that gave me considerable pain.
“I will not attempt to pretend that I do not wish for a chance to change your opinion of me. But whether you grant me that chance or whether you send me away, I realized last night that I must attempt to repair the harm wrought by my interference. I will call on Bingley as soon as possible after I return to London and acquaint him both with my knowledge of the true state of your sister’s affections and of the disagreeable part I played in the matter.” Darcy’s face was grim, because he was well aware of the hazards to his friendship with Bingley at such a confession. “I cannot foretell the outcome of my efforts, for that will be up to Bingley and your sister, but I am determined to make the effort.”
Elizabeth still said nothing, and at length Darcy, with great trepidation, ventured, “Miss Bennet, you have not spoken, and yet I confess that I cannot keep from wondering whether the content of our later conversation last evening and this morning has in any way altered those sentiments which led to your refusal of my suit.”
Darcy was now in such a heightened state of emotion that he could hardly bear to look at her, and yet he could not look away as she at last stopped walking and raised her face to him. His heart sank as he read her expression, for it showed only grim determination.
“Mr. Darcy,” she said quietly, “I do admit that my opinion of you as regards Mr. Wickham was completely in error. I will even admit that some part of your interference between your friend and my sister was due to honest error rather than callous disregard for their feelings though the end result still remains painful to both parties. And I do appreciate your willingness to correct your error.”
Elizabeth now came to the difficult part of what she had to say. “But even given my altered opinion in these matters,” she continued, “I cannot give a different answer than I gave last evening. I do not know you, Mr. Darcy. The nature of your proposal was completely at variance with the cold, proud, and indifferent manner you have displayed from our first acquaintance in Hertfordshire, and I am in complete confusion in trying to appraise your character.”
Darcy was stunned at her words, for he thought he had managed an adequate defence of his character the previous night. Since his father’s death had forced him to assume a number of responsibilities at an early age, he had laboured mightily to make himself into the man the world expected him to be. He had always been known among his friends and associates for his honesty, for his discernment, and for his obedience to the dictates of society; others often sought his advice in difficult matters. In no small measure, his relationship with Bingley had begun when he came to the aid of the younger man in just such a situation. Miss Bennet may have been correct that he had acted wrongly to separate Bingley and her sister, but that mistake did not condemn the whole of his character. Could she not see that his proposal was as much a part of him as was the correctness of his manners?
“I have always tried to conduct myself as a gentleman ought, both in my public and private affairs,” he said defensively. “I find myself at a loss to understand your claim of my being, as you say, cold, proud, and indifferent.”
“Mr. Darcy, do you not see ?” she retorted in exasperation. “How can the man who professed such a tender regard for me just last evening be the same man who sat by poor, silly Mrs. Long for a full half-hour without saying a word? Who never deigned to even attempt conversation with any of the country savages and who rebuffed every friendly entreaty by those who sought to simply engage you in ordinary pleasantries?” She sighed at the shocked look on his face, and she concluded tiredly, “Mr. Bingley told Jane that you were remarkably agreeable among your intimate acquaintances, but until last night, the only impression I had of you
“I will not attempt to pretend that I do not wish for a chance to change your opinion of me. But whether you grant me that chance or whether you send me away, I realized last night that I must attempt to repair the harm wrought by my interference. I will call on Bingley as soon as possible after I return to London and acquaint him both with my knowledge of the true state of your sister’s affections and of the disagreeable part I played in the matter.” Darcy’s face was grim, because he was well aware of the hazards to his friendship with Bingley at such a confession. “I cannot foretell the outcome of my efforts, for that will be up to Bingley and your sister, but I am determined to make the effort.”
Elizabeth still said nothing, and at length Darcy, with great trepidation, ventured, “Miss Bennet, you have not spoken, and yet I confess that I cannot keep from wondering whether the content of our later conversation last evening and this morning has in any way altered those sentiments which led to your refusal of my suit.”
Darcy was now in such a heightened state of emotion that he could hardly bear to look at her, and yet he could not look away as she at last stopped walking and raised her face to him. His heart sank as he read her expression, for it showed only grim determination.
“Mr. Darcy,” she said quietly, “I do admit that my opinion of you as regards Mr. Wickham was completely in error. I will even admit that some part of your interference between your friend and my sister was due to honest error rather than callous disregard for their feelings though the end result still remains painful to both parties. And I do appreciate your willingness to correct your error.”
Elizabeth now came to the difficult part of what she had to say. “But even given my altered opinion in these matters,” she continued, “I cannot give a different answer than I gave last evening. I do not know you, Mr. Darcy. The nature of your proposal was completely at variance with the cold, proud, and indifferent manner you have displayed from our first acquaintance in Hertfordshire, and I am in complete confusion in trying to appraise your character.”
Darcy was stunned at her words, for he thought he had managed an adequate defence of his character the previous night. Since his father’s death had forced him to assume a number of responsibilities at an early age, he had laboured mightily to make himself into the man the world expected him to be. He had always been known among his friends and associates for his honesty, for his discernment, and for his obedience to the dictates of society; others often sought his advice in difficult matters. In no small measure, his relationship with Bingley had begun when he came to the aid of the younger man in just such a situation. Miss Bennet may have been correct that he had acted wrongly to separate Bingley and her sister, but that mistake did not condemn the whole of his character. Could she not see that his proposal was as much a part of him as was the correctness of his manners?
“I have always tried to conduct myself as a gentleman ought, both in my public and private affairs,” he said defensively. “I find myself at a loss to understand your claim of my being, as you say, cold, proud, and indifferent.”
“Mr. Darcy, do you not see ?” she retorted in exasperation. “How can the man who professed such a tender regard for me just last evening be the same man who sat by poor, silly Mrs. Long for a full half-hour without saying a word? Who never deigned to even attempt conversation with any of the country savages and who rebuffed every friendly entreaty by those who sought to simply engage you in ordinary pleasantries?” She sighed at the shocked look on his face, and she concluded tiredly, “Mr. Bingley told Jane that you were remarkably agreeable among your intimate acquaintances, but until last night, the only impression I had of you
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