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- [00:00]
Faith Moore
Hello and welcome to Storytime for Grown Ups. I'm Faith Moore and this season we're reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Each episode I'll read a few chapters from the book, pausing from time to time to give brief explanations so it's easier to follow along. It's like an audiobook with built in notes. So brew a pot of tea, find a cozy chair and settle in. It's story time.
- [00:43]
Narrator
Hi, everyone. Sorry about my voice. You may notice that my voice is a little scratchy today. I'm a little bit under the weather, but I'm hanging in there. My voice is hanging in there and I'm just asking it, please, please hang in there until the end of this book. And I hope that it will. I hope it's going to listen to me. But the chapters were recorded a while ago when my voice was completely fine. So you don't have to listen to this scratchy voice for the whole time. And you certainly don't have to listen to me trying to do all the voices with a crazy, weird voice. So that's a good thing. But I do apologize for the way it sounds right this second. But welcome. I'm so glad you're here, weird voice or otherwise. I'm so glad to have you here. And is the penultimate episode of the book. We're going to read some chapters. Today we're reading chapters 57 through 58 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen with a few notes along the way. And then in Monday's episode, we're gonna finish this book. I can't believe it. It's really happening. So that's where we are. And so that means that you must be subscribed because this Saturday, November 23rd, is when the trailer for our Christmas Spectacular is going to drop into your podcast feed. So please make sure that you are subscribed so that you don't miss that. And on Monday, we'll reveal it on here as well, just in case you did miss it somehow. And we'll talk a little bit about that. But for now, that's what's coming on Saturday. So you'll get one extra little tiny episode dropping into your podcast feed on Saturday just to tell you what we'll be reading for December. I can't wait. I cannot wait for you to find out. I'm so excited. When you do find out, please write to me and tell me what you think. Tell me if you're excited or disappointed. Disappointed. Or what your thoughts are about the book that we're going to read in December. Because I really would love to hear from you and to know what you think about this choice. So that's going to happen. In addition to making sure that you're subscribed, please, if you haven't already and you're enjoying the show, I would love it if you would just tap those five stars in your podcast player and leave a positive review. That would be really helpful. It really helps other people to find the show. And this is the perfect time for people to start finding the show who.
- [02:51]
Listener 1
Didn'T know about it before.
- [02:52]
Narrator
Because we're about to finish this book and start a new one. So people can join us in December for our new book and that's a great time for this. So if you could do that, if you could share about this show with friends and family members and colleagues and everybody else that you think might enjoy it, tell them that this is the perfect time to join us because it's going to be very Christmassy and fun and they won't be missing anything because if they join us on December 2, it will be our introduction episode to our new book. So that's what's going to happen. We're going to have today's episode, Monday's episode. We'll finish the book. Then Thursday is Thanksgiving and there will be an episode on Thanksgiving, but it will be pre recorded and it will be a kind of wrap up episode where we kind of finish up this conversation that we've been having over all these months about this book. And then Monday, December 2nd will be the introduction episode to our new book. So we'll start reading our new book on Thursday of that week. So December will start. You'll get the intro episode on the Monday and then you'll get chapter one of Mysterious as yet to be revealed book on that Thursday. So I can't wait. I'm really excited about all of these things, so let's just dive right in. I actually have three questions and comments today. They're all short and they're all related. So I'm going to read those to you. But first let's do a recap. Last time we read chapters 55 through 56. So let's talk a little bit about what happened then and then we'll get to these questions. Here's the recap.
- [04:21]
Listener 1
Okay, so where we left off, Mr. Bingley finally proposed to Jane and everyone is overjoyed.
- [04:27]
Narrator
And Jane is so happy that she can hardly believe it.
- [04:29]
Listener 1
Bingley explained that he had no idea that she was in London and that he thought she didn't love Him. And Elizabeth is glad to learn that he didn't blame Darcy because she doesn't.
- [04:39]
Listener 2
Want Jane to hate Darcy.
- [04:40]
Narrator
Darcy.
- [04:41]
Listener 1
So now Jane sees that Ms. Bingley.
- [04:44]
Narrator
And Mrs. Hurst aren't her friends, but.
- [04:46]
Listener 1
She hopes that they will accept her in time. So then, about a week later, Lady.
- [04:50]
Narrator
Catherine de Bourgh unexpectedly shows up, and.
- [04:53]
Listener 1
She'S very rude, and she insists that she speak to Elizabeth alone. And then she tells her that she's heard that Elizabeth is going to marry Darcy, and she's here to tell her.
- [05:02]
Narrator
That she can't do that because she's too much below him socially. And because Darcy is intended for Ms. De Bourgh, even though they're not actually engaged, Elizabeth has idea what she's talking about.
- [05:12]
Listener 1
But Lady Catherine is being so rude that she kind of refuses to tell her that she's not engaged or to agree that she never will be.
