{{prhprp480.jpg}}

you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was

destined for his cousin?'

'Yes; and I had heard it before. But what is that to me?

If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I

shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother

and aunt wished him to marry Miss de Bourgh. You both

did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its com-

pletion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by hon-

our nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to

make another choice. And if I am that choice, why may not

I accept him?'

'Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay interest, forbid

it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be no-

ticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the

inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and de-

spised by every one connected with him. Your alliance will

be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by

any of us.'

'These are heavy misfortunes,' replied Elizabeth. 'But

the wife of Mr. Darcy must have such extraordinary sources

of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she

could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine.'

'Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is

this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? Is

nothing due to me on that score? Let us sit down. You

are to understand, Miss Bennet, that I came here with the

determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be

dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any

person's whims. I have not been in the habit of brooking

disappointment.'

_'That_ will make your Ladyship's situation at present more

pitiable; but it will have no effect on _me.'_

'I will not be interrupted! Hear me in silence. My daugh-

ter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are

descended, on the maternal side, from the same noble line;

and, on the father's, from respectable, honourable, and an-

cient, though untitled, families. Their fortune on both sides

is splendid. They are destined for each other by the voice of

every member of their respective houses; and what is to

divide them? -- the upstart pretensions of a young woman

 [480]