Chapter 1 #3
“Do not take me for a fool, sir! You told Mr Bingley my daughter was not tolerable enough to tempt you. How could you say that out loud, so other people would hear you? She might not be as beautiful as Jane, nor as joyful as my youngest, Lydia, but everyone considers Lizzy a beauty. And she is a great dancer–fortunately she gets that from me! Not to mention she is the cleverest girl in the area, everybody agrees on that. She reads almost as much as a man; I tell you that. Of course, she is a little wild, walking in the fields all day long. God knows that until a few years ago she was climbing trees–but you could not possibly know that, so I would imagine you spoke so badly of her because you are quite impolite!”
He listened in shock, unable to understand the tumult of information thrown at him.
“Mrs Bennet, I am afraid this conversation has ended! Good evening!”
“Oh well, it gives me no pleasure to talk to you either. And I assure you that my daughter will never ever dance with you at all! Good evening!”
Darcy briskly reentered the hall, then stood stunned and still, blinking a few times, wondering what had just happened.
Never in his life had he had such a conversation, and he hoped he never would again.
Why was Mrs Bennet outside? Probably taking some fresh air too.
But how could she speak to him in such a manner?
She had listened to his private conversation with his friend and then threw it in his face?
That was unthinkable. Had the young lady–the one he had refused to dance with–heard him too?
Suddenly, the eyes of the Miss Bennet he had called tolerable appeared in his mind, but he realised he barely remembered her figure.
He recollected little else but how tedious the atmosphere was, how relieved he felt after complying with his duty of dancing one set with Miss Bingley and one with Mrs Hurst, and how eager he was for the evening to end.
And then, he had met that Mrs Bennet–and there was still more to endure, the night was not yet over.
∞∞∞
For the rest of the ball, Darcy struggled to regain his usual composure.
The conversation with Mrs Bennet troubled him deeply and his anger combined with contempt.
What education could that lady give to her daughters?
What was her situation in life? If he remembered correctly, Mr Bennet was a country gentleman, with a small estate close to Netherfield.
What kind of gentleman had a wife with such poor manners?
He chose a chair in the corner of the room, looking from Mrs Bennet to her daughters.
They were all good-looking; two of them appeared noisy and reckless, one too silent, the eldest one quite beautiful but smiled too much.
Miss Elizabeth Bennet caught and held his attention most of the time; the more he looked at her, the more intrigued he became.
Her eyes–even from a significant distance–seemed lively and enquiring.
Her features were handsome and her figure pleasant.
She danced and she appeared to possess the skills her mother claimed.
Did she truly enjoy reading? Were her mother’s words about her intelligence worthy of belief?
Walking through the fields and climbing trees?
Surely that could not be true. Or could it?
After some earnest scrutiny and a couple of drinks, Darcy still had not recovered from the altercation with Mrs Bennet, nor had he reached a conclusion about Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
But one thing he reluctantly admitted to himself before the ball ended: she was more than tolerable and he regretted missing the chance to dance with her.
Once the evening had ended and they climbed into the carriage to take them back to Netherfield, Darcy’s usual calmness returned. Opinions about the event were exchanged and Miss Bingley and Mrs Hurst did not hesitate to express their criticism about everything that had happened.
“Mr Darcy, what do you think about the Bennet family? My brother is quite charmed by them; especially by the eldest daughter,” Miss Bingley asked scornfully.
“Miss Bennet is one of the most beautiful women I have met,” Darcy replied with honesty, looking outside. Mr Bingley quickly expressed his joy for his friend’s favourable opinion, but Miss Bingley continued.
“Jane Bennet might be a lovely person, but her sisters are ill-behaved. And their mother! Dear Lord! Be happy that you escaped her attention, Mr Darcy. She spent the entire evening trying to gain my brother’s interest in her daughters.
I am sure she already imagines him as her future son-in-law. Horrible indeed!”
“Mrs Bennet is obviously searching for proper suitors to marry her five daughters. She must have understood very quickly that I am the last man in the world to entertain such a desire, so she put her efforts where she could hope for some success. I cannot but be grateful; I spent a few minutes talking to her tonight, and I have had enough for a lifetime.”
Bingley threw his friend an offended and disapproving glance while his sisters laughed and continued to express their disapproval of the Bennet women.
Fortunately, the carriage arrived at Netherfield soon enough, and Darcy retired to his chamber in haste.
His interest in company and conversation had long ended.
∞∞∞
At Longbourn, Mrs Bennet took her time to relate to her husband every detail of the ball, describing the lace, the gowns, the music, the food and drink, Mr Bingley’s amiability and Mr Darcy’s horrible haughtiness.
She informed her husband how many sets Mr Bingley danced with Jane and how Mr Darcy refused to dance with Lizzy.
Mr Bennet accepted the torturous story stoically for half an hour, glanced at Elizabeth to see if she was upset by the offence and–pleased to see her smiling and amused–he declared he felt as tired as if he had danced every set himself. Then he disappeared into the silence of his bedchamber.
When Jane and Elizabeth were finally alone in their own chamber, the former gathered her courage to express to her sister her opinion about Mr Bingley.
"He is just what a young man ought to be: sensible, good-humoured, lively! I never saw such happy manners, so much ease, with such perfect good-breeding!"
"He is also handsome," said Elizabeth, "which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possibly can. He certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him."
"Thank you, dear Lizzy!" Jane smiled. “But I am sorry you did not have an equally pleasant time. I was so sad to hear Mr Darcy’s offensive remark! I did not expect that from him. He seemed a gentleman of good character and excellent education. And Mr Bingley speaks so highly of him.”
"I see no reason to praise his character, since he gave us no reason to do so. You never see a fault in anybody, Jane. All the world is good and agreeable in your eyes."
"I would wish not to be hasty in censuring anyone, but I always speak my mind."
"I know you do; you have so much common sense and still you are so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of others! Speaking of Mr Darcy, his refusal did not offend me, as I took it as proof that a good education is sometimes not enough to keep arrogance under good regulation. I am quite grateful actually; just imagine what a torture it would have been to spend half an hour dancing with such a disagreeable man. I am happy he did not find me tolerable enough to make me endure such an ordeal!”
“Dear Lizzy, you are incorrigible.” Jane laughed and embraced her. Eventually, the sisters lay in the comfort of their bed, abandoning themselves to a well-deserved sleep, thinking each of one gentleman: one with tenderness, the other with hurt pride.