Page 11 of Mrs Darcy’s Dilemma

Lady Catherine de Bourgh, somewhat impeded by rheumatics, walked with magisterial gravity into the drawing room, attended with deference by Mr. and Mrs. Collins. Mrs. Darcy rose to receive her and was imitated by Mrs. Clarke and Mrs. Wickham, as the usual civilities were exchanged.

Her Ladyship did not bestow much attention on Elizabeth, whom she cordially detested for the lowness of her connections, and she looked past Elizabeth’s sisters, quite as if they were not there.

Instead, she seated herself, with great attention to all the details of her own comfort, then stared at Bettina some time and at last inquired who she was.

“It is my niece, Miss Wickham,” Elizabeth replied with brevity.

“Niece? Oh, I see. The product of that infamous union between your sister and that scandalous scoundrel—the steward’s son. So much to be deplored, I have always said!”

“Madam, perhaps you will wish to moderate your remarks, as you see Mrs. Wickham before you.”

“Oh, is it? But I have never held that an evil is any less an evil by being hid. I said that this marriage was disgraceful five and twenty years ago. It is still so today; and I call it extraordinary that you, Mrs. Darcy, can have such people to stay at Pemberley and expect someone of my rank and dignity in life, as well as my age and infirmity, to endure the shock of such an introduction. Am I not right, Mr. Collins?”

“Indeed, Mrs. Darcy,” said Mr. Collins pompously, “I wonder at it myself. That is exactly what I told my dear Charlotte when I found out who was likely to be here. You never do right by countenancing wrong, you know, and so I would say, were I rector of Pemberley. Clarke is altogether too lax. That book of his—the Flowers of Derbyshire —is all very well; but he ought to be attending to the morals of his parishioners. Gardens are fine things, but it is very ridiculous to think about them in the winter, in my opinion. By the by, where is your son Henry? Now that he is ordained, it is really his duty to teach you, his honoured parents, how to behave toward these unworthy relations. They ought never to be noticed by you. I am sure Henry feels with me on this matter. I wish I could have heard his first sermon, but of course I had my own duty to attend to. That is what I will tell him—never to neglect his sermon. Depend upon it, young Mr. Henry needs advice from a clergyman of greater years and experience than himself, and I shall be most happy to serve. I am sure Dr. Clarke has done little toward instructing him—and I am sorry for it. Where is the young gentleman? Not from home, I trust. That would be unfilial, at this season.”

“He is in this house,” said Mrs. Darcy, “or will be when he comes in from the park. When he does, Mr. Collins, it will not be time to teach him his obligations, if you please, for this is to be a party of pleasure.”

“All the more reason,” said Mr. Collins impressively, “why I must take it upon myself to teach Mr. Henry his duty. He is come unto scenes of temptation, with all this gaiety, and it would do well for his brother and sister to hear my words too, and your nieces must be in especial need, brought up as they have been. Everyone starting out in life can benefit from my advice. Many a twig has fallen from the tree for want of a proper word of caution.”

“You will have your opportunity, Mr. Collins, to lecture all the trees in the park, while you are here, if you wish it, but I hope you will wait until after the ball. All the young people are at home. Henry and Jane are out walking with Cloe, I believe, and I heard Fitzwilliam ride up a little while ago, so you will see him soon.”

“There are two of these girls, then?” said Lady Catherine.

“Unfortunate. I hope, Mrs. Darcy, that your sister does not design these girls for your sons. Such a calamity could only result in the ruin of the entire house. Unequal marriages never answer, or misalliances either,” and she looked pointedly at Elizabeth.

Lydia lost her head. “Misalliances!” she ejaculated. “I like that! Where there is a fine family of children, you cannot think there is anything wrong with the marriage, and Mrs. Darcy has three good ones, and I have a great many more. Not poor, puny little only children that don’t survive!”

This was a hit at Lady Catherine herself, whose only daughter, Anne, had died, while still a young woman, the victim of excessively copious doses of calomel, prescribed by her Ladyship herself.

Lady Catherine’s broad face turned red, but before she could answer, Lydia raged on, “My daughter Betty is as beautiful as any girl in the kingdom, and as good, and I should not wonder if she was on the point of becoming engaged to Mr. Fitz, if she should wish it!”

Lady Catherine opened her mouth to reply, and Bettina paled, but neither spoke, for at that moment Mr. Darcy and Fitzwilliam walked into the room. They made their bows in form, while Lady Catherine took breath and began her attack on them both.

“Do you hear, Darcy! What this infamous creature has had the temerity to say, and in your own house!”

“Evidently not,” he replied coldly, “as I have only just walked in. And I must observe, that this to me, by way of a greeting, Aunt Catherine, is quite extraordinary. But you are referring to a lady—?”

“A lady! Not quite that, I think! This person you so unwisely insist upon harbouring—” she indicated Lydia—“has made her plans for your son and means to marry him to her daughter, I tell you.”

“She will be clever if she can achieve that, Aunt. But you need not be afraid. Fitzwilliam has no thought of marriage at the present, have you, my son?”

Fitzwilliam uttered something unintelligible.

“And if he had, I am not sure that consulting you, Lady Catherine, as to its propriety would be needful. In such cases, a man is only obliged to obtain the consent of his own parents.”

“I must take exception, sir,” said Mr. Collins.

“Lady Catherine is the senior member of your immediate family, and as such, it is understandable, nay praiseworthy, that she should show concern for all the affairs of the junior branches. You cannot wonder that she takes a tender interest in the family reputation. And if marriage, a proper marriage, is in question, then I feel I must have something to say about it, for the sacraments fall under a clergyman’s care, and I have long been by way of being man of God to this family, if not in name, then in deed.

When a man, a young man, of considerable means, like Mr. Fitzwilliam, can support a wife, he ought to do it, I say, and so I should advise all such young men.

But again, he must of course consult all his different relations’ wishes in the matter.

When I myself married, it was quite another thing.

I had no one to consult, my honoured father was dead, and I am sure he could not have objected to the amiable lady I then nominated as my wife, but had he been alive, you may be sure every one of his wishes would have guided my own. ”

“I am highly displeased and affronted, Darcy,” said Lady Catherine, “and I do not mind telling you that, if it were not so late in the day, I should turn the coach about and return at once into Kent. But as it is I had much better remain for the ball, however distasteful the duty is to me. I have no pleasure at being at Pemberley, when things are thus disordered.”

“Perhaps Lady Catherine will like to go to her room to rest,” said Mrs. Collins solicitously, “I know I should.”

“Indeed, dear Charlotte, the very thing,” said Mrs. Darcy gratefully.