Section I, Next Section
Prologue
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Fortuna seldom smiles favourably at human follies such as pride or prejudice. Even the wisest prophets have never succeeded in uncovering the mysteries of the future nor in predicting the course of action which the moody Goddess inflicts upon those who depend on her mercy. Fortuna never pities human shortcomings and usually sets out to punish them as severely as possible. The end result is that Fortuna's victims are more likely to feel like a little ship on a tossing ocean than to feel secure and comfortable, like a child in its mother's arms.
But sometimes, Fortuna can be prevailed upon to show mercy and in the rarest of cases, she takes a liking to a young man or woman and guards their welfare, very anxiously trying to provide as smooth a path as possible instead of the her usual rocky one. She is willing to shield those human beings against most evil intrusion and intends to award their goodness with an eternal happiness which is usually reserved only for the Gods themselves. Yet Fortuna expects gratitude and demands that her protégés prove themselves worthy of her special regard, especially in their own efforts for their own well-being, by living up to the blissfulness the Goddess wishes to endow them with.
Even if someone manages to fulfill these conditions, the world rarely experienced a time when this divine interference resulted in its intended happiness, for there is something in a human's character, a tragic flaw, which forces a person to destroy all these promising prospects by disregarding the Goddess's goodwill and by their own imperfect nature, which never was designed for heavenly states. Therefore, Fortuna turns her back disappointedly at those unfortunate creatures who vex her and renders the former smooth path of life to the steepest and most difficult one in order to punish the violation of her wishes. Thus, the little boat has to leave the relative safety of its harbour in the Goddess's goodwill, and being tossed into Fortuna's hands, ventures again onto rocky shoals, where calamities lurk like carnivores. Consequently, the peacefulness of life is from there on threaded by danger, quite like Damocles, who, sitting under the sword which is loosely attach by a horse hair to the ceiling, cannot escape its threat.
Such a pair of extraordinary people, who aroused Fortuna's interest, once lived in England during the reign of George IV and seemed so uncommonly worthy of the Goddess's attention, that Fortuna could not help but interfering in their fates. Much to their favour, Fortuna tried to bring them together despite all odds and difficulties of distance, for they were designed for each other, but unjustly placed on distant ends of a country my some other Gods' envy. But even in this case, pride and prejudice still endanger the prospect of eternal happiness.
The young woman, on whom Fortuna had laid her highest hopes for mankind, was Miss Elizabeth Bennet, a young intelligent and witty woman, who lead a quiet life on her father's estate of Longbourn, near the village of Meryton. Due to her mother's silliness and her father's cynic neglect of his parental duties and despite her being his favourite daughter, whom he affectionately called Lizzy, and despite her elder sister Jane's care and attention, she never experienced a harmonious family life and grew up surrounded by her three other sisters who turned in to the three silliest girls of England. It seems an utter miracle that the two eldest Bennett daughters remained so wholly untouched by their environment and that they developed into rational and amiable women who were estimated and respected highly wherever they went. Yet their future was darkened by a lack of fortune and the unfortunate entailment of their father's estate away from the female line. Therefore, those two young women had nothing but their beauty and good character to recommend themselves to any eligible bachelor whose hand in marriage might ensure their happiness.
Seeing this predicament and knowing of her honest wish to marry for nothing but love, Fortuna decided to intervene on Lizzy's behalf and reward her by throwing a young man into her way, who was destined to provide her with eternal happiness. Thus, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy found himself leaving his comfortable home of Pemberley, Derbyshire, and travelling to the village of Meryton in order to check on the estate of Netherfield, which his friend Charles Bingley intended to rent. The difficulties of his life aroused Fortuna's sympathy, for the young man's burdens were heavy indeed: The early death of his parents left him in charge of a large estate and with the care of a younger sister, ten years his junior, at stage in life when young men usually set off to discover the world unhindered by such cares. Therefore, Darcy's more reserved nature became the more dark and shy seeing himself pursued by greedy mothers, trying only to impose their daughters on him. Not three months ago, he received his latest counterblow in his former childhood friend's actions, who, deceiving Darcy's younger sister Georgiana, tried to rob her fortune. Admiring the young man's bravery and goodness despite the odds, Fortuna decided to show mercy and allowed him to rescue his sister and her reputation.
Though trying to bring Darcy and Elizabeth together at an assembly ball in Meryton, Her high hopes that they would instantly fall in love were yet again ruined by human follies: Feeling awkward and insecure at a crowded social occasion and being disgusted by the display of bad manners and haunting matrons, Darcy insults Elizabeth, who overhears his rude remark and thus becomes convinced of his supercilious and conceited manners. Despite this unhappy start, Fortuna is not yet ready to give in and decides to allow them a chance to become better acquainted during the occasion of Lizzy's stay at Netherfield to nurse her sister Jane, who has fallen ill there during a visit which only happened by her mother's designs, who wanted only to secure Mr. Bingley for her.
There, Fortuna's machinations are working again and can only be stopped by the indefatigable follies of human beings!
Chapter 1
Coming into the library of Netherfield in the middle of the night, Lizzy walked alongside the bookshelves and scanned the titles. She suddenly heard someone nearing the door and pushing the handle down. Being aware of her less than proper attire, only a nightgown, she decided to hide behind a curtain on the windowsill, to prevent an embarrassing encounter. The person will be gone in a moment, probably only a servant checking the fire, she calmed herself. Such thoughts helped her t concentrate on the humorous aspects of her situation. It reminded her of the predicaments in which the feeble heroines of popular novels are usually caught. These thoughts were abruptly interrupted by her recognising the voices of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, as the two gentlemen had entered the library and settled comfortably down on the sofa and armchair. Cursing her misfortune, Lizzy hugged her shivering knees more tightly and leaned her forehead against the cold pane.
"Well, Darcy," she heard Mr. Bingley's jovial voice addressing his friend, "you still owe me an explanation why you accepted my invitation for Georgiana to join our party here at Netherfield only to decline it with an excuse this morning. I will be satisfied with nothing but the truth."
An awkward silence followed, in which Lizzy expected Mr. Darcy to come up with a very weak excuse hardly disguising his disgust for the savage surroundings to which he did not want to expose his precious little sister. Yet she was struck by his heavy intake of breath and the grave tome of his voice indicating a long and very serious speech:
"I think I did inform you about my dealings with Mr. Wickham" he started and then interrupted himself waiting for his friend's affirmative nod before continuing, "You know that my father was very fond of him and his easy manners. He therefore promoted him in the best possible way and sent him to Cambridge with me, where I first had to experience his falsehoods and desolate manners in gambling and some other things I dare not mention while in polite company. My father's regard for him remained unchanged until his death and because I could not bring myself to disillusion him in his fragile state after my mother's passing, Wickham remained in my father's favour. My father requested that a valuable family living should be his as soon as it is vacant, but Wickham stated that he preferred studying law instead of being ordained and thus was granted the sum of three thousand pounds as a compensation. I gave him the money despite my better knowledge and judgment of his character. For years, I heard nothing of him until last summer, when he inflicted on me the worst pain ever. Colonel Fitzwilliam and I had taken Georgiana from school and placed her under the care of a Mrs. Young, about whose character we were generally deceived at Ramsgate. There Georgiana met Wickham who made her young innocent heart believe that it was in love with him and he tried to persuade her to elope with him. Fortunately, I arrived a few days before their intended departure and could prevent it, as Georgiana's regard for me as her elder brother made it impossible for her to betray me. You can imagine how I felt and acted in order to protect her reputation. Since this incident, Georgiana has changed, as you may have noticed, all her self-confidence and easiness are gone." Here, his voice trailed off and Lizzy heard him shifting on the sofa in order to gain a more comfortable posture and then he resumed, "Colonel Fitzwilliam warned me that he was alerted that Wickham intends to join the militia in Meryton. That's why I do not want Georgiana to come to Netherfield and I beg your pardon for my rude behaviour."
"Of course! Say no more," exclaimed Mr. Bingley with a voice full of compassion expressing his sympathy and assuring his friend of his secrecy. They sat a few moments in companionable silence, before they parted for the night.
As soon as they had left, Lizzy stretched her stiff limbs and hurried to leave the library, forgetting her book on the windowsill, for she was quite preoccupied and embarrassed by being forced to attend a conversation of such an intimate nature. All her sympathy was with Mr. Darcy's poor younger sister imaging the disappointment of the young girl and what she must have suffered. Less compassionate thoughts were sent to the unknown villain who was responsible for the tragic event and Miss Darcy's suffering. Yet the most astonishing knowledge she gained in the conversation was the new light which was cast on Mr. Darcy's character in his tender regard for his sister. I might have to readjust my picture of his character, at least in that respect, admitted she to herself, at least, he seems to have a feeling heart. Following this train of thoughts, Lizzy returned to her bed and soon fell asleep where she immediately had a strange dream about Mr. Darcy. She was confronting him with her character portrait, overemphasizing his bad qualities and agreeing with something Mr. Wickham had informed her about, during a ball at Netherfield. She was disconcerted by his strange pleading look which revealed his being hurt.
