As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look again; her uncle and aunt stopped also: and while the former was conjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himself suddenly came forward from the road which led behind it to the stables.
They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party, and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect civility.
She had instinctively turned away; but, stopping on his approach, received his compliments with an embarrassment impossible to be overcome. Had his first appearance, or his resemblance to the picture they had just been examining, been insufficient to assure the other two that they now saw Mr. Darcy, the gardener's expression of surprise, on beholding his master, must immediately have told it. They stood a little aloof while he was talking to their niece, who, astonished and confused, scarcely dared lift her eyes to his face, and knew not what answer she returned to his civil enquiries after her family. Amazed at the alteration in his manner since they last parted, every sentence that he uttered was increasing her embarrassment; and every idea of the impropriety of her being found there recurring to her mind, the few minutes in which they continued together were some of the most uncomfortable of her life. Nor did he seem much more at ease: when he spoke, his accent had none of its usual sedateness; and he repeated his enquiries as to the time of her having left Longbourn, and of her stay in Derbyshire, so often, and in so hurried a way, as plainly spoke the distraction of his thoughts.
At length every idea seemed to fail him; and, after standing a few moments without saying a word, he suddenly recollected himself, and took leave.
The others then joined her, and expressed their admiration of his figure; but Elizabeth heard not a word, and, wholly engrossed by her own feelings, followed them in silence. She was overpowered by shame and vexation. Her coming there was the most unfortunate, the most ill-judged thing in the world! How strange must it appear to him! In what a disgraceful light might it not strike so vain a man! It might seem as if she had purposely thrown herself in his way again! Oh! why did she come? or, why did he thus come a day before he was expected? Had they been only ten minutes sooner, they should have been beyond the reach of his discrimination; for it was plain that he was that moment arrived -- that moment alighted from his horse or his carriage. She blushed again and again over the perverseness of the meeting. And his behaviour, so strikingly altered -- what could it mean? That he should even speak to her was amazing! -- but to speak with such civility, to inquire after her family! Never in her life had she seen his manners so little dignified, never had he spoken with such gentleness as on this unexpected meeting. What a contrast did it offer to his last address in Rosings Park, when he put his letter into her hand! She knew not what to think, nor how to account for it.
They had now entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water, and every step was bringing forward a nobler fall of ground, or a finer reach of the woods to which they were approaching; but it was some time before Elizabeth was sensible of any of it; and, though she answered mechanically to the repeated appeals of her uncle and aunt, and seemed to direct her eyes to such objects as they pointed out, she distinguished no part of the scene. Her thoughts were all fixed on that one spot of Pemberley House, whichever it might be, where Mr. Darcy then was. She longed to know what at that moment was passing in his mind -- in what manner he thought of her, and whether, in defiance of everything, she was still dear to him. Perhaps he had been civil only because he felt himself at ease; yet there had been that in his voice which was not like ease. Whether he had felt more of pain or of pleasure in seeing her she could not tell, but he certainly had not seen her with composure.
At length, however, the remarks of her companions on her absence of mind roused her, and she felt the necessity of appearing more like herself.
