Posted on Tuesday, 17 June 2003
Elizabeth was wandering about the meadows in the perturbed state of mind the next day after Mr. Wickham's having revealed all the awful truth about Mr. Darcy. She still could hardly believe that he was so bad, so deprived of humanity and honour. She had already used to dislike him, but such an unjustifiable cruelty in him - it was, indeed, difficult to believe. But this must be true, for Mr. Wickham spoke so confidentially, gave names, facts, without hesitation. And Elizabeth could not but be satisfied, at least a little, by the thought that she had formed a thorough, determined dislike of him before she could know all the particulars of Mr. Wickham's story. Such her thoughts had been when she heard a male voice, which seemed familiar -
"It is such a pity that we have met again. You must have thought that you would never see me. What a disappointment to the great Mr. Darcy to see the man who had so abominably used his little sister! Does Georgiana still care for me or you have already found an eligible gentleman with name and fortune for her?"
Wickham's voice was sarcastic.
"It is my first wish never to see you again, Wickham. If you did not lose your sense completely you will leave Hertfordshire immediately," said Mr. Darcy very quietly, but Elizabeth was able to hear some notes of menace in his voice.
"Leave Hertfordshire? And lose the opportunity to spoil your life a little longer? No, Darcy you can not expect from me such a foolish thing to do. Perhaps, if you were liberal enough... But no, I will stay and merely by my presence will remind you of your sister's imprudence. What would all your acquaintance think if knew of Miss Georgiana Darcy's intention to elope with whom? - with the son of the late Mr. Darcy's steward!"
Darcy said in a less tranquil tone -
"If you dare even mention my sister's name I promise, Wickham, I will do everything in my power to close all the doors in front of you."
"And will risk your sister's reputation? No, Darcy, I do not think so. Despite all your apparent pride and incapability to love, Georgiana is the dearest creature for you and you can not do anything that would pain her. So I think it is you who must leave Hertfordshire. Best wishes, Darcy."
Elizabeth felt awkwardness to overhear such an intimate conversation. She was afraid of being noticed by some of the gentlemen, and could sigh with relief only when she understood that both had been gone. She stood in the shrubbery for several minutes in disbelief. All her feelings were in confusion. She tried to collect herself as well as she could. She did not want to believe what she had just heard, but this conversation clearly proved Mr. Wickham, not Mr. Darcy to be a scoundrel. She had not understood completely the particulars of relationship between Wickham and Miss Darcy, but it was evident that he had tried to induce her to elope, but this plan had been somehow prevented by Mr. Darcy. She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, and absurd. How glad had she been that she had had no time to relate the story heard from Wickham to any one, even Jane. She sincerely felt for Mr. Darcy realizing how hard had it been for him to meet the man who had acted so despicably towards his family.
Elizabeth expected for the ball at Netherfield impatiently, for it was a good opportunity to watch Mr. Darcy's behaviour and try to find those hidden traits of his character, which had not been noticed by her before. But all the ball seemed a torture to her. Though she was rejoiced in Wickham's absence, the rest brought her a little amusement. It appeared to her that had her family made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening, it would have been impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit or finer success.
She was very surprised by Mr. Darcy's invitation and during their dance she did her best to know him better. They both seemed pleased by their association, but subsequent events of the evening made Darcy avoid her company.
The next day she learnt that all Netherfield company went to London. In addition to the pain caused by Jane's broken heart Elizabeth had to observe how violently Wickham had abused Mr. Darcy, for she dared not reveal the truth she knew.
She rejected Mr. Collins's pompous proposal and several days later learnt that her best friend Charlotte Lucas had consented to be his wife. Next spring she visited the Collins's at Hunsford, Kent, where she met Mr. Darcy again. After three weeks of his stay at Rosings she knew him much better, but then she learnt of his part in separating Bingley and Jane and her shock was beyond expression, for she had already fallen in love with him. When he made his disastrous proposal she rejected him despite all her love and pain she felt at the moment.
Their unexpected meeting at Pemberley was brief and cold. She had never seen him any more. Her youngest sister Lydia eloped with Wickham and only due to Mr. Gardiner's kind assistance the marriage between them had been concluded. Jane met an amiable young man, though not very rich, a year later, fell in love with him and soon married him. Accidentally Elizabeth learnt of Mr. Darcy's marrying a beautiful, though silly girl from the ancient titled family. She never stopped loving him and remained an old maid.
Mr. Darcy thoughtfully looked at his wife, holding a sheet of paper in his hand.
"I never thought that you have such a sort of imagination, my darling."
Mrs. Darcy blushed but said nothing.
"I thought you have already forgiven me my unpardonable behaviour to you that evening at Hunsford. But as I can see, I was mistaken, for you made me in your story a real scoundrel."
"Not a scoundrel," protested his wife with such a warmth as to make him smile, "Merely a man who set the world's opinion over his own feelings."
"Well, I agree, not a scoundrel, just a fool. How wonderful that I was clever enough not to lose you."
"I can say the same about myself, Fitzwilliam," said Elizabeth, kissing her husband's cheek.