- [05:19]
Narrator
And she basically gives Lady Catherine a very satisfying dressing down.
- [05:23]
Listener 1
And then Lady Catherine leaves, vowing that.
- [05:25]
Listener 2
She'Ll have her way in the end.
- [05:26]
Narrator
All right, so as I say, I have three very quick questions and comments that are all related, so I'm going to read them all now.
- [05:32]
Listener 1
The first one comes to us from Diane.
- [05:34]
Narrator
Diane writes, Lady Catherine is just as awful as Mrs. Bennet. She is impolite, she's a busybody. Mrs. Bennet actually was more gracious than Lady Catherine in this chapter. And the second one comes to us from Mariana Vero Raswan. I hope I'm saying that right. She says, loved today's episode. At the same time, it's the most confusing chapter for me since I've known the book. I have never understood why Lady Catherine came to visit Elizabeth. For one part, I thought she was sent by Darcy to test waters and see if Elizabeth had feelings for him. On another hand, I think she came by her own account. Cannot wait for your comment on this chapter. Lady Catherine is such an interesting character. Hate her and feel for her at the same time. And the last one is from Jennifer Schuttel. Jennifer writes, what a battle of will and wits between Elizabeth and Lady Catherine. Truly, I think no one has ever spoken to Lady Catherine like that before. It was pretty bold of Elizabeth and she stood her ground with poise and composure. You can just see Lady Catherine seething. So what I love about this standoff between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth is that it kind of boils down to its essence. A lot of what we've been talking about throughout the course of this bookabout class versus character and also about change. So as Diane says Lady Catherine is being incredibly rude here. She's looking into the rooms of their house without asking. She's refusing to be introduced to the people whose house she has invaded. And she's grilling Elizabeth about something she has no business grilling her about.
- [07:08]
Listener 1
Even though she has a higher social.
- [07:11]
Narrator
Rank and is therefore allowed to hold herself above people, she's still stepping outside the bounds of etiquette and decorum here. And it's unseemly. I mean, it's just as unseemly as the way Mrs. Bennet kind of falls all over herself when someone rich or important shows up. Or the way she kind of throws her daughters at every eligible bachelor that comes to town. Because the proper thing to do here, if Lady Catherine has heard this rumor about Darcy and Elizabeth, the proper thing would be to go to Darcy herself and ask him directly. She has no claim over Elizabeth at all and no authority to speak to her in this way, even though she.
- [07:49]
Listener 1
Is the daughter of an earl.
- [07:50]
Narrator
But of course, when Mrs. Bennet does all this tacky stuff, everyone chalks it up to the fact that she's middle class. She's quote unquote, ill bred, and she doesn't know any better. And everyone assumes that if Mrs. Bennet were actually born into the gentry rather than just having married into it, that she would have the good breeding to do all her matchmaking on a much more subtle level. But here is Lady Catherine, the person with the highest social rank in the entire novel, behaving terribly right.
- [08:21]
Listener 1
She is behaving in a very ill.
- [08:23]
Narrator
Bred way, and her breeding ought to be impeccable. So here again is this distinction between her rank and her inner character. She is an earl's daughter, and she is entitled to the deference which that rank comes with, but she doesn't at all embody that kind of gentility and decorum and good breeding that is meant to come with her status. So as Diane says, she's really no better than Mrs. Bennet, worse even, because Mrs. Bennet is sort of harmless and Lady Catherine is really threatening to intervene in Elizabeth's life if she chooses to marry Darcy. So here, really starkly, is the proof that class is not the same as character. And as Jennifer says, Elizabeth performs beautifully during this whole situation. And she's probably the one woman on earth whom Lady Catherine could have said all of this to who wouldn't have been kind of overawed by Lady Catherine's rank. Elizabeth stood up to Lady Catherine and it's so satisfying. I mean, how many of Us haven't encountered someone like Lady Catherine, right? Someone who pulls rank or tries to wield their power because they're rich or influential or famous or whatever. I mean, Lady Catherine literally says, do you know who I am? And Elizabeth is basically like, I don't care who you are, meaning I don't care what social rank you have, because.
- [09:52]
Listener 1
Your character is atrocious.
- [09:54]
Narrator
And that, to me, is who you are. Right? Here's what she actually. 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.
- [10:14]
Listener 1
Right.
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Narrator
And it's probably the first time in Lady Catherine's life that someone has separated those two things, right? Separated her class from her character and refused to bow to one and then judged the other lacking. But the other thing about this interaction is the way it really displays, I think, that Elizabeth has changed. When we first met her, Elizabeth was using her pretty formidable verbal skills to tease and to call out people's little social gaffes and flaws and to kind of bolster and spread her prejudices about people, right? She was kind of following in the footsteps of Mr. Bennet, essentially seeking out the ridiculous and enjoying herself very much and kind of pointing out those ridiculous qualities to other people or even to the people who she thinks are ridiculous. But here with Lady Catherine, she's using those same verbal skills and that same.
