In the evening,soon after Mr.Bennet withdrew to the library, she saw Mr.Darcy rise also and follow him,and her agitation on seeing it was extreme.She did not fear her father's opposition,but he was going to be made unhappy;and that it should be through her means―that she, his favourite child, should be distressing him by her choice,should be filling him with fears and regrets in disposing of her―was a wretched reflection,and she sat in misery till Mr. Darcy appeared again, when, looking at him, she was a little relieved by his smile.In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty;and,while pretending to admire her work,said in a whisper,“Go to your father,he wants you in the library.”She was gone directly.
“Or,in other words,you are determined to have him.He is rich, to be sure,and you may have more fine clothes and fine carriages than Jane.But will they make you happy?”
“Lizzy,”said her father,“I have given him my consent. He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse anything,which he condescended to ask.I now give it to you,if you are resolved on having him. But let me advise you to think better of it.I know your disposition,Lizzy.I know that you could be neither happy nor respectable,unless you truly esteemed your husband; unless you looked up to him as a superior.Your lively talents would place you in the greatest danger in an unequal marriage.You could scarcely escape discredit and misery. My child, let me not have the grief of seeing you unable to respect your partner in life.You know not what you are about.”