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without family, connections, or fortune! Is this to be en-

dured? But it must not, shall not be! If you were sensible

of your own good, you would not wish to quit the sphere in

which you have been brought up.'

'In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as

quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I a gentleman's

daughter; so far we are equal.'

'True. You _are_ a gentleman's daughter. But what was

your mother? Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not

imagine me ignorant of their condition.'

'Whatever my connection may be,' said Elizabeth, 'if your

nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you.'

'Tell me, once for all, are you engaged to him?'

Though Elizabeth would not, for the mere purpose of

obliging Lady Catherine, have answered this question, she

could not but say, after a moment's deliberation,--

'I am not.'

Lady Catherine seemed pleased.

'And will you promise me never to enter into such an

engagement?'

'I will make no promise of the kind.'

'Miss Bennet, I am shocked and astonished. I expected

to find a more reasonable young woman. But do not deceive

yourself into a belief that I will ever recede. I shall not go

away till you have given me the assurance I require.'

'And I certainly _never_ shall give it. I am not to be intim-

idated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your Ladyship

wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giv-

ing you the wished-for promise make _their_ marriage at all

more probable? Supposing him to be attached to me, would

_my_ refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on

his cousin? Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the argu-

ments with which you have supported this extraordinary ap-

plication have been as frivolous as the application was ill-~

judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think

I can be worked on by such persuasions as these. How far

your nephew might approve of your interference in his af-

fairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right to concern

yourself in mine. I must beg, therefore, to be importuned

no further on the subject.'

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