{{prhprp236.jpg}}

I was brought up for the church; and I should at this time

have been in possession of a most valuable living, had it

pleased the gentleman we were speaking of just now.'

'Indeed!'

'Yes -- the late Mr. Darcy bequeathed me the next presen-

tation of the best living in his gift. He was my godfather,

and excessively attached to me. I cannot do justice to his

kindness. He meant to provide for me amply, and thought

he had done it; but when the living fell, it was given else-

where.'

'Good heavens!' cried Elizabeth; 'but how could _that_ be?

How could his will be disregarded? Why did not you seek

legal redress?'

'There was just such an informality in the terms of the

bequest as to give me no hope from law. A man of honour

could not have doubted the intention, but Mr. Darcy chose

to doubt it -- or to treat it as a merely conditional recom-

mendation, and to assert that I had forfeited all claim to it

by extravagance, imprudence, in short, anything or nothing.

Certain it is that the living became vacant two years ago,

exactly as I was of an age to hold it, and that it was given

to another man; and no less certain is it, that I cannot accuse

myself of having really done anything to deserve to lose it.

I have a warm unguarded temper, and I may perhaps have

sometimes spoken my opinion _of_ him, and _to_ him, too freely.

I can recall nothing worse. But the fact is, that we are

very different sort of men, and that he hates me.'

'This is quite shocking! He deserves to be publicly dis-

graced.'

'Some time or other he _will_ be -- but it shall not be by _me._

Till I can forget his father, I can never defy or expose

_him.'_

Elizabeth honoured him for such feelings, and thought him

handsomer than ever as he expressed them.

'But what,' said she, after a pause, 'can have been his

motive? what can have induced him to behave so cruelly?'

'A thorough, determined dislike of me-- a dislike which I

cannot but attribute in some measure to jealousy. Had the

late Mr. Darcy liked me less, his son might have borne

with me better; but his father's uncommon attachment to

 [236]