Pride and Prejudice Chapter 59 Summary

  • That evening, while the family talks and plays together, Elizabeth wonders how she'll tell her parents about her engagement.
  • She starts by telling Jane, who is confused—doesn't Lizzy hate Darcy?—but happy for her once Lizzy explains that she actually loves the guy.
  • They stay up half the night talking and Elizabeth also reveals Darcy's role in Lydia's marriage.
  • The next morning, Bingley finagles it so that Darcy and Elizabeth are able to go for a long walk together—alone.
  • Mrs. Bennet apologizes to Elizabeth that she has to spend so much time with the nasty Mr. Darcy but "it is only for Jane's sake" so that she can spend time alone with Mr. Bingley.
  • On their long walk, Elizabeth and Darcy decide he will talk to Mr. Bennet and Elizabeth will talk to her mother.
  • Elizabeth doesn't know whether her mother will be happy because Mr. Darcy is fabulously wealthy, or unhappy because she doesn't like him.
  • After Mr. Darcy returns from her father's study, she goes in so he can make sure that she's not just marrying him for his money.
  • Elizabeth's all, "But you don't know what he's really like!" Finally, Mr. Bennet gives his blessing.
  • Then, and only then, Elizabeth tells him what Darcy did for Lydia.
  • Now it is up to Elizabeth to convince her mother. At first, she doesn't say anything—not a word, not a single syllable.
  • And then she begins to fuss about how rich Elizabeth will be; she is so happy, so charmed, such a nice handsome man, so tall! And so rich!
  • The best part is that Mrs. Bennet is so in awe of Darcy that she says almost nothing to him the next day, except to defer to his opinion.
  • Mr. Bennet claims that Wickham is his favorite son-in-law (sarcasm at work here), but he likes Mr. Darcy already, just as much as he likes Mr. Bingley.