Oh, I knew it would all come out right in the end!
My dear Lydia! She will be married.
Oh, my good, kind brother! I knew how it would be. I knew he would manage everything.
And she MUST be married in Longbourn. It's nonsense, her being married in Cheapside!
She must marry where her friends can see her. That is not possible, you must see that.
I do NOT see that! Why should I? Why should that be?
She has been living with Mr Wickham, and if she were to return unmarried still...
I suppose it must be. It is vexing. And your uncle was most high-handed. I don't see why he should do so much.
Mama, we are greatly indebted to Mr Gardiner!
Paying off Mr Wickham's debts must have cost him greatly... More than we can repay.
And why should he not?! He is her own uncle? Mother!
Oh, well! I am SO happy! A daughter married, and only just sixteen!
"Mrs Wickham." Ooh, how well that sounds!
Oh, but the wedding clothes! Lizzy, dear, ask your father how much he will give her.
MRS BENNET: 'As soon as I am dressed I shall go to Meryton and tell my sister Phillips.
'Ring for Hill. An airing will do me a great deal of good, I'm sure.
'And I shall call on Lady Lucas and Mrs Long. Oh, Jane!'
Papa.
'Jane, it's such wonderful news!
'Oh, where is Hill?
'Hill, have you heard the news?'
Shut the door, Lizzy.
MRS BENNET CONTINUES FLUSTERING
Someone, at least, finds pleasure in these events.
But considering what we thought... only a few hours ago, it's not SO bad, is it?
Do you think uncle paid a great deal of money? I do.
Wickham's a fool if he takes her with a farthing less than £10,000.
Ten thousand pounds!
Oh, heaven forbid! How is half such a sum to be repaid?
I wish I had laid by funds to bribe worthless young men to marry my daughters, but I have not.
The reason was, of course... I intended to father a son.
The son would inherit the estate in its entirety, so providing for my widow...and any other children.
By the time we abandoned hope of producing an heir, it seemed late to begin saving.
You could not have foreseen this.
I should have taken better care of you all.
The satisfaction of prevailing upon a worthless young man
might then have rested in its proper place.
But it is done with extraordinary little inconvenience to myself.
When you think what I shall save on Lydia's board and pocket allowance,
I am scarcely £10 a year worse off.
I'm heartily ashamed of myself, Lizzy.
But don't despair,
it will pass...
and no doubt, more quickly than it should.
Where is everyone?
Dearly beloved,
we are gathered here...
MR GARDINER: "Mr Wickham is to leave the militia for a northern regiment.
"Some among his former friends will assist in purchasing a commission.
"I have requested Colonel Forster to satisfy Mr Wickham's creditors in Brighton,
"for which I have pledged myself.
"Perhaps you will be so good as to do the same for his creditors in Meryton
"of whom I enclose...a list...
"according to his information.
"I hope, at least, he has not deceived us..." Let us ALL hope so.
"..As soon as they are married they will journey to join his regiment in Newcastle,
"unless they are first invited to Longbourn."
Oh, my dear Mr Bennet, of course they must come here! I long to see my dear Lydia.
And dear Wickham too, of course. >
But it is shocking that poor Lydia >
was sent away from Brighton...and such a favourite with the officers.
She liked several young men there very much.
And they will miss HER. Northern officers may not be so pleasant. >
I am sure Lydia will find it easy to find friends as silly as she is in Newcastle.
She makes a spectacle of herself - wherever.
If they ARE to leave Brighton, they should come to Hertfordshire - Haye Park maybe,
if the Goldings quit, or Stoke, if the drawing rooms were larger.
Or Purvis Lodge. Oh, no, dear, not Purvis Lodge - the attics there are dreadful!
< Mrs Bennet, before you take ANY,
or ALL of these houses, know that into one house in the neighbourhood they shall never have admittance -
Mr and Mrs Wickham will never be welcome to Longbourn.
MRS BENNET GIGGLES
It seems an age since we were here, and here you all are, just the same.