Leaving her protégée to the influence of that dream, Fortuna decided to take a pause from supervising the two young people and return to other parts of the world and to ensure that her machinations were smoothly working. She was really pleased with herself and convinced of her success in the couples' forthcoming happiness.
Chapter 2
There was none at Netherfield who thanked the Gods more earnestly than Mr. Darcy for the removal of the Bennet sisters to Longbourn, for he feared that the continued presence of any one of the young women would ware his self-control out.
Being thrown daily into the company of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr. Darcy had to admit that every minute spent in her company only increased her spell on him. He was in danger of developing a constant admiration and attraction of Miss Elizabeth. Therefore, he tried to speak as little to her as politeness allowed and to avoid her as often as possible. Yet, he caught himself off guard by feeling a pang of regret when she left the party in the drawing room partly in order to attend to her sister. Walking down the hallway from his rooms to the staircase he had almost to force his feet not to stop at that certain door and listen for the noises inside. Furthermore, his thoughts escaped his strict reign only to dwell on the verbal dispute about women's' education which he had engaged her in, her impish smiles, her witty and intelligent retorts, the lively sparkle of her eyes, the way she graciously tilted her head and a loose curl which fell following that movement. No, he reprimanded himself, that will not do. Why do I allow these thoughts? Where has all my resoluteness gone? And summoning all his self-control, he compelled himself to think of all the negative aspects attached to his object of admiration which forbade him in every respect to even consider her as anything remotely close to admirable. First, he spent a lot of time analysing her station in life which was so decidedly inferior to his own, despite her father's being a gentleman. Due to a lack of connections and fortune, she was not equitable. She even had an uncle in trade! He stressed the fact to himself that these remarkable deficits were neither covered nor compensated by extraordinary beauty, despite her fine eyes, or special talents. Furthermore, the bad manners and mercenary attitudes displayed by her mother had to influence the daughter in some way. She could not be different from any woman, who sought his company and good opinion out of materialistic prospects in order to recommend themselves to him as future wives. They had nothing in their heads but marriage and money; he was sure that none could engage him in a fascinating conversation, displaying taste, education and a well-informed mind. Though he had to shield his mind in this respect especially careful because the recent experience in the drawing room of Netherfield. In addition, he vowed to pay more attention to Bingley and to see to the alarming degree his admiration for Miss Bennet had already reached. He was really besotted. His friend had displayed a state, which surpassed every superficial affection, while in the company of other women before. Darcy was truly worried for him because, despite the known deficits of the Bennet family, Miss Bennet's heart seemed to be entirely untouched by Bingley's growing feelings, though she received his attentions graciously in her angelic countenance.
Applying this technique more or less successfully during the day, during the nights, Darcy found himself quite helpless and his efforts did not bring the desired distraction. As soon as he put out the candle on his nightstand and he was all alone with his thoughts, his inner eye started envisioning pictures of the dreaded object of his admiration. Tossing his head restlessly on the pillow, he longed for the relief which only a sound and dreamless sleep can provide, but Fortuna could not be prevailed upon to show mercy and instead sent him true nightmares allowing him to glimpse at possible future happiness with Miss Elizabeth Bennet. Thus, Darcy awoke every morning with the same pictures in his mind he had tried to fight off the other day and he bravely faced yet another one of self-torture and a anguish.
Trusting the effectiveness of the means presently employed, Fortuna dared to focus her attention exclusively on Lizzy who had to face a very important encounter which might endanger the whole plan. If the Goddess did not supervise her actions and especially her judgment most carefully., there might be a problem Yet one has to ask oneself without wishing to criticize the divine intentions, whether it is wise to leave the young man in such a state as this all alone.
Chapter 3
The joy Lizzy felt upon returning into her customary family circle of Longbourn, despite its oddities, and the warm welcome provided by her father, were only of short duration. Mrs. Bennet could be heard all over the place congratulating herself on her splendid idea of sending Jane on horseback to Netherfield and she informed everybody who wanted to hear it or not of her firm belief of seeing Jane safely settled with Mr. Bingley within two months.
Lydia and Kitty filled the house with their raptures about all the handsome officers of the militia stationed at Meryton and quarrelled constantly in their shrill voices who was the favourite of the young men in red coats . This choir was completed by Mary's quoting and moralizing from her dearly beloved Fordyce Sermons and her fruitless efforts of improving her skills on the piano.
The only possibility to escape this ear-offending symphony, was for Lizzy to take her long solitary walks in the countryside, spending time with Jane or seeking refuge in her father's library. Yet a new addition to the party prevented her from using this means of retreat as often as she might have wished. Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet's cousin and heir to Longbourn, had arrived in an attempt to heal the breach between his own late father and the present master of the estate and to grace the family with his presence. Being comfortably settled as rector of a prolific perish in Hunsford with a satisfying income under the patronage of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, he was so filled with a strong sense of self-worth, a self-appointed mission to bring harmony in all spheres of his influence and his highly esteemed patroness' advice to find a suitable wife, that he believed himself to be definitely welcome at Longbourn. His early and most pointedly communicated wish to reach his hand in marriage to any of his fair cousins in order to make amends for inheriting their father's estate upon his death, even enabled him to win over Mrs. Bennet, who carefully directed his attentions to her second eldest daughter. Agreeing with her choice, Mr. Collins was very ready to believe himself in love with Lizzy and consider her as his perfect match. Thus, he longed to spend as much time in her company and made it consequently impossible to seek refuge in her usual means of retreat without any disturbance. After a few days, she became rather annoyed by her cousin's clumsy attempts of pastoral courtship and could not distract herself any longer by amusing herself with his absurdities, since her father suggested him as being a perfect object for the studies of human follies. Elizabeth found herself in such a desperate need for a change of surroundings and the addition of other people to her small family circle to draw Mr. Collins attention away from her person that she even welcomed a walk to the village of Meryton in both her cousin's and sisters' company.
Consequently, she walked most eagerly ahead of the others leaving her panting cousin behind in Jane's company. Arriving at her favourite book shop, she examined the window display without paying attention to her surroundings or to her giggling younger sisters who entered into a conversation with some officers. Indulging in this enjoyable pastime, she was aroused out of her reverie by the alarming noise of her cousin approaching, breathing heavily, and finally reaching her side. Turning away frustrated, she joined Lydia's and Catherine's conversation with two officers, one she had never seen before, but who recommended himself to her by his easy pleasing manners, openness and handsomeness , until he was introduced to her as Mr. Wickham. Recollecting Mr. Darcy's report about that young man, she began to wonder whether everything was true she had heard in the library of Netherfield. Yet her voice of reason told her to be careful and not to be easily deceived by a good appearance and her dislike for Mr. Darcy, for the display of warm affection and sadness she had witnessed when he disclosed his sister's dealings with Mr. Wickham to Mr. Bingley were genuine. Slightly retreating, she observed the conversation interestedly until the sound of hoof beats made her turn her head. She saw Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, who apparently intended to join their group, dismounting their horses. Then the former discovered Wickham and the two men's gazes met for a moment in an exchange of surprise from the one and pure disgust from the other. Mr. Wickham was the first to pull himself together and touched his hat, whereas Mr. Darcy barely returned this gesture, said something in a low voice to Mr. Bingley, who smiled apologetically towards the ladies, Miss Bennet in particular, and followed his friend. With a final bow, both men set off. None of the witnesses of this scene seemed to find anything strange in the gentlemen's behaviour, for they were discussing Mrs. Philipp, a sister of Mrs. Bennet's invitation to all present for an evening party, including all the officers of which she could get hold and Mr. Collins, was of great interest.
Fortuna dared a half-smile, for the first thread endangering the working of her machinations seemed to be successfully cut for the moment.
Chapter 4
In the evening, Mrs. Philipp's rooms were filled with more people than they were designed for, though the hostess delighted herself in describing this state as a comfortable gathering, others felt that the place was really quite crowded. Especially those, who considered the house as not being big enough for the loud voices of her mother's and younger sisters' and too small for their display of bad manners. This and oddity was assisted by her dutiful cousin Mr. Collins, who led her to try to seeking refuge in a relatively quiet corner, where she was joined by Mr. Wickham.
Elizabeth had to admit that he looked really dashing in his regimentals and that his manners were refreshing and pleasing in contrast to the other peoples' present. Though she enjoyed his company thoroughly, her inner voice did not allow her to let her guard down, though her curiosity got the better of her. She finally desired to investigate his side of Mr. Darcy's story. As if he could read her thoughts, Mr. Wickham quickly moved the conversation through the usual pleasantries, such as his preference for Meryton and his new profession. Sensing her interest in his past, he launched very willing into a very detailed description of the wrong Mr. Darcy had done to him. He envisioned his sufferings, Mr. Darcy's evilness and the indirect praise of his own nobleness in such a complacent manner, that Lizzy soon felt the desire to end this conversation and used her cousin as an excuse to break that tête-à-tête.
