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Chapter XVI · Pride and Prejudice | Audiobook

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Speaker 1: Chapter 16 As no objection was made to the young
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Speaker 1: people's engagement with their aunt, and all Mr Collins's scruples
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Speaker 1: of leaving Mr and Mrs Bennet for a single evening
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Speaker 1: during his visit were most steadily resisted, the coach conveyed
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Speaker 1: him and his five cousins at a suitable hour to Meryton,
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Speaker 1: and the girls had the pleasure of hearing as they
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Speaker 1: entered the drawing-room. that Mr Wickham had accepted their uncle's
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Speaker 1: invitation and was then in the house. When this information
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Speaker 1: was given, and they had all taken their seats, Mr
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Speaker 1: Collins was at leisure to look around him and admire,
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Speaker 1: and he was so much struck with the size and
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Speaker 1: furniture of the apartment that he declared he might almost
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Speaker 1: have supposed himself in the small summer breakfast parlour at Rosings.
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Speaker 1: A comparison that did not at first convey much gratification.
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Speaker 1: But when Mrs Phillips understood from him what Rosings was,
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Speaker 1: and who was its proprietor, when she had listened to
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Speaker 1: the description of only one of Lady Catherine's drawing-rooms, and
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Speaker 1: found that the chimney-piece alone had cost 800 pounds, she
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Speaker 1: felt all the force of the compliment and would hardly
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Speaker 1: have resented a comparison with the housekeeper's room. In describing
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Speaker 1: to her all the grandeur of Lady Catherine and her mansion,
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Speaker 1: with occasional digressions in praise of his own humble abode
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Speaker 1: and the improvements it was receiving, he was happily employed
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Speaker 1: until the gentlemen joined them, and he found in Mrs.
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Speaker 1: Phillips a very attentive listener, whose opinion of his consequence
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Speaker 1: increased with what she heard, and who was resolving to
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Speaker 1: retail it all among her neighbours as soon as she could.
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Speaker 1: To the girls, who could not listen to their cousin,
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Speaker 1: and who had nothing to do but to wish for
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Speaker 1: an instrument, and examine their own indifferent imitations of China
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Speaker 1: on the mantelpiece. The interval of waiting appeared very long.
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Speaker 1: It was over at last, however. The gentleman did approach,
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Speaker 1: and when Mr. Wickham walked into the room, Elizabeth felt
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Speaker 1: that she had neither been seeing him before nor thinking
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Speaker 1: of him since, with the smallest degree of unreasonable admiration.
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Speaker 1: The officers of the Shire were in general a very creditable,
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Speaker 1: gentleman-like set. and the best of them were of the
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Speaker 1: present party. But Mr Wickham was as far beyond them
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Speaker 1: all in person, countenance, air and walk, as they were
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Speaker 1: superior to the broad-faced stuffy Uncle Phillips, breathing port wine,
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Speaker 1: who followed them into the room. Mr Wickham was the
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Speaker 1: happy man towards whom almost every female eye was turned,
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Speaker 1: and Elizabeth, was the happy woman by whom he finally
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Speaker 1: seated himself. And the agreeable manner in which he immediately
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Speaker 1: fell into conversation, though it was only on its being
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Speaker 1: a wet night, and on the probability of a rainy season,
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Speaker 1: made her feel that the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic
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Speaker 1: might be rendered interesting by the skill of the speaker.
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Speaker 1: with such rivals for the notice of the fair as
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Speaker 1: Mr Wickham and the officers, Mr Collins seemed to sink
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Speaker 1: into insignificance. To the young ladies he certainly was nothing,
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Speaker 1: but he had still at intervals a kind listener in
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Speaker 1: Mrs Phillips, and was, by her watchfulness, most abundantly supplied
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Speaker 1: with coffee and muffin. When the card tables were placed,
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Speaker 1: he had an opportunity of obliging her, in return, by
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Speaker 1: sitting down to whist. I know little of the game
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Speaker 1: at present, said he, but I shall be glad to
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Speaker 1: improve myself, for in my situation of life. Mrs. Phillips
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Speaker 1: was very thankful for his compliance, but could not wait
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Speaker 1: for his reason. Mr. Wickham did not play at whist,
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Speaker 1: and with ready delight was he received at the other
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Speaker 1: table between Elizabeth and Lydia. At first, there seemed danger
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Speaker 1: of Lydia's engrossing him entirely, for she was a most
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Speaker 1: determined talker. But being likewise extremely fond of lottery tickets,
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Speaker 1: she soon grew too much interested in the game, too
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Speaker 1: eager in making bets and exclaiming after prizes, to have
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Speaker 1: attention for anyone in particular. Allowing for the common demands
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Speaker 1: of the game... Mr Wickham was therefore at leisure to
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Speaker 1: talk to Elizabeth, and she was very willing to hear him,
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Speaker 1: though what she chiefly wished to hear she could not
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Speaker 1: hope to be told, the history of his acquaintance with
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Speaker 1: Mr Darcy. She dared not even mention that gentleman. Her curiosity, however,
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Speaker 1: was unexpectedly relieved. Mr Wickham began the subject himself. He
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Speaker 1: inquired how far Netherfield was from Meryton, and, after receiving
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Speaker 1: her answer, asked in a hesitating manner how long Mr
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Speaker 1: Darcy had been staying there. About a month, said Elizabeth,
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Speaker 1: and then, unwilling to let the subject drop, added, He
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Speaker 1: is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand. Yes,
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Speaker 1: replied Wickham. His estate there is a noble one, a
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Speaker 1: clear ten thousand per annum. You could not have met
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Speaker 1: with a person more capable of giving you certain information
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Speaker 1: on that head than myself, for I have been connected
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Speaker 1: with his family in a particular manner from my infancy.