Oh! My dear, dear Lydia! At last!
I do believe you've grown! We've missed you! We've been far too merry to miss any of you!
Well, here we are! Haven't I caught myself a handsome husband?
Indeed you have, my love. You are very welcome, sir.
You are all kindness, ma'am... as always.
Oh, let me give you a kiss, then.
Well, shall we go in? Oh!
No, Jane,
I take your place now. You must go lower because I am a married woman.
"Mrs Wickham."
How droll that sounds!
< THEY LAUGH
Do YOU like my husband, Lizzy? Do you envy me, for you liked him once?
Not at all.
Had you come to Brighton, I could have got husbands for all of you.
Thank you, but I don't like your way of getting husbands.
Isn't my husband a fine horseman?
Colonel Forster said his seat is as good as any officer in the regiment.
Oh!
I wish he'd worn his red coat at the wedding with a guard of honour,
but the officers had their duties.
No-one was there but Aunt, Uncle and Mr Darcy.
Mr Darcy?!
Mr Darcy was at your wedding? Oh, yes. Someone had to be Wickham's groomsman.
I'd much rather it had been Denny...
Oh, Lord!
Oh, Lord, I forgot.
I promised them faithfully I wouldn't say a word.
What will Wickham say now? It was supposed to be a secret.
"My dear aunt, pray write and tell me how he of all people should have been there,
"unless you too are bound in the secrecy Lydia thinks necessary."
"My dear niece, your letter surprised me.
"If you are indeed ignorant of the part Mr Darcy played in Lydia's marriage,
"let me enlighten you at once.
"Mr Darcy paid us an unexpected visit...
"..And so, my dear Lizzy, Mr Darcy would brook no opposition.
"He insisted on doing everything and bearing the entirety of the expense.
"And your uncle, instead of being allowed to be of use to his niece,
"was forced to put up with having the credit of it."
I must be allowed to insist on this.
The fault is mine, and so must the remedy be.
It was through my mistaken pride
that Mr Wickham has not been exposed.
Had I not thought it base to reveal my private deeds, he would have been exposed,
and they would not have eloped. >
You take too much upon yourself.
I must insist on this. >
I assure you that argument is fruitless.
The responsibility is mine. I must have it, sir. I shall not give way.
My dear sister.
I am afraid I'm interrupting your solitary reverie. You are indeed.
But it doesn't follow that the interruption is unwelcome.
I should be sorry if it were. You and I were always good friends.
True.
Then, shall we take a turn together...sister?
I was surprised to see Darcy in town last month.
We passed each other several times.
I wonder what he could be doing there.
Perhaps preparing for the wedding...
with Miss de Bourgh.
Yes, perhaps.
It must be something particular to take him there now. Undoubtedly.
Did you see him while you were at Lambton? The Gardiners told me that you had.
Yes. He introduced us to his sister.
And did you like her? Yes, I did like her, very much indeed.
I heard she is uncommonly improved lately. When I last saw her, she was not very promising.
I am glad you liked her. I hope she turns out well. She will. She's over the most trying age.
Did you go through Kympton? I don't recollect... It was the living I should have had.
And how should you have liked making sermons?
Exceedingly well.
I did hear there was a time when sermon making was not so palatable to you as now,
that you declared your resolution of never taking orders and were compensated accordingly. Well...
Oh, come, Mr Wickham, we are brother and sister.
Let us not quarrel about the past.
GENERAL CHATTER
­ Oh, Lydia, when shall we meet again?
Not these two or three years perhaps.
Not these two or three years! What shall I do?
And Mr Bennet refusing to take us to the North Country!
I should refuse to go! Who asked you?!
Oh, Lydia, you will write to me often, won't you? Well, I don't know.
We married women do not have time. My sisters may write -
they will have nothing better to do. Oh, Lydia!
Oh, Mr Wickham, take care of my girl.
I shall, as best I can. And thank you both for your unstinting kindness and hospitality.
And to you, my dear sisters-in-law,
now as dear to me as sisters ever could be.