Mr. Collin's rambling demanded nothing but some affirmative nods now and then and the appearance of undivided attention of his crowd, so that Lizzy found the much needed freedom to ponder about the things she had recently learned. Mr. Wickham's narrative had verified every detail of the first part of Mr. Darcy's story, differing only in the aspects determined by the point of view. Due to Lizzy's careful questioning, Mr. Wickham did not need much encouragement to give a depiction of Miss Georgina Darcy, whom he described as being haughty and arrogant due to her brother's influence, though she had once been an affectionate young creature. When their conversation reached this point, the young woman was fully convinced of Mr. Wickham's falsehood and could not bear his company any longer. She started to recognise his pleasing manners as a façade put on with the attention to make himself agreeable to his surroundings. Yet, she had to acknowledge that his acting skills might have deceived her as well in addition to his handsome features, evoking the impression of a very nice young gentlemen. Thus, she had to admit to herself that her only weapon to protect herself with against his charm, was that knowledge, that she had a deeper insight. Neither her observation nor her precise judgment of human nature, of which she prided herself so keenly, would have succeeded in this case, for there. Mr. Wickham's outer appearance and manners seemed to make no conclusion but that he was the best of possible men. With Fortuna's help, another quality of Lizzy's, her honesty towards herself and to others, sharpened her judgment and made her accept the bitter truth of the humbling experience: Her pride in her own superior judgment might have easily caused a severe misunderstanding.
This train of thoughts led naturally to Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth could not help but to ask herself honestly whether her judgment might have deceived her in his case as well, by taking the outer experience in too great a credit. Indeed, her curiosity was aroused once more and she felt slight pricks of conscience, when an inner voice warned her not to misjudge Mr. Darcy. Giving in to these notions, she decided to make him an object of her character studies and to try to get better acquainted with him to make amends.
Falling asleep, she asked herself drowsily, is it only my hurt vanity and reputation as a brilliant character judge which arouses my interest in Mr. Darcy? Before she could dwell on this notion any longer, for which it is still too early, Fortuna guided her to the most peaceful of slumbers and disintegrated all her thoughts.
The Goddess wiped her brow after this Herculean feat and decided to take a long needed rest from human confusion, for she was sure that the forthcoming ball of Netherfield would be a success.
Chapter 5
The ball at Netherfield was anticipated by different people out of varying interests, hopes and intentions, yet they all agreed on the fact that it was the highlight of the season and therefore generally all looked forward to it, despite some of the company's usual avoidance towards social gatherings.
Even Mr. Bennet was quite reconciled to the obligation of attending a ball, though he might have preferred to remain in his cosy library among his books, had this occasion not have provided him with very rich material for his character studies. He knew he would see many human follies exhibited by his fellow creatures and was determined to enjoy them privately. Yet his anticipation was widely surpassed by his wife, for whom this event presented the perfect stage for celebrating her forthcoming triumph by showing off her daughter Jane's happy prospects of marriage with Mr. Bingley. The matron delighted herself especially with the thought of experiencing Lady Lucas' probable jealousy. Lydia and Catherine were the two of the family who most longed for the ball and therefore made the whole household suffer in expressing their exuberance quite frequently, often in loud shrill voices. They intended to have a fine evening and be as successful as possible in dancing and flirting with every officer present.
Mr. Collins and Mary belonged to the group who considered the evening as less than appealing and exciting, for they both disliked dancing and regarded their attendance as a mere condescension to a social duty. The former simply intended to give his beloved another poof of his devotion to her by dancing with her, whereas the latter wished for an opportunity to delight a larger, more deserving audience than her family, with her performance on the piano.
But it was Jane who looked forward to the ball with the most genuine pleasure. She was sure to find her expectations answered in a dance or two and a conversation with Mr. Bingley, to whom her heart was already attached in the most tender and affectionate way. Jane even dared selfishly to hope that this occasion might further their acquaintance enough to induce the young man in question to propose within the following weeks. Out of the same reason, Lizzy rejoiced in the forthcoming evening and hoped to see her sister's patience rewarded by a clear look of love in Mr. Bingley's face, which she was sure to recognize. Nevertheless, she dreaded the event at the same time because she had been forced by her mother's interference to accept Mr. Collins's hand for the first two dances, a threat which clouded her joy like the loosely attached sword which hung perilously above Damocles' head. Expecting no pleasure out of this obligation, she reconciled her disposition and curiosity with the thought that she would meet her dear friend Charlotte Lucas after a week's separation, escaping Mr. Collins as often as possible and having the opportunity of studying Mr. Darcy's character.
The gentleman himself looked upon the occasion with the sternest resoluteness and intentions, for he wanted to prove to himself and his environment that Miss Elizabeth did not have the slightest influence on him and would not extract a single glance of admiration from him. Therefore, he decided to dance once with her and was quite sure of passing this self-appointed test successfully. Her removal from Netherfield seemed to have lessened her spell on him. Had he been accused of having an ulterior motive, he would have rejected this assumption most vehemently; however self-deceit would have accompanied such a statement. His mind forbade his heart to raise any suspicions and make him eventually face the truth that he longed to be in her presence, even only for the duration of a single dance. Indeed, he was at least as deeply and violently in love as his friend Bingley, though he might not yet admit it. He intended to observe Bingley most closely in his interactions with Miss Bennet. Therefore, the young man anticipated the ball in a desperate state of inner conflict, which he was not willing to acknowledge to himself, for his head still forbade his heart what it really desired.
Smiling at the extent of human complexity and the futile struggles against divine decisions rather complacently, she spurred her machinations happily onward. Yet one might dare to interject without wishing to anger the Goddess, that she might underestimate her protégé's stubbornness.
Chapter 6
The dually anticipated and dreaded evening finally arrived. The Bennet family gathered in the drawing room of Netherfield, from where the two youngest set off in their hunt for officers. While Mr. Bennet sought a strategic observation point, his wife joined the other matrons and Jane was greeted warmly by Mr. Bingley. He asked her whether she would favour him with her hand for the first two dances, which were about to begin. On the other hand, surrendering to the inevitable, Mr. Collins walked towards the dance floor with Lizzy in tow.
Unbeknownst to her, Mr. Darcy, whom she had been unable to detect among the crowd, had followed every one of her movements since her entrance from the farthest most secluded corner of the room. Instead of pursing his intended examination of Mr. Bingley, his heart, meanwhile, had finally won the inner-struggle against his better judgment, and it lulled him into a false security. By allowing him to believe that he was still in control of himself, the heart truly gained reign over the young man. What he had judged before as being no sign of beauty, he now revelled in her light, elegant movements. The rosy colour the exercise and embarrassment brought to her cheeks and later, after the dance, the sparkle of her fine eyes and her engaging smile, which he longed to see directed at himself, lured him. It was like he was in a trance without noticing it. He envied everybody who was in her near, especially her clumsy cousin. Her cousin?! What right does he have to impose himself on her? She clearly longs to get rid of him! , he grumbled to himself and before he realized what he was doing, he left his secure hiding place and hurried to reach them.
Disguising this action as an act of pure chivalry, the heart bid him to hurry. Joining their group with a restrained bow, Darcy stopped Mr. Collin's rambling in its tracks. The rector redirected now all his attention to the nephew of his esteemed patroness and, though he did not talk less or more intelligently, he was full of awe at being addressed by Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth followed the two men's exchange quite bewilderedly and confusedly, having never seen Mr. Darcy so talkative, while he enquired after his aunt. She had absolutely no idea what to think about his strange conduct. She was most definitely disconcerted by the intense glance he bestowed upon her, for in his eyes she read a certain suspense and discovered a kind of feverish sparkle. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the turn which their conversation took, when Mr. Darcy interrupted Mr. Collins's monologue about the gracious Lady Catherine de Bourgh, saying, "I view with pleasure that you heed my aunt's sound advice and strive so earnestly to find a suitable companion in life for yourself. Still, I would like to caution you, for you should be most careful in your choice of a wife. Lady Catherine has very specific expectations." Leaving a little pause to let his words sink in, he added, looking significantly at Elizabeth, "In my opinion, neither too lively a disposition nor a tendency to provoke should be found in the demeanour of a rector's partner in life." Then directing his eyes slowly for Mr. Collins to follow towards Marry Bennet, he continued, "She should be calm, and interested in pious pursuits". Withdrawing a little, he leaned back and waited for the clergyman to slowly understand his meaning.
It took Mr. Collins several moments before beginning to understand the hint, but the fact that he had heard a warning that his action might displease Lady Catherine and the fact that her nephew was speaking to him, were enough for him to withdraw his attention from Elizabeth and fancy himself in love with Marry Bennet. He then uttered, "You are too kind in your concern for my well-being, sir, pray excuse me." As he trailed off, he left Mr. Darcy and Lizzy to themselves while hurrying to join his other cousin. Marry was astonished to be asked to dance by Mr. Collins and not at all displeased by his attentions.
