Chapter 56 340
" True . You are a gentleman ' s daughter . But who was your mother ? Who are your uncles and aunts ? Do not imagine me ignorant of their condition ."
" Whatever my connections may be ," said Elizabeth , " if your nephew does not object to them , they can be nothing to you ."
" Tell me once for all , are you engaged to him ?"
Though Elizabeth would not , for the mere purpose of obliging Lady Catherine , have answered this question , she could not but say , after a moment ' s deliberation :
" I am not ." Lady Catherine seemed pleased . " And will you promise me , never to enter into such an engagement ?" " I will make no promise of the kind ."
" Miss Bennet I am shocked and astonished . I expected to find a more reasonable young woman . But do not deceive yourself into a belief that I will ever recede . I shall not go away till you have given me the assurance I require ."
" And I certainly never shall give it . I am not to be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable . Your ladyship wants Mr . Darcy to marry your daughter ; but would my giving you the wished-for promise make their marriage at all more probable ? Supposing him to be attached to me , would my refusing to accept his hand make him wish to bestow it on his cousin ? Allow me to say , Lady Catherine , that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application have been as frivolous as the application was ill-judged . You have widely mistaken my character , if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these . How far your nephew might approve of your interference in his affairs , I cannot tell ; but you have certainly no right to concern yourself in mine . I must beg ,