JANE AUSTEN 4 страница

smile. Elizabeth, for the sake of saying something that might

turn her mother's thoughts, now asked her if Charlotte Lucas

had been at Longbourn since _her_ coming away.

 

"Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable

man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley -- is not he? so much the man

of fashion! so genteel and so easy! -- He has always something

to say to every body. -- _That_ is my idea of good breeding;

and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never

open their mouths, quite mistake the matter."

 

"Did Charlotte dine with you?"

 

"No, she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince

pies. For my part, Mr. Bingley, _I_ always keep servants that

can do their own work; _my_ daughters are brought up

differently. But every body is to judge for themselves, and

the Lucases are very good sort of girls, I assure you. It is a

pity they are not handsome! Not that _I_ think Charlotte so

_very_ plain -- but then she is our particular friend."

 

"She seems a very pleasant young woman," said Bingley.

 

"Oh! dear, yes; -- but you must own she is very plain. Lady

Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty.

I do not like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane --

one does not often see any body better looking. It is what

every body says. I do not trust my own partiality. When she

was only fifteen, there was a gentleman at my brother

Gardiner's in town, so much in love with her, that my

sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we

came away. But however he did not. Perhaps he thought her too

young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty

they were."

 

"And so ended his affection," said Elizabeth impatiently.

"There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way.

I wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving

away love!"

 

"I have been used to consider poetry as the _food_ of love,"

said Darcy.

 

"Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Every thing nourishes

what is strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort

of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve

it entirely away."

 

Darcy only smiled, and the general pause which ensued made

Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself

again. She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say;

and after a short silence Mrs. Bennet began repeating her

thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane with an apology

for troubling him also with Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was

unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister

to be civil also, and say what the occasion required. She

performed her part, indeed, without much graciousness, but

Mrs. Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her

carriage. Upon this signal, the youngest of her daughters put

herself forward. The two girls had been whispering to each

other during the whole visit, and the result of it was, that

the youngest should tax Mr. Bingley with having promised on his

first coming into the country to give a ball at Netherfield.

 

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine

complexion and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her

mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early

age. She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural

self-consequence, which the attentions of the officers, to whom

her uncle's good dinners and her own easy manners recommended

her, had increased into assurance. She was very equal,

therefore, to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball,

and abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would

be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it.

His answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their

mother's ear.

 

"I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement,

and when your sister is recovered, you shall if you please,

name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be

dancing while she is ill."

 

Lydia declared herself satisfied. "Oh! yes -- it would be

much better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most

likely Captain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you

have given _your_ ball," she added, "I shall insist on their

giving one also. I shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite

a shame if he does not."

 

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth

returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations'

behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the

latter of whom, however, could not be prevailed on to join in

their censure of her, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms

on _fine_ _eyes_.

 

__

 

<CHAPTER X (10)>

 

THE day passed much as the day before had done. Mrs. Hurst

and Miss Bingley had spent some hours of the morning with the

invalid, who continued, though slowly, to mend; and in the

evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing room. The

loo table, however, did not appear. Mr. Darcy was writing, and

Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his

letter, and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to

his sister. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley were at piquet, and Mrs.

Hurst was observing their game.

 

Elizabeth took up some needlework, and was sufficiently

amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his

companion. The perpetual commendations of the lady either

on his hand-writing, or on the evenness of his lines, or on

the length of his letter, with the perfect unconcern with

which her praises were received, formed a curious dialogue,

and was exactly in unison with her opinion of each.

 

"How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!"

 

He made no answer.

 

"You write uncommonly fast."

 

"You are mistaken. I write rather slowly."

 

"How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course

of the year! Letters of business too! How odious I should

think them!"

 

"It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of

to yours."

 

"Pray tell your sister that I long to see her."

 

"I have already told her so once, by your desire."

 

"I am afraid you do not like your pen. Let me mend it for you.

I mend pens remarkably well."

 

"Thank you -- but I always mend my own."

 

"How can you contrive to write so even?"

 

He was silent.

 

"Tell your sister I am delighted to hear of her improvement

on the harp, and pray let her know that I am quite in raptures

with her beautiful little design for a table, and I think it

infinitely superior to Miss Grantley's."

 

"Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write

again? -- At present I have not room to do them justice."

 

"Oh! it is of no consequence. I shall see her in January.

But do you always write such charming long letters to her,

Mr. Darcy?"

 

"They are generally long; but whether always charming,

it is not for me to determine."

 

"It is a rule with me, that a person who can write a long

letter, with ease, cannot write ill."

 

"That will not do for a compliment to Darcy, Caroline," cried

her brother -- "because he does _not_ write with ease. He

studies too much for words of four syllables. -- Do not you,

Darcy?"

 

"My stile of writing is very different from yours."

 

"Oh!" cried Miss Bingley, "Charles writes in the most careless

way imaginable. He leaves out half his words, and blots the

rest."

 

"My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them

-- by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all

to my correspondents."