The other two were left in an awkward silence, and Lizzy could only utter a spontaneous exclamation, "Thank you . He will finally leave me in peace!" Both regarded their toes most interestedly and a profound blush could be seen in their faces. Elizabeth was all astonishment and did not how to address Mr. Darcy, for she was really embarrassed about her unladylike behaviour and feared to read a sign of disapproval in her companion's eyes. Furthermore, his surprising behaviour had unsettled her entirely. They remained in this state, until Lizzy was thought she heard Mr. Darcy laugh. Though he was still in a trance, simply revelling in his nearness to her, and he stretched his hand out towards her saying gallantly, "You are most welcome, Miss Bennet. Would you do me the honour of dancing the next two with me?."
Lizzy accepted his offer, delighted by his sudden easiness and friendliness and decided not to question his changed conduct presently and simply to enjoy the company of the new Mr. Darcy. Thus, they spent a most agreeable half-an-hour with each other, conversing about various subjects and rejoicing in their similarities of mind.
With a sigh of relieve, Fortuna left the scene and retired to her heavenly home. Yet can humans really live perfection without divine help?
Chapter 7
After their dance and another animated conversation, Lizzy sought refuge from her inner turmoil of feelings at her friend Charlotte Lucas' side, Mr. Darcy continued in his dreamy state for some time until he was abruptly awoken by Mrs. Bennet's shrill, unpleasing and most uncivil tone of voice, " I am sure that Jane will be settled at Netherfield safely with Mr. Bingley within two months. Her marriage will pave the way for my other daughters and enable them to find other suitably rich men." Unfortunately, this ungracious tone alerted Mr. Darcy's voice of reason. It came crashing down from its slumber and made him realize the heart's deceit. Screaming angrily, it struggled to regain the power and made the poor young man confront what he had done and to reflect on the danger to which he had exposed himself in following his traitorous heart. Mr. Darcy felt as if he had been rescued from life threatening danger and did not know how to react, whether that danger was real or whether his mind had acted too swiftly in alerting him. He had to admit to himself that he was in a dangerous position, all stemming from his truly being in love with Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Nevertheless, his so called voice of reason was not content with his pain and did not lose any time in reminding him of the disgrace a marriage to this young woman would bring to himself and his family. Then it dwelt with delicious delight on any objections torturing the young man, for he had a strong sense of duty and honour towards his family and station in life. Those alone forbade him even to consider Elizabeth as a wife. As if to assist the mean voice of reason, the young woman's family continued to display the worst manners, which made Mr. Darcy shudder. He thought also of his friend's danger and realized the need to act for them both.
Being embarrassed about her family's conduct and having no opportunity to talk to Mr. Darcy again, Lizzy watched his demeanour become grave with concern and asked herself where her pleasant companion had gone. As the Longbourn party left Netherfield, she finally caught a glance of Mr. Darcy which expressed a strange mixture of deep regret and cold detachment. Inwardly shivering and feeling insecure, she entered the carriage and continued to think about both the Darcy she so briefly encountered and the one who had abruptly left. She longed for the return of the other Mr. Darcy with whom she had spent such an enjoyable evening. Which is his true self? He seems to be torn between two opposite polls, she wondered before succumbing to sleep.
Little did she know how correct her assessment was and how the young man would consequently act in the direction his voice of his reason took him. He had learnt to trust his reason much more firmly than his heart because the later made him depend on other people. He could not rely on them. They had always been the most fragile and dangerous elements in his life. Suddenly, they would desert him and leave him all alone, just like his parents did when they died. Therefore, Mr. Darcy decided to leave the perils of emotion far behind him. It was not difficult for him to persuade Bingley to join him, once he had assured him of Miss Bennet's indifference towards him. Seeing all his high hopes dashed and relying on his friend's better judgment, Bingley finally agreed and the whole Netherfield party left for London.
The note arriving at Longbourn, which announced their departure, exploding with such force upon the family's hopes that Mrs. Bennet suffered a severe nervous breakdown. The opportunities her daughter had lost! Jane herself was heartbroken and when the days turned into weeks and weeks into months, not even Lizzy's reassurances could console her any longer and she tried to reconcile herself to the facts suffering surreptitiously.
Seeing her sister's sorrow, Lizzy directed all her anger against those self-fancied superior sisters, whose persuasion and falsehoods she blamed for Mr. Bingley's change of mind and staying in town. No suspicion did enter her mind that the young man's friend might have participated in the plot and thus looked forward to her visit with her aunt and uncle Gardiner in London. She hoped to be able to investigate Mr. Bingley and maybe, if Fortuna could be prevailed upon to show her mercy, to communicate to him that her sister still cared for him. Furthermore, though unlikely, she silently wished to encounter Mr. Darcy, renew their acquaintance and try to solve the enigma he presented.
That night, a fierce thunderstorm shook south England. Heaven reverberated with the sound of Fortuna's angry pacing on the young man's behalf and a steep frown distorted her usual harmonious features. Despite her anger, she decided to wait, especially for the young woman's sake, and see how she behaved herself before withdrawing her favour forever.
Chapter 8
Time passed by in London for Darcy as uneventfully as usual, while he resumed his typical urban habits of frequently visiting his favourite book shops, meeting his friends occasionally at his Club, attending teeth-grinding various social gatherings and trying to make himself invisible to the chasing matrons. The only real pleasures which he experienced during his stay at his townhouse was the presence of his younger sister Georgina and other family members currently residing there and the possibility of quite often attending the theatre or opera.
Thus, the two siblings spent many an evening quietly at their townhouse enjoying each other's singular company with Georgina at the piano delighting her brother with her improvement. Yet, watching her, her restrained manners and seclusion, he felt a pang of regret. The change which Mr. Wickham had brought upon her in her youthful naïveté was still apparent. It had confronted her with the cruelty of the world. He had destroyed all her youthful innocence, trust and openness towards the world in his abusing her trustful nature and caring heart. Now Darcy was at loss how to restore her faith in herself and in her environment . Making matters still worse, he realized that she carried a strong sense of guilt with her and was still embarrassed of the whole awful situation; he even feared that she was afraid of having disappointed him. This train of thought led naturally to the recognition that Georgina needed a female companion of the same age, who could guide her and to whom she could entrust her troubles which she would never confide in him.
Still, this thought always forced him to draw the conclusion, that, a woman, to whom he would dare to entrust his sister's well-being, could only be his own wife. Such a notion as this reminded him instantly of the incidents at Hertfordshire. It brought all his inner turmoil boiling back to the surface of his thoughts. Though his removal to London and the distance that separated him from a one young lady residing near the village of Meryton had somehow lessened his inner conflict. For a while, mostly when he was distracted and in company during the day, he even believed himself being cured and capable of forgetting her. Nevertheless, obeying the obligations towards his family and honour, which he regarded as his utmost duty, he assumed that the certainty of having lived up to those expectations of his ancestors would give him back his inner tranquility and to some degree a feeling of relieve.
Nonetheless, he had never felt that restless and empty in all his life, for the knowledge of fulfilling his duty had usually rewarded him with a feeling of satisfaction, but seldom true happiness. He took his responsibility as estate owner, patron and guardian very serious and was very proud of the trust and affection the people in his care bestowed upon him and in his own skills despite his youthful age. Daily, he strove earnestly to prove himself worthy of his position in life and the heritage of his ancient family. He therefore would have never denied the fact that he had more than his share of pride. His chosen course of action answered all these issues, but it had failed to make him even content. Believing it impossible for him to find a suitable wife among the ladies of his present society, whom he could not admire, love nor respect as Miss Elizabeth Bennet, he even thought to enter into a marriage of convenience to be to able to fulfill his duties and give Georgina a permanent companion in a sister-in-law.
His heart revolted against such an idea and even his voice of reason allowed shy questioning whether his decisions had really been correct, for they would surely not further his future happiness. The only thing which comforted Mr. Darcy at that moment was the thought of having saved his friend from an unequal marriage, in which he would have given more than received. Despite Miss Bennet's serenity and angelic countenance, her more reserved and guarded behaviour had secured his belief that her heart was not easily touched, a knowledge which he attributed to his own wholly unbiased observation. The agreeable and encouraging manners with which she had graciously accepted Bingley's attention showed, in Darcy's opinion, that she was to some degree influenced by her mother's mercenary interests. Who should blame her, he thought to himself, it is the only way for her to ensure her future happiness in reference of her family's financial situation. Although he had experienced Bingley's restrained manners and a tendency towards melancholy, he was sure that time would help him to overcome this affliction and at some point, he led himself to believe, to find another, more worthy woman. Bingley was currently somewhere up north with his sisters paying a long visit to some family there. In his case, Darcy considered the matter as being closed.
Wishing to flee such thoughts, Darcy sought refuge in his bed in hopes of having a deep and dreamless sleep. Unfortunately, Fortuna was determined not to give up that easily and plagued him during his restless slumber with dreams about how blissful his future with Elizabeth Bennet might have been. Searching for another, more efficient means of persuasion, the Goddess ventured into the past and discovered something of great usefulness.