- [11:10]
Listener 1
Sort of fearless penchant for speaking her.
- [11:12]
Narrator
Mind, to stand up for her own dignity. She's using those same skills to uphold.
- [11:18]
Listener 1
Etiquette and decorum and to stand her.
- [11:21]
Narrator
Ground in the face of this totally inappropriate attack from Lady Catherine. And it's fantastic, I think, because Elizabeth has learned to be more circumspect and more serious and not to judge people unnecessarily. But she still has these verbal skills. She still is herself. So now we're seeing what her talents can do when put to good purpose rather than when put to frivolous or even kind of harmful purpose. And it's so satisfying, Right. She outwits Lady Catherine, essentially. Here's what she says. She says, 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.
- [12:02]
Listener 1
Wished him to marry Ms. De Bourgh.
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Narrator
You both did as much as you.
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Listener 1
Could in planning the marriage.
- [12:07]
Narrator
Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honor 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?
- [12:20]
Listener 1
So she's smarter and quicker on her.
- [12:22]
Narrator
Feet and more logical and more clear headed. It's like she's come into her own.
- [12:27]
Listener 1
And her powers have been honed and.
- [12:29]
Narrator
Perfected by the removal of the prejudices and the kind of flights of fancy that she was operating under before. And I feel like both these things, the fact that class doesn't equal character.
- [12:40]
Listener 1
And the fact that Elizabeth has really.
- [12:42]
Narrator
Come into her own now, are illustrated by this quote, this little exchange between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth. Lady Catherine says, I have not been.
- [12:51]
Listener 1
Used to submit to any person's whims.
- [12:53]
Narrator
I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment. So she's pulling rank, right? And then Elizabeth replies, that will make your ladyship's situation at present more pitiable, but it will have no effect on me. Meaning you deal with the fact that your rank has nothing to do with your character. I already knew that and can tell you so, because I know who I am and I know my place in the world. It's like, delicious, right? But I also want to address Mariana's question about how Lady Catherine even knew that Darcy might propose to Elizabeth and what that all means for the plot at this point as well. Because Elizabeth doesn't know that Darcy might propose to her and she doesn't even know if this rumor is true. So we are essentially going to get an answer to that question in today's episode. I think if you listen, you will figure out kind of the all the clues and the train of events that led to Lady Cather finding out something about Darcy and Elizabeth and how that might have happened. So stay tuned for that. But I also think that it's probably essentially a plot device on Austen's part, because what it does is it allows Elizabeth to hope that maybe Darcy hasn't completely abandoned her.
- [14:07]
Listener 1
Right?
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Narrator
I mean, if Lady Catherine has heard this rumor, then maybe she heard it from Darcy or from Georgiana or someone else that's close to them maybe.
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Listener 1
Right?
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Narrator
So now Elizabeth can wonder if there's actually still some hope of Darcy still loving her. But also from a plot perspective, there's now a conduit between Elizabeth and Darcy that wasn't there before. I mean, a very unwilling conduit, but a conduit nonetheless. Because what do we think Lady Catherine is going to do now? Right? Since Elizabeth refused to promise that she wouldn't accept a proposal of marriage from Darcy, Lady Catherine is more than likely going to go straight to Darcy and.
- [14:46]
Listener 1
Tell him not to propose to her.
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Narrator
And it remains to be seen what Darcy will do with that information. But I also think it's fine to just kind of be like, whatever, she heard a rumor somewhere, because I don't think it's really that important. I think the point of it is to introduce this kind of question in Elizabeth's mind. Is Mr. Darcy still actually planning to propose to her? And perhaps to set up this communication back from Elizabeth to Darcy via Lady Catherine. Before we get into today's chapters, I just want to change the subject for one second because I want to give Jane a little airtime. Because Jane gets overlooked in the book a lot, I think. You know, she's often played for kind of low key laughs because she's so good and so trusting and it becomes a little much. But when Bingley finally proposes to Jane, and then Jane says to Elizabeth, how shall I bear so much happiness? I burst into tears every time because I suddenly remember everything that Jane has had to endure and how quietly and steadfastly she's born it. I mean, she fell in love with a man and thought he loved her back and that he ghosted her.
- [15:50]
Listener 1
She made friends with two ladies and.
- [15:52]
Narrator
Thought it was a genuine friendship, and then they ghosted her. Her sister eloped with a horrible man while Elizabeth was gone, and she had to take care of Mrs. Bennet and Lydia and Mary and Mr. And Mrs. Gardiner's children all by herself.
- [16:04]
Listener 1
And she never, ever wavered.
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Narrator
She never broke down. She took it all. And she was cheerful and positive and optimistic throughout the whole thing.
- [16:12]
Listener 1
And we overlooked her.