 

"Your humility, Mr. Bingley," said Elizabeth, "must disarm

reproof."

 

"Nothing is more deceitful," said Darcy, "than the appearance

of humility. It is often only carelessness of opinion, and

sometimes an indirect boast."

 

"And which of the two do you call _my_ little recent piece of

modesty?"

 

"The indirect boast; -- for you are really proud of your

defects in writing, because you consider them as proceeding

from a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which

if not estimable, you think at least highly interesting. The

power of doing any thing with quickness is always much

prized by the possessor, and often without any attention to the

imperfection of the performance. When you told Mrs. Bennet

this morning that if you ever resolved on quitting Netherfield

you should be gone in five minutes, you meant it to be a sort

of panegyric, of compliment to yourself -- and yet what is

there so very laudable in a precipitance which must leave very

necessary business undone, and can be of no real advantage

to yourself or any one else?"

 

"Nay," cried Bingley, "this is too much, to remember at night

all the foolish things that were said in the morning. And yet,

upon my honour, I believed what I said of myself to be true,

and I believe it at this moment. At least, therefore, I did

not assume the character of needless precipitance merely to

shew off before the ladies."

 

"I dare say you believed it; but I am by no means convinced

that you would be gone with such celerity. Your conduct would

be quite as dependant on chance as that of any man I know; and

if, as you were mounting your horse, a friend were to say,

``Bingley, you had better stay till next week,'' you would

probably do it, you would probably not go -- and, at another

word, might stay a month."

 

"You have only proved by this," cried Elizabeth, "that Mr.

Bingley did not do justice to his own disposition. You have

shewn him off now much more than he did himself."

 

"I am exceedingly gratified," said Bingley, "by your converting

what my friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my

temper. But I am afraid you are giving it a turn which that

gentleman did by no means intend; for he would certainly think

the better of me, if under such a circumstance I were to give a

flat denial, and ride off as fast as I could."

 

"Would Mr. Darcy then consider the rashness of your original

intention as atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it?"

 

"Upon my word I cannot exactly explain the matter; Darcy must

speak for himself."

 

"You expect me to account for opinions which you chuse to call

mine, but which I have never acknowledged. Allowing the case,

however, to stand according to your representation, you must

remember, Miss Bennet, that the friend who is supposed to

desire his return to the house, and the delay of his plan, has

merely desired it, asked it without offering one argument in

favour of its propriety."

 

"To yield readily -- easily -- to the _persuasion_ of a friend

is no merit with you."

 

"To yield without conviction is no compliment to the

understanding of either."

 

"You appear to me, Mr. Darcy, to allow nothing for the

influence of friendship and affection. A regard for the

requester would often make one readily yield to a request

without waiting for arguments to reason one into it. I am not

particularly speaking of such a case as you have supposed about

Mr. Bingley. We may as well wait, perhaps, till the

circumstance occurs, before we discuss the discretion of his

behaviour thereupon. But in general and ordinary cases between

friend and friend, where one of them is desired by the other to

change a resolution of no very great moment, should you think

ill of that person for complying with the desire, without

waiting to be argued into it?"

 

"Will it not be advisable, before we proceed on this subject,

to arrange with rather more precision the degree of importance

which is to appertain to this request, as well as the degree of

intimacy subsisting between the parties?"

 

"By all means," cried Bingley; "Let us hear all the

particulars, not forgetting their comparative height and size;

for that will have more weight in the argument, Miss Bennet,

than you may be aware of. I assure you that if Darcy were not

such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I should

not pay him half so much deference. I declare I do not know a

more aweful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in

particular places; at his own house especially, and of a Sunday

evening when he has nothing to do."

 

Mr. Darcy smiled; but Elizabeth thought she could perceive that

he was rather offended; and therefore checked he laugh. Miss

Bingley warmly resented the indignity he had received in an

expostulation with her brother for talking such nonsense.

 

"I see your design, Bingley," said his friend. -- "You dislike

an argument, and want to silence this."

 

"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 Elizabeth, "is no sacrifice on my side;

and Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter,"

 

Mr. Darcy took her advice, and did finish his letter.

 

When that business was over, he applied to Miss Bingley and

Elizabeth for the indulgence of some music. Miss Bingley moved

with alacrity to the piano-forte, and after a polite request

that Elizabeth would lead the way, which the other as politely

and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.

 

Mrs. Hurst sang with her sister, and while they were thus

employed, Elizabeth could not help observing, as she turned

over some music books that lay on the instrument, how

frequently Mr. Darcy's eyes were fixed on her. She hardly

knew how to suppose that she could be an object of admiration

to so great man; and yet that he should look at her because he

disliked her was still more strange. She could only imagine

however, at last, that she drew his notice because there was a

something about her more wrong and reprehensible, according to

his ideas of right, than in any other person present. The

supposition did not pain her. She liked him too little to care

for his approbation.

 

After playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley varied the charm

by a lively Scotch air; and soon afterwards Mr. Darcy, drawing

near Elizabeth, said to her --

 

"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."

