She assured him that no one intended to play, and the
silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her
Hurst had, therefore, nothing to do but to stretch himself on one of the
sofas and go to sleep
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
I declare, after all, there is no
enjoyment like reading
How much sooner one tires of anything 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
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
He was as much awake to the novelty of attention in that quarter as
Elizabeth herself could be, and unconsciously closed his book
She was dying to know what could be his
meaning--and asked Elizabeth whether she could at all understand him
Darcy in
anything, 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
“I never heard anything 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
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_
Tease 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
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
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 anyone
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
Darcy is over, I presume,” said Miss Bingley;
“and pray what is the result?”

“I am perfectly convinced by it that Mr
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
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
“Louisa, you will not mind my
waking Mr
Hurst.”

Her sister made not the smallest objection, and the pianoforte 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
[Illustration]

In consequence of an agreement between the sisters, Elizabeth wrote the
next morning to her mother, to beg that the carriage might be sent for
them in the course of the day
Bennet, who had calculated on
her daughters remaining at Netherfield till the following Tuesday, which
would exactly finish Jane’s week, could not bring herself to receive
them with pleasure before
Her answer, therefore, was not propitious, at
least not to Elizabeth’s wishes, for she was impatient to get home