Classic Stories

Pride and Prejudice! (Part 2)

By Jane Austen

This letter causes Elizabeth to reevaluate her feelings about Darcy.

She returns home and acts coldly toward Wickham. The militia is leaving town, which makes the younger, rather man-crazy Bennet girls distraught.

Lydia manages to obtain permission from her father to spend the summer with an old colonel in Brighton, where Wickham’s regiment will be stationed.

With the arrival of June, Elizabeth goes on another journey, this time with the Gardiners, who are relatives of the Bennets.

The trip takes her to the North and eventually to the neighborhood of Pemberley, Darcy’s estate. She visits Pemberley, after making sure that Darcy is away, and delights in the building and grounds, while hearing from Darcy’s servants that he is a wonderful, generous master.

Suddenly, Darcy arrives and behaves cordially toward her. Making no mention of his proposal, he entertains the Gardiners and invites Elizabeth to meet his sister.

Shortly thereafter, however, a letter arrives from home, telling Elizabeth that Lydia has eloped with Wickham and that the couple is nowhere to be found, which suggests that they may be living together out of wedlock.

Fearful of the disgrace such a situation would bring on her entire family, Elizabeth hastens home.

Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Bennet go off to search for Lydia, but Mr. Bennet eventually returns home empty-handed. Just when all hope seems lost, a letter comes from Mr. Gardiner saying that the couple has been found and that Wickham has agreed to marry Lydia in exchange for an annual income.

The Bennets are convinced that Mr. Gardiner has paid off Wickham, but Elizabeth learns that the source of the money, and of her family’s salvation, was none other than Darcy.

Now married, Wickham and Lydia return to Longbourn briefly, where Mr. Bennet treats them coldly. They then depart for Wickham’s new assignment in the North of England.

Shortly thereafter, Bingley returns to Netherfield and resumes his courtship of Jane.

Darcy goes to stay with him and pays visits to the Bennets but makes no mention of his desire to marry Elizabeth.

Bingley, on the other hand, presses his suit and proposes to Jane, to the delight of everyone but Bingley’s haughty sister.

While the family celebrates, Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays a visit to Longbourn.

She corners Elizabeth and says that she has heard that Darcy, her nephew, is planning to marry her. Since she considers a Bennet an unsuitable match for a Darcy, Lady Catherine demands that Elizabeth promise to refuse him.

Elizabeth spiritedly refuses, saying she is not engaged to Darcy, but she will not promise anything against her own happiness.

A little later, Elizabeth and Darcy go out walking together and he tells her that his feelings have not altered since the spring.

She tenderly accepts his proposal, and both Jane and Elizabeth are married.