he had soon felt acquainted with all the room. As to the eldest Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure.
He commented that Bingley had danced with one of the few young women in the room, Miss Charlotte Lucas, who despite her father’s apparent inability to make any serious conversation, had much that was sensible to say. Miss Bennet, Darcy acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much, and as for the parents and younger sisters...
Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed that Miss Jane Bennet smiled rather often. However, having observed their brother’s interest, they decided that they should pronounce her to be a sweet girl, and one whom they should not object to know more of. Darcy and his sisters’ approbation was sufficient to encourage Bingley’s continuing interest in the delightful Miss Bennet.
The Bennet ladies waited on those at Netherfield, and the visit was in due course returned. Caroline Bingley related to Darcy with relish the limited extent of the park at Longbourn, the worn and unfashionable furnishings in the house, and the vulgar and noisy behaviour of Mrs. Bennet and the youngest daughters. It was not, she said firmly, the type of company with which she usually associated, although she said again that the eldest Miss Bennet was a sweet, charming girl. She was not so complimentary about the second daughter, Miss Elizabeth, or her father, Mr. Bennet, both of whom she found too sharp, and too able to match her own wit.
In the fortnight after the Meryton assembly, Bingley and the eldest Miss Bennet met from time to time, although always in large mixed parties. Having danced four dances with her at Meryton; he saw her one morning at Netherfield, and dined in company with her on four occasions.
For Darcy, an unexpected consequence of Bingley’s developing interest in that lady was that he found himself often in the company of her sister. Without first being aware of it, and against his will, Darcy found himself becoming conscious of the presence of Miss Elizabeth Bennet whenever they were together, and of his being disappointed when she was not present.
Having rejected his friend’s opinion of her at Meryton, he had begun by assuming that she was, like her mother and her younger sisters Mary, Catherine and Lydia, well below his consideration. But no sooner had he made this very clear to himself and to his friends, than he began to find more than a passing pleasure in her lively expression, the quickness of mind displayed in her conversation, and the quality of her dark eyes. He had to concede that her figure was more than light and pleasing and he was caught by the easy playfulness of her manners.
As ever, he was not confident of his skills in discourse, but as a step towards speaking with her himself, Darcy began often to attend to her conversation with others.
A large party was assembled at Sir William Lucas’s, and Darcy had been in a group with his host’s eldest daughter, Charlotte, whom he had observed was often in company with her close friend, Miss Elizabeth.
Those attending the party included Colonel Forster, who commanded a regiment newly stationed at Meryton, and Darcy overheard Miss Elizabeth Bennet conversing with Miss Lucas.
“What does Mr. Darcy mean,” said she, “by listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?”
“That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer,” Miss Lucas replied, looking in his direction.
He quickly turned away, in order that his interest should not be discovered, but not so far that he could not hear Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s reply.
“But if he does it any more, I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.”
Darcy approached them more closely soon afterwards, though without any intention of speaking. However, Miss Elizabeth Bennet turned to him and said, “Did not you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?”
Darcy found her liveliness very appealing and as quickly replied.
“With great energy; but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.”
“You are severe on us.”
Miss Lucas took pity on him.
“It will be her turn soon to be teased. I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.”
“You are a very strange creature by way of a friend, always wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable, but as it is,” and she looked at Darcy directly as she spoke, “I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.”
Unlike his usual response to flattery, Darcy found himself pleased that she had at least acknowledged him. He was not unwilling to hear her play, and on Miss Lucas’s persevering, was pleased to hear Miss Bennet say, “Very well; if it must be so, it must.”
She glanced at Darcy as she added, “There is a fine old saying, which every body here is of course familiar with ‘Keep your breath to cool your porridge,’ and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”
Her performance was pleasing to Darcy’s ear and he found that he had no wish for the recital to end.
But, after a few songs, she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her younger sister, Mary, who had neither genius nor taste, and had a pedantic air and conceited manner. Darcy decided, after hearing a few bars of the tune, that he had listened to Miss Elizabeth Bennet with much more pleasure, though she might not have played half so well.
At last Miss Mary Bennet was persuaded to play Scotch and Irish airs, at the request of her younger sisters who, with some of the Lucases and two or three officers joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room. Since, as usual, Darcy disdained to dance, he stood observing, in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation.
He was thus occupied, so as to be unaware that his host had approached him, till Sir William began.
“What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the first refinements of polished societies.”
“Certainly, Sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage can dance.”
Although Darcy had intended this comment to silence him, Sir William only smiled.
“Your friend performs delightfully,” he continued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group, “and I doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy.”
“You saw me dance at Meryton, I believe, Sir.”
“Yes, indeed, and received no inconsiderable pleasure from the sight. Do you often dance at St. James’s?”
“Never, Sir,” said Darcy, again hoping that Sir William would desist.
“Do you not think it would be a proper compliment to the place?”
“It is a compliment which I never pay to any place if I can avoid it.”
“You have a house in town, I conclude?”
Darcy bowed. He hoped by saying nothing to end the conversation, but Sir William was not so easily disconcerted.
“I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself, for I am fond of superior society; but I did not feel quite certain that the air of London would agree with Lady Lucas.”
He paused, but Darcy was not disposed to make any answer.
At that moment, on Miss Elizabeth Bennet moving towards them, his host called out to her,
“My dear Miss Eliza, why are not you dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so much beauty is before you.”
Taking Miss Bennet’s hand, Sir William would have given it to him, and he was not unwilling to receive it.
She however drew back and said, “Indeed, Sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.”
At this, Darcy found himself to be genuine in requesting to be allowed the honour of her hand for the next dance. To his surprise, for he was certainly not accustomed to such an answer, she persisted in her refusal.
Sir William made a further attempt at persuasion.