Chapter 9
Sitting comfortably in his library after having finished all pressing business matters, Darcy leaned back in his armchair, hands folded behind his neck, scanning the shelves leisurely for an interesting book to read. Finding no title which aroused his curiosity, he asked himself, whether this could justify another visit to the book shop. Considering this possibility and the opportunity to escape the house at the peak time when visitors might be expected, he decided in favour of this plan, for his sister was not present. Just as he was about to leave, a servant came to announce a visitor.
His efforts were ruined by the intruder himself, "Do not try to tell me that my nephew is busy. Of course he will receive his aunt. Do you know who I am, young man? I am Lady Catherine de Bourgh? I will report your impertinent behaviour to Mr. Darcy and see that he react accordingly. My servants would never behave in such a way!" and thus, her Ladyship let herself into the library. Hearing his aunt's stern voice, Darcy had to fight his urgent to need to hide beneath the table. Unfortunately, it was too late and he had to face the dragon, Lady Catherine, with all his courage, politeness and forbearance. Stepping forward instead of his desired refuge under the desk, he tried to greet his aunt enthusiastically. "Lady Catherine, what a pleasant surprise to see you in town. I trust everything is well at Rosings". Grimly nodding, her Ladyship seated herself in Darcy's armchair and motioned for her nephew to sit down. "So you do not yet have a wife to overlook the household affairs." She paused only to see how it took Darcy. Before he could interrupt, she continued, "you really should pay more attention to this matters. I think I should have a word with your housekeeper." Trying to distract his aunt from such dangerous topics and to spare his housekeeper such a painful interview, Darcy inquired after the reason of Lady Catherine's stay in town and was consequently reminded that this was her yearly trip to London to do some shopping and perhaps more important to her, to grace her brother, the esteemed Earl of Matlock with her company for a few days. Darcy made a mental note never to be in town again at that time of year, when he was brought back to her monolog when Lady Catherine demanded that Georgina should be summoned to pay her respects, an order Darcy had unfortunately to decline because of his sister's absence.
Thereafter her Ladyship continued her monologue about how Darcy should raise his sister, run his estate, treat his servants, pay his respects to this and that person, go hither and thither, etc. etc. etc. Listing with all possible forbearance, he dreaded that her lecture would result in a subject to which he reacted allergic ally at that moment. "My dear nephew, it is time that you get married and who would be more suitable than your cousin Anne. You are really designed for each other. You would be respecting the most time honoured tradition, the demands of family, honour and duty." Being unable to bear his aunt's talking any longer, Darcy nearly exploded with all the suppressed emotions and frustration set free, "I am, of course, aware of those duties, dear aunt, so there is no need to remind me of them." Being at first startled at such an uncharacteristic outbreak from her nephew, Lady Catherine's face contorted and she barked at Darcy, "You sound just like him- just like my father, the late Earl of Matlock. He too would have nearly brought disgrace and ruin to our family, if my mother had not been as patient and virtuous. Raising his illegitimate child as if it were her own blood! And oh, how he loved her. Little Anne was his favourite, the mirror of that young flirt. Such love is the thing for books and for the unvirtuous, not for a gentleman of your consequence. Anne might have ended badly, had she not found George Darcy, who married her despite such a shortcoming. Yet others who live up to values like honour, integrity and family are punished only in their restraint of such indulgences. When I married Sir Lewis de Bourgh, my father only criticized my lack of enthusiasm. Was I not worthy of his regard? And my own daughter, whom I named after my little sister in order to please my father, has to marry the son of Anne Darcy in order to restore the family's honour and make amends for his mother failure. But it is more noble when one does his duty then the instant gratification of the heart. Honourable love is the fulfillment of duty and comes only in time." Realizing what she had revealed, a colour change took place in her face which can be described as a blush, when she muttered her inevitable, "I am seriously displeased..." and trailing off, turned and left the room, anger evaporating around her like a cloud.
Darcy stood for several minutes motionless and speechless on the very spot, where his aunt had left him, trying to figure out what he had heard. His mother an illegitimate child? Furthermore, the hatred and jealousy displayed in his aunt's face disturbed him greatly, though he could not deny the probable truth of the account. His aunt had been too agitated to lie.
Wishing to understand the significance of these news, Darcy decided to ask for a private interview with his uncle Earl Matlock. Fortuna congratulated herself on her first victory in her battle against pride.
Chapter 10
Welcoming his nephew, the Earl of Matlock directed him into his study and listened very concentrated to what Darcy reported to him. Once he had finished, the older man's expression turned into graveness and his lips displayed a wistful expression. "Lady Catherine has informed you about your natural grandmother, a most guarded secret, which was necessary to protect your own mother. Though her illegitimacy was less a burden to her because of her father's rank, it was always one to the family. Your grandmother and her eldest daughter feared that it might disgrace our family. We are in no position to judge de facto, but you surely know that the marriage of my parents was not a happy one. They married out of convenience; he needed her dowry to pay the debts which endangered the family estate and she wanted to have a title. So their union was a business transaction, into which your grandfather forced his son to prevent the family's ruin, though he knew that his son's affections were engaged elsewhere, with someone who had neither money nor connections. Yet sometimes such emotions are stronger than monetary gains or family's expectations."
Smiling sadly at Darcy, the Earl continued, "Lady Catherine was envious of your mother because my father adored her for being a daughter of love and thus Anne could marry the man she chose. Not everybody is as blessed as your parents, Darcy, to experience such a happiness. Your father has entrusted a letter to me which I am to give to you." The Earl went to his desk, unlocked the lowest drawer and pulled out an aged envelope. Handing it to Darcy, the Earl added: "I will leave you alone so that you can read it in peace." Full of anticipation, the young man unfolded the sheets, not knowing what to expect:
Pemberley, 18-My dear son,
I feel my end nearing, but I do not wish to part from this world without addressing you in an important matter. When your uncle hands you this letter, you will have been informed about your mother's illegitimacy or you will have completed your thirties year or you are engaged to be married. Before giving you this, your uncle is authorized to acquaint you with the circumstances of your mother's birth.
I hope dearly that by such means which are open to me at present, I might have an opportunity to answer your questions and clear any misunderstandings which are likely to arise. Furthermore, your knowledge of this allows me to convey to you your mother's death-bed wishes, which you are to fulfill.
Though Lady Matlock kept her word she had given to her husband and raised his illegitimate daughter as if she was her own, she only fulfilled the words of her promise, not the spirit behind it, and denied Anne any motherly affection. Growing up in this environment, Anne soon realized that the only persons who cared for her were her father and older brother, to whom she was very strongly attached. Neither her stepmother nor her elder sister kept the knowledge from her that her very existence could bring shame to her father, as soon as she was old enough to understand the meaning of the word illegitimacy and all its implications. Nonetheless, the story never left the family circle itself.
Yet the price which Lady Matlock demanded of her husband for her help in disguising the Anne's "blemish" was a high one. Your grandfather had to swear to his wife that we would never impart any details to his daughter about her natural mother's whereabouts or her name, an oath which bound your dear mother as well.
My own careful investigations and inquiries have brought to light that the old earl himself kept his mistress informed about their daughter's well-being, education and upbringing. I could trace one of his letters back to a Mrs. Leonora Eastbridge at Edinburgh, which is the only clue I have and I hope that it will provide you with a sufficient base for your own research. Your mother always regretted the fact that she never had a chance to get to know her mother, therefore she begged that you should be informed about her story and try to find your natural grandmother and send your natural grandmother her last greetings and a letter which is enclosed herein.
Her other request, my son, concerned only you, to which I add my own pleas. Witnessing the loveless and cold marriage of her father to Lady Matlock and seeing your own steadfast sense of duty and honour towards your family, which you displayed rather early in life, she feared that those notions might lead you on a wrong path. Her greatest worry was your and your sister's future happiness: When you consider marriage and consider a woman worthy of being your partner in life and the new mistress of Pemberley, you can be sure that we will bless your choice and pray for your happiness, as long as you do not put the claims of society, your ancestry and position in life entirely above those of your heart. We are very proud of you and sure that you will make your way as responsible estate owner and true gentlemen unhindered or prejudiced by the imaginations which the mundane society has established as standard. Strictly spoken, had I followed those rules, I would have been forbidden to marry Anne because of her illegitimacy and I would have never experienced such a happiness. The woman you choose should be capable of living up to the expectations which are laid upon the Darcys of Pemberley, yet considerations such as connections and fortune only count in the second place. Your heritage and ancestry have provided you with those in abundance so that you could easily compensate any lack in that respect.
But you could not equal any lack of education, manners, character deficits or true nobility of the heart, which is essential for a harmonious marriage; her financial or social position is nothing compared to the wealth a rich and educated mind would bring you. Make sure that you choose a woman whose liveliness, openness and humour can ease you out of your more taciturn behaviour, shyness and uncomfortableness in crowds.
My dear son, do not burden my little Georgina with this knowledge, when you do not consider it as being absolutely necessary. Take care of her and try to preserve her trusting innocence and further George Wickham as best as you can.
Your father,
"Elizabeth..." was all the Earl heard from the adjoining room.
If it is possible for a God or Goddess' chin to drop, it was so with Fortuna at that moment.
