Into Kent (23 page)

Letters from Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy

*****

Netherfield

Wednesday, November 27, —

Dear Georgiana,

Well, we have had our ball. It began well enough, though it was not until the third set that I could secure Miss Bennet’s hand. As you predicted, I was very well pleased to stand up with her. But I regret to say that the evening was not to end as well as it began.

To begin with, I had a worry I did not share with you in my last—something I wish I did not have to report: I have again seen the man who betrayed you. He has but recently joined the regiment stationed here in Meryton, and, owing to Mr. Bingley’s ignorance of the fact, he was included in the invitation issued to the officers of that corps. I confess that this had an influence on my decision to stay, as I hoped to give Miss Elizabeth Bennet some measure of warning about the man. While he thankfully did not attend the ball, I fear he has in some way already garnered Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s good opinion; this had a rather dampening effect on the time I spent with her.

This was not the only circumstance which interfered with my hopes for the evening, however, nor even the most pressing: my attentions were drawn away from Miss Elizabeth Bennet perforce, as it appears Mr. Bingley has formed a strong attachment to Miss Jane Bennet, the elder sister. The lady, while a fine young woman, unfortunately does not return his affection equally; given her family’s connexions and general deportment, this unequal attachment is of grave concern. I believe him to be sufficiently enamoured of Miss Bennet that he will offer for her, and it is my intention to remove to London to-morrow that I may give him to understand what he is about. You may therefore address future correspondence to Grosvenor Square.

I still mean to be at Pemberley on the eleventh December to escort you back to Town; hopefully by then this will all have blown over. Please forgive my brevity, Dearest, but there are many details to attend to, if, as I hope, I am to depart early to-morrow morning. May God bless,

Your loving brother,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

*****

*Grosvenor Square

Wednesday, January 15, —

Dearest Georgiana,

Thank you for your letter informing me of your safe arrival; I am sorry to hear the roads were incommodious. The house has been very quiet since your departure, or it seems so to me; quite a change from the scene before the holidays: I believe I shall remember your dinner…pardon me, our aunt’s dinner…for quite some time. Really, there has been so little going on here I must charge my thoughts to come up with enough to fill a page. Every one has left Grosvenor Square, of course, and London’s fashionable set seem more addicted to gossip than ever this Season, which you know I find irksome, so I have not been much inclined to go out amongst them. I have been filling my days with books—both perusing them and purchasing them. On my honour, I some times feel that the best and only reason for staying in Town is for having access to literature.

I have just finished reading an account of a singular discovery in the town of Rashid, Egypt, last summer: a stone which appears to be inscribed with a message in three different tongues, the last of which is recognizable as Greek, whilst the other two appear more ancient still, and are thought to be like unto the hieroglyphs found on many of Egypt’s antiquities. Fascinating! The one regrettable aspect is that it was discovered and taken by Bonaparte’s army. Heaven knows what the French may do with such a scientific treasure in their egalitarian zeal: the sanctity of scientific knowledge does not always hold its proper place in the esteem of
les citoyens
.

As for our relations in Bath, given the mortuary silence of Grosvenor Square, I might almost envy you a bit of liveliness. Where was the mother, or the governess, of the one who un-sashed you, may I ask? I do not like to see such license given to children; it does not do to train them up to such disobliging and disrespectful habits. I beg you will not suffer such again without giving proper notice to those responsible for their charges; I will not have you subjected to indignity, even by a relation. I
protest, it appears to me that our once-great nation is on an ever-increasing race towards anarchy, what with the decadence of the capital’s first circles and our profoundly lax approach to rearing our children. One is tempted to retreat, firmly and for ever, to the security and propriety of the North, and never leave Pemberley again.

Ah…well, perhaps that is excessive. I find my tolerance of impropriety has ebbed to an all-time low; I think a holiday from Town would be well: I shall think on this further. Meanwhile, enjoy Bath, and be assured that I remain,

Your silent, but loving brother,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

*For reply, see Georgiana, January 17.

*****

*Grosvenor Square

Sunday, January 26, —

Dearest Georgiana,

I have settled on an “amiable destination” to “lure” me from Town: I have decided to make an excursion to Oxford, to visit my old professor, Mr. Pender. It will not be for long; I merely wish to consult with him on an affair that is most efficiently dealt with in person, and it gives me the excuse I needed to leave London. I shall leave this Wednesday, and return, I expect, on Saturday; certainly within the week, regardless. This will likely be my last, therefore, until your return.

Again, dearest, let me ask that you not accept impertinences from our cousins. Even though I am sure you do so out of an abundance of regard and forbearance, it is not a good thing, either for you or for them. As mistress of Pemberley (I know…but you are, in fact) you must try to hold yourself above such treatment. It is, of course, a fine line to walk, especially amongst friends, but it is one I would have you learn to navigate. A word to the parents by your aunt would surely be sufficient.

And so, you have made a friend in young Cousin Thomas, have you? Perhaps I should ask if it was your conquest, or his—it sounds as if he has quite stolen your heart. Just remember not to pack him up with your other belongings when you return: by your account, I am sure he would be sorely missed for the uniqueness of his quiet nature and sweet disposition.

There is little else to share from London; I look forward to seeing you in a fortnight’s time, or thereabouts. Until then, I am,

Your loving brother,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

*For reply, see Georgiana, January 28.

