Elizabeth Bennet

by Eliza Gordon

  "My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not the time to express them—by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents." He chuckled at his wit.

  Elizabeth laughed too. "No one can blame you for your faults, Mr. Bingley, when you express such humility."

  Darcy shook his head. "I would not be so convinced by his act of humility, Miss Bennet. Nothing is more deceitful than the appearance of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast."

  "And which of the two do you call my little recent piece of modesty?"

  "The indirect boast; for you are proud of your defects in writing. You consider them as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which you think highly interesting. The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the swift possessor. But often prized without any attention to the imperfection of the performance. When you told Mrs. Bennet that if you ever resolved upon quitting Netherfield you should be gone in five minutes, you meant it to be a sort of public proclamation by which you compliment yourself. I fail to see why rash, impulsive actions should be so praiseworthy. Indeed, if you were to bolt off at a moment's notice, you would leave essential business undone. Such impulsiveness can be of no real advantage to yourself or anyone else?"

  "Nay," cried Bingley. He had to object to the destruction of his character. "This is too much. I can not remember at night all the foolish things of no consequence that were said in the morning. And yet, upon my honour, I believe what I said of myself to be true, and I believe it at this moment. At least, I did not intend merely to show off before the ladies, whilst I pretended to be impulsive."

  "I dare say you believed it, but I am by no means convinced that you would be gone with such haste. Your conduct would be quite as dependent on chance as that of any man I know. If, say, you were mounting your horse, and a friend was to say, 'Bingley, you had better stay until next week,' you would probably do it. You would probably not go—and at another word, might stay a month."

  "You have only proved by this, that Mr. Bingley did not do justice to his own disposition. You have shown him off now much more than he did himself," Elizabeth observed.

  "I am exceedingly gratified by your converting what my friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my temper," said Bingley. "But I am afraid you are giving it a turn which that gentleman by no means intended. Darcy would think better of me if I were to give a flat denial and ride off as fast as I could under such a circumstance."

  "Would Mr. Darcy then consider the rashness of your original intentions as atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it?"

  "Upon my word, I cannot exactly explain the matter; Darcy must speak for himself."

  All in the room returned their attention to Mr. Darcy.

  He held out his hands in the motion of a surrender. "You expect me to account for opinions which you choose to call mine, but which I have never acknowledged. Allowing the case to stand according to your representation, Miss Bennet, you must remember that the friend who desires his return to the house, and the delay of his plan, has merely desired it. He asked it without offering one argument in favour of its propriety."

  "To yield readily—easily—to the persuasion of a friend is no merit with you?"

  "To do as a friend what a friend asks without any conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either."

  "You appear to me, Mr. Darcy, to allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection. A regard for a friend who requested that you stay longer would often make one readily yield to a request, without waiting for arguments to reason one into it. I am not particularly speaking of such a case as you have supposed about Mr. Bingley. We may as well wait till the circumstance occurs before we discuss the discretion of his behaviour. But in general, Mr. Darcy, would you think ill of someone who changes their course of action to follow the desire of a friend without there being a compelling argument first presented?"

  "Will it not be advisable, before we proceed on this subject, to arrange with rather more precision the degree of importance which relates to this hypothetical request? As well as the degree of intimacy that exists between the parties?"

  "By all means." Bingley agreed. "Let us hear all the particulars, not forgetting their comparative height and size; for that will have more weight in the argument than you may be aware of, Miss Bennet. I assure you, that if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I should not pay him as much deference. I declare on particular occasions, and in particular places, I do not know a more awful object than Darcy. Especially at his own house, and on a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to do."

  Laughing, Bingley obviously meant the comments in good spirits, but Elizabeth guessed there was more than a grain of truth in the jest.

  Mr. Darcy smiled, but she perceived he was rather offended, and so she held her laughter in check.

  Miss Bingley warmly resented the indignity Darcy received, and she said as such taking issue with her brother for talking such nonsense.

  "I see your design, Bingley," said his friend. "You dislike an argument, and want to silence this."

  "Perhaps I do. Arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Bennet will defer yours till I am out of the room, I shall be very thankful. Then you may say whatever you like of me."

  Elizabeth nodded her agreement. "What you ask, is no sacrifice on my side; and Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter."

  Mr. Darcy took her advice and finished his letter.

  When he had completed it, he requested Miss Bingley and Elizabeth indulgence them with some music. Cheerfully, Miss Bingley moved to the pianoforte. Having reached the stool, she politely asked Elizabeth to join her.

  She seated herself when Elizabeth declined.

  Mrs. Hurst sang with her sister.

  While they were thus employed, Elizabeth turned over some music-books that lay on the instrument. She could not help observing, how frequently Mr. Darcy's eyes fixed upon her.

  She did not know why. She could not suppose she had caught the attention of such a wealthy and noble man. She could not envisage herself as an object of admiration for him.

  Yet, his frequent continued gaze could not be the result of his disliking her. That would be still more strange.

  Elizabeth concluded there was something about her that was more wrong and reprehensible than in any other person present, according to his ideas of right. It could be the only explanation for his attention. The supposition did not pain her. She liked him too little to care for his approval.

  After playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley varied the charm by a lively Scotch air.

  Mr. Darcy, drawing near Elizabeth, said to her, "Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?"

  She smiled but made no answer. He repeated the question, seemingly surprised at her silence.

  "Oh!" said she, "I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. I know you wanted me to say 'Yes,' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste. But I always delight in overthrowing that kind of scheme and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all—and now despise me if you dare."

  "Indeed, I do not dare." He looked intently at her.

  She wondered about the wisdom of her words.

  Having somewhat expected to affront him, Elizabeth was amazed at his gallantry.

  Could it be possible?

  Darcy seemed bewitched by her.

  Jealousy showed on the face of Miss Bingley, she saw and must have suspected. She must have wanted Jane's speedy recovery so the household could be rid of Elizabeth.

  The next day, Elizabeth joined Mrs. Hurst for a walk.

  As they moved amongst the shrubbery, by chance they came across by Mr Darcy and Miss Bingley walking together. Elizabeth overheard just the end of their co
nversation, about someone's eyes.

  "It would not be easy, to catch their expression, indeed. But their colour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied," Miss Bingley said.

  The conversation trailed off as the two couples met. Clearly surprised to come across the other couple Miss Bingley said, "I did not know that you intended to walk."

  "You used us abominably ill," answered Mrs. Hurst. "Here you are, running away without telling us that you were coming out."

  Then taking the disengaged arm of Mr. Darcy, she left Elizabeth behind to walk by herself. The path just admitted three.

  Mr. Darcy immediately stopped this process. "This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue."

  But Elizabeth laughed. She had not the least inclination to remain with them. "No, no; stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque scene would be spoilt by admitting a fourth person. Good-bye."

  She then ran gaily off, disregarding the fact that they may perceive her behaviour as rude. In fact, she had been on the receiving end of rudeness. Rejoicing, she rambled about, in the hope of being at home again in a day or two. Jane was already so much recovered as to intend leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening.

  Chapter 9

  After dinner, Elizabeth ran up to check on Jane. The eldest Bennet daughter seemed much improved in health. The sisters decided to go to the drawing room and spend time with the other women.

  When the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first object. Miss Bingley's eyes instantly turned toward Darcy, and she had something to say to him before he had advanced many steps into the room.

  Barely allowing someone to enter a room before accosting them, Elizabeth considered plain rude.

  Mr. Darcy addressed himself to Miss Bennet, with a polite congratulation.

  Mr. Hurst also gave her a slight bow; he was "very glad" of her improving health.

  True, honest diffuseness and warmth remained for Bingley's salutation. He was full of joy and attention. The first half-hour was spent in piling up the fire, lest she should suffer from the change of room. She removed at his desire to the other side of the fireplace that she might be further from the door. Charles Bingley then sat down by Jane and talked scarcely to anyone else.

  Elizabeth, at work in the opposite corner, saw it all with great delight.

  When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the card-table—but in vain.

  Caroline Bingley assured him that no one intended to play, and the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr. Hurst had nothing to do, therefore, but stretch himself on one of the sofas and go to sleep.

  Darcy took up a book. Miss Bingley did the same. Principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and rings, Mrs. Hurst joined in her brother's conversation with Jane.

  Miss Bingley's attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr. Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own. She was perpetually either making some inquiry or looking at his page. She could not win him to any conversation. He merely answered her questions, and read on.

  At length, she gave a great yawn and said, "How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library."

  No one made any reply.

  She then yawned again, threw aside her book, and cast her eyes around the room in quest for some amusement. When her brother mentioned a ball to Miss Bennet, she turned towards him. "By the bye, Charles, are you really serious about holding a dance at Netherfield? I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party. I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure."