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Speaker 1: Elizabeth could not but look surprised. You may well be surprised,
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Speaker 1: Miss Bennet, at such an assertion. after seeing, as you
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Speaker 1: probably might, the very cold manner of our meeting yesterday.
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Speaker 1: Are you much acquainted with Mr. Darcy? As much as
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Speaker 1: I ever wish to be, cried Elizabeth warmly. I have
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Speaker 1: spent four days in the same house with him, and
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Speaker 1: I think him very disagreeable. I have no right to
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Speaker 1: give my opinion, said Wickham, as to his being agreeable
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Speaker 1: or otherwise. I am not qualified to form one. I
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Speaker 1: have known him too long and too well to be
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Speaker 1: a fair judge. It is impossible for me to be impartial.
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Speaker 1: But I believe your opinion of him would in general astonish,
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Speaker 1: and perhaps you would not express it quite so strongly
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Speaker 1: anywhere else. Here you are in your own family. Upon
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Speaker 1: my word, I say no more here than I might
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Speaker 1: say in any house in the neighbourhood. except Netherfield. He
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Speaker 1: is not at all liked in Hertfordshire. Everybody is disgusted
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Speaker 1: with his pride. You will not find him more favourably
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Speaker 1: spoken of by anyone.'' I cannot pretend to be sorry,'
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Speaker 1: said Wickham, after a short interruption,' that he or that
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Speaker 1: any man should not be estimated beyond their deserts. But
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Speaker 1: with him I believe it does not often happen.' The
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Speaker 1: world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened
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Speaker 1: by his high and imposing manners, and sees him only
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Speaker 1: as he chooses to be seen. I should take him,
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Speaker 1: even on my slight acquaintance, to be an ill-tempered man.
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Speaker 1: Wickham only shook his head. I wonder, said he, at
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Speaker 1: the next opportunity of speaking... whether he is likely to
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Speaker 1: be in this country much longer. I do not at
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Speaker 1: all know, but I heard nothing of his going away
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Speaker 1: when I was at Netherfield. I hope your plans in
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Speaker 1: favour of the Shire will not be affected by his
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Speaker 1: being in the neighbourhood. Oh no, it is not for
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Speaker 1: me to be driven away by Mr Darcy. If he
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Speaker 1: wishes to avoid seeing me, he must go. We are
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Speaker 1: not on friendly terms. and it always gives me pain
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Speaker 1: to meet him. But I have no reason for avoiding
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Speaker 1: him but what I might proclaim to all the world,
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Speaker 1: a sense of very great ill-usage and most painful regrets
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Speaker 1: at his being what he is. His father, Miss Bennet,
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Speaker 1: the late Mr Darcy, was one of the best men
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Speaker 1: that ever breathed, and the truest friend I ever had,
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Speaker 1: and I can never be in company with this Mr Darcy.
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Speaker 1: without being grieved to the soul by a thousand tender recollections.
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Speaker 1: His behaviour to myself has been scandalous, but I verily
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Speaker 1: believe I could forgive him anything and everything, rather than
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Speaker 1: his disappointing the hopes and disgracing the memory of his father.
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Speaker 1: Elizabeth found the interest of the subject increase and listened
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Speaker 1: with all her heart, but the delicacy of it prevented
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Speaker 1: further inquiry. Mr Wickham began to speak on more general topics, Meryton,
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Speaker 1: the neighbourhood, the society. appearing highly pleased with all that
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Speaker 1: he had yet seen, and speaking of the latter, especially,
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Speaker 1: with gentle but very intelligible gallantry. It was the prospect
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Speaker 1: of constant society, and good society, he added, which was
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Speaker 1: my chief inducement to enter the Shire. I know it
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Speaker 1: to be a most respectable, agreeable corps, and my friend Denny...
