Volume I - Chapter VI

CHAPTER VI The ladies of Longbourn, accompanied by their brother, soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit was soon returned in due form. Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the goodwill of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and though the mother was found to be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them, was expressed towards Jane and Edward. By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure; but Edward still saw superciliousness in their treatment of every body, hardly excepting even his sister, and could not like them; though their kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother's admiration. It was generally evident whenever they met, that Mr. Bingley did admire her; and to Edward it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but he considered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in general, since Jane united with great strength of feeling, a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner, which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. He mentioned this to his friend Charles Lucas. 'It may perhaps be pleasant,' replied Charles, 'to be able to impose on the public in such a case; but it is sometimes a disadvantage to be so guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself. We can all begin freely—a slight preference is natural enough; but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be really in love without encouragement, man or woman. In nine cases out of ten a woman had better show more affection than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.' 'But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton indeed not to discover it too.' 'Remember, Edward, that he does not know Jane's disposition as you do.' 'But if a woman is partial to a man and does not endeavour to conceal it, he must find it out.' 'Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together; and as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half hour in which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him, there will be more leisure for falling in love as much as she chuses.' 'Your plan is a good one, where nothing is in question but the desire of being well married;'—and looking archly, 'and if I were determined to get a rich husband, I dare say I should adopt it. But these are not Jane's feelings; she is not acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree of her own regard, nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Meryton; she saw him one morning at his own house, and has since dined with him in company four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand his character.' 'Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite; but you must remember that four evenings have also been spent together—and four evenings may do a great deal.' 'Yes; these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they both like Vingt-un better than Commerce; but with respect to any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been unfolded.' 'Well,' said Charles, 'I wish Jane success with all my heart; and if she were married to him to-morrow, I should think she had as good a chance of happiness, as if she were to be studying his character for a twelve-month. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.—If the dispositions of the parties are well known to each other, or similar beforehand, it does not advance their felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards to have their share of vexation;—and it is better to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom you are to pass your life.' 'You make me laugh, Charles; but it is not sound. You know it is not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.' Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to his sister, Edward was far from suspecting that he was himself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of another. Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed him to be worthy of his notice; he had looked at him without approval at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at Edward only to disdain. But no sooner had he concurred with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley that Edward hardly had a handsome feature in his face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the expression of his dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in Edward's form, he was forced to acknowledge his appearance to be pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that Edward's manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this Edward was perfectly unaware;—to him Mr. Darcy was only the man who made himself agreeable no where, and who had not thought Kitty handsome enough to dance with. Mr. Darcy began to wish to know more of Edward, and as a step towards conversing with him, attended to his conversation with others. His doing so drew Edward's notice. It was at Sir William Lucas's, where a large party were assembled. 'What does Mr. Darcy mean,' said he to Charles, 'by listening to my conversation with Colonel and Mrs. 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 I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I am sure I shall soon grow afraid of him.' On Mr. Darcy's approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have any intention of speaking, Charles defied Edward to mention such a subject to him, which immediately provoking Edward to do it, he turned to him and said, 'Did you not think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teazing Mrs. Forster to give a ball at Meryton?' 'With great energy;—but it is a subject which always makes a lady, and any one who would flatter her character, energetic.' 'Indeed you are severe on us!' 'It will be his turn soon to be teazed,' said Charles to Mr. Darcy. 'Mrs. Foster is going to open the instrument, Edward, and you know what follows.' 'You are a very strange creature by way of a friend!—always wanting me to parade myself before every body!—If my vanity had taken a theatrical turn, you would have been invaluable; but as it is, I would really rather sit down before those who must be in the habit of seeing the very best dancers.' On his friend's persevering, however, and Maria Lucas catching his eye, Edward added, 'Very well; if it must be so, it must.' And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy, '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 aide my dancing.' His performance, like Mrs. Foster's on the pianoforte, was pleasing, though by no means capital; and after a dance or two, and denying the entreaties of several that he would dance some more, he returned to his place. Mrs. Foster finding herself in much the same position, was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by Edward's sister Mary, who having, in consequence of being the only plain one in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient for display. Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had given her application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner, which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached. Mrs. Foster, easy and unaffected, had been listened to with much more pleasure, though not playing half so well; and Mary, at the end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise and gratitude by 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. Mr. Darcy stood in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, and, watching Edward across the room, was too much engrossed by his thoughts to perceive that Sir William 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 as one of the first refinements of polished society.' 'Certainly, Sir;' he replied, continuing to watch Edward, who had been joined by his eldest sister;—'and it has the advantage also of being in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage can dance.' Sir William only smiled. 'Your friend performs delightfully,' he continued after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group. '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.' '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?' Mr. Darcy bowed. '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 in hopes of an answer; but his companion was not disposed to make any; and Jane at that instant moving towards them, he was struck with the notion of doing a very gallant thing, and called out to her, 'My dear Miss Bennet, why are you not 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.' And taking her hand, he would have 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 further.—I entreat you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner.' Edward, who had witnessed the scene, and saw in Jane an uncommon discomposure, moved to join her, as Mr. Darcy with grave propriety requested to be allowed the honour of her hand—but in vain. Jane was determined; Edward knew that she would dance only with Mr. Bingley; nor did Sir William at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion. 'You excel so much in the dance, Miss Bennet, that it is cruel to deny me the happiness of seeing you; and though this gentleman dislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, I am sure, to oblige us for one half hour.' Jane coloured slightly as Mr. Bingley caught her eye from the set. 'Mr. Darcy is all politeness,' she said, and moved off. 'He is, indeed,' said Edward, smiling. 'But considering the inducement, Sir William, we cannot wonder at his complaisance; for who would object to such a partner?' At this, Mr. Darcy looked at Edward for a moment, then bowed and retired to the far side of the room. He stood contemplating Edward, who was now in easy conversation with Charles Lucas. His remark had not injured him with the gentleman, and he was thinking of Edward with 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 pass many evenings in this manner—in such society; and indeed I am quite of your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people!—What would I give to hear your strictures on them!' 'Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the admiration which a discerning eye can inspire.' Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity, 'That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask; but I do not speak of a lady;—I speak of Mr. Edward Bennet.' 'Mr. Edward Bennet!' repeated Miss Bingley.—'I am all astonishment. How long has he been such a favourite?' 'A lady's imagination is very rapid; it jumps from admiration to friendship, from friendship to favourite in a moment.' 'Nay, if you are serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled. With such a friend you will have charming company in his mother, and of course she will come to Pemberley if you are to invite her son there.' He listened to her with perfect indifference, while she chose to entertain herself in this manner, and as his composure convinced her that all was safe, her wit flowed long.