But the carriage awaits, duty and honour call me to the North, so come, my dear.
Let us say not farewell, but as the French have it - au revoir!
He's a fine fellow(!) He simpers and smirks and makes love to us all.
I AM proud of him - I defy Sir William Lucas himself to produce such a son-in-law.
MUSIC: Variations on Paisello's "Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento" by Beethoven
MUSIC CONTINUES
MUSIC DROWNS MRS BENNET'S COMPLAINTS
'Sister! Sister! Have you heard the news?
'Mr Bingley is coming back to Netherfield
'and the whole town is talking of it.'
No, I do assure you, this news does NOT affect me. Truly, Lizzy.
I AM glad of one thing...
that he does not bring any ladies.
If it is a shooting party, we shall see little of him.
I am not afraid of myself,
but I dread other people's remarks, Lizzy.
Then I shall venture none... however sorely I am tempted.
It IS hard he can't come to a house he's rented without raising speculation. I agree.
Then we shall leave him to himself. Yes.
Stop it, Lizzy.
THREE DAYS he has been in the neighbourhood, and still shuns us!
It's your father's fault - he would NOT do his duty and call,
so you shall all die old maids!
The Collinses will let us starve in the hedgerows!
Last year you said that if I visited him, he'd marry one of my daughters. He didn't!
I won't go on a fool's errand again.
Mama! Mama! Look! I think he is coming!
Is it really him?
I believe it must be. He is come, Jane!
At last! Put on your blue gown.
No! Stay there! < Who's with him?
Oh, I don't know. Some acquaintance.
It looks like that man he was with before. What's his name?
That tall, proud one. MRS BENNET: Mr Darcy!
I believe it is.
Any friend of Mr Bingley's will always be welcome here, to be sure.
But else, I hate the sight of him!
But I will be civil...
if only because he is a friend of Bingley's. Sit up straight, Jane!
A man would go a long way to see a figure like yours, if only you made the most of it.
DOOR SHUTS Oh!
Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy, ma'am.
Mr Bingley, you are very, very welcome.
Good day. It is too long since you were here and kind of you to call.
Mr Bennet would have paid his addresses before, were it not...
Well, here you are. I am delighted.
And Mr Darcy...
you are welcome, too.
We thought you might not come back. People said you would quit the place by Michaelmas.
But I hope, however, that is not true. Ring the bell for tea, Kitty.
Many changes have taken place since you left.
Miss Lucas is married. AND one of my daughters.
I expect you heard. You must have read it in the papers. Indeed. I...
It only said, "George Wickham, Esq, to Miss Lydia Bennet" - no mention of her family or home.
And now they are gone to Newcastle and there they are to stay. I don't know how long.
He's gone into the Regulars.
Thank heaven he has SOME friends, though not as many as he deserves.
Do you mean to stay long on this visit?
Er... Our plans are not yet firmly settled,
but I hope... I hope we shall stay some weeks.
I hope very much we shall stay a few weeks...
..at the very least.
When you have killed all your own birds, I beg you shoot those here
on Mr Bennet's manor - I'm sure he will be vastly happy to oblige you.
I suppose you may bring your friends...if you will.
Now that this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly at ease. Good.
Now I know my own strength. And I shall not now be embarrassed by him.
We shall be able to meet now as...as common and indifferent acquaintances.
Yes, very indifferent(!)
Jane, take care.
Don't think me to be in any danger now, Lizzy.
I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.
You knew she was in London all that time and you kept it from me?!
Yes. It was an arrogant presumption based on a failure to recognise YOUR true feelings...and Miss Bennet's.
I should never have interfered. I was wrong and I apologise.
Do you admit you were in the wrong? Utterly and completely.
Then...I have your blessing?
Do you need my blessing?
No. But I should like to know I have it, all the same. Then go to it.
Bring me my horse at once. Quick, man!
MRS BENNET: Jane!
Jane! Oh, my dear Jane!
What is the matter? He is come! He is come!
