CHAPTER SEVENTEEN #2
She noted what he was doing, and at the first convenient pause, turned to him with an arch smile, and said, "You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me?
I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well.
There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others.
My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me. "
"I shall not say you are mistaken," he replied, "because you could not really believe me to entertain any design of alarming you, and I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance long enough to know that you find great enjoyment in occasionally professing opinions which in fact are not your own."
Miss Elizabeth laughed heartily at this picture of herself, and said to Colonel Fitzwilliam, "Your cousin will give you a very pretty notion of me, and teach you not to believe a word I say.
I am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so able to expose my real character, in a part of the world where I had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credit.
Indeed, Mr. Darcy, it is very ungenerous of you to mention all that you knew to my disadvantage in Hertfordshire—and, give me leave to say, very impolitic too—for it is provoking me to retaliate, and such things may come out as will shock your relations to hear. "
Shock would only be the half of it, he thought, but aloud he said with a smile, “I am not afraid of you.”
"Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of," cried Fitzwilliam. "I should like to know how he behaves among strangers."
"You shall hear then—but prepare yourself for something very dreadful.
The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball—and at this ball, what do you think he did?
He danced only four dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr. Darcy, you cannot deny the fact."
"I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party,” he defended.
"True, and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball-room. Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders."
"Perhaps," said Darcy, "I should have judged better, had I sought an introduction, but I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers."
"Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?" she said, still addressing his cousin. "Shall we ask him why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill qualified to recommend himself to strangers?"
"I can answer your question," said Fitzwilliam, "without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble."
"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess," said Darcy, "of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done."
"My fingers," said Lizzy, "do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women's do.
They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression.
But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault—because I will not take the trouble of practising.
It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution. "
He smiled and said, "You are perfectly right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you can think anything wanting. We neither of us perform to strangers."
Save at Trenwith House, he told himself. Here they were interrupted by his aunt, who called out to know what they were talking of. Miss Elizabeth immediately began playing again.
Lady Catherine approached, and, after listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy, "Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss if she practised more, and could have the advantage of a London master.
She has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is not equal to Anne's.
Anne would have been a delightful performer, had her health allowed her to learn. "
Darcy made no reply. He felt Miss Elizabeth’s study and met her gaze, admiring the humor and intelligence of her eyes.
How was it she was lovelier than when he had seen her last?
When she looked down at the keys, he took the opportunity to look upon her neck and the area of her collarbone.
How inviting they were. He hoped he was the first and only man to have gained admittance to her charms.
Catherine continued her remarks on the performance, mixing with them many instructions on execution and taste.
Miss Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility, and, at the request of the gentlemen, remained at the instrument till her ladyship's carriage was ready to take them all home.
By then Darcy was relieved to see Miss Elizabeth go, for she had stirred up a set of greatly inconvenient feelings.
To have such lust for a pupil was unprincipled.
He would be better served to dampen his sentiments.
The honourable thing to do would be to remove himself from his position as her instructor.