Chapter 11
Spending time with her aunt and uncle Gardiner and their children at their cosy house on Gracechurch Street was always a conflicting experience for Elizabeth. Though she enjoyed every minute in her relations' company, it made her painfully aware of what she missed in her own family. Especially being able to turn to Mrs. Gardiner for advice, whose genuine understanding, constant regard and common sense provided her with the motherly counsel and presence in life which she lacked at home.
Lizzy's first occupation after having arrived in London, was celebrating a happy reunion with her little cousins, who always looked forward to visits of the two eldest Bennet daughters. They loved Jane for her never-ending patience, her devotion and goodness and Lizzy because she could turn into a child upon joining the children in their games and could enjoy herself without any restraints. She had a very vivid imagination, which allowed her to fascinate her little cousins with exciting stories, so that they their eyes clang to her lips when she told them one and they would always agree to retire just to be favoured with another one. In her uncle Lizzy always found someone who encouraged her interest in unladylike pursuits; these included chess, discussing politics and the reading of recently published works of contemporary literature. Frequently having the opportunity of attending opera and theatre, Lizzy enjoyed and regarded them as the highlights of every stay in London. She filled her letters to her father and Jane with all the details of her cultural experiences.
Acquainting her aunt with everything that had occurred at Longbourn, she found a keen listener in the older woman, who took an empathetic interest in the relationship between Jane and Bingley. Another fact which gained her most undivided attention was the frequent mentioning of the name of Mr. Darcy and the eloquence Lizzy employed on discussing the enigma the gentlemen posed to her. Mrs. Gardiner could not help but assume a special interest in her niece and was happy to be able to add whatever information she could from her own childhood in Lambton, only five miles away from Pemberley. Elizabeth then admitted to her aunt that her source on Mr. Wickham was only a private conversation, which could not explain his abominable behaviour. She had attended to it unconsciously for which she begged for advice whether to communicate these facts to their acquaintances to unmask Mr. Wickham as the villain he truly is. Fearing consequences for Miss Darcy and not believing her niece justified in doing so. Both ladies spent a lot of time envisioning Miss Darcy's suffering and talked at length about her pitiable state, the negative effects it must have had on a young, very shy girl on the verge of adulthood. "Well", Mrs. Gardiner concluded," she seems to have a very protective brother. I would never wish any of my own girls to be deceived in such away and it must have been a severe shock for her to be betrayed by a man she considered as her childhood friend. I fear her trust and self-confidence must be harshly damaged and there being no mother to take care of her makes it especially difficult. She really is a poor girl despite her large dowry." Yet Mrs. Gardiner suspected more than Elizabeth's having pity for Miss Darcy, especially having just heard the eloquence with which she had described Mr. Darcy, which showed her being more than superficially interested. In addition, Lizzy had mentioned her regret that she had not had more time to get to know him better, which she had said several times in the span on a single conversation. She asked for her aunt's judgment, so that she could not help but assume a greater partiality on the young woman's side than she might be aware of herself. She shared these assumptions with her husband and both expressed a great curiosity to learn more about the young man who had visibly caught their niece's admiration in a way never perceivably done before.
Making sure that her children were properly attended to by their nanny, Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth set off to spend the afternoon shopping. Mrs. Bennet had charged her second eldest daughter with an assortment of errands such as buying lace and a searching for a wedding dress for Marry. Preferring to be done with this duty as soon as possible and before her mother could send any letters of complaint of just how ill-used she felt. With Mary's forthcoming wedding, Mrs. Bennet cherished the opportunity of spending as much of her husband's money as she could possibly get a hold of. Though Mr. Collins's proposal of marriage to her third eldest daughter had taken her a by surprise, for she had expected it to go in another direction, she was not at all displeased and the neighbourhood had to suffer from her constant boasting. Some matrons such as Lady Lucas could be seen turning even green at the mention and the thought that Mrs. Bennet's husband catching methods were more efficient than their own.
Mrs. Gardiner and Lizzy parted therefore in order to fulfill Mrs. Bennet's wishes. From her perch in the heavens, Fortuna watched with a now skeptical eye. There was interest, clearly, but why was it taking so long for her plan, her perfect plan, to come to fruition? To this, Fortuna had no answer.
Chapter 12
Heading back to their carriage after having completed their shopping tour, Lizzy persuaded her aunt to stop at a bookstore to examine the window display for any novelties. "Oh, Lizzy", Mrs. Gardiner interjected smiling at her niece's zeal, "I don't think that they have received anything new since the last time you pressed your nose against pane only two days ago." Looking into the young woman's disappointed eyes, she was ready to give in and added, "Well, how about asking the owner himself whether he can recommend a book with at least one thousand pages to keep you busy for the next few days?"
Leaving the shop half-an-hour later, the two ladies made their way back to the carriage, which was already being loaded with the days shopping and a rather bundle from the book shop. Mrs. Gardiner and Lizzy looked forward to returning home and enjoying an informal family dinner with the children, who were allowed to join the adults on some occasions. The time before the meal was filled with chatting about their shopping and amusing the youngest with little gifts, when Mr. Gardiner let himself into the parlour, greeted his wife, children and niece affectionately, before he addressed Mrs. Gardiner thus, "I hope you excuse the inconvenience, my dear, but I fear, our cosy family meal will have to be postponed. I had a very successful business transaction today and I have invited the gentleman to stay for dinner." Looking into thoroughly disappointed faces around him, Mr. Gardiner elaborated, "I promise I will make amends, but right now, I will have to ask the children to leave." "Well, I will have a word with the cook," Mrs. Gardiner assured her husband, while she gave Lizzy a hint to take care of the children. Almost out the door, her husband turned back and said to his niece, "By the by, I think it would be an honour to our modest table, Lizzy, if when you grace us with your company, you could change into one of your formal dresses." He added something in a low tone for his wife, which extracted a grin from her and she assented, "Of course, my dear, I think that the ivory one would be most suitable." Wondering at her relative's strange behaviour, Lizzy did as she was bid and after having accompanied the children upstairs and ensured that they were happy, she stood in front of her closet examining her wardrobe. She asked herself amusedly, they seldom make such specific and strange requests. They wouldn't be trying to... A knock at her door interrupted her and her aunt's maid entered the room, "Your aunt has sent me and told me to offer you my help, miss." Now definitely questioning the Gardiners' intentions, Lizzy could not help but fearing that among the guests there might be an eligible bachelor. Nevertheless, she could not deny her pleasure in her own suppositions and after the success of the servant's long struggle with her obstinate curls, and with her spirits refreshed and curiosity aroused, she decided to face the music and discover which gentleman could make her sensible aunt and uncle behave like her mother, when an uproar from the nursery caught her attention. She hurried there only to see her youngest cousin running in the direction of the stairs followed by his nanny, screaming, "I wanna have dinner wiff mama papa n' Lizzy!" The chase continued through the whole of the second floor, when Lizzy managed to snatch the little runaway, who was nearly half way down the stairs, when the drawing room door opened and Mrs. Gardiner said stepping into the hall, "Dinner will be served in a minute and our niece should be down soon", when her son's delightful squeal "Mama!" interrupted her and drew her husband and their single guest's attention to their niece. She was standing on the stairs with her little cousins on her arms, flushed from the chase and a disordered hair, for the little boy had discovered her hairpins and had pulled as many out as possible. Daring a look at the guest, Lizzy was dumbstruck to recognize Mr. Darcy, who was watching the confused scene. Yet, he was the first one to recover and addressed her almost jovially, "Good evening, Miss Bennet. It is a pleasure to see you again, though I hadn't any idea that you are related to Mr. Gardiner." Lizzy only managed a short curtsey, when she became aware of her disordered appearance and overwhelmed by her surprise, mumbled a "Pray excuse me" and was about to flee back to the second floor, when Mr. Darcy' comment stopped her, "I don't think I've seen your new hairstyle, though I think it quite fashionable, Miss Bennet." Glancing back at the speaker, Lizzy blushed profoundly and withdrew. Mrs. Gardiner noticed that Mr. Darcy's eyes lingered on her until she turned the corner, while Mr. Gardiner looked only at the clock. Mr. Gardiner said something about heading for the dinning room and lead on, with his wife right behind him. Mr. Darcy hesitated, and looked back at the corner where Lizzy had vanished. Beginning to follow, Mr. Darcy didn't notice an uneven plank and slipped. Trying to get back to his feet, he noticed a shiny silver object. He picked it up to give to his host, when he realized that it was one of the many hairpins that Lizzy wore. Flushing, he, alone in the hall, pulled out a new handkerchief, wrapped it, and put it in his vest pocket before continuing.
Fortuna let go of the plank, and it slid back into its former flat position. She grinned at having managed to pull the right one, thus delivering Darcy to his new found treasure. How could he possibly miss such a direct clue?
