Chapter nine: Comprehension
True love will triumph in the end –which may or may not be a lie, but if it is a lie, then it is the most beautiful lie we have.
Elizabeth was in the grand library of Pemberley, reading Byron again, when the Darcy brothers came in. She immediately closed the book and looked straight at them, observing their figures, until they finally sat on the couch.
"What are you reading Elizabeth?" Georgiana asked and looked at her brother.
"Byron." She simply said.
She touched his hand and said "But I thought you did not prefer him"
"Indeed" she smiled "But I have started reading this and it would be a shame not to finish it."
"I though that you preferred Byron, when you were about to sleep" Darcy interrupted.
She laughed "That is true, indeed" She smiled to him. It was one of those rare smiled of reassurance. She faced –or seemed to face- the whole world for a moment and then he focused upon it. She comprehended you as much as you wanted to be understood, she believed in you as much as you wanted to be believed she reassured you that she had the exact same impression, which you hope to have at your best moments and you wished to give it to others.
"But do tell me what is your opinion about love?" he asked as though he had a hard time to breathe.
"Oh love.." she paused to think "Love is life. All, everything I understand, I understand only because I love. Everything is, everything exists because I love." He smiled, pleased with her answer, still holding his sister's hand. "But, I would love to hear what a man like you believes about that sentiment."
"What I think about love." He laughed ironically "It is an illusion"
"What about religion?" she asked again
"The fashionable substitute for belief" he replied quickly, looking intensively at her.
"You are sceptic."
"Never! Sceptism is the beginning of faith."
"What are you?" she asked as though her life depended on his answer.
"To define is to limit."
Georgiana quickly replied, before Elizabeth could respond "You speak, brother, as though you have no feelings, that you see the world like a mathematical equation. But I know very well that this is not true." She paused and turned her look on Elizabeth "What do you think Elizabeth?"
Her heart almost stopped, but when she felt Darcy's eyes upon her, she blushed. "I think that Georgiana is right. You speak as though you find comfort in crushing someone's optimism."
"But I do not, I assure you" he paused "I am nothing special; of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've lived a common life. There are no monuments decided to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another person with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough"
She smiled to him. She smiled like she understood his meaning, which she did. She meant her, and when she realized, she blushed. "I am sure"
And that led Darcy to the belief that miracles, no matter how inexplicable or unbelievable are, they can occur without regard to the natural of things. How blessed he felt that moment, when he finally realized that Elizabeth never doubted his love, that she was giving in. At least, he could sleep peaceful at night from now on.
"Do you think that everything happens for a reason?" Elizabeth asked.
"Most certainly. We become stronger after every fight, afterall what does not kill you makes you stronger, does it not? Things happen for a reason, just to give us the time to realize what we want and need, and finally get prepared to fight for our finest hour." he replied with his severe voice and he stopped holding his sister's hand.
"I believe that we must struggle to get the desires of our heart, even if the attempts are going to fail." Georgiana interrupted looking Elizabeth. Was that a warning? That she should fight for her brother's love, but that she had it. She knew that he loved her, what she had not was him. She was not in her possession. "I think we must always be aware of the possibility of total defeat, whether the reason for that defeat seems right or wrong, an early taste of death is not necessarily a bad thing."
Realizing her meaning, Elizabeth said "How shall I lose the sin, yet keep the sense and love the offender, but yet detest the offence?"
"That is something, dearest Elizabeth, you have to decide alone. Whether you are capable of doing half of them while you would ignore the rest." Georgiana replied. But how could Elizabeth find the courage to reveal her feelings to Darcy, when she knew that he was prepared to make his own path, away from her? How could that be so selfish not to think of others and the disaster she would cause?
"Are you talking of something specific?" Darcy asked innocently, because honestly he had no idea what they were referring to.
"No!" they both yelled the same time.
"I should leave you, pray excuse me. I have a new piece from Schubert that I have to finish."
But, before anyone would protest, she was gone. After couple of seconds Elizabeth finally spoke "Mr. Darcy, I do not want to impose on your hospitality any longer. You should probably want to stay with your sister."
Darcy looked at her. He wanted to remember her features and expression, by looking at her he could feel the light inside of him. He could feel his bones, moving. "Do not worry. You are welcome to stay as much as you wish"
She nodded. "Are you well?"
"I am fine." he simply replied
"I am sorry that I have not yet congratulate you"
Darcy immediately stood up "What for?"
"Your wedding."
Immediately, he walked towards the window, he found a comfortable position and looked outside. It was the door, which distracted him from his thoughts and then he remembered that he was talking with Elizabeth. He looked around with his eyes, to find her from, but in vain she was already on the hall. Understanding that he wanted some privacy, that he needed to think, Elizabeth exited the room. But, the truth was not only that. In fact, she could not longer hold her tears. She loved the man, for chrissake! But, before she could reach her chamber, a hand grabbed her arm, making her stop. It was Darcy.
He made her turned around and face him "I am sorry"
"What for?"
"For everything." He simply said and pushed her a little bit closer towards him. "Why are you crying?"
"I am not" she lied
"Do not play with me, Elizabeth, I do not deserve it"
"I have ruined everything, have I not?"
"No, you have not. We both did" he replied and pushed her towards him, now she was almost in his arms
"I am sorry, for hurting you"
He laughed. "I do not have a heart, have you not heard?"
She laughed and Darcy wiped her tears with his thumb. "Everything will be as they should be, will they not? You said that everything happens for a reason"
"Yes." He touched her cheek with his palm "True love will triumph in the end –which may or may not be a lie, but if it is a lie, then it is the most beautiful lie we have."
"It is not"
Many of you keep asking things and some of you are guests, so I cannot reply you personally. So here are the answers.
*Why the last two chapter are so depressing?
I am very fond of my story and I am trying to write it the best way I can. So, I thought it more accurate to portray their feelings, the best way I could. I wanted to make their sentiments more understandable in a way that the reader could feel them, as though they were his. Think that the characters believe that their love is doomed and that they will never be together. It is natural to feel that way, I believe.
*Are they going to be together in the end?
Yes, I've always believed that true love is going to triumph in the end, no matter what the reasons of their breakup are. Love is a strong feeling that cannot be muted. So, in the case of our couple, happy ending is going to happen soon. In fact, they will be together shortly than you think.
*Why Darcy got engaged to Anne?
When he confessed his love to Elizabeth for the second time, he did not got any reply. He said that he will not going to bring up those affections again, if she does not want to. So, as desperated and heartbroken was he, he finally consented to marry Anne, as it was expected. He believed that he was doomed and he had not another option.
*Are they going to untangle their misunderstanding?
Yes, indeed they are going to. Very soon. Elizabeth is going to give him the reason why she did not return his affections, even if she wanted to.
If you have any other questions, please ask, I would love to answer them. I hope that you are not so disappointed with me and that you will continue to read my story. Tell me what you think! Please review and follow. I cannot continue if you are not. I want to heat your opinions.
Btw. I hope that many of you are happy with this chapter, since you are so eager to get them together and solve their misunderstandings.