Who is come? Mr Bingley, of course! Make haste! >
Hurry down! Oh, gracious, you are not half dressed! Hill! HILL!
Oh, where is Hill?
Sarah, come along to Miss Bennet now and help her on with her gown!
< Never mind Miss Lizzy's hair! Mama, where is my locket from Lydia?
Mary, do you know? I care nothing for such baubles.
Oh, never mind your locket, girl!
Jane, stir yourself. He is here! He is here!
Lizzy and I will be down soon. Let Kitty go.
Oh, hang Kitty! What has SHE to do with it? Jane, be quick! Where is your muslin dress?
Oh, Hill! Hill! Where is Hill?!
So, Mr Darcy has gone to town? Yes, ma'am, he left this morning.
What's the matter, Mama? Why do you keep winking at me?
What am I to do? < Wink at you?!
Why should I wink at you, child? What a notion! Winking at my own daughter!
But now you ask, it puts me in mind, I DO have something I would speak to you about. Come.
Come with me.
And you, Mary. Come!
DOOR OPENS
Er, Miss Elizabeth, er...
you're needed upstairs.
Mother, please let me go to Jane. I promised to stay with her.
Stay where you are. Five more minutes will do the trick.
Oh! I am so sorry. No. No, don't go, Lizzy.
INAUDIBLE
Well?
Oh, Lizzy!
I'm so happy! It is too much! It is too much. Oh, why can't everyone be as happy as I am?
He loves me, Lizzy! He loves me. Of course he does.
He said he always loved me. He didn't believe...
I must tell Mama. He is gone to Papa already.
Oh, Lizzy, could you believe things would end in this happy way? I could, and I do.
I must go to my mother.
Oh, Lizzy, to know I shall be giving such pleasure to all my dear family!
How shall I bear so much happiness?
Come back tomorrow, sir, if you can bear to. Come and shoot with me.
There are few men I can tolerate with equanimity, but you may be one.
Thank you, sir, I shall be happy to. Be along with you.
Till tomorrow, then.
Jane, congratulations. You will be a very happy woman. Thank you, Father.
I believe I shall. You're a good girl.
And I've no doubt you'll do very well together.
You're each so complying that nothing will ever be resolved on. Papa!
So easy, that servants will cheat you. No.
So generous, you will exceed your income.
Exceed their income! What ARE you talking about? Don't you know he has 5,000 a year?!
Oh, my dear, dear Jane. I am SO happy!
I knew how it would be. I knew you were not so beautiful for nothing!
He is the handsomest man that was ever seen!
Oh, Lizzy!
If only I could see you as happy.
If there were only such another man for you.
If you were to give me forty such men, I could never be as happy as you.
Till I have your goodness, I can never have your happiness.
BUT...perhaps if I have VERY good luck,
I may, in time, meet with another Mr Collins!
Mama! Lizzy! Come and look! The most enormous carriage has arrived.
< What an extremely small hall!
If you await here, your Ladyship, I'll tell my mistress you're here.
No, I will not wait! Where is she? Is this the drawing room?
Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
That lady,
I suppose, is your mother?
Yes, she is. Mama, this is Lady Catherine de Bourgh.
And THAT, I suppose, is one of your sisters. Yes, ma'am.
She is my youngest girl but one. My youngest of all is lately married.
You have a very small park here.
And this must be a MOST inconvenient sitting room for summer evenings.
Why, the windows are full west.
Indeed they are, your Ladyship, but we never sit in here after dinner.
We have... Miss Bennet...
There seemed to be a prettyish kind of little wilderness on one side of your lawn.
I should be glad to take a turn in it...IF you would favour me with your company.
You must surely understand the reason for my journey, Miss Bennet.
You are mistaken, madam, I cannot explain the honour of seeing you(!)
Miss Bennet,
you ought to know I am NOT to be trifled with.
But however insincere YOU choose to be, you shall not find ME so.
An ALARMING report reached me two days ago.
