Lizzy learns rumours of Mr Wickham’s behaviour in a letter from Darcy after his first disastrous proposal. She has a wee “struggle,” partly she thinks because he’d flattered her as Darcy had not, but realises she doesn’t know his “real character.” It’s only when Lizzy reads Mr Darcy’s letter and recalls her first conversation with Mr Wickham where he laid out his rumour of how Darcy had treated him that she is
…struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger… he had boasted of having no fear of seeing Mr. Darcy… yet he had avoided the Netherfield ball the very next week. …till the Netherfield family had quitted the country, he had told his story to no one but herself; but that after their removal, it had been everywhere discussed; that he had then no reserves, no scruples in sinking Mr. Darcy’s character, though he had assured her that respect for the father would always prevent his exposing the son.”
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, C36
So he only starts rumours when he feels relatively safe of their lack of truth being discovered. When Wickham elopes with Lydia Bennet rumours start to swirl about him.
All Meryton seemed striving to blacken the man who, but three months before, had been almost an angel of light. He was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place, and his intrigues, all honoured with the title of seduction, had been extended into every tradesman’s family.”
Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, C48
It’s never clear whether the seductions were accurate, but the debts appear to be, as he provides Mr Gardiner with a list of debtors to satisfy. The things Darcy tells Elizabeth in the letter appear to also be true. As Lizzy notes Wickham did note in their first conversation that they had grown up together and Darcy is a good brother, they may be the only true things he conveyed.
The lyric following this selection could also apply to Wickham:
I could build a castle
Taylor Swift, New Romantics
Out of all the bricks they threw at me”
Not only are people talking about him or hurling bricks at his character, enough to build a castle, he manages to use the bad situation he’s got himself into to his advantage – to build himself a castle. He may have to marry Lydia Bennet but he manages to get Darcy to pay off his debts and buy him a new commission plus now they’re brothers so there’s always the future potential. We learn in the last chapter that Wickham himself never asks for money, or at least that we know of, but Lydia has no qualms about asking both of her eldest sisters for money frequently.
Audio from New Romantics (TV) by Taylor Swift
Video from Pride and Prejudice 1995
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