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Speaker 1: tempted me further by his account of their present quarters,
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Speaker 1: and the very great attentions and excellent acquaintance Meryton had
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Speaker 1: procured them. Society I own is necessary to me. I
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Speaker 1: have been a disappointed man, and my spirits will not
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Speaker 1: bear solitude. I must have employment and society. A military
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Speaker 1: life is not what I was intended for, but circumstances
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Speaker 1: have now made it eligible. The church ought to have
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Speaker 1: been my profession. I was brought up for the church,
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Speaker 1: and I should at this time have been in possession
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Speaker 1: of a most valuable living, had it pleased the gentleman
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Speaker 1: we were speaking of just now. Indeed. Yes, the late Mr.
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Speaker 1: Darcy bequeathed me the next presentation of the best living
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Speaker 1: in his gift. He was my godfather and excessively attached
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Speaker 1: to me. I cannot do justice to his kindness. He
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Speaker 1: meant to provide for me amply, and thought he had
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Speaker 1: done it, but when the living fell, it was given elsewhere.
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Speaker 1: Good heavens! cried Elizabeth. But how could that be? How
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Speaker 1: could his will be disregarded? Why did not you seek
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Speaker 1: legal redress? There was just such an informality in the
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Speaker 1: terms of the bequest. as to give me no hope
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Speaker 1: from law. A man of honour could not have doubted
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Speaker 1: the intention, but Mr. Darcy chose to doubt it, or
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Speaker 1: to treat it as a merely conditional recommendation, and to
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Speaker 1: assert that I had forfeited all claim to it by extravagance, imprudence,
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Speaker 1: in short, anything or nothing. Certain it is that the
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Speaker 1: living became vacant two years ago, exactly as I was
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Speaker 1: of an age to hold it, and that it was
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Speaker 1: given to another man. And no less certain is it
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Speaker 1: that I cannot accuse myself of having really done anything
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Speaker 1: to deserve to lose it. I have a warm, unguarded temper,
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Speaker 1: and I may perhaps have sometimes spoken my opinion of
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Speaker 1: him and to him too freely. I can recall nothing worse.
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Speaker 1: But the fact is that we are very different sort
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Speaker 1: of men. and that he hates me. This is quite shocking.
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Speaker 1: He deserves to be publicly disgraced. Some time or other
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Speaker 1: he will be, but it shall not be by me.
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Speaker 1: Till I can forget his father, I can never defy
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Speaker 1: or expose him. Elizabeth honoured him for such feelings, and
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Speaker 1: thought him handsomer than ever as he expressed them. But what?
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Speaker 1: said she, after a pause. can have been his motive?
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Speaker 1: What can have induced him to behave so cruelly? A thorough,
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Speaker 1: determined dislike of me, a dislike which I cannot but
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Speaker 1: attribute in some measure to jealousy. Had the late Mr.
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Speaker 1: Darcy liked me less, his son might have borne with
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Speaker 1: me better, but his father's uncommon attachment to me irritated him,
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Speaker 1: I believe, very early in life. He had not a
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Speaker 1: temper to bear the sort of competition in which we stood,
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Speaker 1: the sort of preference which was often given me. I
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Speaker 1: had not thought Mr. Darcy so bad as this. Though
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Speaker 1: I have never liked him, I had not thought so
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Speaker 1: very ill of him. I had supposed him to be
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Speaker 1: despising his fellow creatures in general, but did not suspect
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Speaker 1: him of descending to such malicious revenge. Such injustice, such
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Speaker 1: inhumanity as this. After a few minutes' reflection, however, she continued.
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Speaker 1: I do remember his boasting one day, at Netherfield, of
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Speaker 1: the implacability of his resentments, of his having an unforgiving temper.