Not only was your sister to be most advantageously married,
but YOU, Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would be soon after united to my own nephew, Mr Darcy!
I know it is a scandalous falsehood,
but I resolved on setting off for this place to make my sentiments known to you.
If you thought it impossible, why come? What would you propose by it?
To insist upon having such a report universally contradicted!
Your visit will be seen to confirm it, if indeed such a report exists.
This is not to be borne! Tell me. Has my nephew made you an offer of marriage?
You declared it impossible! It ought to be.
But your arts may have made him forget what he owes to himself and all his family.
You may have drawn him in. If I had, I should be the last to confess it.
Miss Bennet, do you KNOW who I am?
I am not accustomed to such language as this!
I am almost his nearest relation and am entitled to know his nearest concerns.
But not mine! And you do not induce me to be explicit.
Let me be rightly understood!
This match you presumptuously aspire to, can never take place.
Mr Darcy is engaged to MY daughter. Now what have you to say?
If he IS so, you can have no reason to think he'll make an offer to ME.
Their engagement is of a peculiar kind.
From infancy,
they were intended for each other - his mother wished it, as did hers.
With her in her cradle we planned the union.
And now, to be prevented by the upstart pretensions of a young woman without
family connections or fortune!
Is this to be endured?! It shall not be.
Your alliance would be a disgrace!
Your name would never be mentioned. These would be heavy misfortunes indeed(!)
Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you!
I have not been in the habit of brooking disappointment.
That will make YOUR situation more pitiable, but will not affect me.
I will NOT be interrupted!
If you were sensible, you would not quit the sphere of your upbringing.
Lady Catherine,
marrying your nephew would not be quitting that sphere.
He is a gentleman, I am a gentleman's daughter. We are equal.
Who is your mother? Your family? I am not unaware of their condition.
But if your nephew does not object to them, they can be nothing to you.
Once and for all, are you engaged to him?!
I am not.
And will you promise me never to enter into such an engagement?
I will make no promise of the kind.
But... Do not importune me any further.
Not so hasty, if you please! I have another objection.
Your youngest sister's infamous elopement - I know it all!
Is such a girl to be my nephew's sister-in-law? Is Pemberley to be thus polluted?
You can have nothing further to say.
You have insulted me by every possible method. I must beg to return to the house.
You have no regard, then, for the honour and credit of my nephew?!
Unfeeling, selfish girl!
You refuse to oblige me?
You refuse the claims of duty...
honour...gratitude?
You are determined to ruin him, and make him the contempt of the world!
I will act so as to constitute my own happiness,
without reference to you, or to any person so unconnected with me.
And THIS is your final resolve?
Very well! I shall know how to act!
I take no leave of you, Miss Bennet.
I send no compliments to your mother. You deserve no such attention.
I am most seriously displeased. Drive on!
Lizzy! There you are. Come here.
I received a letter this morning which astonished me exceedingly...
from Mr Collins.
What does HE say? He congratulates me on Jane's approaching nuptials.
But I shan't sport with your intelligence by reading his remarks.
Ah, yes. Here. "Your daughter Elizabeth, it is presumed,
"will not long bear the name Bennet, her eldest sister having resigned it,
"and her chosen partner is one of the most illustrious personages in the land."
Can you guess who he means, Lizzy? Hm? Now...now it comes out.
"My motive for cautioning is this -
"his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, does not look on the match with a friendly eye."
Mr Darcy, you see, is the man. Mr Darcy of all men!
He never looks at a woman except to see a blemish! Are you not diverted?
Oh, yes. Mr Darcy probably never looked at you in his life before!
This is admirable! But you look as if you didn't enjoy it.
You won't be Missish and pretend to be affronted by an idle report?
No, no, I am excessively diverted. It's all so strange.
What said Lady Catherine de Bourgh? She came to refuse her consent, eh?
Well, what do we live for, but to make sport for our neighbours and laugh at them in our turn?
True...true.
DOOR OPENS
Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy, ma'am.
Good day to you.
Mr Bingley.