- [16:14]
Narrator
We thought of her as simplistic, we laughed at her, but she's actually a really strong person. And yes, she always tries to see the good in people, but is that so wrong?
- [16:23]
Listener 1
Right.
- [16:23]
Narrator
She's far less prejudiced than Elizabeth, and she was right about a lot of things that Elizabeth was wrong about, like Mr. Darcy, glaringly. And also that Charlotte would be all right with Mr. Collins, for example. And Jane is a person who is who she says she is. And sure, that might make her simple, but there's nothing wrong with that. She's a good, kind, affectionate, steadfast, loyal sort of person. And that's the kind of person you want in your corner? I think so. I mean, yeah, she doesn't have a sparkling wit. She doesn't leap to judge people. She thinks the best of everyone. But that's a good thing, right?
- [16:57]
Listener 1
She is who she says she is.
- [16:58]
Narrator
And perhaps there's something a bit shallow about her. She is on the surface what she is underneath, but it's not shallow in a bad way. And there is some depth to her in the sense that she bore everything she had to go through with this quiet strength. So I just wanted to give Jane her due here because I think she's.
- [17:15]
Listener 1
One of the characters who we, the.
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Narrator
Reader, develop some prejudices about.
- [17:19]
Listener 1
But the chapters we just read last.
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Narrator
Time really bring home to me at least that she's worth our time in a way that we kind of hadn't acknowledged before, and her unadulterated joy at being able to marry the man she loves. It's really moving to me. It always gets me. So I just wanted to give Jane a little shout out before we move on, but okay, I'm going to stop there. But of course keep your questions and comments coming. Faith K. Moore.com Click on Contact or scroll down. There's a link in the show notes. I absolutely want to hear from you. I want to know what you're thinking as we come towards the very end of this book. There's one more episode after this one to go. I can't believe it.
- [17:56]
Listener 1
All right, let's get started with chapters.
- [18:00]
Narrator
57 through 58 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. It's story time.
- [18:11]
Listener 1
Chapter 57. The discomposure of spirits which this extraordinary visit threw Elizabeth into could not be easily overcome.
- [18:21]
Listener 2
So the extraordinary visit is the visit from Lady Catherine.
- [18:24]
Listener 1
Nor could she, for many hours learn to think of it less than incessantly. Lady Catherine, it appeared, had actually taken the trouble of this journey from Rosings for the sole purpose of breaking off her supposed engagement with Mr. Darcy. It was a rational scheme, to be sure, but from what the report of their engagement could originate, Elizabeth was at a loss to imagine, till she recollected that his being the intimate friend of Bingley and her being the sister of Jane was enough, at a time when the expectation of one wedding made everybody eager for another to supply the idea. So she can't figure out why Lady Catherine thought that Darcy was engaged to her, and she can only assume it was because Darcy is such good friends with Bingley, and Bingley is going to marry Jane, she had not herself forgotten to feel that the marriage of her sister must bring them more frequently together and her neighbors at Lucas Lodge, therefore, for through their communication with the Collinses, the report she concluded had reached Lady Catherine had only set that down as almost certain and immediate, which she had looked forward to as possible at some future time. In revolving Lady Catherine's expressions. However, she could not help feeling some uneasiness as to the possible consequence of her persisting in this interference from what she had said of her resolution to prevent the marriage. It occurred to Elizabeth that she must meditate an application to her nephew, and how he might take a similar representation of the evils attached to a connection with her she dared not pronounce. So she's thinking that now Lady Catherine will try to appeal to Darcy not to marry her, and she doesn't know.
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Listener 2
How Darcy will take that.
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Listener 1
She knew not the exact degree of his affection for his aunt or his dependence on her judgment, but it was natural to suppose that he thought much higher of her ladyship than she could do. And it was certain that in enumerating the miseries of a marriage with one whose immediate connections were so unequal to his own, his aunt would address him on his weakest side with his notions of dignity. He would probably feel that the arguments, which to Elizabeth had appeared weak and ridiculous, contained much good sense and solid reasoning. So she's worried that Darcy holds his aunt in high esteem and will therefore listen to her. If he had been wavering before as to what he should do, which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so near a relation might settle every doubt and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could make him. In that case, he would return no more. Lady Catherine might see him in her way through town, and his engagement to Bingley, of coming again to Netherfield must give way. If, therefore, an excuse for not keeping his promise should come to his friend within a few days, she added, I shall know how to understand it. I shall then give over every expectation, every wish of his constancy. If he is satisfied with only regretting me when he might have obtained my affections in hand, I shall soon cease to regret him at all. So she's saying that if Darcy suddenly decides not to come back to Netherfield, which he is scheduled to do in a couple of days, then she'll know.
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Listener 2
It'S because he has no intentions all toward her.
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Listener 1
The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who their visitor had been, was very great, but they obligingly satisfied it with the same kind of supposition which had appeased Mrs. Bennet's curiosity, and Elizabeth was spared from much teasing on the subject. The next morning, as she was going downstairs, she was met by her father, who came out of his library with a letter in his hand. Lizzie said he, I was going to.