They entered the woods, and bidding adieu to the river for a while, ascended some of the higher grounds; whence, in spots where the opening of the trees gave the eye power to wander, were many charming views of the valley, the opposite hills, with the long range of woods overspreading many, and occasionally part of the stream. Mr. Gardiner expressed a wish of going round the whole park, but feared it might be beyond a walk. With a triumphant smile, they were told that it was ten miles round. It settled the matter; and they pursued the accustomed circuit; which brought them again, after some time, in a descent among hanging woods, to the edge of the water, in one of its narrowest parts. They crossed it by a simple bridge, in character with the general air of the scene; it was a spot less adorned than any they had yet visited; and the valley, here contracted into a glen, allowed room only for the stream and a narrow walk amidst the rough coppice-wood which bordered it. Elizabeth longed to explore its windings; but when they had crossed the bridge, and perceived their distance from the house, Mrs. Gardiner, who was not a great walker, could go no farther, and thought only of returning to the carriage as quickly as possible. Her niece was, therefore, obliged to submit, and they took their way towards the house on the opposite side of the river, in the nearest direction; but their progress was slow, for Mr. Gardiner, though seldom able to indulge the taste, was very fond of fishing, and was so much engaged in watching the occasional appearance of some trout in the water, and talking to the man about them, that he advanced but little. Whilst wandering on in this slow manner, they were again surprised, and Elizabeth's astonishment was quite equal to what it had been at first, by the sight of Mr. Darcy approaching them, and at no great distance. The walk being here less sheltered than on the other side, allowed them to see him before they met. Elizabeth, however astonished, was at least more prepared for an interview than before, and resolved to appear and to speak with calmness, if he really intended to meet them. For a few moments, indeed, she felt that he would probably strike into some other path. This idea lasted while a turning in the walk concealed him from their view; the turning past, he was immediately before them. With a glance, she saw, that he had lost none of his recent civility; and, to imitate his politeness, she began as they met to admire the beauty of the place; but she had not got beyond the words "delightful," and "charming," when some unlucky recollections obtruded, and she fancied that praise of Pemberley from her, might be mischievously construed. Her colour changed, and she said no more.
(Volume III, Chapter 43)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Analysis:
Frankly speaking, I have more than one favourite passage from Pride and Prejudice but I will settle for this one, in which Elizabeth visits Pemberley when Mr Darcy returns earlier than his servants expected and his changed attitude since Elizabeth's rejection of his proposal. I count this passage as one of my favourite parts of the novel as it is very interesting how Austen interweaves the interaction between the couple as well as characterisation into the description of the surrounding. It is also awkwardly amusing how the both of them are clearly struggling not to reveal their nervousness as they meet for the first time since the rejected proposal and yet they are anxious to know what is going on in each other's mind.
One of the major themes surrounding the portion of the novel is one of romantic love. In this passage, Austen utilises space and symbolism to bring about or suggest the eventual union of Mr Darcy and Elizabeth, as well as to shed light on the true character of Mr Darcy. Much like the earlier subtle links between the beauty of Pemberley and the character of Mr Darcy, the choice of words "beautiful walk" in the quote "entered a beautiful walk by the side of the water", after the unexpected meeting between the two, is important as a symbol of the eventual happy ending that Elizabeth and Mr Darcy experiences. The quote may also be a subtle description of Elizabeth's realisation of the beauty of Mr Darcy's true character in which "every step was bringing forward a nobler fall of ground or a finer reach of the woods". This serves as an extension of Mr Darcy's character as noble and fine, and Elizabeth realises this as she is led deeper into his true character -- the deeper she is led into his character, the more noble and fine she discovers Mr Darcy to be.
Class identity and class divide is also key theme in this passage. Symbolism is further used in the part where Elizabeth meets Mr Darcy for the second time that day after he excuses himself earlier on as she and the Gardiners were crossing "a simple bridge... a spot less adorned than any they had yet visited". This bridge symbolises the figurative bridge between the Mr Darcy's higher aristocratic class and Elizabeth's lower class that makes way for the eventual union of the two classes when Elizabeth accepts Mr Darcy's second proposal towards the end of the novel. The word "simple" as well as the phrase "spot less adorned than any they had yet visited" serve to show that this union of two different classes is purely stemmed from true love between the couple, without any complications of hidden motives that Lady de Bourgh later accuses Elizabeth of having.
In conclusion, the use of space and the Picturesque as symbols has served as an important tool for Austen to highlight the romantic interaction between the two characters and to bring out the true character of Mr Darcy. This passage is a crucial point in the development of the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr Darcy as she realises how far her initial assessment of Mr Darcy's character is from his true self and is compelled to see Mr Darcy in an different light altogether, which brings them one major step towards establishing a romantic relationship and eventually marriage between them.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment