Chapter 6

by Jane Austen

　　The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield.The visit was soon returned in due form. Miss Bennet'spleasing manners grew on the goodwill of Mrs. Hurst and MissBingley; and though the mother was found to be intolerable,and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish ofbeing better acquainted with them was expressed towardsthe two eldest. By Jane, this attention was received with thegreatest pleasure, but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness intheir treatment of everybody, hardly excepting even her sister,and could not like them; though their kindness to Jane, such as itwas, had a value as arising in all probability from the influenceof their brother's admiration. It was generally evidentwhenever they met, that he did admire her and to her it wasequally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference whichshe had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in away to be very much in love; but she considered with pleasurethat it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general,since Jane united, with great strength of feeling, a composureof temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which wouldguard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. Shementioned this to her friend Miss Lucas."It may perhaps be pleasant," replied Charlotte, "to be able toimpose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes adisadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman conceals heraffection with the same skill from the object of it, she may losethe opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poorconsolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There isso much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, thatit is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely-- aslight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of uswho have heart enough to be really in love withoutencouragement. In nine cases out of ten a women had bettershow more affection than she feels. Bingley, likes yoursister, undoubtedly; but he may never do more than like her, ifshe does not help him on.""But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. IfI can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton,indeed, not to discover it too.""Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's disposition asyou do.""But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour toconceal it, he must find it out.""Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But, thoughBingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for manyhours together; and, as they always see each other in largemixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should beemployed in conversing together. Jane should therefore makethe most of every half-hour in which she can command hisattention. When she is secure of him, there will be more leisurefor falling in love as much as she chooses.""Your plan is a good one," replied Elizabeth, "where nothing isin question but the desire of being well married, and if I weredetermined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say Ishould adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is notacting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of thedegree of her own regard nor of its reasonableness. She hasknown him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with himat Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house, andhas since dined with him in company four times. This is notquite enough to make her understand his character.""Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, shemight only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; butyou must remember that four evenings have also been spenttogether-- and four evenings may do a great deal.""Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain thatthey both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respectto any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that muchhas been unfolded.""Well," said Charlotte, "I wish Jane success with all my heart;and if she were married to him to-morrow, I should think shehad as good a chance of happiness as if she were to be studyinghis character for a twelvemonth. Happiness in marriage isentirely a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties areever so well known to each other or ever so similar beforehand,it does not advance their felicity in the least. They alwayscontinue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have theirshare of vexation; and it is better to know as little as possible ofthe defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.""You make me laugh, Charlotte; but it is not sound. You knowit is not sound, and that you would never act in this wayyourself."Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister,Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becomingan object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcyhad at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked ather without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, helooked at her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made itclear to himself and his friends that she hardly had a good featurein her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonlyintelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To thisdiscovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though hehad detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfectsymmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figureto be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that hermanners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caughtby their easy playfulness. Of this she was perfectly unaware; toher he was only the man who made himself agreeable nowhere,and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with.He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towardsconversing with her himself, attended to her conversation withothers. His doing so drew her notice. It was at Sir WilliamLucas's, where a large party were assembled."What does Mr. Darcy mean," said she to Charlotte, "bylistening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?""That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer.""But if he does it any more I shall certainly let him know that Isee what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do notbegin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid ofhim."On his approaching them soon afterwards, though withoutseeming to have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defiedher friend to mention such a subject to him; which immediatelyprovoking Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said:"Did you not think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myselfuncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forsterto give us a ball at Meryton?""With great energy; but it is always a subject which makes a ladyenergetic.""You are severe on us.""It will be her turn soon to be teased," said Miss Lucas. "Iam going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know whatfollows.""You are a very strange creature by way of a friend!-- alwayswanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody! Ifmy vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have beeninvaluable; but as it is, I would really rather not sit down beforethose who must be in the habit of hearing the very bestperformers." On Miss Lucas's persevering, however, she added,"Very well, if it must be so, it must." And gravely glancing at Mr.Darcy, "There is a fine old saying, which everybody here is ofcourse familiar with: 'Keep your breath to cool your porridge';and I shall keep mine to swell my song."Her performance was pleasing, though by no means capital.After a song or two, and before she could reply to the entreatiesof several that she would sing again, she was eagerly succeededat the instrument by her sister Mary, who having, in consequenceof being the only plain one in the family, worked hard forknowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient fordisplay.Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had givenher application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air andconceited manner, which would have injured a higher degree ofexcellence than she had reached. Elizabeth, easy and unaffected,had been listened to with much more pleasure, though notplaying half so well; and Mary, at the end of a long concerto,was glad to purchase praise and gratitude by Scotch and Irishairs, at the request of her younger sisters, who, with some of theLucases, and two or three officers, joined eagerly in dancing atone end of the room.Mr. Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a modeof passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, andwas too much engrossed by his thoughts to perceive that SirWilliam Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began:"What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr.Darcy! There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it asone of the first refinements of polished society.""Certainly, sir; and it has the advantage also of being in vogueamongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savagecan dance."Sir William only smiled. "Your friend performs delightfully," hecontinued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group; "and Idoubt 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 thesight. Do you often dance at St. James's?""Never, sir.""Do you not think it would be a proper compliment to theplace?""It is a compliment which I never pay to any place if I can avoid it.""You have a house in town, I conclude?"Mr. Darcy bowed."I had once had some thought of fixing in town myself-- for I amfond of superior society; but I did not feel quite certain that theair of London would agree with Lady Lucas."He paused in hopes of an answer; but his companion was notdisposed to make any; and Elizabeth at that instant movingtowards them, he was struck with the action of doing a verygallant thing, and called out to her:"My dear Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing? Mr. Darcy, youmust allow me to present this young lady to you as a verydesirable partner. You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure whenso much beauty is before you." And, taking her hand, he wouldhave given it to Mr. Darcy who, though extremely surprised,was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew back,and said with some discomposure to Sir William:"Indeed, sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreatyou not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for apartner."Mr. Darcy, with grave propriety, requested to be allowed thehonour of her hand, but in vain. Elizabeth was determined; nordid Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt atpersuasion."You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that it is cruel todeny me the happiness of seeing you; and though this gentlemandislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, Iam sure, to oblige us for one half-hour.""Mr. Darcy is all politeness," said Elizabeth, smiling."He is, indeed; but, considering the inducement, my dear MissEliza, we cannot wonder at his complaisance-- for who wouldobject to such a partner?"Elizabeth looked archly, and turned away. Her resistance hadnot injured her with the gentleman, and he was thinking of herwith some complacency, when thus accosted by Miss Bingley:"I can guess the subject of your reverie.""I should imagine not.""You are considering how insupportable it would be to passmany evenings in this manner-- in such society; and indeed I amquite of you opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity,and yet the noise-- the nothingness, and yet the self-importanceof all those people! What would I give to hear your strictures onthem!""You conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind wasmore agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the verygreat pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a prettywoman can bestow."Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, a desired hewould tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring suchreflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity:"Miss Elizabeth Bennet.""Miss Elizabeth Bennet!" repeated Miss Bingley. "I am allastonishment. How long has she been such a favourite?-- andpray, when am I to wish you joy?""That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. Alady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration tolove, from love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you wouldbe wishing me joy.""Nay, if you are serious about it, I shall consider the matter isabsolutely settled. You will be having a charmingmother-in-law, indeed; and, of course, she will always be atPemberley with you."He listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose toentertain herself in this manner; and as his composure convincedher that all was safe, her wit flowed long.