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 a confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair.And on the gentlemen'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. She followed him with her eyes,envied everyone to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee;and then was enraged against herself for being so 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,however,by his bringing back his coffee cup himself;and she seized the opportunity of saying:
“Is your sister at Pemberley 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 whispering to Elizabeth again,he walked away.
When the tea-things were removed,and the card-tables placed, the ladies all rose, and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him,when all her views were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mother's rapacity for whist players,and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party.She now lost every expectation of pleasure.They were confined for the evening at different tables,and she had nothing to hope,but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.
Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper; but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others,and she had no opportunity of detaining them.
“Well girls,”said she, as soon as they were left to themselves,“What say you to the day? I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well,I assure you.The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw.The venison was roasted to a turn—and everybody said they never saw so fat a haunch.The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases' last week;and even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at least. And,my dear Jane,I never saw you look in greater beauty.Mrs. Long said so too,for I asked her whether you did not.And what do you think she said besides? 'Ah! Mrs. Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last.'She did indeed.I do think Mrs.Long is as good a creature as ever lived—and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls,and not at all handsome:I like them prodigiously.”
Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane,to be convinced that she would get him at last;and her expectations of advantage to her family,when in a happy humour,were so far beyond reason,that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next day,to make his proposals.
“It has been a very agreeable day,”said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth.“The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other.I hope we may often meet again.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“Lizzy,you must not do so. 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 a wish beyond it.I am perfectly satisfied,from what his manners now are,that he never had any design of engaging my affection.It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address,and a stronger desire of generally pleasing,than any other man.”
“You are very cruel,”said her sister,“you will not let me smile, and 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 which 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 confidante.”