Chapter Four #2
The dance was set to begin then, and interrupted their conversation; they did not speak again for some few minutes, until Elizabeth gave Darcy an arch look.
“We must have some conversation, Mr Darcy. Perhaps we shall speak about the dance, or about how well Netherfield looks tonight, though Miss Bingley decried it, claiming it is nothing to your Pemberley.”
“Miss Elizabeth,” he said seriously, “I have fallen silent because I have been debating how best to begin.”
“Begin at the beginning, sir, ‘tis a very good place to start,” she said with an impish smile.
“You are correct; very well, I shall do so. At the very beginning of our acquaintance, before we were even introduced, I insulted you most egregiously and I sincerely wish to apologise.”
Only the long hours of practice in dancing with her sisters kept Elizabeth’s feet moving by rote: she looked up into Mr Darcy’s eyes and, recovering her composure, said teasingly; “Why, sir, I did not remark it. One man’s tolerable is another man’s handsome, is that which a third may say should wear a sack over her head so that she should not frighten children! ”
“Allow me to state then this man’s honest opinion: any man who thought you other than uncommonly handsome would need to be examined for eye-glasses.”
Unaccountably pleased by the compliment, Elizabeth forgot that she thought Mr Darcy so proud and favoured him with the first true smile she had offered him yet.
He stared, and she, seeing him stare, coloured and looked away.
For several moments longer, they continued the dance in silence.
Then Mr Darcy marshalled himself and spoke again.
“My cousin has taken me to task over my poor manners,” he said then, “and you are only the first of a number of people to whom I must make amends. To tell the truth, I came to this neighbourhood to get away from a problem which has been much on my mind of late, and it has adversely affected my temper. I am afraid I have been even more silent and withdrawn than is my usual wont. I have not Mr Bingley’s happy knack of recommending myself to strangers anyway, I fear. ”
Elizabeth could not but smile, and where once she might have asked why not, now she suspected that the tall, handsome man before her might in fact be rather shy.
“Your pretty compliment a few moments ago erased your original offence in my eyes, sir, and the words you have just spoken have redeemed your character entirely. I forgive you unreservedly, Mr Darcy, and if I may do anything to help you make friends in this neighbourhood, I hope that you will ask me. I have lived here all my life, and know my neighbours’ every little quirk.
Perhaps if I mention them to you before you must speak, you will find yourself smiling involuntarily.
A genuine smile oftentimes suffices where pretty words may fall on deaf ears. ”
Mr Darcy found himself smiling at her again. “Miss Elizabeth, I may well take you up on your offer, though you may find that you have taken on a far greater task than you ever imagined. Too, you shall have to spend all evening at least at my side, so that you may pass on your pearls of wisdom.”
“A suitable penance for me,” Elizabeth said, and then took a deep breath. “Mr Darcy, I owe you an apology too.”
He blinked and looked surprised. “I cannot imagine what for, Miss Elizabeth, it is my behaviour that has been at fault. You have been impeccably gracious, even when severely provoked.”
“Not entirely, sir; I am at the very least guilty of thinking the worst of you, on no more than the word of a slight acquaintance.”
Darcy cocked his head, and then he sighed. “Wickham.”
“Yes, sir, and my aunt has shown me the error of my ways. I have always thought of myself as being easily able to discern a person’s character, but I was sadly mistaken in both yourself and Mr Wickham.
I believed the very worst of you, solely because he flattered my vanity and you did not, and I must apologise for so misjudging you and allowing my prejudice to colour my opinion. ”
“I believe we have already agreed that my insulting remark was the first offence,” Darcy said after a moment, “and so any prejudice you might have formed against me as a result of it was quite justifiable. As for Mr Wickham, he is a practiced schemer with the happy knack of making friends easily, unlike myself, as we have already established. Far older and wiser heads than yours have been taken in by his charm, not least my own most estimable father, who never could see the wickedness in him.”
Elizabeth ducked her head. “I have learned a valuable lesson today,” she said in a low voice, “and been humbled by it. I have only now to be ashamed of my own violent and unjustified prejudice.” To her very great surprise she felt him squeeze her hand as they passed in the dance.
“We have both learned a lesson from our mutual relative,” Darcy said quietly, “and no doubt it is her hope that we shall continue to learn, and become better from the learning.”
The dance ended then, and on that serious note they both bowed to each other. Darcy offered his arm for Elizabeth to lead her from the floor, only to notice Mr Collins bearing down on them with a greasy smile. He felt Elizabeth’s fingers tense on his arm.