{{prxprp309.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 309 ||

into any thing so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants

Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving 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 arguments with which you have

supported this extraordinary application, 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 inters

ference in his affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainly no right

to concern yourself in mine. -- I must beg, therefore, to be

importuned no farther on the subject.'

'Not so hasty if you please. I have by no means done. To

all the objections I have already urged, I have still another to

add. I am no stranger to the particulars of your youngest sister's

infamous elopement. I know it all; that the young man's

marrying her was a patched^up business, at the expense of your

father and uncle. And is such a girl to be my nephew's sister;

Is her husband, who is the son of his late father's steward, to be

his brother? Heaven and earth! -- of what are you thinking!

Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted;'

'You can now have nothing farther to say,' she resentfully

answered. 'You have insulted me, in every possible method. I

must beg to return to the house.'

And she rose as she spoke. Lady Catherine rose also, and

they turned back. Her ladyship was highly incensed.

'You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my

nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a

connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of every body;'

'Lady Catherine, I have nothing further to say. You know

my sentiments.'

'You are then resolved to have him?'

'I have said no such thing. I am only resolved to act in that

manner, which will, in my own opinion, constitute my happiness,

without reference to you, or to any person so wholly unconnected

with me.'

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