Chapter 13
Following his hostess into the dining room, Darcy tried to give Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner the impression of being very intrigued by their conversation and he earnestly strove to make himself agreeable to them, while more than once, he found himself checking his vest pocket for his handkerchief. First of all, he had difficulties in believing in his sudden fortune; the Gods were being quite generous with him. Little had he known, when he entered the bureau of Mr. Gardiner that morning, all he hoped to find was a partner with experience for his overseas trading interests. The more time he spent with the older gentleman negotiating about their contract, he recognized the truth of his parent's statement that true nobility is to be found within. Indeed, he had to admit to himself that before, he would have thought little of Mr. Gardiner because of his being in trade and residing in Cheapside. Experiencing the gentleman's well-bread manners, education and intelligence, Mr. Darcy gladly accepted his invitation for dinner. The only thing he could not explain to himself was Mr. Gardiner's grin when Darcy was introduced.
Being seated so that he could keep the door in his eye. It had been a moment of intense surprise, for he had considered it as being almost impossible to reencounter Miss Elizabeth Bennet. The next notion in his head was to recommend himself to her in order to prove that he was not the snob, whom he had presented himself as at Netherfield. Fighting back his shyness, nervousness, and anxieties, he had tried to calm himself and to be as jovial and open as his more reserved nature would allow him. He even dared to hope that the young woman herself was not entirely displeased with his presence in her uncle's house. Sensing her awkwardness in his staring at her, he had attempted to ease the situation with a joke, which was inspired by some loose curls which the little boy's efforts had enabled to escape the knot. When the blush so sweetly entered into her cheeks... Mr. Gardiner's monologue had allowed Mr. Darcy room to think, but with the mention of his home shire, he returned to the conversation, "Did you say Derbyshire, sir?"
Exchanging an amused glance with his wife, the older gentleman responded, "My wife grew up in Lambton, only about five miles from your estate."
The conversation now shifted to Derbyshire and Pemberley and Mr. Darcy made an honest attempt at following concentratedly, especially since it was one of his favourite topics, but his host and hostess observed that his gaze often returned to the door. Therefore, they smiled silently at each other.
Returning hastily to her room, Lizzy's thoughts were dancing violently, while the maid tried to fix her hair. She could not explain to herself her excitement and inner turmoil, yet after some minutes of silent contemplation and self-reflection, she was ready to admit that she really was happy about his presence. The dinner, she hoped, would provide her with an opportunity to enquire about Mr. Bingley and examine Mr. Darcy himself. For the enigma, he posed to her, was not yet solved, as she lacked some important information. Still, the gentleman who had caused her to panic on the stairs seemed to be his more pleasant, friendly and less reserved side. He seemed to be free from the social prejudices to which she was used and to get along with her aunt and uncle quite well. As soon as the maid had finished her task, she hurried downstairs to join the gathered party.
Being let into the dining-room, she was greeted by three pairs of eyes which looked at her attentively. This made her self-conscious and she took her seat opposite Mr. Darcy, averting her gaze. Nonetheless, this shyness did not last for long and soon a vivid conversation ensued, which was only interrupted once, when Lizzy enquired after Mr. Bingley. After an awkward pause, Mr. Darcy replied curtly that he was presently engaged for an extended visit with his relations in the North. Seeing that she could not help her sister at the moment, Elizabeth resumed her former topic line.
Later, when the men had joined the ladies in the drawing room, Mr. Darcy seated himself next to Elizabeth and the two of them started a conversation which they maintained with some contribution from the Gardiners.
"I would be very honoured, Miss Bennet, if you would allow me to introduce my sister to you during your stay in London", Mr. Darcy ventured, whereupon Lizzy responded, "I would be delighted to meet your sister, Mr. Darcy. I have heard so many positive things about her. She is a talented pianist I heard."
"Indeed, she is. She practices very earnestly," Mr. Darcy answered adding some fond praise to this statement, before he concluded thus, "Yet she is very shy and anxious in the company of foreigners. I hope that you, with your liveliness, might be able to draw her out of her shell a little and become an acquaintance of hers."
Realizing his earnest wish and the urgency in his look, Lizzy could not help but feeling a little flattered by his request and replied, "If your sister might accept me as friend and if I can be of use to her I will be delighted."
The hearty tone in which she gave this answer and the way she looked at him, made Mr. Darcy hope a little that at some point in the future this look of affection with which she had talked about his sister would be directed at himself. They agreed that Lizzy would pay Georgina Darcy a visit on the following day accompanied by Mrs. Gardiner. Soon after, Mr. Darcy had to take his leave and return home. Unbeknownst to him, a pair of fine eyes followed him when he left the house and favourable thoughts followed him, I am now quite sure that this side of himself which he presented today, is his real nature. After having listened for a while to her relations 'praise of him,' she fled the room when her aunt's remarks hinted at some suspicions as to the nature of her own feelings towards him.
In the solitude of her own bedchamber she had to admit to herself that he was more than an interesting acquaintance of hers and she felt that she cared for him a great deal more than she was ready to allow herself at the moment. Wishing for more time to get better acquainted with him and the nature of her feelings, she looked forward to the following day.
As the Gardiners had detected the signs for a growing mutual affection and were quite pleased with it, so was Fortuna herself, though perhaps from her own efforts. Fortuna was quite exhausted, and decided to rest while this next step was sure to be a successful one.
Chapter 14
Searching the drawer of her vanity for her pair of French silver hairpins eagerly, engraved with her initials EB, which her Father had given her last Christmas, a deep frown appeared and she shook her head so vehemently with a frustrated sigh that a heavy strand of her rich dark-coloured hair escaped the maid's hand. Not paying attention to the questioning frightened eyes of the servant, Lizzy pulled the drawer wide open and finally found the box. Yet, her triumph was only of short duration, for only one of the desired objects lay on the velvet pillow. Jumping up from her seat and dashing out of her room, she left the perplexed servant girl behind and frantically started searching the staircase, where her little cousin had pulled her hairpins out. "It must be here somewhere," she murmured to herself and was stopped crawling on her knees by her aunt's surprised exclamations, "Lizzy! what are you doing there? It is time for us to leave, otherwise we will be late for our appointment with the Darcys." Watching the flushed face of her niece amusedly, she listened to her complain about the lost hairpin and reprimanded her, "Your hair is still in disorder, my dear. Although Mr. Darcy has complimented you on this type of hairstyle, I don't think that you are fit to be seen on the street." This last comment intensified the colour on the young woman's face and she returned to her room, but her aunt still caught the trailing regrets Lizzy uttered under her breath, "... They would have fitted my dress so perfectly."
When the two ladies where finally settled into the carriage and the horses started in the direction of Mr. Darcy's townhouse. Lizzy now with neatly put up hair, which gave Mrs. Gardiner to reflect and to watch her niece quite interestedly. The young woman pretended to look out of the window and enjoy the vivid bustle outside, yet the nearer they came to their destination, the more she started fidgeting in her seat, tugging at her dress and hat and intending to check on her hair style. Nonetheless, these last nervous attempts caused some contemptuous strands to escape the knot. They commenced softly tickling the young woman's neck as she climbed out the carriage. It was especially a pleasure to Mr. Darcy, who welcomed his guests personally in the hall. Lost in the picture of beautiful Miss Bennet and was so intrigued by it that he probably would have forgotten to pay his respects to the aunt and left all his guests in the hall, had Fortuna had not pinched him a little. His hand wandered surreptitiously to his waist pocket to ensure that all his contents where there, when he cleared his throat and led the ladies into a parlour to introduce them to his little sister.
Lizzy had finally stopped nervously twisting her bracelet and managed to tear her eyes away from Mr. Darcy, when a movement in the centre of the room caught her eye. There stood a tall young teenage girl, who had averted her gaze and gave the impression that she wished to be far away. Putting his arm comfortingly around his sister's shoulders, Darcy forced her gently to step forward and greet their guests. Realizing Miss Darcy's struggle and her uneasiness, Lizzy stretched out her hand impulsively and addressed the girl thus, "Miss Darcy, it is a pleasure to meet you."
Interpreting her hostess' restrained gesture as an invitation to sit down, Lizzy seated herself on a sofa, while Mr. Darcy led her aunt to another one. Watching his beloved's attempts to draw his sister out of her shell, he was delighted to see that after a bit of time he heard Georgina's one syllable answer turn into full sentences. While maintaining his own conversation with Mrs. Gardiner, he followed one of the young ladies and was startled out of his admiration of her companion when he heard Georgina laugh. He sent a thankful glance full of emotions to Lizzy and their gazes where linked for quite a long time and the world seemed to stop turning around them ... Then the old grandfather clock stroke three, filling the silent room with its bells and the world spun back into its usual speed. Realizing that all conversation had ceased, Lizzy examined her shoes carefully before she turned her attention back to a Georgina, who looked quite curious despite her shyness.
Too soon, Mrs. Gardiner indicated that it was time to leave, for they had stayed far longer than propriety dictated for a first visit. Mr. Darcy was uncomfortably awoken out of his daydream and started desperately searching for an excuse to prolong their stay.
