alone! What could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum.”
“It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing,” said Bingley.
“I am afraid, Mr. Darcy,” observed Miss Bingley, in a half whisper, “that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.”
He was not inclined to indulge her, and replied, “Not at all, they were brightened by the exercise.”
A short pause followed this. Then Mrs. Hurst began again.
“I have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.”
“I think I have heard you say, that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton.”
“Yes, and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.”
“That is capital,” added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.
“If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside,” said Bingley, mindful that their own father had made his fortune from trade, “it would not make them one jot less agreeable.”
“But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world,” replied Darcy, who had found by experience that his friend did not always by any means share his concern for the niceties of social standing and consequence.
Bingley did not reply, but his sisters gave this view their hearty assent, and they went on to indulge their mirth for some time at the expense of Miss Bennet’s vulgar relations.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet would not quit her sister till late in the evening. When she entered the drawing-room, the whole party was at loo, and she was immediately invited to join them. Making her sister the excuse, she said that she would amuse herself with a book for the short time she could stay below. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.
“Do you prefer reading to cards?” said he; “that is rather singular.”
Miss Bingley could not resist making a point from this.
“Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else.”
The object of her scorn looked surprised at this attack, but replied quietly, “I deserve neither such praise nor such censure. I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.”
This seemed a satisfactory answer to Darcy, and his friend’s comments were to the same effect.
“In nursing your sister, I am sure you will have pleasure, and I hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well.”
Miss Bennet thanked him, and then walked towards a table where a few books were lying. Bingley immediately offered to fetch her others from his library, but she assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.
“I am astonished,” said Miss Bingley, “that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!”
“It ought to be good,” he replied, “it has been the work of many generations.”
“And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books.”
He was not sure that this was a commendation, but replied, “I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.”
“Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.”
“I wish it may,” her brother replied.
“But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.”
“With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it.”
“I am talking of possibilities, Charles.”
“Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.”
Darcy then saw that Miss Elizabeth Bennet laid her book aside. She moved to stand near the card-table between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister to observe the game.
“Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?” said Miss Bingley; “will she be as tall as I am?”
Darcy looked at her for a moment, and then turned to her guest as he said, “I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s height, or rather taller.”
“How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! and so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the piano-forte is exquisite.”
“It is amazing to me,” said Bingley, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished, as they all are.”
“All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?” said his sister.
“Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens and net purses.
I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”
“Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,” said Darcy, “has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse, or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”
“Nor I, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley, quick to agree with him.
“Then,” observed Miss Elizabeth Bennet to Darcy, “you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.” She half smiled at him as she spoke, and Darcy was tempted to do so in kind, as he said, “Yes; I do comprehend a great deal in it.”
“Oh! certainly,” cried Miss Bingley to Darcy, not wishing to be overlooked, “no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.”
Since he said nothing, she went on, “A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.”
“All this she must possess,” added Darcy, addressing Miss Bennet, “and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
“I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any,” said Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
Darcy was not sure whether she doubted the idea, or his own opinion.
“Are you so severe upon your own sex, as to doubt the possibility of all this?”
“I never saw such a woman,” Miss Bennet replied, “I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united.”
Both Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley protested at this, saying that they knew many women who answered this description. But Mr. Hurst then called them to order, with bitter complaints of their inattention.
It was with regret that Darcy saw Miss Bennet soon afterwards leave the room.
“Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, “is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex, by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds.”
She looked to the others for a reaction, but in vain, so she went on, “But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.”
“Undoubtedly,” replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, “there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.”
As he had intended, Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with his reply as to continue the subject.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave