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Speaker 1: His disposition must be dreadful. I will not trust myself
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Speaker 1: on the subject, replied Wickham. I can hardly be just
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Speaker 1: to him. Elizabeth was again deep in thought, and after
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Speaker 1: a time exclaimed, to treat in such a manner the godson,
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Speaker 1: the friend, the favourite of his father. She could have added,
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Speaker 1: a young man too, like you, whose very countenance may
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Speaker 1: vouch for your being amiable. But she contented herself with,
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Speaker 1: and one too, who had probably been his own companion
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Speaker 1: from childhood. connected together, as I think you said, in
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Speaker 1: the closest manner. We were born in the same parish,
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Speaker 1: within the same park. The greatest part of our youth
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Speaker 1: was passed together, inmates of the same house, sharing the
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Speaker 1: same amusements, objects of the same parental care. My father
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Speaker 1: began life in the profession which your uncle, Mr Phillips,
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Speaker 1: appears to do so much credit to. but he gave
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Speaker 1: up everything to be of use to the late Mr Darcy,
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Speaker 1: and devoted all his time to the care of the
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Speaker 1: Pemberley property. He was most highly esteemed by Mr Darcy,
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Speaker 1: a most intimate, confidential friend. Mr Darcy often acknowledged himself
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Speaker 1: to be under the greatest obligations to my father's active superintendence,
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Speaker 1: and when, immediately before my father's death, Mr. Darcy gave
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Speaker 1: him a voluntary promise of providing for me. I am
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Speaker 1: convinced that he felt it to be as much a
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Speaker 1: debt of gratitude to him as of affection to myself.
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Speaker 1: How strange, cried Elizabeth, how abominable! I wonder that the
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Speaker 1: very pride of this Mr. Darcy has not made him
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Speaker 1: just to you. If from no better motive that he
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Speaker 1: should not have been too proud to be dishonest, For
17:03
Speaker 1: dishonesty I must call it. It is wonderful, replied Wickham,
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Speaker 1: for almost all his actions may be traced to pride.
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Speaker 1: And pride has often been his best friend. It has
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Speaker 1: connected him nearer with virtue than any other feeling. But
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Speaker 1: we are none of us consistent, and in his behaviour
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Speaker 1: to me there were stronger impulses even than pride. Can
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Speaker 1: such abominable pride as his have ever done him good? Yes,
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Speaker 1: it has often led him to be liberal and generous,
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Speaker 1: to give his money freely, to display hospitality, to assist
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Speaker 1: his tenants and relieve the poor. Family pride and filial pride,
17:51
Speaker 1: for he is very proud of what his father was,
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Speaker 1: have done this. Not to appear to disgrace his family,
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Speaker 1: to degenerate from the popular qualities. or lose the influence
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Speaker 1: of the Pemberley house, is a powerful motive. He has
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Speaker 1: also brotherly pride, which, with some brotherly affection, makes him
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Speaker 1: a very kind and careful guardian of his sister, and
18:17
Speaker 1: you will hear him generally cried up as the most
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Speaker 1: attentive and best of brothers.' What sort of a girl
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Speaker 1: is Miss Darcy?' he shook his head.' I wish I
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Speaker 1: could call her amiable.' It gives me pain to speak
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Speaker 1: ill of a Darcy, but she is too much like
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Speaker 1: her brother, very, very proud. As a child, she was
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Speaker 1: affectionate and pleasing and extremely fond of me, and I
18:44
Speaker 1: have devoted hours and hours to her amusement. But she
18:48
Speaker 1: is nothing to me now. She is a handsome girl,
18:53
Speaker 1: about fifteen or sixteen, and, I understand, highly accomplished. Since
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Speaker 1: her father's death, her home has been London, where a
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Speaker 1: lady lives with her and superintends her education. After many
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Speaker 1: pauses and many trials of other subjects, Elizabeth could not
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Speaker 1: help reverting once more to the first and saying, I
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Speaker 1: am astonished at his intimacy with Mr Bingley. How can
19:23
Speaker 1: Mr Bingley, who seems good humour itself, and is, I
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Speaker 1: really believe, truly amiable. Be in friendship with such a man.
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Speaker 1: How can they suit each other? Do you know Mr. Bingley?
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Speaker 1: Not at all. He is a sweet-tempered, amiable, charming man.
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Speaker 1: He cannot know what Mr. Darcy is. Probably not. But Mr. Darcy...
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Speaker 1: can please where he chooses. He does not want abilities.
19:54
Speaker 1: He can be a conversable companion if he thinks it
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Speaker 1: worth his while. Among those who are at all his
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Speaker 1: equals in consequence, he is a very different man from
20:05
Speaker 1: what he is to the less prosperous. His pride never
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Speaker 1: deserts him, but with the rich he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational,
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Speaker 1: honourable and perhaps agreeable, allowing something for fortune and figure.
