Mr. Darcy's Diary by Amanda Grange (books for students to read .txt) ๐
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they are not, then I shall suggest that we remove to London with Bingley and persuade him to remain there. A
winter in town will cure him of his affections, and leave
him free to bestow them on a more deserving object.
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M r . D a r c y โ s D i a r y 9 7
Wednesday 27th November
Bingley left for London today.
โCaroline, I wish to speak to you,โ I said, when he had
departed.
Caroline looked up from her book and smiled.
โI am at your disposal.โ
โIt is about Miss Bennet that I wish to speak.โ
Her smile dropped, and I felt I was right in thinking
that her affection for her friend was on the wane.
โThere were several allusions made at the ball, suggesting that some of Bingleyโs new neighbours were expecting a marriage to take place between him and Miss
Bennet.โ
โWhat!โ cried Caroline.
โI thought it would distress you. I can see nothing in
Miss Bennetโs manner that makes me think she is in love,
but I want your advice.You know her better than I do.
You have been in her confidence. Does she entertain
tender feelings for your brother? Because, if so, those
feelings must not be trifled with.โ
โShe has none at all,โ said Caroline, setting my mind at
rest.
โYou are sure of this?โ
โI am indeed. She has talked of my brother a number
of times, but only in the terms she uses for every other
young man of her acquaintance. Why, I am sure she has
never thought of Charles in that light. She knows he
does not mean to settle at Netherfield, and she is simply
amusing herself whilst he is here.โ
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A M A N D A G R A N G E
โIt is as I thought. But Bingleyโs feelings are in a fair
way to being engaged.โ
โI have had the same fear. If he should be foolish enough
to ally himself with that family, he will regret it for ever.โ
โHe will. I think we must separate them, before their
behaviour gives rise to even more expectations. If it does,
there will come a time when those expectations must be
fulfilled, or the ladyโs reputation will suffer irreparable
harm.โ
โYou are quite right. We must not damage dear Janeโs
reputation. She is such a sweet girl. Louisa and I quite
dote on her. She must not be harmed.โ
Mr Hurst interrupted us at that moment.
โComing to dine with the officers?โ he asked. โThey
invited me to go along. Sure youโd be welcome.โ
โNo,โ I said. I wanted to finish my conversation with
Caroline.
Hurst managed an idle shrug and called for the carriage.
โI propose we follow Bingley to London. If we stay
with him there, he will have no reason to return,โ I said.
โAn excellent plan. I will write to Jane tomorrow. I will
say nothing out of the ordinary, but I will let her know
that Charles will not be returning this winter, and I will
wish her enjoyment of her many beaux this Christmas.โ
Thursday 28th November
Carolineโs letter was written and sent this morning,
shortly before we departed for London.
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M r . D a r c y โ s D i a r y 9 9
โHeard the damnedest thing in Meryton last night,โ
said Mr Hurst as the coach rattled along on its way to
London.
I did not pay much attention, but on his continuing I
found myself attending to him.
โThe Bennet girl โ what was her name?โ
โJane,โ supplied Louisa.
โNo, not her, the other one.The one with the petticoat.โ
โAh, you mean Elizabeth.โ
โThatโs the one. Had an offer from the clergyman.โ
โAn offer? From the clergyman? What do you mean?โ
asked Caroline and Louisa together.
โAn offer of marriage. Collins.That was his name.โ
โMr Collins! How delicious!โ said Louisa.
โIt seems that Mr Collins is another admirer of fine
eyes,โ said Caroline, looking at me satirically.โI think they
will deal well together. One is all impertinence, and the
other is all imbecility.โ
I had not known, till I heard this, how far my feelings
had gone.The idea of Elizabeth marrying Mr Collins was
mortifying, and painful in a way I had not imagined. I
quickly rallied. Hurst must be mistaken. She could not
lower herself so far.To be tied to that clod for the rest of
her lifeโฆ
โYou must be mistaken,โ I said.
โNot mistaken at all,โ said Hurst. โHad it from Denny.โ
โIt is not a bad match,โ said Louisa, considering. โIn
fact, it is a good one.There are five daughters, all unmarried, and their estate is entailed, I believe.โ
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A M A N D A G R A N G E
โEntailed on Collins,โ said Mr Hurst.
โAll the better,โ said Louisa.โMiss Eliza Bennet will not
have to leave her home, and her sisters will have somewhere to live when her father dies.โ
โAnd so will her mother,โ said Caroline gaily. โHow
charming to be confined with Mrs Bennet for the rest of
their lives!โ
I had never liked Caroline less. I would not wish such
a fate on anyone, and certainly not on Elizabeth. She suffers for her mother. I have seen it. She blushes every time
her mother reveals her foolishness. To be forced to
endure such humiliation for the rest of her lifeโฆ
โBut I wonder why he did not ask Jane,โ said Louisa.
โJane?โ enquired Caroline.
โYes. She is the eldest.โ
Caroline looked at me. I knew what she was thinking.
Mr Collins had not asked Jane, because Mrs Bennet had
led him to believe that Jane was shortly to be married to
Bingley.
โI dare say, with the estate entailed, he thought he
could have his choice,โ Caroline said.โMiss Eliza Bennetโs
pertness must have appealed to him, though I am not
sure she will make a suitable wife for a clergyman.What
say you, Mr Darcy?โ
I said nothing, for fear of saying something I should
regret. I could not possibly allow myself to admire Elizabeth, so what did it matter if another man did? But I
found that my hands were clenched and, looking down,
perceived my knuckles had grown white.
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M r . D a r c y โ s D i a r y 1 0 1
She looked at me, expecting an answer, however, and
at last I said, more to satisfy my own feelings than hers:
โIt might
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