Chapter 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 joln
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, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such
acquaintance.  I dearly love a laugh."
"Miss Bingley," said he, "has given me credit for more than
can be.  The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and
best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person
whose first object in life is a joke."
"Certainly," replied Elizabeth -- "there are such people, but
I hope I am not one of them.  I hope I never ridicule what is
wise or good.  Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies
do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. --
But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without."
"Perhaps that is not possible for any one.  But it has been
the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often
expose a strong understanding to ridicule."
"Such as vanity and pride."
"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed.  But pride -- where there
is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good
regulation."
Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.
"Your examination of Mr. Darcy is over, I presume," said
Miss Bingley; -- "and pray what is the result?"
"I am perfectly convinced by it that Mr. Darcy has no defect.
He owns it himself without disguise."
"No' -- said Darcy, "I have made no such pretension.  I have
faults enough, but they are not, I hope, of understanding.
My temper I dare not vouch for. -- It is I believe too little
yielding -- certainly too little for the convenience of the world.
I cannot forget the follies and vices of others so soon as I
ought, nor their offences against myself.  My feelings are not
puffed about with every attempt to move them.  My temper
would perhaps be called resentful. -- My good opinion once
lost is lost for ever."
"That is a failing indeed!" -- cried Elizabeth.  "Implacable
resentment is a shade in a character.  But you have chosen your
fault well. -- I really cannot laugh at it you are safe from
me."
"There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some
particular evil, a natural defect, which not even the best
education can overcome."
"And your defect is a propensity to hate every body."
"And yours," he replied with a smile, "is wilfully to misunderstand them."
"Do let us have a little music," -- cried Miss Bingley, tired
of a conversation in which she had no share. -- "Louisa, you
will not mind my waking Mr. Hurst."
Her sister made not the smallest objection, and the piano
forte was opened, and Darcy, after a few moments recollection, 
was not sorry for it.  He began to feel the danger of
paying Elizabeth too much attention.