PRIDE & PREJUDICE: JANE AUSTEN: CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR

As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits; and to dwell without interruption on the incidents of immediate past.  Mr Darcy's behaviour astonished and vexed her.

"Why if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent," thought she, "did he come at all?"

She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure.

"He could be still amiable, still pleasing, to my uncle and aunt, when he was in town; and why not to me? If he fears me why come tither?  If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teasing, teasing man!  I will think no more of him."

Her sister, who was cheerful, joined her.

"Now," said Jane, that the meeting is over. I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength, and I shall never be embarassed again by his coming.  I am glad he dines here on Tuesday.  It will then be publicly seen that, on both sides, we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance."

"Yes, very indifferent indeed," said Elizabeth, laughingly. "Oh, Jane, take care."

"My dear Lizzy, you cannot think me so weak as to be in danger now?" 

"I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever."

Tuesday.  There was a large party assembled at Longbourn. Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy arrived in time. Mrs Bennet was in high spirits.

The dining room.

Elizabeth watched eagerly whether Bingley would take a seat by Jane; which in all their former parties belonged to him. Her prudent mother took care not to invite him to sit by herself.  On entering the room Mr Bingley seemed to hesitate; but Jane happened to look round and happened to smile: it was decided, he placed by herself.

Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards Mr Darcy. Mr Bingley was also looking at him with an expression of half laughing alarm. And Elizabeth's look failed to attract the attention of Mr Darcy.

At dinner time Elizabeth found that Bingley's behaviour to Jane showed admiration and both of them were happy.  Mr Darcy was very far from her as the table could divide them.

He was on one side of her mother. She knew how such a situation would give pleasure to either, or make either appear to advantage.  She was not near enough to hear their discourse, but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other, and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did.  Her mother's ungraciousness, made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth, she would have acknowledged that his kindness was neither unknown or unfelt by the whole of the family, had she received an opportunity.

She hoped that evening would bring an opportunity.  The gentlemen came; and she thought he looked as if he would have answered her hopes; but alas! the ladies had crowded round the table, where Miss Bennet was making tea, and Elizabeth pouring out the coffee in so close confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair. And on the gentleman's approaching, one of the girls moved closer to her than ever, and said in a whisper:

"The men shan't come and part us, I am determined.  We want none of them; do we?"

Darcy had walked away to another part of the room. Her eyes followed him, and she envied every one to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee; and enraged against herself for being silly!

"A man who has once been refused!  How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love?  Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second proposal to the same woman?  There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings?!"

She was a little revived when he brought back his coffee cup himself, and she seized the opportunity, and said:

"Is your sister at Pemberly still"?

"Yes, she will remain there till Christmas."

"And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?"

"Mrs Annesley is with her.  The others have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks."

She could think of nothing more to say; but if he wished to converse with her, he might have better success.  He stood by her, however, for some minutes, in silence; and at last, on the young lady's whisper to Elizabeth again, he walked away.

When the tea-things were removed, and the card table placed, the ladies all rose, and Elizabeth was hoping to be soon joined by him.  But they were confined to different tables, but his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play so unsuccessfully as herself.

Mrs Bennet had designed to keep the two gentlemen to supper, but their carriage was ordered, and she had no opportunity of detaining them.

"Well girls," said Mrs Bennet, as soon as they were left to themselves, "what say you to the day?  I think everything has passed uncommonly well. The dinner, the vension and the haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at Lucases.  Even Mr Darcy acknowledged that the patridges were remarkably well done. And, my dear Jane, I never see you look in greater beauty.  Mrs Long too said so.  And what do you think she said besides? 'Ah! Mrs Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last.'  I think Mrs Long is a very good creature, and her nieces pretty behaved girls, and not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously."

Mrs Bennet was in great spirits. She had seen enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane, and convinced that she would get him at last.  Her expectations were far beyond reasons, that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him again the next day, to make his proposals.

"It has been a very agreeable day," said Jane to Elizabeth, "the party seemed well selected.  I hope, we may often meet again."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Lizzy, you must not suspect me.  It mortifies me.  I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having any expectations.  I am perfectly satisfied that he had no design of engaging my affection."

"You are very cruel," said Elizabeth, "you will not let me smile, and you are provoking me to it every moment." 

"How hard it is in some cases to be believed!"

"And how impossible in others!"

"But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?"

"That is a question I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing.  Forgive me; and if you persist in indifference, do not make me your confidente."

THE END