Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 11: At Netherfield, Elizabeth and Darcy continue to have deep conversations, during which Elizabeth notices Darcy’s increasing attention toward her, though he remains reserved. Elizabeth’s sharp remarks intrigue Darcy, though she still perceives him as proud. Chapter 12: Elizabeth decides to return home with Jane despite the Bingleys’ encouragement to stay longer. During this time, Darcy begins to realize his growing feelings for Elizabeth, though he tries to suppress them. Chapter 13: Mr. Collins, a distant cousin of the Bennet family and the heir to the Longbourn estate, arrives for a visit. He is a self-important and awkward man, visiting with the intention of choosing one of the Bennet daughters as his future wife. Chapter 14: At dinner, Mr. Collins reveals his pompous and pretentious nature by constantly speaking of his noble patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, much to the annoyance of the Bennet family. Chapter 15: The Bennet family meets the charming officer George Wickham, who tells Elizabeth about his past with Darcy. Wickham reveals that Darcy has treated him unjustly, which increases Elizabeth’s negative perception of Darcy. Chapter 16: Elizabeth listens as Wickham shares more details of his troubled history with Darcy, which further intensifies her prejudice against Darcy. She becomes increasingly convinced that Darcy is arrogant and lacking in compassion, not realizing that her feelings are being influenced by Wickham’s side of the story.

Today, we’re excited to introduce Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen—one of the greatest works in English literature. This novel follows the life of Elizabeth Bennet, a witty and intelligent young woman, on her journey through love and self-discovery, intertwined with profound reflections on society and human relationships.

The clergyman’s shy and sensitive reserve had balked this scheme. Roger Chillingworth, however, was inclined to be hardly, if at all, less satisfied with the aspect of affairs, which Providence—using the avenger and his victim for its own purposes, and, perchance, pardoning where it seemed most to punish—had substituted for his black devices. A revelation, he could almost say, had been granted to him. It mattered little, for his object, whether celestial, or from what other region. By its aid, in all the subsequent relations betwixt him and Mr. Dimmesdale, not merely the external presence, but the very inmost soul, of the latter, seemed to be brought out before his eyes, so that he could see and comprehend its every movement. He became, thenceforth, not a spectator only, but a chief actor, in the poor minister’s interior world. He could play upon him as he chose. Would he arouse him with a throb of agony? The victim was forever on the rack; it needed only to know the spring that controlled the engine;—and the physician knew it well! Would he startle him with sudden fear? As at the waving of a magician’s wand, uprose a grisly phantom,—uprose a thousand phantoms,—in many shapes, of death, or more awful shame, all flocking round about the clergyman, and pointing with their fingers at his breast!

“This man,” said he, at one such moment, to himself, “pure as they deem him,—all spiritual as he seems,—hath inherited a strong animal nature from his father or his mother. Let us dig a little further in the direction of this vein!”Then, after long search into the minister’s dim interior, and turning over many precious materials, in the shape of high aspirations for the welfare of his race, warm love of souls, pure sentiments, natural piety, strengthened by thought and study, and illuminated by revelation,—all of which invaluable gold was perhaps no better than rubbish to the seeker,—he would turn back, discouraged, and begin his quest towards another point. He groped along as stealthily, with as cautious a tread, and as wary an outlook, as a thief entering a chamber where a man lies only half asleep,—or, it may be, broad awake,—with purpose to steal the very treasure which this man guards as the apple of his eye. In spite of his premeditated carefulness, the floor would now and then creak; his garments would rustle; the shadow of his presence, in a forbidden proximity, would be thrown across his victim. In other words, Mr. Dimmesdale, whose sensibility of nerve often produced the effect of spiritual intuition, would become vaguely aware that something inimical to his peace had thrust itself into relation with him. But old Roger Chillingworth, too, had perceptions that were almost intuitive; and when the minister threw his startled eyes towards him, there[157] the physician sat; his kind, watchful, sympathizing, but never intrusive friend.Yet Mr. Dimmesdale would perhaps have seen this individual’s character more perfectly, if a certain morbidness, to which, sick hearts are liable, had not rendered him suspicious of all mankind. Trusting no man as his friend, he could not recognize his enemy when the latter actually appeared. He therefore still kept up a familiar intercourse with him, daily receiving the old physician in his study; or visiting the laboratory, and, for recreation’s sake, watching the processes by which weeds were converted into drugs of potency.