20:24
Speaker 1: The whist party, soon afterwards breaking up, the players gathered
20:28
Speaker 1: round the other table and Mr Collins took his station
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Speaker 1: between his cousin Elizabeth and Mrs Phillips. The usual inquiries
20:39
Speaker 1: as to his success were made by the latter. It
20:43
Speaker 1: had not been very great. He had lost every point,
20:47
Speaker 1: but when Mrs. Phillips began to express her concern thereupon,
20:51
Speaker 1: he assured her, with much earnest gravity, that it was
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Speaker 1: not of the least importance, that he considered the money
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Speaker 1: as a mere trifle, and begged she would not make
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Speaker 1: herself uneasy. I know very well, madame, said he, that
21:09
Speaker 1: when persons sit down to a card table, they must
21:12
Speaker 1: take their chance of these things. And happily, I am
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Speaker 1: not in such circumstances as to make five shillings any object.
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Speaker 1: There are undoubtedly many who could not say the same,
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Speaker 1: but thanks to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I am removed
21:31
Speaker 1: far beyond the necessity of regarding little matters. Mr Wickham's
21:38
Speaker 1: attention was caught, and after observing Mr Collins for a
21:42
Speaker 1: few moments, he asked Elizabeth in a low voice whether
21:47
Speaker 1: her relations were very intimately acquainted with the family of
21:51
Speaker 1: de Bourgh.' Lady Catherine de Bourgh,' she replied,' has very
21:58
Speaker 1: lately given him a living.' I hardly know how Mr
22:02
Speaker 1: Collins was first introduced to her notice.' but he certainly
22:06
Speaker 1: has not known her long. You know, of course, that
22:10
Speaker 1: Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Lady Anne Darcy were sisters,
22:14
Speaker 1: consequently that she is aunt to the present Mr. Darcy. No, indeed,
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Speaker 1: I did not. I knew nothing at all of Lady
22:24
Speaker 1: Catherine's connections. I never heard of her existence till the
22:27
Speaker 1: day before yesterday. Her daughter, Miss de Bourgh, will have
22:33
Speaker 1: a very large fortune, and it is believed that she
22:37
Speaker 1: and her cousin will unite the two estates. This information
22:42
Speaker 1: made Elizabeth smile, as she thought of poor Miss Bingley.
22:47
Speaker 1: Vain indeed must be all her attentions, vain and useless
22:51
Speaker 1: her affection for his sister and her praise of himself,
22:55
Speaker 1: if he were already self-destined to another. Mr. Collins, said she,
23:03
Speaker 1: speaks highly both of Lady Catherine and her daughter. But,
23:08
Speaker 1: from some particulars that he has related of her ladyship,
23:12
Speaker 1: I suspect his gratitude misleads him, and that, in spite
23:17
Speaker 1: of her being his patroness, she is an arrogant, conceited woman.
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Speaker 1: I believe her to be both, in a great degree,
23:28
Speaker 1: replied Wickham. I have not seen her for many years.
23:32
Speaker 1: But I very well remember that I never liked her,
23:36
Speaker 1: and that her manners were dictatorial and insolent. She has
23:40
Speaker 1: the reputation of being remarkably sensible and clever. But I
23:44
Speaker 1: rather believe she derives part of her abilities from her
23:48
Speaker 1: rank and fortune, part from her authoritative manner, and the
23:53
Speaker 1: rest from the pride of her nephew, who chooses that
23:57
Speaker 1: everyone connected with him should have an understanding of the
24:00
Speaker 1: first class. Elizabeth allowed that he had given a very
24:06
Speaker 1: rational account of it, and they continued talking together with
24:10
Speaker 1: mutual satisfaction, till supper put an end to cards and
24:15
Speaker 1: gave the rest of the ladies their share of Mr
24:17
Speaker 1: Wickham's attentions. There could be no conversation in the noise
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Speaker 1: of Mrs Phillips's supper party, but his manners recommended him
24:28
Speaker 1: to everybody. Whatever he said was said well. And whatever
24:34
Speaker 1: he did, done gracefully. Elizabeth went away with her head
24:40
Speaker 1: full of him. She could think of nothing but of
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Speaker 1: Mr Wickham, and of what he had told her all
24:46
Speaker 1: the way home. But there was not time for her
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Speaker 1: even to mention his name as they went, for neither
24:53
Speaker 1: Lydia nor Mr Collins were once silent. Lydia talked incessantly
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Speaker 1: of lottery tickets. of the fish she had lost and
25:03
Speaker 1: the fish she had won, and Mr Collins, in describing
25:08
Speaker 1: the civility of Mr and Mrs Phillips, protesting that he
25:12
Speaker 1: did not in the least regard his losses at whist,
25:16
Speaker 1: enumerating all the dishes at supper, and repeatedly fearing that
25:20
Speaker 1: he crowded his cousins, had more to say than he
25:24
Speaker 1: could well manage before the carriage stopped at Longbourn House.