*****

*Rosings

Tuesday, April 8, —

Dear
est Georgiana,

Well, the Colonel and I are arrived at Rosings: please have the rector say a prayer for wayward travellers, that we may wend our way safely home from these strange and barren shores.

In truth, this year promises better than last; Lady Catherine’ new parson, Mr. Collins, is newly married, and his wife has her sister and a friend staying with her, so at least there is a more diverse company here than in prior years. Do you recollect the old parson, Mr. Teesdale, and how he used to fawn on Her Ladyship? By comparison with Mr. Collins, he seems in retrospect a paragon of manly pride; Collins is as wonderful an example of meekness as I have ever seen; he is exactly the man for Her Ladyship, however, and she is prodigiously pleased with him. He follows after her like a puppy, and, if asked, I am sure he would be as happy to lick her boots as any puppy ever seen (is that too
very
cruel, do you think?).

Colonel Fitzwilliam has great plans for Lady Catherine’s horseflesh, as they have seen not one iota of exercise since last we were here, so he has hopes of staying away from our aunt’s notice very continually. And I believe he hopes to make himself agreeable to the two ladies visiting Mrs. Collins; he has already made himself known to them, so it may be that his time here will be more congenial than he had anticipated.

For myself, I foresee an extended stay in the Rosings library, as a first glance at Lady Catherine’s books shows them to be in a state of considerable disarray. Prudent is not a word one would apply to Her Ladyship; fortunately, given her retired style of living, even her profligacy is unable to exceed the estate’s income.

I fear that is all I know for now; but, as this will not be a long visit, perhaps you will forgive me a sparse and sporadic correspondence. Truly, Dearest, I will write again as soon as I have anything to say,

Your far distant (we might almost be in the New World, so strange as are some of the customs here), but loving brother,

Fitzwilliam Darcy

*For reply, see Georgiana, April 10.

*****

*Rosings

Monday, April 14, —

Dear Georgiana,

You have my most sincere contrition over my ill-usage of Mr. Collins; could you but know him, though, I cannot but think you would be less disposed to think me in error. I jest, of course, but indeed, he is one of the more dependable diversions here in Kent, and has yet to disappoint me by uttering anything resembling sense in my presence. I shall not try your credulity by even attempting to describe his sermon-making. As to his over-hearing me, I assure you that it would be he, not I, who would be apologising should that occur; the man is incapable of feeling an affront, or he should never have become such a favourite with our aunt—and now I am being bad, again; let me pass on.

I have been reflecting this morning on a philosophical question, Dearest, and I wish to write my thoughts more for my own clarity, than your edification; I hope you will forgive me for thus claiming your time as my own. The question I have in mind this morning is: how often the regulation of society must interfere with the regulation of one’s domestic arrangements—in particular, where and how one might dispose of one’s hand in marriage.

You may recognise in this a reference to Mr. Bingley, as regards his inclination for Miss Jane Bennet, of Hertfordshire. Actually, I had occasion to discuss somewhat of this with our cousin Edmund on our journey hither, and I felt he had arrived at a good working structure to set out from: the various elements that dictate what is proper, in thinking how to direct one’s heart in the most suitable direction, would be: the issues of Society, the issues of Family, and the issues of Breeding. As Edmund put it, Society speaks to the issues of standing and station; Family speaks to questions of familial allegiance, such as Whig v. Tory, or perhaps Irish v. English; and Breeding speaks to the more personal matters of taste, education, and pursuits.

In my estimation, it is the issues of Society wherein lies most of the conflict, in determining how properly to direct the heart. Where the heart might choose without regard to any of the above, it is only where it chooses contrary to the dictates of Society that lasting trouble ensues, I believe. Families will eventually be reconciled, as all parties have an interest in doing so, and of course, those issues of breeding existing between the main parties will soon be softened and soothed over in favour of their attachment; or, as it more often seems, their sense of decorum. But it is Society that maintains a cold and unforgiving eye on unsuitable unions, as it has no interests to motivate conciliation.

But what, I wonder, is the benefit of such obtrusion? How do Society’s strictures on marriage benefit its members? That is my difficulty: as all things must have a reason, I know that there is some driving benefit, some hidden good that derives from Society’s proscriptions on unions of various sorts, but when I look carefully, none I have been able to think of seems to hold up under scrutiny. I cannot seem to find my way through to it, yet I have turned my mind to it on more than one occasion. Well, Dearest, I do not suppose I shall resolve this any time soon; but I thank you for the opportunity to express my thoughts; putting them down on paper always seems to make them clearer.

Now, as to Rosings: Lady Catherine and Cousin Anne have changed little, I believe, since you were last in company with both. Our cousin is, perhaps, even less inclined to speech than before, but as her mother rarely allows any one an opening, it does not seem to be a matter of concern to either. As you say, she is indeed a fine example of what you and I might congratulate ourselves on having, which she lacks; although I must say that, having, over the years, attempted to breach the walls of her silence on many occasions, I am not entirely convinced that she is the one to be pitied. Regardless, as the new parson is completely willing to say whatever he thinks might most please Lady Catherine, at any time and on any topic, there is always
some
conversation going forward, even if no one of sense takes any share in it.

The Colonel is well, and sends his regards; he continues to find ways to leave me to my own devices here at Rosings, while he is out most of the time, either riding or visiting at the Parsonage. Really, I cannot blame him, and, as he is only here to oblige me, I do not begrudge him his absence. We are together in the evenings, when the want of his discourse would be most felt, so it is well enough.