Chapter 8

COLONEL FITZWILLIAM'S manners were very much
admired at the parseasidee, and the ladies all felt that he must
add considerably to the pleasure of their engagements at
Rosings.  It was some days, however, before they received
any invitation thither, for while there were visitors in the
house, they could not be necessary; and it was not till Easterday, almost a week after the gentlemen's arrival, that they
were honoured by such an attention, and then they were
merely asked on leaving church to come there in the evening.
For the last week they had seen very little of either Lady
Catherine or her daughter.  Colonel Fitzwilliam had called at
the parsonage more than once during the time, but Mr. Darcy
they had only seen at church.
The invitation was accepted of course, and at a proper hour
they joined the party in Lady Catherine's drawing room.  Her
ladyship received them civilly, but it was plain that their
company was by no means so acceptable as when she could
get nobody else; and she was, in fact, almost engrossed by her
nephews, speaking to them, especially to Darcy, much more
than to any other person in the room.
Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed really glad to see them; any
thing was a welcome relief to him at Rosings; and Mrs. 
Collins's pretty friend had moreover caught his fancy very
much.  He now seated himself by her, and talked so agreeably
of Kent and Hertfordshire, of travelling and staying at home,
of new books and music, that Elizabeth had never been half
so well entertained in that room before; and they conversed
with so much spirit and flow, as to draw the attention of Lady
Catherine herself as well as of Mr. Darcy.  His eyes had been
soon and repeatedly turned towards them with a look of
curiosity; and that her ladyship after a while shared the feeling, 
was more openly acknowledged, for she did not scruple
to call out,
"What is that you are saying, Fitzwilliam?  What is it you
are talking of?  What are you telling Miss Bennet?  Let me hear 
what it is."
"We are speaking of music, Madam," said he, when no
longer able to avoid a reply.
"Of music!  Then pray speak aloud.  It is of all subjects my
delight."  I must have my share in the conversation, if you are
speaking of music.  There are few people in England, I suppose, 
who have more true enjoyment of music than myself,
or a better natural taste.  If I had ever learnt, I should have
been a great proficient.  And so would Anne, if her health had
allowed her to apply.  I am confident that she would have performed delightfully.  How does Georgiana get on, Darcy?"
Mr. Darcy spoke with affectionate praise of his sister's
proficiency.
"I am very glad to hear such a good account of her," said
Lady Catherine; "and pray tell her from me, that she cannot
expect to excel, if she does not practise a great deal."
"I assure you, Madam," he replied, "that she does not need
such advice.  She practises very constantly."
"So much the better.  It cannot be done too much; and when
I next write to her, I shall charge her not to neglect it on any
account.  I often tell young ladies, that no excellence in music
is to be acquired, without constant practice.  I have told Miss
Bennet several times, that she will never play really well,
unless she practises more; and though Mrs. Collins has no
instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told her, to
come to Rosings every day, and play on the piano forte in Mrs. 
Jenkinson's room.  She would be in nobody's way, you know,
in that part of the house."
Mr. Darcy looked a little ashamed of his aunt's ill breeding, and 
made no answer.
 When coffee was over, Colonel Fitzwilliam reminded Elizabeth 
 of having promised to play to him; and she sat down
directly to the instrument.  He drew a chair near her.  Lady
Catherine listened to half a song, and then talked, as before,
to her other nephew; till the latter walked away from her, and
moving with his usual deliberation towards the piano forte,
stationed himself so as to command a full view of the fair 
performer's countenance.  Elizabeth saw what he was doing, and
at the first convenient pause, turned to him with an arch smile,
and said,
"You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this
state to hear me?  But I will not be alarmed though your sister
is a stubbornness about me that never
can bear to be frightened at the will of others.  My courage
always rises with every attempt to intimidate me."
"I shall not say that you are mistaken," he replied, "because
you could not really believe me to entertain any design of
alarming you; and I have had the pleasure of your acquaintance 
long enough to know, that you find great enjoyment
in occasionally professing opinions which in fact are not
your own."
Elizabeth laughed heartily at this picture of herself, and
said to Colonel Fitzwilliam, "Your cousin will give you a very
pretty notion of me, and teach you not to believe a word I say.
I am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so well
able to expose my real character, in a part of tte world, where
I had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credit.
Indeed, Mr. Darcy, it is very ungenerous in you to mention
all that you knew to my disadvantage in Hertfordshire -- and,
give me leave to say, very impolitic too -- for it is provoking
me to retaliate, and such things may come out, as will shock
your relations to hear."
"I am not afraid of you," said he, smilingly.
"Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of," cried
Colonel Fitzwilliam.  "I should like to know how he behaves
among strangers."
"You shall hear then -- but prepare yourself for something
very dreadful.  The first time of my ever seeing him in
Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball -- and at this
ball, what do you think he did?  He danced only four dances!
I am sorry to pain you -- but so it was.  He danced only four
dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain
knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in
want of a partner.  Mr. Darcy, you cannot deny the fact."
"I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in
the assembly beyond my own party."
"True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball room.
Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next?  My fingers
wait your orders."
"Perhaps," said Darcy, "I should have judged better, had I
sought an introduction, but I am ill qualified to recommend
myself to strangers."
"Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?" said Elizabeth, 
still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam.  "Shall we ask him
why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the
world, is ill qualified to recommend himself to strangers?"
"I can answer your question," said Fitzwilliam, "without
applying to him.  It is because he will not give himself the
trouble."
"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,"
said Darcy, "of conversing easily with those I have never seen
before.  I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear
interested in their concerns, as I often see done."
"My fingers," said Elizabeth, "do not move over this instrument 
in the masterly manner which I see so many women's
do.  They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce 
the same expression.  But then I have always supposed
it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the trouble of
practising.  It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable
as any other woman's of superior execution."
Darcy smiled and said, "You are perfectly right.  You have
employed your time much better.  No one admitted to the
privilege of hearing you, can think any thing wanting.  We
neither of us perform to strangers."
Here they were interrupted by Lady Catherine, who called
out to know what they were talking of.  Elizabeth immediately
began playing again.  Lady Catherine approached, and, after
listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy,
"Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss, if she practised
more, and could have the advantage of a London master.  She
has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is not
equal to Anne's.  Anne would have been a delightful performer, 
had her health allowed her to learn."
Elizabeth looked at Darcy to see how cordially he assented
to his cousin's praise; but neither at that moment nor at any
other could she discem any symptom of love; and from the
whole of his behaviour to Miss De Bourgh she derived this
comfort for Miss Bingley, that he might have been just as
likely to marry her, had she been his relation.
Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeth's 
performance, mixing with them many instructions on execution
and taste.  Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of
civility; and at the request of the gentlemen remained at the
instrument till her Ladyship's carriage was ready to take them
all home.