Page:Jane Austen (Sarah Fanny Malden 1889).djvu/100

 he deserves you. I could not have parted with you, my Lizzy, to anyone less worthy

Perhaps Miss Austen enjoyed making Elizabeth undergo a mauvais quart d'heure in hearing her own unfounded prejudices retorted upon her by her father, but both he and her sister are so warmly and tenderly anxious for her happiness that her pain would soon be forgotten. It is very different when she has to break the news to her mother, whose behaviour throughout the story gives additional force to her husband's remarks about respecting one's partner is life.

"When her mother went up to her dressing-room at night she followed her, and made the important communication. Its effect was most extraordinary, for, on first hearing it, Mrs. Bennet sat quite still, and unable to utter a syllable. Nor was it under many minutes that she could comprehend what she heard, though not in general backward to credit what was for the advantage of her family, or that came in the shape of a lover to any of them. She began at length to recover, to fidget about in her chair, get up, sit down again, wonder, and bless herself.

Good gracious! Lord bless me! only think! Dear me! Mr. Darcy! who would, have thought it! And is it really true? Oh, my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it—nothing at all. I am so pleased—so happy. Such a charming man!—so handsome!—so tall! Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear dear Lizzy! A house in town. Everything that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand