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Your character was unfolded in the recital which I received many months ago from Mr。 Wickham。 On this subject； what can you have to say？ In what imaginary act of friendship can you here defend yourself？ or under what misrepresentation； can you here impose upon others？''
‘‘You take an eager interest in that gentleman's concerns；'' said Darcy in a less tranquil tone； and with a heightened colour。
‘‘Who that knows what his misfortunes have been； can help feeling an interest in him？''
‘‘His misfortunes！'' repeated Darcy contemptuously； ‘‘yes； his misfortunes have been great indeed。''
‘‘And of your infliction；'' cried Elizabeth with energy。 ‘‘You have reduced him to his present state of poverty； comparative poverty。 You have withheld the advantages； which you must know to have been designed for him。 You have deprived the best years of his life； of that independence which was no less his due than his desert。 You have done all this！ and yet you can treat the mention of his misfortunes with contempt and ridicule。''
‘‘And this；'' cried Darcy； as he walked with quick steps across the room； ‘‘is your opinion of me！ This is the estimation in which you hold me！ I thank you for explaining it so fully。 My faults； according to this calculation； are heavy indeed！ But perhaps；'' added he； stopping in his walk； and turning towards her； ‘‘these offences might have been overlooked； had not your pride been hurt by my honest confession of the scruples that had long prevented my forming any serious design。 These bitter accusations might have been suppressed； had I with greater policy concealed my struggles； and flattered you into the belief of my being impelled by unqualified； unalloyed inclination by reason； by reflection； by every thing。 But disguise of every sort is my abhorrence。 Nor am I ashamed of the feelings I related。 They were natural and just。 Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections？ To congratulate myself on the hope of relations； whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own？''
Elizabeth felt herself growing more angry every moment； yet she tried to the utmost to speak with composure when she said；
‘‘You are mistaken； Mr。 Darcy； if you suppose that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way； than as it spared me the concern which I might have felt in refusing you； had you behaved in a more gentleman…like manner。''
She saw him start at this； but he said nothing； and she continued；
‘‘You could not have made me the offer of your hand in any possible way that would have tempted me to accept it。''
Again his astonishment was obvious； and he looked at her with an expression of mingled incredulity and mortification。 She went on。
‘‘From the very beginning； from the first moment I may almost say； of my acquaintance with you； your manners； impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance； your conceit； and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others； were such as to form that ground…work of disapprobation； on which succeeding events have built so immoveable a dislike； and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry。''
‘‘You have said quite enough； madam。 I perfectly comprehend your feelings； and have now only to be ashamed of what my own have been。 Forgive me for having taken up so much of your time； and accept my best wishes for your health and happiness。''
And with these words he hastily left the room； and Elizabeth heard him the next moment open the front door and quit the house。
The tumult of her mind was now painfully great。 She knew not how to support herself； and from actual weakness sat down and cried for half an hour。 Her astonishment； as she reflected on what had passed； was increased by every review of it。 That she should receive an offer of marriage from Mr。 Darcy！ that he should have been in love with her for so many months！ so much in love as to wish to marry her in spite of all the objections which had made him prevent his friend's marrying her sister； and which must appear at least with equal force in his own case； was almost incredible！ It was gratifying to have inspired unconsciously so strong an affection。 But his pride； his abominable pride； his shameless avowal of what he had done with respect to Jane； his unpardonable assurance in acknowledging； though he could not justify it； and the unfeeling manner in which he had mentioned Mr。 Wickham； his cruelty towards whom he had not attempted to deny； soon overcame the pity which the consideration of his attachment had for a moment excited。
She continued in very agitating reflections till the sound of Lady Catherine's carriage made her feel how unequal she was to encounter Charlotte's observation； and hurried her away to her room。伊丽莎白等柯林斯夫妇走了以后，便把她到肯特以来所收到吉英的信，全都拿出来一封 封仔细阅读，好象是为了故意要跟达西做冤家做到底似的。信上并没有写什么真正埋怨的 话，既没有提起过去的事情，也没有诉说目前的。她素性娴静，心肠仁爱，因此她的文笔从 来不带一些阴暗的色彩，总是欢欣鼓舞的心情跃然纸上，可是现在，读遍了她所有的信，甚 至读遍了她每一封信的字里行间，也找不出这种欢欣的笔调。伊丽莎白只觉得信上每一句话 都流露着不安的心情，因为她这一次是用心精读的，而上一次她却读得很马虎，所以没有注 意到这种地方。达西先生恬不知耻地夸口说，叫人家受罪是他的拿手好戏，这使她愈发深刻 地体会到姐姐的痛苦。想到达西后天就要离开罗新斯，她总算可以稍觉安慰，而更大的安慰 是，不到两个星期，她又可以和吉英在一起了，而且可以用一切感情的力量去帮助她重新振 作起精神来。
一想起达西就要离开肯特，便不免记起了他的表兄弟也要跟着他一起走；可是费茨威廉 已经表明他自己决没有什么意图，因此，他虽然挺叫人喜欢，她却不至于为了他而不快活。 她正在转着这种念头，突然听到门铃响，她以为是费茨威廉来了，心头不由得跳动起来，因 为他有一天晚上就是来得很晚的，这回可能是特地来问候她。但是她立刻就知道猜错了，出 乎她的意料，走进屋来的是达西先生，于是她情绪上又是另一种感觉。他立刻匆匆忙忙问她 身体好了没有，又说他是特地来听她复元的好消息的。她客客气气地敷衍了他一下。他坐了 几分钟，就站起身来，在房间里踱来踱去。伊丽莎白心里很奇怪，可是嘴上一言未发。沉默 了几分钟以后，他带着激动的神态走到她跟前说：
“我实在没有办法死捱活撑下去了。这怎么行。我的感情也压制不住了。请允许我告诉 你，我多么敬慕你，多么爱你。”
伊丽莎白真是说不出的惊奇。她瞪着眼，红着脸，满腹狐疑，闭口不响。他看这情形， 便认为她是在怂恿他讲下去，于是立刻把目前和以往对她的种种好感全都和盘托出。他说得 很动听，除了倾诉爱情以外，又把其他种种感想也源源本本说出来了。他一方面千言万语地 表示深情密意，但是另一方面却又说了许许多多傲慢无礼的话。他觉得她出身低微，觉得自 己是迁就她，而且家庭方面的种种障碍，往往会使他的见解和他的心愿不能相容并存──他 这样热烈地倾诉，虽然显得他这次举动的慎重，却未必能使他的求婚受到欢迎。
尽管她对他的厌恶之心根深蒂固，她究竟不能对这样一个男人的一番盛情，漠然无动于 中；虽说她的意志不曾有过片刻的动摇，可是她开头倒也体谅到他将会受到痛苦，因此颇感 不安，然而他后来的那些话引起了她的怨恨，她那一片怜惜之心便完全化成了愤怒。不过， 她还是竭力镇定下来，以便等他把话说完，耐心地给他一个回答。未了，他跟她说，他对她 的爱情是那么强烈，尽管他一再努力克服，结果还是克服不了，他又向她表明自己的希望， 说是希望她表接受他的求婚。她一下子就看出他说这些话的时候，显然自认为她毫无问题会 给他满意的回答。他虽然口里说他自己又