Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth tells Mr Darcy of Lydia's elopement

“Oh! where, where is my uncle?” cried Elizabeth, darting from her seat as she finished the letter, in eagerness to follow him, without losing a moment of the time so precious; but as she reached the door it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared. Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start, and before he could recover himself to speak, she, in whose mind every idea was superseded by Lydia’s situation, hastily exclaimed, “I beg your pardon, but I must leave you. I must find Mr. Gardiner this moment, on business that cannot be delayed; I have not an instant to lose.”

“Good God! what is the matter?” cried he, with more feeling than politeness; then recollecting himself, “I will not detain you a minute; but let me, or let the servant go after Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. You are not well enough; you cannot go yourself.”

Elizabeth hesitated, but her knees trembled under her and she felt how little would be gained by her attempting to pursue them. Calling back the servant, therefore, she commissioned him, though in so breathless an accent as made her almost unintelligible, to fetch his master and mistress home instantly.

On his quitting the room she sat down, unable to support herself, and looking so miserably ill, that it was impossible for Darcy to leave her, or to refrain from saying, in a tone of gentleness and commiseration, “Let me call your maid. Is there nothing you could take to give you present relief? A glass of wine; shall I get you one? You are very ill.”

“No, I thank you,” she replied, endeavouring to recover herself. “There is nothing the matter with me. I am quite well; I am only distressed by some dreadful news which I have just received from Longbourn.”

She burst into tears as she alluded to it, and for a few minutes could not speak another word. Darcy, in wretched suspense, could only say something indistinctly of his concern, and observe her in compassionate silence. At length she spoke again. “I have just had a letter from Jane, with such dreadful news. It cannot be concealed from anyone. My younger sister has left all her friends — has eloped; has thrown herself into the power of — of Mr. Wickham. They are gone off together from Brighton. You know him too well to doubt the rest. She has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt him to — she is lost for ever.”

Darcy was fixed in astonishment. “When I consider,” she added in a yet more agitated voice, “that I might have prevented it! I, who knew what he was. Had I but explained some part of it only — some part of what I learnt, to my own family! Had his character been known, this could not have happened. But it is all — all too late now.”

“I am grieved indeed,” cried Darcy; “grieved — shocked. But is it certain — absolutely certain?”

“Oh, yes! They left Brighton together on Sunday night, and were traced almost to London, but not beyond; they are certainly not gone to Scotland.”

“And what has been done, what has been attempted, to recover her?”

“My father is gone to London, and Jane has written to beg my uncle’s immediate assistance; and we shall be off, I hope, in half-an-hour. But nothing can be done — I know very well that nothing can be done. How is such a man to be worked on? How are they even to be discovered? I have not the smallest hope. It is every way horrible!”

Darcy shook his head in silent acquiescence.

“When my eyes were opened to his real character — Oh! had I known what I ought, what I dared to do! But I knew not — I was afraid of doing too much. Wretched, wretched mistake!”

Darcy made no answer. He seemed scarcely to hear her, and was walking up and down the room in earnest meditation, his brow contracted, his air gloomy. Elizabeth soon observed, and instantly understood it. Her power was sinking; everything must sink under such a proof of family weakness, such an assurance of the deepest disgrace. She could neither wonder nor condemn, but the belief of his self-conquest brought nothing to her consolatory to her bosom, afforded no palliation of her distress. It was, on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain.

But self, though it would intrude, could not engross her. Lydia — the humiliation, the misery she was bringing on them all, soon swallowed up every private care; and covering her face with her handkerchief, Elizabeth was soon lost to everything else; and, after a pause of several minutes, was only recalled to a sense of her situation by the voice of her companion, who, in a manner which, though it spoke compassion, spoke likewise restraint, said, “I am afraid you have been long desiring my absence, nor have I anything to plead in excuse of my stay, but real, though unavailing concern. Would to Heaven that anything could be either said or done on my part that might offer consolation to such distress! But I will not torment you with vain wishes, which may seem purposely to ask for your thanks. This unfortunate affair will, I fear, prevent my sister’s having the pleasure of seeing you at Pemberley to-day.”

“Oh, yes. Be so kind as to apologise for us to Miss Darcy. Say that urgent business calls us home immediately. Conceal the unhappy truth as long as it is possible, I know it cannot be long.”

He readily assured her of his secrecy; again expressed his sorrow for her distress, wished it a happier conclusion than there was at present reason to hope, and leaving his compliments for her relations, with only one serious, parting look, went away.

As he quitted the room, Elizabeth felt how improbable it was that they should ever see each other again on such terms of cordiality as had marked their several meetings in Derbyshire; and as she threw a retrospective glance over the whole of their acquaintance, so full of contradictions and varieties, sighed at the perverseness of those feelings which would now have promoted its continuance, and would formerly have rejoiced in its termination.