Shaking her head at this example of human helplessness and lack of creativeness, Fortuna gave the wind a sign to blow softly into the room and thus cast a leaflet to fly in front of Mr. Darcy: Theatre premiere! Much Ado About Nothing. With a little more pushing from Fortuna, he remembered the box he had reserved, which he immediately declared Lizzy and Mrs. Gardiner to accompany his sister and him to the theatre on the morrow. Mrs. Gardiner hesitated to accept this hasty invitation, but she was beaten to her answer by her niece who exclaimed eagerly, "Shakespeare! How delightful! And with Mr. Darcy ..."
Being taken aback by Lizzy's enthusiasm and seeing her examining her shoes again quite interestedly, Mrs. Gardiner hurried to finish her sentence, " ... and your sister's company, Mr. Darcy. We would be delighted to join you tomorrow evening. We are great theatre enthusiasts," she added glancing at her niece, who was now playing with he buttons of her coat. Taking her arm and leading her to the carriage, Mrs. Gardiner bid farewell to their host, who stood minutes after their departure in the hall staring at the closed front door with a sheepish grin on his face, when his sister's call of "William!" pushed him out of his reverie and he became aware of his servants' amused faces. They hurried to change their facial expression when they felt their master's attention returned.
Being unable to disguise her pleasure and mirth, Fortuna laughed heartily at Darcy's wonder when he discovered the huge bruise on his arm. And pure sunshine bathed the whole of England.
Chapter 15
Pacing in front of his box, Mr. Darcy greeted his acquaintances absent-mindedly, who were wondering at his strange behaviour. Frequently checking his pocket watch, he was sure that its hands had never moved so slowly. Looking down the corridor, he sighed and entered the box, to where he had escorted his sister and her companion more than half-an-hour ago. Georgina was slightly perturbed by her brother's uncharacteristic haste to leave their townhouse at an hour, which ensured that they arrived at the theatre far too early.
Being unable to contain his impatience any longer, Mr. Darcy informed his sister that he hoped to meet a friend in the foyer and dashed of with such a speed, which betrayed more than eagerness to meet that friend. Finally, Fortuna gave in and decided not to torture the young man any longer. Therefore, when he left the stairs, the very first thing he saw was Lizzy, standing next to her aunt and uncle beaming at him. After the usual exchange of greetings, Mr. Gardiner explained their delay with the fact that some problems had occurred concerning his youngest son. Remembering the young boy, whose interest in hairpins had gifted him with an exquisite sight and token, which rested quietly in his waste pocket, Mr. Darcy expressed his concern and hope that no illness had befallen him. When Mrs. Gardiner calmed him and let the following words slip, which caused her niece to blush and Mr. Darcy to grin all over, "Michael is a bit jealous. He demanded to know whom we would meet at the theatre and whether it is the 'Mr. Arcy`, Lizzy had mentioned so frequently."
Realizing what she had said, it was now Mrs. Gardiner's turn to blush profoundly and shed an apologetic glance towards her niece, who was very interested in the carpet's pattern. Instantly, Mr. Gardiner cleared his throat and suggested to set off in direction of Mr. Darcy's box because the play was about to begin. Stepping back and looking reprovingly at his wife, he allowed the young man to take his place beside his niece and escort her to the box.
The newspapers where full of praise at the next morning about the extraordinary performance of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, which dominated the conversations during following days. It created even such a hype that reports spread across the country. Mr. Bennet was very surprised not to receive a letter from his second daughter in London raving about a delightful, breathtaking evening at the theatre. His wondering was increased when the only information he gained on this account was out his brother-in-law's letter, who mentioned that they had attended the premiere. Therefore, Mr. Bennet felt compelled to press his favourite daughter for a detailed report in her next letter. Yet, the only answer his earnest request received, was a meaningless depiction, which did not give the impression that his daughter had seen the celebrated performance. It seemed, as if she had some how plagiarized the newspapers. Furthermore, her usual eloquent letters were reduced to short notes, about which even Jane complained. Mr. Bennet was slightly worried and asked himself whether the long stay in town damaged his daughter.
The friends and acquaintances of Mr. Darcy experienced a similar lack of interest, for he, who usually had a very well-informed and pointed opinion especially about literature, seemed not to be able to say something which differed from the average praise expressed in the media.
Watching this development, Fortuna smiled complacently to herself and decided to reward herself. For, though it should not be mentioned too loudly as not to provoke the Goddess's wrath by hurting the divine vanity, the recent struggles had marked the usual eternally youthful features with rather deep frowns. These signs of old age and human decay, displeased Fortuna admittedly and she was determined not to begrudge herself from a needed rest. Though the Goddess might disguise these truths from herself euphemistically, considering the holiday as a reward for her efforts. Therefore, she set off for the divine rest only her distant home could bring and was not seen on earth for quite a long time.
Chapter 16
Returning relaxed and with a new sun tan, Fortuna entered her headquarters and marched energetically towards her telescope to check on her various projects on earth, which she had left running a good month's time in order to attend to her own divine needs. Seeing everywhere the signs of human destruction of her well-laid plans, her eyes focused with rising indignation and concern on London. There, sitting closely together alone in the Gardiner's parlour, obviously in deep and intimate conversation, she spotted a young couple. Smiling on the cute picture, she was about to turn away and congratulate herself on her success, when something caught her attention, or rather the absence of something. Examining closely the young woman's fingers, she could detect a ring, yet it only held a plain shinning pearl instead of a small diamond embedded into a golden setting bearing the Darcy crest. This led Fortuna to the inevitable conclusion that Elizabeth Bennet did not wear the Darcy engagement ring.
Fortunately for the two of them, being still under the effect of her holidays, Fortuna was able to preserve her good mood. Further observation revealed to her the full impact of the mutual attachment, the gazes which where locked into one another. Assuming that hostile circumstances, the lack of her guidance and the young man's shyness had so far prevented the happy outcome, Fortuna decided to lend them a hand, due to her incredulous generosity and philanthropy. Ensuring that everybody was busy in the Gardiner household, by creating a huge mass and excitement in the kitchen, which kept the servants busy and prevented them from paying attention to the doorbell and visitors. After having cleaned her hands and dress from the pudding she had spilled all over the kitchen, she smiled at the quarrel she had initiated there, Fortuna turned her attention to Mrs. Gardiner who was on her way back to the parlour. Stealing his teddy bear, there ensued a roaring, which made the worried mother turn on her heels and hurry to the nursery. She tried to soothe her youngest child and reprimand his older sister Susan, who had obviously taken his toy, though the young girl pleaded her innocence. The poor mother was faced with a conflict, which would keep her busy at least for the greater part of an hour, to Fortuna's utter satisfaction. Forcing Mr. Gardiner to stay in his office after having detected a mistake in an important contract, Fortuna was sure to have the whole house clear and returned to the objects of her efforts.
Though they sat even closer together, the Goddess could not detect a change in the atmosphere and contented herself for the time being with listening to their conversation which dealt with literature and Georgina. Yet, it was no fluent exchange, for it was interrupted by several long pauses, in which the eyes even developed a even greater eloquence, conveying messages of outspoken emotions. Feeling her temper rising again and losing her patience, Fortuna decided to intervene and end this pitiful state. Seeing Darcy's hand moving as usual towards the waist pocket, she pushed Elizabeth in her back, causing her to lean forward with a surprised moan. Hearing this, Darcy bent forward as to inquire about Lizzy's pain, quickly extracting his hand from his pocket and thereby dropping his treasure on the floor. Then Lizzy became aware of the shinny object lying on the floor. Darcy didn't immediately see it, but Lizzy could see enough to recognize the EB imprint. The moment she realized it, Darcy too gained sight of the hairpin and both dived to get it, but achieving it at the same moment and holding one another's hands instead of the pin.
Darcy's mouth opened, then shut, and his cheeks glowed. Lizzy could only look at the pin still on the ground, which had been in his pocket, on his very person, and seemed to be a great secret. Darcy heard his heart much louder then he ever heard it in his life and Fortuna amplified those feelings to the point where he had to act. Then, kneeling to pick up the treasure, put it gently in her hands and remaining there began, "You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you*. Please do me the honour and consent to be my wife. You would make me the happiest man alive." A silence followed, in which Mr. Darcy was torn between fear and hope. She neither answered his question immediately nor looked into his eyes. She felt the pin, and an almost divine hand was pulling Elizabeth's head up; Fortuna forced her to encounter Darcy's gaze. Her yes was barely audible, yet Darcy's ears caught it and the expression of deeply felt happiness spread over his face, which he saw mirrored in Elizabeth's. Leaning forward, he gripped her hand tightly and slid a ring onto her finger and then was overjoyed by her squeezing his just as firmly. "This ring has belonged to many Darcy women before they become mistress of Pemberley, but if you will forgive the imprudence, I have had the ring inscribed for you." Lizzy read:
DA MI BASIA MILLE, VIVAMUS ATQUE AMEMUS IN ETERNUM**
Lizzy answers, "Give me a thousand kisses and let us live and love for eternity."
* Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Volume 2, Chapter 11
** Gaius Valerius Catullus, Collected Poems No. 5 (modified)