Chapter 2.25 #4
“There is a swamp not more than a mile away. It is right by the bridge —I am sure you remember it. The water is not deeper than twenty inches; it should be frozen. It is the place I have skated since I was very young.”
“I believe I remember it. It will not take us more than a quarter of an hour to walk there.”
Dressed properly —arm in arm and holding the skates —they left the house at a rapid pace. By the time they reached the swamp, it had turned even colder as the sun slid behind the clouds. A chill breeze blew the snow from the trees.
They held hands and stepped tentatively onto the slippery surface; there was no doubt that it was solidly frozen.
Elizabeth and Georgiana brushed the snow from a fallen tree limb, sat on it, and helped each other put on the skates.
“Lizzy?”
“Yes, my dear.”
“Are you and William on friendlier terms now? He seems not to avoid either of us as much lately, and you look more comfortable in his presence.”
Georgiana’s question startled Elizabeth, and she tried to find the most suitable answer.
“Mr. Darcy’s manners towards me are beyond reproach. I have no complaint. He is respectful and kind,” she answered after a brief hesitation.
“He is exceedingly handsome too; would you not agree?”
“Yes, he is…”
“Better looking than Lord Mowbray and Cousin Richard?”
Elizabeth laughed nervously.
“Dearest, are we ranking the gentlemen’s handsomeness?”
To her complete disbelief, Georgiana replied with serenity, “Yes, we are. So who is your favourite?”
Elizabeth laughed wholeheartedly then glided onto the ice.
“Come, let us race. I wager I am at least better than you are on skates. I am tired of seeing you more proficient than me in everything we do.”
“Lizzy, do not change the subject! I am sure my brother is the most handsome. And although he is not titled, his fortune is at least as large as Lord Mowbray’s. And Richard must marry a woman with great wealth; I have heard him say that many times.”
The girl slid elegantly and stopped next to Elizabeth, who met her with mock severity.
“From what I see, I fear I might not defeat you in this sport either. Now —may I ask what the purpose of this conversation might be, Miss Darcy?”
“I do not want you ever to leave us, Lizzy…” the girl whispered.
“My darling…” Elizabeth embraced her tenderly and held her tight. “Come now, let us skate. I am sorry I troubled you with my silliness.”
Georgiana suddenly withdrew from her.
“You never trouble me, dearest,” Elizabeth replied, but the girl was already away, gliding speedily over the frozen swamp.
With joyful cries and laughter, the time flew. It started to snow again, and the increasing wind intensified the cold, but so caught up were they in their joyful play, they did not even notice it.
They made a few final rounds, racing side by side. Then a strange noise, partially covered by the sound of the wind, alerted Elizabeth, and she looked down to avoid a possible obstacle.
With horror, she saw the ice cracking under their skates, and panic momentarily froze her.
She grabbed Georgiana’s arm so quickly that they both fell and the cracking widened.
On her knees, Elizabeth pushed Georgiana with all her strength, so violently that the girl slid in disorder to the edge of the swamp.
Then the ice broke completely, and Elizabeth’s feet sank into the water.
It seemed that hundreds of knives cut her feet to the bone, holding her prisoner.
“Lizzy!” cried Georgiana and hurried to her.
“No! Do not come closer —you will fall in too,” Elizabeth yelled at her.
“The water is very shallow —look, it is below my knees. Search for a branch, a stick —something to help me out.
“Yes…I will find something. Can you take my hand? I will pull you out, and we will run home…”
“No, do not come here; we will both become stuck!” Elizabeth shouted again.
With the skates on her feet, clumsy and scared, Georgiana crawled through the fresh snow, searching for something to help her friend. Then she started to cry for help, hoping the wind would carry her voice and someone from the house or the stables might hear her.
Fighting the freezing water, Elizabeth managed to move her feet a few more steps.
She was also wearing the skates, and her gown was heavy, soaked with dirty, cold water that started to freeze around her legs.
She put one knee up, but the ice broke again.
Fortunately, she was close to the edge, so she took Georgiana’s hand, grabbed some protruding reeds with the other hand, and pulled herself out of the water.
The girls embraced, resting their heads against each for a few moments, struggling to breathe.
“Lizzy, are you hurt? Do you feel any pain? Can you move?”
“Dearest, listen to me. You must take off your skates at once and run home. I will try to follow you, but you must bring help because I do not know whether I can walk.”
As she spoke, Elizabeth started to untie the girl’s skates, but her frozen fingers were so numb that she could barely move them.
Georgiana was more successful, and she had removed one skate when the sound of footsteps broke through the noise of the wind and a voice shouted:
“Georgiana, Miss Bennet! Dear Lord, what are you doing here?”