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Listener 2
Look for you come into my room.
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Listener 1
She followed him thither, and her curiosity to know what he had to tell her was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner connected with the letter he held. It suddenly struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine, and she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explanations. She followed her father to the fireplace and they both sat down. He then said, I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me exceedingly.
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Listener 2
As it principally concerns yourself, you ought.
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Listener 1
To know its contents. I did not know before that I.
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Listener 2
Had two daughters on the brink of matrimony. Let me congratulate you on a very important conquest.
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Listener 1
The colour now rushed into Elizabeth's cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew instead of the aunt. And she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all, or offended that his letter was not rather addressed to her herself. When her father continued, you look conscious. Young ladies have great penetration in such.
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Listener 2
Matters as these, but I think I.
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Listener 1
May defy even your sagacity to discover.
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Listener 2
The name of your admirer.
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Listener 1
This letter is from Mr. Collins. From Mr. Collins? What can he have to say?
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Listener 2
Something very much to the purpose, of course.
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Listener 1
He begins with congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter, of which, it seems he has been told by some of the good natured, gossiping Lucases, I shall not sport with your impatience by reading what he says on that point. What relates to yourself is as having.
- [23:47]
Listener 3
Thus offered you the Sincere congratulations of Mrs. Collins and myself on this happy event, let me now add a short hint on the subject of another, of which we have been advertised by the same authority. Your daughter Elizabeth, it is presumed, will not long bear the name of Bennet, after her eldest sister has resigned it, and the chosen partner of her fate.
- [24:29]
Listener 1
May be reasonably looked up to as.
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Listener 3
One of the most illustrious personages in the land.
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Listener 2
Can you possibly guess, Lizzy, who is meant by this?
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Listener 3
This young gentleman is blessed in a peculiar way with everything the heart of mortal can most desire. Splendid property, noble kindred and extensive patronage. Yet, in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin Elizabeth and yourself of what is evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentleman's proposals, which, of course, you will be inclined to take immediate advantage of.
- [25:35]
Listener 2
Have you any idea, Lizzy, who this gentleman is?
- [25:39]
Listener 3
But now it comes out. My motive for cautioning you is as follows. We have reason to imagine that his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, does not look on the match with a friendly eye.
- [26:01]
Listener 2
Mr. Darcy, you see, is the man. Now, Lizzy, I think I have surprised you. Could he or the Lucases have pitched on any man within the circle of our acquaintance whose name would have given the lie more effectually to what they related? Mr. Darcy, who never looks at any woman but to see a blemish, and who probably never looked at you in his life.
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Listener 1
It is admirable. So Mr. Collins has written to tell Mr. Bennet not to let Elizabeth marry Darcy.
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Listener 2
Obviously he's doing what Lady Catherine wants him to do.
- [26:31]
Listener 1
But Mr. Bennet assumes this is all nonsense, because as far as he knows.
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Listener 2
Darcy is a proud, rude man and Elizabeth hates him.
- [26:38]
Listener 1
Elizabeth tried to join in her father's pleasantry, but could only force one most reluctant smile. Never had his wit been directed in a manner so little agreeable to her.
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Listener 2
Are you not diverted?
- [26:52]
Listener 1
Oh, yes. Pray read on.
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Listener 3
After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last night, she immediately, with her usual condescension, expressed what she felt on the occasion when it became apparent that on the score of some family objections on the part of my cousin, she would never give her consent to what she termed so disgraceful a match. I thought it my duty to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin, that she and her noble admirer.
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Listener 2
May be aware of what they are.
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Listener 3
About and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been properly sanctioned.
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Listener 2
Mr. Collins, moreover, adds, I am truly.
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Listener 3
Rejoiced that my cousin Lydia's sad business has been so well hushed up, and am only concerned that their living together before the marriage took place should be so generally known. I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station or refrain from declaring. Declaring my amazement at hearing that you.
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Listener 1
Received the young couple into your house.
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Listener 3
As soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice, and had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.
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Listener 2
That is his notion of Christian forgiveness. The rest of his letter is only about his dear Charlotte's situation and his expectation of a young olive branch, meaning that Charlotte is pregnant. But, Lizzy, you look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be missish? Missish means sort of affectedly scandalized, I.
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Listener 1
Hope, and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we live but to make sport of our neighbors and laugh.
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Listener 2
At them in our Turn.
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Listener 1
Oh.
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Listener 2
Cried Elizabeth. I am exceedingly diverted.
- [29:50]
Listener 1
But it is so strange.
- [29:53]
Listener 2
Yes, that is what makes it amusing. Had they fixed on any other man, it would have been nothing, but his perfect indifference and your pointed dislike make it so delightfully absurd. Much as I abominate writing, I would not give up Mr. Collins's correspondence for any consideration. Nay, when I read a letter of his, I cannot help giving him the preference even over Wickham, much as I.
