Chapter 17

by Jane Austen

　　Elizabeth related to Jane the next day what had passed betweenMr. Wickham and herself. Jane listened with astonishment andconcern; she knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could beso unworthy of Mr. Bingley's regard; and yet, it was not in hernature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiableappearance as Wickham. The possibility of his having enduredsuch unkindness, was enough to interest all her tender feelings;and nothing remained therefore to be done, but to think well ofthem both, to defend the conduct of each, and throw into theaccount of accident or mistake whatever could not be otherwiseexplained."They have both," said she, "been deceived, I dare say, in someway or other, of which we can form no idea. Interested peoplehave perhaps misrepresented each to the other. It is, in short,impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstanceswhich may have alienated them, without actual blame on eitherside.""Very true, indeed; and now, my dear Jane, what have you gotto say on behalf of the interested people who have probably beenconcerned in the business? Do clear them too, or we shall beobliged to think ill of somebody?""Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out ofmy opinion. My dearest Lizzy, do but consider in what adisgraceful light it places Mr. Darcy, to be treating his father'sfavourite in such a manner, one whom his father had promised toprovide for. It is impossible. No man of common humanity, noman who had any value for his character, could be capable of it.Can his most intimate friends be so excessively deceived in him?Oh! no.""I can much more easily believe Mr. Bingley's being imposed on,than that Mr. Wickham should invent such a history of himself ashe gave me last night; names, facts, everything mentionedwithout ceremony. If it be not so, let Mr. Darcy contradict it.Besides, there was truth in his looks.""It is difficult indeed-- it is distressing. One does not know whatto think.""I beg your pardon; one knows exactly what to think."But Jane could think with certainty on only one point-- that Mr.Bingley, if he had been imposed on, would have much to sufferwhen the affair became public.The two young ladies were summoned from the shrubbery,where this conversation passed, by the arrival of the verypersons of whom they had been speaking; Mr. Bingley and hissisters came to give their personal invitation for thelong-expected ball at Netherfield, which was fixed for thefollowing Tuesday. The two ladies were delighted to see theirdear friend again, called it an age since they had met, andrepeatedly asked what she had been doing with herself sincetheir separation. To the rest of the family they paid littleattention; avoiding Mrs. Bennet as much as possible, saying notmuch to Elizabeth, and nothing at all to the others. They weresoon gone again, rising from their seats with an activity whichtook their brother by surprise, and hurrying off as if eager toescape from Mrs. Bennet's civilities.The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable toevery female of the family. Mrs. Bennet chose to consider it asgiven in compliment to her eldest daughter, and was particularlyflattered by receiving the invitation from Mr. Bingley himself,instead of a ceremonious card. Jane pictured to herself a happyevening in the society of her two friends, and the attentions ofher brother; and Elizabeth thought with pleasure of dancing agreat deal with Mr. Wickham, and of seeing a confirmation ofeverything in Mr. Darcy's look and behavior. The happinessanticipated by Catherine and Lydia depended less on any singleevent, or any particular person, for though they each, likeElizabeth, meant to dance half the evening with Mr. Wickham,he was be no means the only partner who could satisfy them, anda ball was, at any rate, a ball. And even Mary could assure herfamily that she had no disinclination for it."While I can have my mornings to myself," said she, "it isenough-- I think it is no sacrifice to join occasionally in eveningengagements. Society has claims on us all; and I profess myselfone of hose who consider intervals of recreation and amusementas desirable for everybody."Elizabeth's spirits were so high on this occasion, that though shedid not often speak unnecessarily to Mr. Collins, she could nothelp asking him whether he intended to accept Mr. Bingley'sinvitation, and if he did, whether he would think it proper to joinin the evening's amusement; and she was rather surprised to findthat he entertained no scruple whatever on that head, and wasvery far from dreading a rebuke either from the Archbishop, orLady Catherine de Bourgh, by venturing to dance."I am by no means of the opinion, I assure you," said he, "that aball of this kind, given by a young man of character, torespectable people, can have any evil tendency; and I am so farfrom objecting to dancing myself, that I shall hope to behonoured with the hands of all my fair cousins in the course ofthe evening; and I take this opportunity of soliciting yours, MissElizabeth, for the two first dances especially, a preference whichI trust my cousin Jane will attribute to the right cause, and not toany disrespect for her."Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in. She had fullyproposed being engaged by Mr. Wickham for those very dances;and to have Mr. Collins instead! her liveliness had never beenworse times. There was no help for it, however. Mr.Wickham's happiness and her own were perforce delayed a littlelonger, and Mr. Collins' proposal accepted with as good a graceas she could. She was not better the pleased with his gallantryfrom the idea it suggested of something more. It now firststruck her, that she was selected from among her sisters asworthy of being mistress of Hunsford Parsonage, and ofassisting to form a quadrille table at Rosings, in the absence ofmore eligible visitors. The idea soon reached to conviction, asshe observed his increasing civilities toward herself, and heardhis frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity; andthough more astonished than gratified herself by this effect ofher charms, it was not long before her mother gave her tounderstand that the probability of their marriage was extremelyagreeable to her. Elizabeth, however, did not choose to takethe hint, being well aware that a serious dispute must be theconsequence of any reply. Mr. Collins might never make theoffer, and, till he did, it was useless to quarrel about him.If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talkof, the younger Miss Bennets would have been in a very pitiablestate at this time, for form the day of the invitation, to the day ofthe ball, there was such a succession of rain as prevented theirwalking to Meryton once. No aunt, no officers, no news couldbe sought after-- the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got byproxy. Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of herpatience in weather which totally suspended the improvement ofher acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less than adance on Tuesday, could have made such a Friday, Saturday,Sunday, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia.