PRIDE & PREJUDICE: JANE AUSTEN: CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

Miss Bingley's letter arrived.  It is now assured that they are being settled in London for the winter.  The letter concluded with her brother's regret at not having had time to pay his respects to his friends in Hertfordshire before he left the country.

Jane found little in the letter that could give her any comfort, except professed affection of the writer.  Miss Darcy's praise found in abundance; her many attractions; of her brother's growing intimacy with Mr Darcy's house.  She mentioned with raptures some plans of Mr Bingley with regard to new furniture.

Elizabeth, to whom Jane very soon communicated the contents of the letter, heard it in silent indignation.  Her heart was divided between concern for her sister and resentment against all others.  She was sure that Mr Bingley was in love with Jane. Caroline wanted to divert him to Miss Darcy for two reasons: Firstly that Bennet family is not equal to Netherfield; and secondly Caroline wants Mr Bingley to marry Miss Darcy.  Whether Mr Bingley's interest in Jane had died out because of the intervention of his sisters is a question.

A day or two passed before Jane had the courage to speak to Elizabeth, in the absence of their mother, said:

"Oh, my dear mother had more command over herself!  She can have no idea of the pain she gives me by her continual reflections on him. But I will not repine. It cannot last long. He will be forgotten, and we shall all be as we were before."

Elizabeth looked at her sister with incredulous solicitude, but said nothing.

"You doubt me," cried Jane, slightly colouring, "indeed, you have no reason.  He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance, but that is all.  I have nothing either to hope or fear, and nothing to reproach him with.  Thank God! I have not that pain.  A little time, therefore - I certainly shall try to get the better."

Her stronger voice soon added, "it has not been fancy on my side, and that it has done no harm to anyone but myself."

"My dear Jane!" exclaimed Elizabeth, "you are too good.  Your sweetness and disinterestedness are really angelic; I do not know what to say to you.  I feel as if I had never done you justice, or loved you as you deserve."

Miss Bennet eagerly disclaimed all extraordinary merit, and threw back the praise on sister's warm affection.

"Nay," said Elizabeth, "this is not fair, you wish to think all the world respectable, and are hurt if I speak ill of anybody.  I only want to think you perfect, and you set yourself against it.  Do not afraid of my running into excess.  There are few people whom I really love, still fewer of whom I think well.  The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it, and everyday confirms my belief of inconsistency of all human characters. I have met with two instances, lately. One I will not mention. The other is Charlotte's marriage. Look at it. It is unaccountable.  In every view, it is."

"Dear Lizzy, do not give way to such feelings as these. They will ruin your happiness.  You do not make allowance for difference of situation and temper.  Consider Mr Collins respectability and  Charlotte's steady prudent  character.  Remember that she is one of a large family, that as to fortune, it is most eligible match, and she may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin."

"To oblige you, I would try to belive.  But no one can be benifited by such a belief.  Mr Collins is a conceited, pompous, narrow-minded, silly man, you know he is.  A woman who married him cannot have a proper way of thinking.  Selfishness is not prudence. Insensible security does not mean happiness."

"Oh! Lizzy, your words are harsh on both.  I hope you will be convinced of it by seeing them happy together.  But enough of this.  You alluded to something else. You mentioned two instances.  I cannot understand you, but I entreat you, dear Lizzy, not to pain me by thinking that person to blame, and saying your opinion of him is sunk.  We must not expect a lively young man to be always so guarded and circumspect.  It is often nothing but our own vanity that deceives us. Women fancy admiration means more than it does.

"And men take care that they should."

"If it is designedly done, it cannot be justified; but I have no idea of there being so much design in the world as some persons imagine."

"I am not attributing any design to Mr Bingley," said Elizabeth, "but without scheming there may be error, and there may be misery.  Thoughtlessness, want of attention to other people's feelings, and want of resolution, will do the business."

"And do you impute it to either of those?"

"Yes, to the last.  But if I go on, I shall displease you by saying what I think of persons you esteem.  Stop me while you can."

"You persist, then, supposing his sisters influence him?"

"Yes, in conjunction with his friend."

"I cannot believe it.  Why should they try to influence him?  They can only wish his happiness, and if he is attached to me, no other woman can secure it."

"Your first position is false.  They may wish many things besides his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence, they may wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money, great connections, and pride."

"Beyond doubt, they do wish him to choose Miss Darcy," replied Jane, "but this may be from better feelings than you are supposing.  They have known her much longer than they have known me; no wonder if they love her better.  But whatever may be their own wishes, it is very unlikely they should have opposed their brother's. What sister would think herself at liberty to do it, unless there were something very objectionable?  If they believed him attached to me, they would not try to part us; if he were so, they could not succeed; by supposing such an affection, you make everybody unnaturally and wrong, and me most unhappy.  Do not distress me by the idea."

Elizabeth could not oppose such a wish; and from this time Mr Bingley's name was scarcely mentioned between them.

Mrs Bennet still continued to wonder and repine his returning no more.  Elizabeth endeavoured to convince her of what she did not believe herself, that Bingley's attention to Jane had been a common and transient liking, which ceased when he saw her no more, and the probability of the statement was admitted, Mrs Bennet had the same story to repeat every day.

Mr Bennet treated the matter differently. "So Lizzy," said he, one day, "your sister is crossed in love, I find. I congratulate her.  Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then.  It is something to think of, and it gives her a sort of distinction among her friends. When is your turn to come? You will hardly bear to be long outdone by Jane.  Now is your time.  Here are officers enough in Meryton to disappoint all the ladies.  Let Wickham be your man.  He is a pleasant fellow, and will jilt you creditably."

"Thank you, sir, but a less agreeable man would satisfy me. We must not expect Jane's good fortune."

"True," said Mr Bennet, "but it is a comfort to think that whatever of that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will make the most of it."

Mr Wickham's society was of material service in dispelling the gloom which the late occurences had thrown on many of the Longbourn family. They saw him often, and the whole of what Elizabeth had already heard was now openly acknowledged.  Everybody was pleased to know how much they had already disliked Mr Darcy before they had known anything of the matter.

Miss Jane Bennet was the only person who could suppose there might be extenuating circumstances unknown to the society of Hertfordshire; her mild and steady candour always looked for allowances and urged the possibility of mistakes - but by everybody else Mr Darcy was condemned as the worst of men.

THE END 

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