“If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affection and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.”
Here, Darcy is making one last dash to the finish line. He thought and somewhat hoped that in the time since his first proposal he would lose his feelings for Elizabeth, but they persisted. Darcy makes one last attempt to court Elizabeth and puts the ball in her court in the decision process. He is more humble in his asking this time.
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Ah, how the mighty have fallen. In his first proposal, Darcy's pride compels him to feel absolute certainty in gaining Lizzy's hand. Here, he proceeds with far more humility, though he does speak the violence of his love. It's a fine line to walk, eh boys?
ReplyDelete(I wonder why Austen deliberately echoes Collins' line "And now nothing remains for me but to express in the most animated manner the violence of my affection" here? Perhaps the phrase "violence of one's love/affection" is a regency trope.)