- [30:19]
Listener 1
Value the imprudence and hypocrisy of my son in law.
- [30:23]
Listener 2
And pray, Lizzy, what said Lady Catherine about this report? Did she call to refuse her consent to this question?
- [30:31]
Listener 1
His daughter replied only with a laugh, and as it had been asked, without the least suspicion, she was not distressed.
- [30:37]
Narrator
By his repeating it.
- [30:39]
Listener 1
Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh when she would rather have cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her by what he had said of Mr. Darcy's indifference, and she could do nothing but wonder at such a want of penetration or fear that perhaps instead of his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much. Chapter 58. Instead of receiving any such letter of excuse from his friend, as Elizabeth half expected Mr. Bingley to do, he was able to bring Darcy with him to Longbourn before many days had passed after Lady Catherine's visit. The gentlemen arrived early, and before Mrs. Bennet had time to tell him of their having seen his aunt, of which her daughter sat in momentary dread. Bingley, who wanted to be alone with Jane, proposed their all walking out. It was agreed to. Mrs. Bennet was not in the habit of walking. Mary could never spare time, but the remaining five set off together. Bingley and Jane, however, soon allowed the others to outstrip them. They lagged behind, while Elizabeth, Kitty, and Darcy were to entertain each other. Very little was said by either. Kitty was too much afraid of him to talk. Elizabeth was secretly forming a desperate resolution, and perhaps he might be doing the same. They walked towards the Lucases because Kitty wished to call upon Maria. And as Elizabeth saw no occasion for making it a general concern, when Kitty left them, she went boldly on with him alone. Now was the moment for her resolution to be executed, and while her courage was high, she immediately said, Mr. Darcy, I am a very selfish creature, and for the sake of giving relief to my own feelings, care not how much I may be wounding yours. I can no longer help thanking you for your unexampled kindness to my poor sister ever since I have known it I have been most anxious to acknowledge to you how grateful I feel it, were it known to the rest of my family, I should not have merely my own gratitude to express. So she knows she's not supposed to know that Darcy helped them with Lydia, but she can't help thanking him for what he did. And she's also clearly hoping that this.
- [32:58]
Listener 2
Will start a more open conversation between them. I am exceedingly sorry, replied Darcy, in a tone of surprised emotion, that you have ever been informed of what may, in a mistaken light, have given you uneasiness. I did not think Mrs. Gardiner was so little to be trusted.
- [33:17]
Listener 1
You may not blame my aunt. Lydia's thoughtlessness first betrayed to me that you had been concerned in the matter. And of course, I could not rest till I knew the particulars. Let me thank you again and again in the name of all my family, for that generous compassion which induced you to take so much trouble and to bear so many mortifications for the sake of discovering them.
- [33:41]
Listener 2
If you will thank me, he replied, let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducement which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny, but your family owe me nothing, much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of you.
- [34:02]
Listener 1
Elizabeth was too much embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added.
- [34:09]
Listener 2
You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged. But one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.
- [34:25]
Listener 1
Elizabeth, feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak, and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand that her sentiments had undergone so material a change since the period to which he alluded as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure his present assurances. The happiness which this reply produced was such as he had probably never felt before, and he expressed himself on the occasion as sensibly and as warmly as a man violently in love can be supposed to do. Had Elizabeth been able to encounter his eyes, she might have seen how well the expression of heartfelt delight diffused over his face became him. But though she could not look, she could listen. And he told her of feelings which, in proving of what importance she was to him, made his affection every moment more valuable. They walked on without knowing in what direction. There was too much to be thought and felt and said for attention to any other objects. She soon learnt that they were indebted for their present good understanding to the efforts of his aunt, who did call.
- [35:36]
Listener 2
On him in her return through London.
- [35:38]
Listener 1
And there relate her journey to Longbourn. Its motive and the substance of her conversation with Elizabeth, dwelling emphatically on every expression of the latter, which in her ladyship's apprehension peculiarly denoted her perverseness and assurance in the belief that such a relation must assist her endeavours to obtain that promise from her nephew which she had refused to give. But, unluckily for her ladyship, its effect had been exactly contrariwise so. When Lady Catherine told Darcy about her exchange with Elizabeth, it caused Darcy to suddenly suspect that Elizabeth's feelings toward him had changed.
- [36:15]
Listener 2
It taught me to hope, said he, as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before. I knew enough of your disposition to be certain that had you been absolutely, irrevocably decided against me, you would have acknowledged it to Lady Catherine frankly and openly.
- [36:33]
Listener 1
Elizabeth coloured and laughed as she replied, yes, you know enough of my frankness.
- [36:39]
Listener 2
To believe me capable of that. After abusing you so abominably to your.