This is a fine day. Should we perhaps all walk toward Meryton?
Lizzy!
Do you mind if I run down this lane to call on Maria Lucas? Not at all.
Mr Darcy, I can go no longer without thanking you for your kindness to my poor sister.
Ever since I have known of it, I have been most anxious to tell you how grateful I am...
for my family, and for myself.
Don't blame my aunt for telling me. Lydia spoke first and I couldn't rest till I knew everything.
I know the trouble and the... mortification it must have cost you.
Please let me say this, please allow me to thank you on behalf of all my family,
since they don't know to whom they are indebted.
If you WILL thank me, let it be for yourself alone. Your family owes me nothing.
As much as I respect them, I thought only of you.
You would not trifle with me. If you feel as you did in April, tell me so.
My affections and wishes are unchanged.
But one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.
Oh, my feelings...
my feelings are...
I am ashamed to remember what I said then.
My feelings are so different.
In fact...
they are quite the opposite.
Lady Catherine told me of her meeting with you.
Her disclosure had the opposite effect to the one she intended.
It taught me to hope, as I'd barely allowed myself to before.
Had you decided against me, I knew you would have declared it openly.
You know enough of my frankness to believe me capable of that.
After abusing you, I could have no scruple abusing you to your family!
You said nothing I did not deserve.
My behaviour then was unpardonable. I think of it with abhorrence.
Your reproof I shall never forget - "had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner".
Those words tortured me. I did not think they would be taken in such a way.
That I believe. You thought me devoid of every proper feeling.
I shall never forget when you said I could not have addressed you in any way to induce you to accept me.
Oh, do not repeat what I said then!
No, I have been selfish all my life.
As a child I learnt good principles, but followed them in pride and conceit.
And such I might still have been, but for you...
dearest, loveliest Elizabeth.
JANE: Engaged to Mr Darcy?!
No, you are joking. It is impossible.
This is a wretched beginning. If YOU don't believe me, I'm sure no-one else will.
Indeed, I am in earnest.
He still loves me, and we are engaged.
No, Lizzy, it can't be true. I know how much you dislike him! No. It is all forgotten.
Perhaps I didn't always love him as well as I do now, but...
in such cases, a good memory is unpardonable.
Dearest Lizzy, DO be serious.
How long have you loved him?
It's been coming on so gradually, I hardly know.
But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley!
Lizzy!
Are you out of your senses to accept him?!
Have you not always hated him?
Papa...
I gave him my consent. He's the kind of man to whom I should never dare refuse anything.
Let me advise you to think the better of it.
I know your disposition, Lizzy.
My child, let me not have the grief of seeing YOU unable to respect your partner in life.
He's rich, to be sure, but will he make you happy?
Have you any objections apart from your belief in my indifference? No.
We know he is proud and unpleasant, but this would be nothing if you really liked him.
I do.
I DO like him.
I love him.
Indeed, he has no improper pride.
He is perfectly amiable.
If you only knew his generous nature.
I didn't always love him.
But I love him now so VERY dearly.
He is truly the best man I have ever known.
Well, my dear, if this be the case... he deserves you.
I could not have parted with you to anyone less worthy, Lizzy.
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God and in the face of this congregation
to join together this man and this woman...
..and this man and this woman in holy matrimony
which is an honourable estate,
instituted by God in the time of man's innocency,
signifying unto us the mystical union between Christ and his Church
and, therefore, is not by any to be enterprised lightly or wantonly
to satisfy man's carnal lusts and appetites,
but reverently, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God,
duly considering the causes for which matrimony was ordained.
First, it was ordained for the procreation of children.
Secondly, as a remedy against sin,
and to avoid fornication.
Thirdly,
for the mutual society, help and comfort the one ought to have of the other,
both in prosperity and adversity,
into which holy estate these persons present come now to be joined.
Three daughters married! Oh, God has been very good to us. So it would seem.
Subtitles by Kathy Jenkins BBC - 1995
E-mail us at subtitling@bbc.co.uk