And this is all the reply I am to expect?
I might wonder why, with so little effort at civility,
I am rejected.
I might wonder why,
with so evident a desire to offend me,
you chose to tell me that you like me against your
will, your reason, and even against your character!
Was this not some excuse for incivility
if I was uncivil?
I have every reason in the world to think ill of you.
What could tempt me to accept the man who has
ruined the happiness of a most beloved sister?
Can you deny that you have done it?
I have no wish to deny it.
I did everything in my power to separate my
friend from your sister and I rejoice in my success.
Towards him I have been kinder
than towards myself.
It's not merely that on which my dislike
of you is founded.
Long before, my dislike was decided when I heard
Mr Wickham's story of your dealings with him.
How can you defend yourself on that subject?
Such interest in that gentleman's concerns!
Who that knows of his misfortunes,
can help feeling an interest?
His misfortunes! Yes, his misfortunes
have been great indeed!
And of your infliction! You have reduced him
to his present state of poverty,
and yet you can treat his misfortunes
with contempt and ridicule!
And this is your opinion of me?
My faults by this calculation are heavy indeed.
Perhaps these offences might have been
overlooked, had not your pride been hurt
by the confession of the scruples which long
prevented my forming serious design on you.
Had I concealed my struggles and flattered you.
But disguise of every sort is my abhorrence.
Nor am I ashamed of the feelings I related.
They were natural.
Did you expect me to rejoice
in the inferiority of your connections?
To congratulate myself on the hope of relations
whose condition in life is so below my own?
You are mistaken, Mr Darcy.
Your declaration merely spared me any concern for
refusing you, had you been more gentleman-like.
