Chapter 8

by Jane Austen

　　At five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-pastsix Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquirieswhich then poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasureof distinguishing the much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley's,she could not make a very favourable answer. Jane was by nomeans better. The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or fourtimes how much they were grieved, how shocking it was to havea bad cold, and how excessively they disliked being illthemselves; and then thought no more of the matter: and theirindifference towards Jane when not immediately before themrestored Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her former dislike.Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom shecould regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane wasevident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing, and theyprevented her feeling herself so much an intruder as shebelieved she was considered by the others. She had very littlenotice from any but him. Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr.Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for Mr. Hurst, by whomElizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat,drink, and play at cards; who, when he found her to prefer aplain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and MissBingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room.Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixtureof pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, nobeauty. Mrs. Hurst thought the same, and added:"She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being anexcellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance thismorning. She really looked almost wild.""She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance.Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scamperingabout the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, sountidy, so blowsy!""Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inchesdeep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which hadbeen let down to hide it not doing its office.""Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley; "butthis was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennetlooked remarkably well when she came into the room thismorning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice.""You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley;"and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to seeyour sister make such an exhibition.""Certainly not.""To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever itis, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What couldshe mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort ofconceited independence, a most country-town indifference todecorum.""It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," saidBingley."I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a halfwhisper, "that this adventure has rather affected youradmiration of her fine eyes.""Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise."A short pause followed this speech, and Mrs. Hurst began again:"I have a excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet, she is really avery sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were wellsettled. But with such a father and mother, and such lowconnections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.""I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney onMeryton.""Yes; and they have another, who lives somewhere nearCheapside.""That is capital," added her sister, and they both laughedheartily."If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside," criedBingley, "it would not make them one jot less agreeable.""But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying menof any consideration in the world," replied Darcy.To this speech Bingley made no answer; but his sisters gave ittheir hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at theexpense of their dear friend's vulgar relations.With a renewal of tenderness, however, they returned to herroom on leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her tillsummoned to coffee. She was still very poorly, and Elizabethwould not quit her at all, till late in the evening, when she hadthe comfort of seeing her sleep, and when it seemed to her ratherright than pleasant that she should go downstairs herself. Onentering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, andwas immediately invited to join them; but suspecting them to beplaying high, she declined it, for the short time she could staybelow, with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment."Do you prefer reading to cards?" said he; "that is rathersingular.""Miss Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, "despises cards. She is agreat reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.""I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth;"I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.""In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure,"saidBingley; "and I hope it will be soon increased by seeing her quitewell."Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towardsthe table where a few books were lying. He immediately offeredto fetch her others-- all that his library afforded."And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and myown credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many,I have more than I ever looked into."Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly withthose in the room."I am astonished," said Miss Bingley, "that my father shouldhave left so small a collection of books. What a delightful libraryyou have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!""It ought to be good," he replied, "it has been the work of manygenerations.""And then you have added so much to it yourself, you arealways buying books.""I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such daysas these.""Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to thebeauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build yourhouse, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.""I wish it may.""But I would really advise you to make your purchase in thatneighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. Thereis not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.""With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sellit.""I am talking of possibilities, Charles.""Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to getPemberley by purchase than by imitation."Elizabeth was so much caught with what passed, as to leave hervery little attention for her book; and soon laying it wholly aside,she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr.Bingley and his eldest sister, to observe the game.""Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?" said MissBingley; "will she be as tall as I am?""I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet'sheight, or rather taller.""How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody whodelighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! Andso extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on thepianoforte is exquisite.""It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can havepatience to be so very accomplished as they all are.""All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do youmean?""Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens,and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this,and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the firsttime, without being informed that she was very accomplished.""Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," saidDarcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many awoman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse orcovering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you inyour estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowingmore than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance,that are really accomplished.""Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley."Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great dealin your idea of an accomplished woman.""Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.""Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be reallyesteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what isusually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge ofmusic, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, todeserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certainsomething in her air and manner of walking, the tone of hervoice, her address and expressions, or the word will be buthalf-deserved.""All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this shemust yet add something more substantial, in the improvement ofher mind by extensive reading.""I am no longer surprised at your knowing only sixaccomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowingany.""Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt thepossibility of all this?"I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, andtaste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united."Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injusticeof her implied doubt, and were both protesting that they knewmany women who answered this description, when Mr. Hurstcalled them to order, with bitter complaints of their inattentionto what was going forward. As all conversation was thereby atan end, Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room."Elizabeth Bennet," said Miss Bingley, when the door wasclosed on her, "is one of those young ladies who seek torecommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing theirown; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in myopinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.""Undoubtedly," replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chieflyaddressed, "there is a meanness in all the arts which ladiessometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whateverbears affinity to cunning is despicable."Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as tocontinue the subject.Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister wasworse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged Mr.Jones being sent for immediately; while his sisters, convincedthat no country advice could be of any service, recommended anexpress to town for one of the most eminent physicians. Thisshe would not hear of; but she was not so unwilling to complywith their brother's proposal; and it was settled that Mr. Jonesshould be sent for early in the morning, if Miss Bennet were notdecidedly better. Bingley was quite uncomfortable; his sistersdeclared that they were miserable: They solaced theirwretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he couldfind no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeperdirections that every attention might be paid to the sick lady andher sister.