 

Elizabeth, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed

at his gallantry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and

archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to

affront anybody; and Darcy had never been so bewitched by any

woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not

for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some

danger.

 

Miss Bingley saw, or suspected, enough to be jealous; and her

great anxiety for the recovery of her dear friend Jane received

some assistance from her desire of getting rid of Elizabeth.

 

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 the 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 any thing else to propose for my domestic felicity?"

 

"Oh! yes. -- Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt

Philips 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 attempt to 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 eye-lashes, so remarkably fine,

might be copied."

 

At that moment they were met from another walk, by Mrs. Hurst

and Elizabeth herself.

 

"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Miss Bingley,

in some confusion, lest they had been overheard.

 

"You used us abominably ill," answered Mrs. Hurst, "in running

away without telling us that you were coming out." Then taking

the disengaged arm of Mr. Darcy, she left Elizabeth to walk by

herself. The path just admitted three.

 

Mr. Darcy felt their rudeness and immediately said, --

 

"This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go

into the avenue."

 

But Elizabeth, who had not the least inclination to remain with

them, laughingly answered,

 

"No, no; stay where you are. -- You are charmingly group'd, and

appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt

by admitting a fourth. Good bye."

 

She then ran gaily off, rejoicing, as she rambled about, in the

hope of being at home again in a day or two. Jane was already

so much recovered as to intend leaving her room for a couple of

hours that evening.

 

__

 

<CHAPTER XI (11)>

 

WHEN the ladies removed after dinner, Elizabeth ran up to her

sister, and, seeing her well guarded from cold, attended her

into the drawing-room; where she was welcomed by her two

friends with many professions of pleasure; and Elizabeth had

never seen them so agreeable as they were during the hour which

passed before the gentlemen appeared. Their powers of

conversation were considerable. They could describe an

entertainment with accuracy, relate an anecdote with humour,

and laugh at their acquaintance with spirit.

 

But when the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first

object. Miss Bingley's eyes were instantly turned towards

Darcy, and she had something to say to him before he had

advanced many steps. He addressed himself directly 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 farther from the door. He then sat down by her,

and talked scarcely to any one else. Elizabeth, at work in the

opposite corner, saw it all with great delight.

 

When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the

card-table -- but in vain. She had obtained private

intelligence that Mr. Darcy did not wish for cards; and

Mr. Hurst soon found even his open petition rejected. 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 sophas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book; Miss

Bingley did the same; and Mrs. Hurst, principally occupied in

playing with her bracelets and rings, joined now and then in

her brother's conversation with Miss Bennet.

 

Miss Bingley's attention was quite as much engaged in watching

Mr. Darcy's progress through _his_ book, as in reading her own;

and she was perpetually either 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, which she had only chosen because it was the second

volume of his, 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 any

thing 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 of 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 chuses, 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 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."

 

Miss Bingley made no answer; and soon afterwards got up and

walked about the room. Her figure was elegant, and she walked

well; -- but Darcy, at whom it was all aimed, was still

inflexibly studious. In the desperation of her feelings she

resolved on one effort more; and turning to Elizabeth, said,

 

"Miss Eliza Bennet, 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."

 

Elizabeth was surprised, but agreed to it immediately. Miss

Bingley succeeded no less in the real object of her civility;

Mr. Darcy looked up. He was as much awake to the novelty of

attention in that quarter as Elizabeth herself could be, and

unconsciously closed his book. He was directly invited to join

their party, but he declined it, observing that he could

imagine but two motives for their chusing to walk up and down

the room together, with either of which motives his joining

them would interfere. "What could he mean? she was dying to

know what could be his meaning" -- and asked Elizabeth whether

she could at all understand him?

 

"Not at all," was her answer; "but depend upon it, he means to

be severe on us, and our surest way of disappointing him will

be to ask nothing about it."

 

Miss Bingley, however, was incapable of disappointing Mr. Darcy

in any thing, and persevered therefore in requiring an

explanation of his two motives.

 

"I have not the smallest objection to explaining them," said

he, as soon as she allowed him to speak. "You either chuse

this method of passing the evening because you are in each

other's confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or

because you are conscious that your figures appear to the

greatest advantage in walking; -- if the first, I should be

completely in your way; -- and if the second, I can admire you

much better as I sit by the fire."

 

"Oh! shocking!" cried Miss Bingley. "I never heard any thing

so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?"

 

"Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination," said

Elizabeth. "We can all plague and punish one another. Teaze

him -- laugh at him. -- Intimate as you are, you must know how

it is to be done."

 

"But upon my honour I do _not_. I do assure you that my

intimacy has not yet taught me _that_. Teaze calmness of

temper and presence of mind! No, no -- I feel he may defy us

there. And as to laughter, we will not expose ourselves, if

you please, by attempting to laugh without a subject.

Mr. Darcy may hug himself."

 

"Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!" cried Elizabeth. "That is

an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will continue,