“You can now have nothing further to say,”she resentfully answered.“You have insulted me in every possible method.I must beg to return to the house.”
“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,therefore,to be importuned no farther on the subject.”
“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.”
“She did not choose it,”said her daughter,“she would go.”
“You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew! Unfeeling, selfish girl! Do you not consider that a connection with you must disgrace him in the eyes of everybody?”