- [36:44]
Listener 1
Face, I could have no scruple in.
- [36:46]
Listener 2
Abusing you to all your relations.
- [36:49]
Listener 1
What did you say of me that.
- [36:50]
Listener 2
I did not deserve? For though your accusations were ill founded, formed on mistaken premises, my behaviour to you at the time had merited the severest reproof. It was unpardonable. I cannot think of it without abhorrence.
- [37:08]
Listener 1
We will not quarrel for the greater share of blame annexed to that evening, said Elizabeth. The conduct of neither, if strictly examined, will be irreproachable. But since then, we have both, I hope, improved in civility.
- [37:23]
Listener 2
I cannot be so easily reconciled to myself. The recollection of what I then said, of my conduct, my manners, my expressions during the whole of it, is now, and has been many months, inexpressibly painful to me. Your reproof so well applied I shall never forget. Had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner. Those were your words, you know not. You can scarcely conceive how they have tortured me, though it was some time, I confess, before I was reasonable enough to allow their justice.
- [38:01]
Listener 1
I was certainly very far from expecting them to make so strong an impression. I had not the smallest idea of.
- [38:07]
Listener 2
Their being ever felt in such a way. I can easily believe it. You thought me then devoid of every proper feeling. I am sure you did. The turn of your countenance. I shall never forget, as you said, that I could not have addressed you in any possible way that would induce you to accept me.
- [38:26]
Narrator
Oh, do not repeat what I then.
- [38:28]
Listener 1
Said These recollections will not do at all, I assure you that I have long been most heartily ashamed of it. Darcy mentioned his letter.
- [38:38]
Listener 2
Did it, said he, did it soon make you think better of me? Did you, on reading it, give any.
- [38:46]
Listener 1
Credit to its contents? She explained what its effects on her had been and how gradually all her former prejudices had been removed.
- [38:56]
Listener 2
I knew, said he, that what I wrote must give you pain, but it was necessary. I hope you have destroyed the letter. There was one part, especially the opening of it, which I should dread your ever having the power of reading again. I can remember some expressions which might justly make you hate me.
- [39:16]
Listener 1
The letter shall certainly be burnt if you believe it essential to the preservation of my regard. But though we have both reason to think my opinions not entirely unalterable, they are not, I hope, quite so easily changed as that implies.
- [39:31]
Listener 2
When I wrote that letter, replied Darcy, I believed myself perfectly calm and cool, but I am since convinced that it was written in a dreadful bitterness of spirit.
- [39:43]
Listener 1
The letter perhaps began in bitterness, but it did not end so. The adieu is charity itself. But think no more of the letter. The feelings of the person who wrote and the person who received it are now so widely different from what they were then that every unpleasant circumstance attending to it ought to be forgotten. You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.
- [40:10]
Listener 2
I cannot give you credit for any philosophy of the kind. Your retrospections must be so totally void of reproach that the contentment arising from them is not of philosophy, but what.
- [40:21]
Listener 1
Is much better, of ignorance.
- [40:23]
Listener 2
But with me it is not so painful. Recollections will intrude which cannot, which ought not to be repelled. I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle. As a child, I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit. Unfortunately, an only son, for many years, an only child, I was spoiled by my parents, who, though good themselves, my father particularly, all that was benevolent and amiable, allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing, to care for.
- [41:09]
Listener 1
None beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world, to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth.
- [41:19]
Listener 2
Compared to my own. Such I was from 8 to 8 and 20, and such I might still have been, but for you. Dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, what do I not owe you? You taught me a lesson Hard indeed at first, but most advantageous by you. I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all.
- [41:48]
Listener 1
My pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased. Had you then persuaded yourself that I should?
- [41:56]
Listener 2
Indeed I had. What will you think of my vanity? I believed you to be wishing, expecting my addresses.
- [42:05]
Listener 1
My manners must have been in fault, but not intentionally, I assure you. I never meant to deceive you, but my spirits might often lead me wrong. How you must have hated me after that evening.
- [42:18]
Narrator
So she's saying.
- [42:19]
Listener 1
She must have done something that made him think that she was going to accept him. But she hadn't meant to hate you.
- [42:26]
Listener 2
I was angry, perhaps at first, but my anger soon began to take a proper direction. Meaning he began to feel angry with himself.
- [42:36]
Listener 1
I am almost afraid of asking you what you thought of me when we met at Pemberley. You blamed me for coming?
- [42:43]
Listener 2
No, indeed, I felt nothing but surprise.
- [42:47]
Listener 1
Your surprise could not be greater than mine. In being noticed by you, my conscience told me that I deserved no extraordinary.
- [42:55]
Listener 2
Politeness, and I confess that I did.
- [42:57]
Listener 1
Not expect to receive more than my due.
- [43:00]
Listener 2
My object, then, replied Darcy, was to show you by every civility in my.
- [43:06]
Listener 1
Power that I was not so mean as to resent the past.
