Pride and Prejudice: The Proposal

That evening Elizabeth stayed alone at the parsonage while the others dined at Rosings, and she spent the time rereading Jane's letters.In every line she seemed to hear how low her sister's spirits were, and she blamed Mr. Darcy for it, since it was he who had drawn Mr. Bingley away from Netherfield and from Jane.

The doorbell rang, and to her complete astonishment Mr. Darcy walked into the room.He asked hurriedly after her health, sat down for a moment, then rose again and paced about the room in silence.At last he came toward her and said, "In vain I have struggled. It will not do. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

But he did not speak of love alone.He spoke just as plainly of her family's lower rank, of the disgrace such a marriage would bring him, and of how long his judgement had fought against his heart.He seemed quite sure that she would accept him.

Elizabeth's anger rose as she listened, but she tried at first to reply calmly.She said she was sorry to cause him pain, but that she had never sought his good opinion and could not accept his offer.Darcy, leaning against the mantelpiece, went pale, and demanded to know why he was refused with so little courtesy.

Elizabeth answered that he had just insulted her by saying he loved her against his will, against his reason, and against his own character.Then she named her true reasons: that he had destroyed her beloved sister's happiness by parting her from Mr. Bingley, and that he had treated Mr. Wickham with cruelty and injustice.Darcy did not deny either charge; he admitted he had worked to separate his friend from Jane, and only grew angrier that she should think so ill of him.

"You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it," she told him.From almost the first moment she had known him, she said, his arrogance, his conceit, and his contempt for the feelings of others had made him the last man in the world she could ever be persuaded to marry."You have said quite enough, madam," Darcy replied; he wished her health and happiness, and left the house — and Elizabeth sat down and cried for half an hour.