Transcript
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Julie Andrews (Narrator of Jane Austen Stories) (1:09)
Welcome to Jane Austen Stories. I'm Julie Andrews and from the Noiser Podcast Network. This is Pride and prejudice part 24. In the previous episode there was joy and romance, but also confusion and quiet despair. Having learned of Mr. Darcy's noble role in Lydia and Wickham's union, it seemed that his feelings for Elizabeth must remain strong. Why else would he go to such efforts to help her sister? And yet, when Darcy visits Longbourn, he's just as distant and aloof with her as the first time they met. Lizzie, usually so sure of herself, finds her feelings more uncertain than ever. Meanwhile, her sister Jane has at last found happiness. Mr. Bingley returned to Netherfield, has declared his love, and proposed a joyous outcome for the sweet natured pair. Now that two of the Bennet daughters have found husbands, what fate awaits the remaining sisters? We return now to Longbourn, where the family is gathered in the dining room, but their peaceful mourning is about to be interrupted by an unexpected and intrusive visitor. From the Noiza Podcast Network. This is Pride and Prejudice. Chapter 56 one morning, about a week after Bingley's engagement with Jane had been formed, as he and the females of the family were sitting together in the dining room, their attention was suddenly drawn to the window by the sound of a carriage, and they perceived chaise and four driving up the lawn. It was too early in the morning for visitors, and besides, the equipage did not answer to that of any of their neighbors, and neither the carriage nor the livery of the servant who preceded it were familiar to them, as it was certain, however, that somebody was coming. Bingley instantly prevailed on Jane to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion and walk away with him. Into the shrubbery. They both set off, and the conjectures of the remaining three continued, though with little satisfaction, till the door was thrown open and their visitor entered. It was Lady Catherine Dubourg. They were, of course, all intending to be surprised, but their astonishment was beyond their expectation, and on the part of Mrs. Bennet and Kitty, though she was perfectly unknown to them, even inferior to what Elizabeth felt, she entered the room with an air more than usually ungracious, made no other reply to Elizabeth's salutation, that a slight inclination of the head, and sat down without saying a word. Elizabeth had mentioned her name to her mother on her ladyship's entrance, though no request of introduction had been made. Mrs. Bennet, all amazement, though flattered by having a guest of such high importance, received her with the utmost politeness. After sitting for a moment in silence, Lady Catherine said very stiffly to Elizabeth, I hope you are well, Miss Bennet. That lady, I suppose, is your mother. Elizabeth replied very concisely, that she was. And that, I suppose, is one of your sisters. Yes, madam, said Mrs. Bennet, delighted to speak to Lady Catherine. She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married, and my eldest is somewhere about the grounds, walking with a young man who I believe will soon become a part of the family. You. You have a very small park here, returned Lady Catherine after a short silence. It is nothing in comparison of Rosings, my lady, I dare say, but I assure you it is much larger than Sir William Lucas's. This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening in summer, said Lady Catherine. The windows are full west. Mrs. Bennet assured her that they never sat there after dinner, and then added, may I take the liberty of asking your ladyship whether you left Mr. And Mrs. Collins? Well, yes, very well. I saw them the night before last, replied Lady Catherine. Elizabeth now expected that she would produce a letter for her from Charlotte, as it seemed the only probable motive for her calling. But no letter appeared, and she was completely puzzled. Mrs. Bennet with great civility, begged her ladyship to take some refreshment, but Lady Catherine, very resolutely, and not very politely, declined, eating anything, and then rising up, said to Elizabeth, miss Bennet, there seemed to be a pretty ish kind of a little wilderness on one side of your lawn. I should be glad to take a Turn in it, if you will favour me with your company. Go, my dear, cried her mother, and show her ladyship about the different walks. I think she will be pleased with the hermitage. Elizabeth obeyed, and running into her own room for her parasol, attended her noble guest downstairs. As they passed through the hall, Lady Catherine opened the doors and into the dining parlour and drawing room, and, pronouncing them after a short survey to be decent looking rooms, walked on. Her carriage remained at the door, and Elizabeth saw that her waiting woman was in it. They proceeded in silence along the gravel walk that led to the copse. Elizabeth was determined to make no effort for conversation with a woman who is now more than usually insolent and disagreeable. How could I ever think her like her nephew? Thought she, as she looked into her face. As soon as they entered the copse, Lady Catherine began in the following manner. You can be at no loss, Ms. Bennet, to understand the reason of my journey hither. Your own heart, your own conscience must tell you why I come. Elizabeth looked with unaffected astonishment. Indeed you are mistaken, madam. I have not been at all able to account for the honour of seeing you here. Ms. Bennet, replied her ladyship in an angry tone. You ought to know that I am not to be trifled with. But however insincere you may choose to be, you shall not find me so. My character has ever been celebrated for its sincerity and frankness, and in a cause of such moment as this, I shall certainly not depart from it. A report of a most alarming nature reached me two days ago. I was told that not only your sister was on the point of being most advantageously married, but that you, you. That Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would in all likelihood be soon afterwards united to my nephew, my own nephew, Mr. Darcy, though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood, though I would not injure him so much as to suppose the truth of it possible, I instantly resolved on setting off for this, that I might make my sentiments known to you. If you believed it impossible to be true, said Elizabeth, colouring with astonishment and disdain, I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far. What could your ladyship propose by it? At once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted, replied Lady Catherine. Your coming to Longbourn to see me and my family, said Elizabeth coolly, will be rather a confirmation of it, if indeed such a report is in existence. If? Do you then pretend to be ignorant of it? Has it not been industriously circulated by yourselves? Do you not know that such A report is spread abroad. I never heard that it was replied, Lizzy. And can you likewise declare that there is no foundation for it? I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer. This is not to be borne, Miss Bennet. I insist on being satisfied. Has he? Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage? Your ladyship has declared it to be impossible. It ought to be so. It must be so, while he retains the use of his reason. But your arts and allurements may, in a moment of infatuation, have made him forget what he owes to himself and to all his family. You may have drawn him in. If I have, I shall be the last person to confess it, said Lizzie. Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns. But you are not entitled to know mine, replied Lizzie. Nor will such behaviour as this ever induce me to be explicit. Let me be rightly understood, said Lady Catherine, this match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr. Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say? Only this. That if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me. Lady Catherine hesitated for a moment and then replied, the engagement between them is of a peculiar kind. From their infancy they have been intended for each other. It was the favorite wish of his mother as well as of hers. While in their cradles we planned the union. And now, at the moment when the wishes of both sisters would be accomplished, is their marriage to be prevented by a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, and wholly unallied to the family? Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss Dubourg? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin? Yes, replied Lizzie, 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 Dubourg, you both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour 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 noticed by his family or friends. If you willfully act against the inclinations of all, you will be censured, slighted, and despised by everyone 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 a 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, or 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 daughter and my nephew are formed for each other. They are descended on the paternal side from the same noble line, and on the fathers from respectable, honorable, and ancient, 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 without family connections or fortune. Is this to be endured? 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 am a gentleman's daughter. So far we are equal. True, replied Lady Catherine, you are a gentleman's daughter. But who was your mother? Who are your uncles and aunts? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition. Whatever my connections may be, said Elizabeth, if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you. Tell me once and 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, replied Elizabeth. I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your Ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter. But would me 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 to 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 affairs, 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.