Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 329 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 329

Pride and Prejudice

began it. It was dated from Rosings, at eight o’clock in

the morning, and was as follows:

“Be not alarmed, madam, on receiving this letter,

by the apprehension of its containing any repetition

of those sentiments or renewal of those offers which

were last night so disgusting to you. I write without

any intention of paining you, or humbling myself,

by dwelling on wishes which, for the happiness of

both, cannot be too soon forgotten; and the effort

which the formation and the perusal of this letter

must occasion, should have been spared, had not my

character required it to be written and read. You must,

therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand

your attention; your feelings, I know, will bestow it

unwillingly, but I demand it of your justice.

“Two offenses of a very different nature, and by no

means of equal magnitude, you last night laid to my

charge. The first mentioned was, that, regardless of the

sentiments of either, I had detached Mr. Bingley from

your sister, and the other, that I had, in defiance of var-

ious claims, in defiance of honour and humanity, ruined

the immediate prosperity and blasted the prospects of

Mr. Wickham. Wilfully and wantonly to have thrown

off the companion of my youth, the acknowledged

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