucouldbeneitherhappynorrespectable,unlessyoutrulyesteemedyourhusband;unlessyoulookeduptohimasasuperior.yourlivelytalentswouldplaceyouinthegreatestdangerinanunequalmarriage.youcouldscarcelyescapediscreditandmisery.mychild,letmenothavethegriefofseeingyouunabletorespectyourpartnerinlife.youknownotwhatyouareabout."

elizabeth,stillmoreaffected,wasearnestandsolemninherreply;andatlength,byrepeatedassurancesthatmr.darcywasreallytheobjectofherchoice,byexplainingthegradualchangewhichherestimationofhimhadundergone,relatingherabsolutecertaintythathisaffectionwasnottheworkofaday,buthadstoodthetestofmanymonthssuspense,andenumeratingwithenergyallhisgoodqualities,shedidconquerherfather'sincredulity,andreconcilehimtothematch.

"well,mydear,"saidhe,whensheceasedspeaking,"ihavenomoretosay.ifthisbethecase,hedeservesyou.icouldnothavepartedwithyou,mylizzy,toanyonelessworthy."

tocompletethefavourableimpression,shethentoldhimwhatmr.darcyhadvoluntarilydoneforlydia.heheardherwithastonishment.

"thisisaneveningofwonders,indeed!andso,darcydideverything:madeupthematch,gavethemoney,paidthefellow'sdebts,andgothimhiscommission!somuchthebetter.itwillsavemeaworldoftroubleandeconomy.haditbeenyouruncle'sdoing,imustandwouldhavepaidhim;buttheseviolentyoungloverscarryeverythingtheirownway.ishalloffertopayhimtomorrow;hewillrantandstormabouthisloveforyou,andtherewillbeanendofthematter."

hethenrecollectedherembarrassmentafewdaysbefore,onhisreadingmr.collins'sletter;andafterlaughingathersometime,allowedheratlasttogo—saying,asshequittedtheroom,"ifanyyoungmencomeformaryorkitty,sendthemin,foriamquiteatleisure."

elizabeth'smindwasnowrelievedfromaveryheavyweight;and,afterhalfanhour'squietreflectioninherownroom,shewasabletojointheotherswithtolerablecomposure.everythingwastoorecentforgaiety,buttheeveningpassedtranquillyaway;therewasnolongeranythingmaterialtobedreaded,andthecomfortofeaseandfamiliaritywouldcomeintime.

whenhermotherwentuptoherdressing-roomatnight,shefollowedher,andmadetheimportantcommunication.itseffectwasmostextraordinary;foronfirsthearingit,mrs.bennetsatquitestill,andunabletoutterasyllable.norwasitundermany,manyminutesthatshecouldcomprehendwhatsheheard;thoughnotingeneralbackwardtocreditwhatwasfortheadvantageofherfamily,orthatcameintheshapeofalovertoanyofthem.shebeganatlengthtorecover,tofidgetaboutinherchair,getup,sitdownagain,wonder,andblessherself.

"goodgracious!lordblessme!onlythink!dearme!mr.darcy!whowouldhavethoughtit!andisitreallytrue?oh!mysweetestlizzy!howrichandhowgreatyouwillbe!whatpin—money,whatjewels,whatcarriagesyouwillhave!jane'sisnothingtoit—nothingatall.iamsopleased—sohappy.suchacharmingman!—sohandsome!sotall!—oh,mydearlizzy!prayapologiseformyhavingdislikedhimsomuchbefore.ihopehewilloverlookit.dear,dearlizzy.ahouseintown!everythingthatischarming!threedaughtersmarried!tenthousandayear!oh,lord!whatwillbecomeofme.ishallgodistracted."

thiswasenoughtoprovethatherapprobationneednotbedoubted:andelizabeth,rejoicingthatsuchaneffusionwasheardonlybyherself,soonwentaway.butbeforeshehadbeenthreeminutesinherownroom,hermotherfollowedher.

"mydearestchild,"shecried,"icanthinkofnothingelse!tenthousandayear,andverylikelymore!'tisasgoodasalord!andaspeciallicence.youmustandshallbemarriedbyaspeciallicence.butmydearestlove,tellmewhatdishmr.darcyisparticularlyfondof,thatimayhaveittomorrow."

thiswasasadomenofwhathermother'sbehaviourtothegentlemanhimselfmightbe;andelizabethfoundthat,thoughinthecertainpossessionofhiswarmestaffection,andsecureofherrelations'consent,therewasstillsomethingtobewishedfor.butthemorrowpassedoffmuchbetterthansheexpected;formrs.bennetluckilystoodinsuchaweofherintendedson-in-lawthatsheventurednottospeaktohim,unlessitwasinherpowertoofferhimanyattention,ormarkherdeferenceforhisopinion.

elizabethhadthesatisfactionofseeingherfathertakingpainstogetacquaintedwithhim;andmr.bennetsoonassuredherthathewasrisingeveryhourinhisesteem.

"iadmireallmythreesons-in-lawhighly,"saidhe."wickham,perhaps,ismyfavourite;butithinkishalllikeyourhusbandquiteaswellasjane's."