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 de Bourgh? 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; 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 de Bourgh. 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 wilfully 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.{438}”
“These are heavy misfortunes,” replied Elizabeth. “But the wife of Mr.

Darcy must have such 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 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.”