Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 15
오만과 편견 - 제15장
Elizabeth could hardly believe what she was hearing. Darcy was proposing to her? After he had shown such disdain for her family, after he had separated Jane and Bingley, after he had ruined Wickham's life?
엘리자베스는 분노하며 다아시를 거절한다. 그녀는 그의 오만함, 제인과 빙리를 갈라놓은 것, 그리고 위컴에 대한 부당한 대우를 비난한다.
She looked at him in amazement. "In such cases as this," she said, "it is customary to express gratitude. But I feel no gratitude. I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly given me none."
다아시는 그녀의 거절과 비난에 충격을 받는다. 그는 화가 나서 떠나지만, 다음 날 그녀에게 편지를 건넨다.
Darcy was stunned. "I am sorry if I have offended you," he said stiffly. "But I cannot understand why you are so angry."
"Why did you separate Jane and Bingley?" Elizabeth demanded. "Why did you ruin Wickham? Do you think I could marry a man who has done such things?"
Darcy's face darkened. "I admit that I separated Bingley from your sister," he said. "I believed she did not care for him, and I did not want him to make an imprudent marriage."
"But she did care for him!" Elizabeth cried. "You destroyed her happiness!"
"And as for Wickham," Darcy continued, "I did not ruin his life. He tried to marry my sister for her fortune, and I prevented him. He is a gambler and a liar, Miss Bennet, and you should not believe his stories."
Elizabeth was shocked by this revelation. Was it possible that Wickham had lied to her?
"And your family," Darcy said, "your mother's behaviour, your younger sisters' silliness—I could not marry you and subject myself to such connections."
Elizabeth was furious. "You have insulted me and my family," she said. "You have shown no regard for my feelings. Do you think I could ever care for a man like you?"
"No," Darcy said quietly. "I understand now."
He turned and left the room, leaving Elizabeth alone with her anger and confusion.
Over the next few days, Elizabeth struggled with her feelings. She was angry at Darcy for his pride and his interference, but she could not stop thinking about his proposal.
Why had he proposed to her when he clearly disliked her family? What had he meant when he said he had struggled to deny his feelings?
And what about Wickham? Had Darcy told the truth about him? Or had Wickham deceived her?
She did not know what to believe anymore.