Mrs. Reynolds Quotes

"He is now gone into the army," she added; "but I am afraid he has turned out very wild."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. Mrs. Reynolds says this to Mrs. Gardiner about George Wickham. The Pemberley housekeeper tells Elizabeth and her party that Wickham was the son of her late master’s steward, who had been brought up by him at his own expense. Wickham’s "very wild" description could be said to foreshadow the nightmare he will turn out to be for the Bennet family, when he runs away with one of the Bennet daughters.

Mr. Gardiner, whose manners were very easy and pleasant, encouraged her communicativeness by his questions and remarks; Mrs. Reynolds, either by pride or attachment, had evidently great pleasure in talking of her master and his sister.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. The housekeeper at Pemberley Mrs. Reynolds is very proud to speak about her master Mr. Darcy and his sister Georgiana to the visiting Gardiners and Elizabeth. The longer Elizabeth is at Pemberley the more good things she learns about Darcy.

"If your master would marry, you might see more of him."
"Yes, sir; but I do not know when that will be. I do not know who is good enough for him."
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner smiled. Elizabeth could not help saying, "It is very much to his credit, I am sure, that you should think so."
"I say no more than the truth, and everybody will say that knows him," replied the other. Elizabeth thought this was going pretty far; and she listened with increasing astonishment as the housekeeper added, "I have never known a cross word from him in my life, and I have known him ever since he was four years old."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. Elizabeth is taken aback as Mrs. Reynolds has high praise for her master Mr. Darcy in conversation with Mr. Gardiner. She tells him that she doesn’t know when Mr. Darcy might marry as she doesn’t know "who is good enough for him." She also claims to have never heard a cross word from him since he was a young child. Elizabeth is astonished as this has not been her experience with Darcy.

If I were to go through the world, I could not meet with a better. But I have always observed, that they who are good-natured when children, are good-natured when they grow up; and he was always the sweetest-tempered, most generous-hearted boy in the world.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. Mrs. Reynolds is speaking to Mr. Gardiner about her master Mr. Darcy. According to his housekeeper, Darcy was the sweetest and most generous boy in the world when growing up and Darcy the man is still as charming and kind.

He is the best landlord, and the best master…that ever lived; not like the wild young men nowadays, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but will give him a good name. Some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 43. Elizabeth learns from Pemberley housekeeper Mrs. Reynolds that Mr. Darcy at home is a very different man to the one Elizabeth has become used to. Mrs. Reynolds praises the high reputation he has with his staff and tenants, whom he is said to treat well. She is also adament that he is not proud, but just a little quieter than other young men who talk a lot.
Close