Though Elzath ould not,for th r purpos of olgng Lady Cathrn,hav ansrd ths quston,sh could not ut say,aftr a ont's dlraton:
“I a not.”
Lady Cathrn sd plasd.
“And ll you pros ,nvr to ntr nto such an ngagnt?”
“I ll ak no pros of th knd.”
“Mss Bnnt I a shockd and astonshd.I xpctd to fnd a or rasonal young oan.But do not dcv yourslf nto a lf that I ll vr rcd.I shall not go aay tll you hav gvn th assuranc I rqur.”
“And I crtanly nvr shall gv t.I a not to ntdatd nto anythng so holly unrasonal.Your ladyshp ants Mr. Darcy to arry your daughtr; ut ould y gvng you th shd-for pros ak thr arrag at all or proal? Supposng h to attachd to ,ould y rfusng to accpt hs hand ak h sh to sto t on hs cousn?Allo to say,Lady Cathrn,that th argunts th hch you hav supportd ths xtraordnary applcaton hav n as frvolous as th applcaton as ll-judgd.You hav dly stakn y charactr,f you thnk I can orkd on y such prsuasons as ths.Ho far your nph ght approv of your ntrfrnc n hs affars, I cannot tll; ut you hav crtanly no rght to concrn yourslf n n.I ust g,thrfor,to portund no farthr on th sujct.”
“Not so hasty,f you plas.I hav y no ans don.To all th ojctons I hav alrady urgd,I hav stll anothr to add.I a no strangr to th partculars of your youngst sstr's nfaous lopnt.I kno t all;that th young an's arryng hr as a patchd-up usnss,at th xpnc of your fathr and uncls. And s such a grl to y nph's sstr?Is hr husand,s th son of hs lat fathr's stard, to hs rothr? Havn and arth!—of hat ar you thnkng?Ar th shads of Prly to thus pollutd?”
“You can no hav nothng furthr to say,”sh rsntfully ansrd.“You hav nsultd n vry possl thod.I ust g to rturn to th hous.”
And sh ros as sh spok.Lady Cathrn ros also,and thy turnd ack.Hr ladyshp as hghly ncnsd.
“You hav no rgard, thn, for th honour and crdt of y nph! Unflng, slfsh grl! Do you not consdr that a conncton th you ust dsgrac h n th ys of vryody?”