- [43:10]
Listener 2
And I hoped to obtain your forgiveness, to lessen your ill opinion by letting you see that your reproofs had been attended to. How soon any other wishes introduced themselves, I can hardly tell, but I believe in about half an hour after I had seen you.
- [43:28]
Listener 1
Meaning?
- [43:28]
Listener 2
At first he was just trying to.
- [43:29]
Listener 1
Show her he'd changed.
- [43:30]
Narrator
But about half an hour later, he.
- [43:32]
Listener 2
Resolved on wanting to try to woo her again, because he loves her so much.
- [43:36]
Listener 1
He then told her of Georgiana's delight in her acquaintance, and of her disappointment at its sudden interruption, which naturally leading to the cause of that interruption. She soon learnt that his resolution of following her from Derbyshire in quest of her sister had been formed before he quitted the inn, and that his gravity and thoughtfulness there had arisen from no other struggles than what such a purpose must comprehend. Meaning finding out about Wickham didn't make him love her less. He was thoughtful and quiet because he.
- [44:05]
Listener 2
Was thinking about how he was going to help her.
- [44:08]
Listener 1
She expressed her gratitude again, but it was too painful a subject to each to be dwelt on farther. After walking several miles in a leisurely manner, and too busy to know anything about it, they found at last, on.
- [44:21]
Listener 2
Examining their watches, that it was time to be at home.
- [44:24]
Listener 1
What could have become of Mr. Bingley and Jane was a wonder, which introduced the discussion of their affairs. Darcy was delighted with their engagement. His friend had given him the earliest information of it. I must ask whether you were surprised, said Elizabeth.
- [44:42]
Narrator
Not at all.
- [44:43]
Listener 2
When I went away, I felt it would soon happen.
- [44:46]
Listener 1
That is to say, you had given your permission.
- [44:49]
Listener 2
I guessed as much.
- [44:50]
Listener 1
And though he exclaimed at the term, she found that it had been pretty much the case.
- [44:55]
Listener 2
On the evening before my going to London, said he, I made a confession to him, which I believe I ought to have made long ago.
- [45:03]
Listener 1
I told him of all that had occurred to make my former interference in.
- [45:07]
Listener 2
His affairs absurd and impertinent.
- [45:10]
Listener 1
His surprise was great.
- [45:12]
Listener 2
He had never had the slightest suspicion. I told him, moreover, that I believed myself mistaken in supposing, as I had done, that your sister was indifferent to him, and as I could easily perceive.
- [45:24]
Listener 1
That his attachment to her was unabated.
- [45:27]
Listener 2
I felt no doubt of their happiness together.
- [45:30]
Listener 1
Elizabeth could not help smiling at his easy manner of directing his friend. Did you speak from your own observation, said she, when you told him that my sister loved him, or merely from my information last spring?
- [45:45]
Listener 2
From the former. I had narrowly observed her during the.
- [45:48]
Listener 1
Two visits which I had lately made.
- [45:50]
Listener 2
Her here, and I was convinced of her affection.
- [45:53]
Listener 1
And your assurance of it, I suppose, carried immediate conviction to him?
- [45:59]
Listener 2
It did. Bingley is most unaffectedly modest. His diffidence had prevented his depending on his own judgment in so anxious a case, but his reliance on mine made everything easy. I was obliged to confess one thing, which for a time, and not unjustly offended him, I could not allow myself.
- [46:19]
Listener 1
To conceal that your sister had been in town three months last winter, that.
- [46:24]
Listener 2
I had known it and purposely kept it from him. He was angry.
- [46:29]
Listener 1
But his anger, I am persuaded, lasted no longer than he remained. In any doubt of your sister's sentiments, he has heartily forgiven me.
- [46:37]
Listener 2
Now.
- [46:38]
Listener 1
Elizabeth longed to observe that Mr. Bingley had been a most delightful friend, so easily guided that his worth was invaluable. But she checked herself. She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laughed at, and it was rather too early to begin in anticipating the happiness of Bingley, which, of course, was to be inferior only to his own. He continued the conversation till they reached the house. In the hall, they parted.
- [47:09]
Faith Moore
Thank you so much for listening. I'd love to know what you thought of the chapters. Is there anything you'd like me to clarify? Did something particularly interest you? Please go to my website, faithkmoore.com click on contact and send me your questions and thoughts. Or you can click on the link in the show notes to contact me. I'll feature one or two of your entries at the start of the next episode. Before I go, I'd like to ask a quick favorite this is an independent podcast. It's produced, recorded, and marketed by me, so I need your help. Spread the word about the show by posting about it on social media or texting a link to your friends. Don't forget to subscribe, tap those five stars and leave a positive review wherever you're listening. And if you're able to support the show financially, there's a link in the Show Notes to make a donation. I would really, really appreciate it. Alright everyone, storytime is over. To be continued.