  "If you mean Darcy, he may go to bed, if he chooses, before it begins—" replied Charles. "As for the ball, it is quite a settled thing. As soon as Nicholls has made enough white soup, I shall send round my cards."

  She replied, "I should like balls infinitely better if they carried on differently. There is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing were made the order of the day."

  "Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball."

  Miss Bingley made no answer, and soon afterwards she got up and walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked well; but Darcy, at whom it was all aimed, was still inflexibly studious.

  Turning to Elizabeth, she said, "Miss Eliza Bennet, let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting still for so long."

  Elizabeth was surprised but agreed to it immediately.

  Miss Bingley succeeded no less in the real object of her civility; Mr. Darcy looked up and closed his book.

  Darcy was as much awake to the novelty of attention in that quarter as Elizabeth herself could be.

  Miss Bingley invited him directly to join their party.

  He declined it, explaining that he could imagine only two motives for their choosing to walk up and down the room together. His joining them would interfere with either of these motives.

  Miss Bingley asked Elizabeth if she knew what Mr. Darcy was talking about.

  "Not at all, but depend upon it, he means to be severe on us," Elizabeth replied. "and our surest way of disappointing him will be to ask nothing about it."

  Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy in anything. Driven by her need to know him she persevered in requiring an explanation of his two motives.

  "I have not the smallest objection to explaining them. Perhaps you choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each other's confidence and have secret affairs to discuss. Alternatively, you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking. If the first, I would be completely in your way, and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire."

  How bold!

  Despite all her thoughts about him, Elizabeth glowed on the inside that Darcy explicitly stated he wanted to admire her figure as she walked.

  "Oh! shocking!" cried Miss Bingley. "I never heard anything so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?"

  "Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination," replied Elizabeth. "We can all plague and punish one another. Tease him—laugh at him. Intimate as you are, you must know how it is to be done."

  "But upon my honour, I do not. I do assure you that my intimacy has not yet taught me that. Tease calmness of manner and presence of mind! No, no; I feel he may defy us there. And as to laughter, we will not expose ourselves, if you please, by attempting to laugh without a subject. Mr. Darcy may hug himself."

  "Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!" cried Elizabeth. "That is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintances. I dearly love a laugh."

  "Miss Bingley has given me more credit than can be," said Mr. Darcy. "The wisest and the best of men—nay, the wisest and best of their actions—may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."

  "Certainly, there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them," replied Elizabeth. "I hope I never ridicule what is wise and good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies, I laugh at them whenever I can. But these, are precisely what you are without."

  "Perhaps that is not possible for anyone. But it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule."

  "Such as vanity and pride."

  "Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride—where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will always be under good regulation." Elizabeth turned away to h
ide a smile.

  "Your examination of Mr. Darcy is over, I presume," said Miss Bingley; "and pray what is the result?"

  "I am perfectly convinced, Mr. Darcy has no defect. He owns it himself without disguise."

  "No," said Darcy, "I have made no such pretension. I have faults enough, but I hope, misunderstanding is not one of them. My temper I dare not vouch for. It is, I believe, too little yielding—certainly too little for the convenience of the world. I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I ought, nor offences against myself. My feelings are not puffed about with every attempt to move them. My temper would perhaps be called resentful. My good opinion once lost, is lost forever."

  "That is a failing indeed!" cried Elizabeth. "Implacable resentment is a shade in character. But you have chosen your fault well. I really cannot laugh at it. You are safe from me."

  "There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil. A natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome."

  "And your defect is to hate everybody."

  "And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them."

  "Do let us have a little music," cried Miss Bingley, apparently tired of a conversation in which she had no share. "Louisa, you will not mind my waking Mr. Hurst?"

  Her sister had not the smallest objection, and the pianoforte was opened.

  Chapter 10

  After discussing the matter with Jane, Elizabeth wrote the next morning to Mrs. Bennet, to beg the carriage be sent to collect them that day.

  But Mrs. Bennet sent them word that they could not possibly have the carriage before Tuesday. In her postscript, she added that if Mr. Bingley and his sister pressed them to stay longer, she could spare them very well.

  Elizabeth was resolved against staying longer. She did not expect a further invitation to stay would be extended. On the contrary, she feared they were intruders who had already stayed too long.

  Elizabeth urged Jane to borrow Mr. Bingley's carriage. It was settled that their original design of leaving Netherfield that morning should be mentioned, and the request made.