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 46

This after they make eyes at the piano and he's about to re-propose... he walks in with such swagger and it pains him to see her in distress. Ah Firths acting is gorgeous... and the hand touching ... i think in his mind he's so in love he forgets they arent engadged- because that was possibly his intention with this visit...

Was Darcy heading over to propose to Elizabeth a second time?

Brooo....Darcy looks like he's about to kill Wickham......

Lizzie: “She’s lost forever, and our whole family must partake of her ruin and disgrace.”
Darcy, ready to find Wickham and kick his ass: Alright, imma head out.

Lizzie: Goodbye. now my family is ruined and you must be disgusted and will never love me again
Darcy: Goodbye. worry not, my love, i'm gonna find that little bitch and KILL HIM for you

Love that the dialog is exactly the same as in the novel

It actually kind of is Darcy's fault because it was his letter that told her about Wickham that asked her for absolute secrecy. If she had shared the letter with her father in order to prevent Lydia's going off to Brighton that would have broken his trust in her and they would have never ended up together. Or at least not quickly cuz it would have taken him time to forgive her for sharing information she was supposed to shut up about. In asking for her secrecy and not telling Mr Bennett himself in order to prevent any nonsense with Lydia and kitty because he knew exactly how Untamed those girls were. He saw how they behaved at Nether field. Even if he did not send Mr Bennett a letter until after the first failed proposal it still would have prevented Lydia being allowed to go to Brighton. And letters between men were kept under the utmost secrecy in the Regency times because they often involved legal or business matters. His failure to do any of these things to protect the credibility of the Bennett sisters means that Lydia's situation is at least partially his fault by the morality standards of the time.

A woman keeping a man's Secret would have been absolutely expected of her if he asked for it concerning literally anything that wasn't illegal. So Elizabeth even sharing it with Jane was really more than she was supposed to do. But if it had gone anything beyond the two of them Darcy wouldn't have ever been able to forgive her. He being the man should have known to tell her father. Even if only for the sake of what had been after the first rejected proposal.

This is one of my favorite scenes by far because it shows how much Elizabeth trusts Darcy that she’s willing to open up to him and let him know what’s going on, believing that he will keep the secret, which of course he does. It’s also one of the first times we see Darcy express genuine, tender emotion in his concern for her. Flawless performances from Jennifer and Colin; the showrunners captured lightning in a bottle when they made this miniseries.

The shudder he gives when Lizzie tells him about Wickham and says "you know him to well to doubt the rest..." is just classic. I can only imagine what went through his head as he imagined what Wickham was capable of with Lydia.

He never says goodbye back

This is how upper class British Gentlemen of that era express seething anger…Scandalous behaviour like that of Lydia and Wickham could destroy the lives, reputation and Social standing of the whole family and even others associated with them. Reputation was everything.

I wish Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle knew we watch their perfomance - still after 26 years and with so much pleasure

How did Mr. Collins find out about Lydia eloping

What I love about this scene is how Lizzy interprets Darcy’s reaction to what is really going on.

She thinks he is uncomfortable with the news and wants to leave quickly.

What he is actually thinking is ‘What have I done? This is my fault.’

Darcy goes into James Bond mode and is going to sort this s**t out!

@basketca2: ...sad to know she won't be going back to Netherfield Pemberley that evening...

The way he touches her hand to comfort her, then seems to realize what he's doing, and moves his hand, then moves it back, then takes it off again, and Elizabeth looks as though she wishes he'd take it again....it's unbelievable. The acting is superb.

Every time I watched this scene I love this more and more !!! so perfect in the way they look each other. He touch her hands so soft but so intense. His eyes painfully about her pain. So so perfect, indeed. Great actors like them make this series unforgettable and remarkable too. This still one of my favourite scenes. P&P4ever !

So many lovely comments about this touching scene. I love the graciousness of those days. Darcy: 'Is there nothing you can take for your present relief?' What would we say now? 'Haven't you got any paracetamol?'

Awwww the way he looks at her, the way he worries for her. He cares so much for her. He really is in love.

When you're crying and your man asks "yOu aRe nOt FeElInG wElL, ShOuLD wE gO TO tHe dOcToR?"

If only a glass of wine was an acceptable method of curing illness.

Darcy is overcome with guilt for what happened, and poor Elizabeth thinks he's disgusted and no longer loves her. No matter how often I see this scene, or read the book, I always feel her pain. Great writing and acting.

Thank you for uploading this scene. P&P 1995 is a great series

He cannot bear to see dearest, loveliest Elizabeth in distress.

Loved the way Darcy held her 🥰 Lizzy is also upset believing that she might not see Darcy again