，最快更新傲慢与偏见最新章节！Though Elizabeth would not,for the mere purposeobliging Lady Catherine,have answered this question,she could not but say,afteoment's deliberation:
“Inot.”
Lady Catherine seemed pleased.
“And will you promise me,neverenter into suchengagement?”
“I will makepromisethe kind.”
“missIshockedto finore reasonable younnot deceive yourself intelief that I will eve notaway till you have giventhe assurance I require.”
“And I certainly never shall give it.Inotbe intimidated into anythingwholl ladyship wants mr. darcymarry your daughter; but wouldgiving you the wished-for promise make their marriageall more probable? Supposing himbe attachedme,wouldrefusingaccept his hand make him wishbestowon his cousin?Allowto say,Lady Catherine,that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have beenfrivolousthe applicationhave widely mistakencharacter,if you think I canworkedby such persuasionar your nephew might approveyour interferencehis affairs, I cannot tell; but you have certainlyrightconcern yourseleg,therefore,toimportunedfartherthe subject.”
“Nothasty,ifbymean all the objections I have already urged,I have still another tstrangerthe particularsyour youngest sister's infamouall;that the young man's marrying her waatched-up business,at the expenceyour fatheris sucirlbenephew's sister?Is her husband,is the sonhis late father's steward,be his brother? Heaven and earth!—of what are you thinking?Are the shadesPemberleybe thus polluted?”
“You can now have nothing furthersay,”she resentfully answered.“You have insultedin every possibl begreturnthe house.”
And she rosesh Catherine rose also,and they turne ladyship was highly incensed.
“You haveregard, then, for the honour and creditmy nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl!you not consider thaonnection with you must disgrace himthe eyeseverybody?”
“Lady Catherine, I have nothing furthenowsentiments.”
“You are then resolvedhave him?”
“I have saidsuc only resolvedactthat manner,which will,inown opinion,constitutehappiness, without referenceyou,orany personwholly unconnected with me.”
“Iefuse,then,to oblige me.You refuseobey the claimsduty,honour,an are determinedruin himthe opinionall his friends,and make him the contemptthe world.”
“Neither duty,nor honour,nor gratitude,”replied Elizabeth,“have any possible claimme,in the presen principleeither wouldviolatedmy marriage with mr. with regardthe resentmenthis family,or the indignationthe world,if the former were excitedhis marrying me,it would not giveone moment's concern—and the worldgeneral would have too much sensejointhe scorn.”
“And thisyour real opinion!Thisyour final resolve!Ver now know hoot imagine,miss Be, that your ambition will ever btrfind you reasonable;but,depend upon it,I will carrypoint.”
In this manner Lady Catherialked on,till they werethe doorthe carriage,when,turning hastily round,she added,
“I takeleaveyou,miss Be.I sendplimentsyou deservesuc most seriously displeased.”
Elizabeth madeanswer;and without attemptingpersuade her ladyshipreturn into the house,walked quietly inteard the carriage drive awayshe proceedeother impatiently met herthe doorthe dressing-room,to ask why Lady Catherine would not eagain and rest herself.
“She did not choose it,”said her daughter,“she would go.”
“Shea very fine-looking woman! and her calling here was prodigiously civil! for she only came, I suppose,tellthe Collinses weron her road somewhere,I dare say,and so, passing through meryton, thought she mightwell calhe had nothing particularsayyou,Lizzy?”
Elizabeth was forcedgive intittle falsehood here;foracknowledge the substancetheir conversation was impossible.