CHAPTER NINE #3
"Perhaps I do. Arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Bennet will defer yours till I am out of the room, I shall be very thankful, and then you may say whatever you like of me."
"What you ask," said Miss Elizabeth, "is no sacrifice on my side, and Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter."
Darcy took her advice and finished his letter.
When that business was over, he applied to Caroline and Elizabeth for an indulgence of some music. Caroline moved with some alacrity to the pianoforte, and, after a polite request that Miss Elizabeth would lead the way which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.
Louisa sang with her sister, and while they were thus employed, Darcy took the opportunity to observe Miss Elizabeth, who turned over some music-books that lay on the instrument.
She caught his gaze twice, but rather than blush or be disconcerted or offended, she returned to her business.
He gathered she did not care enough for his approbation to merit a response of any kind.
He could not resist. While Caroline varied some Italian songs by a lively Scotch air, he drew near Miss Elizabeth and asked, "Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?"
She smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.
"Oh!" said she, "I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply.
You wanted me, I know, to say 'Yes,' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste, but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt.
I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all—and now despise me if you dare. "
"Indeed I do not dare."
Miss Elizabeth seemed surprise at his gallantry, but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront him. She was really quite bewitching. If it were not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger.
Caroline saw, or suspected, enough to be jealous. She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.
"I hope," said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, "you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after officers.
And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, endeavour to check that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence, which your lady possesses. "
"Have you anything else to propose for my domestic felicity?"
"Oh, yes! Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley.
Put them next to your great-uncle the judge.
They are in the same profession, you know, only in different lines.
As for your Elizabeth's picture, you must not have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes? "
"It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."
At that moment they were met from another walk by Louisa and Miss Elizabeth herself.
"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Caroline, in some confusion, lest they had been overheard.
"You used us abominably ill," answered Louisa, "running away without telling us that you were coming out."
Then taking Darcy’s disengaged arm, she left Miss Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path just admitted three.
Darcy felt their rudeness, and immediately said, "This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue."
But Miss Elizabeth laughingly answered, “No, no. Stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good-bye."
She then ran gaily off. If he were not so vexed with Bingley’s sisters, he would have savored the enchantment of her form as she rambled away.
*****
After dinner, Miss Bennet was well enough to come into the drawing-room.
Darcy addressed himself to Miss Bennet with a polite congratulation.
Mr. Hurst also made her a slight bow, and said he was "very glad," but diffuseness and warmth remained for Bingley's salutation.
He was full of joy and attention. The first half-hour was spent in piling up the fire, lest she should suffer from the change of room; and she removed at his desire to the other side of the fireplace, that she might be further from the door.
He then sat down by her, and talked scarcely to anyone else.
When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his Caroline of the card-table—but in vain.
Perhaps because Darcy had expressed earlier that he had no wish for cards.
She assured him that no one intended to play, and the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her.
Mr. Hurst had therefore nothing to do, but to stretch himself on one of the sofas and go to sleep.
Darcy took up a book; Caroline did the same; and Louisa, principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and rings, joined now and then in her brother's conversation with Miss Bennet.
Caroline attended to his book as much as her own, perpetually making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her question, and read on.
At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be amused with her own book, she gave a great yawn and said, "How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way!
I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading!
How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book!
When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library. "
No one made any reply. She then yawned again, threw aside her book, and cast her eyes round the room in quest for some amusement; when hearing her brother mentioning a ball to Miss Bennet, she turned suddenly towards him and said:
"By the bye, Charles, are you really serious in meditating a dance at Netherfield? I would advise you, before you determine on it, to consult the wishes of the present party; I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball would be rather a punishment than a pleasure."
"If you mean Darcy," cried her brother, "he may go to bed, if he chooses, before it begins—but as for the ball, it is quite a settled thing; and as soon as Nicholls has made white soup enough, I shall send round my cards."
"I should like balls infinitely better," she replied, "if they were carried on in a different manner; but there is something insufferably tedious in the usual process of such a meeting. It would surely be much more rational if conversation instead of dancing were made the order of the day."
"Much more rational, my dear Caroline, I dare say, but it would not be near so much like a ball."
Caroline made no answer, and soon afterwards she got up and walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked well. Darcy felt it all aimed at him but remained studious.
"Miss Eliza Bennet,” Caroline said, “let me persuade you to follow my example, and take a turn about the room. I assure you it is very refreshing after sitting so long in one attitude."