thedaypassedmuchasthedaybeforehaddone.mrs.hurstandmissbingleyhadspentsomehoursofthemorningwiththeinvalid,whocontinued,thoughslowly,tomend;andintheeveningelizabethjoinedtheirpartyinthedrawingroom.thelootable,however,didnotappear.mr.darcywaswriting,andmissbingley,seatednearhim,waswatchingtheprogressofhisletter,andrepeatedlycallingoffhisattentionbymessagestohissister.mr.hurstandmr.bingleywereatpiquet,andmrs.hurstwasobservingtheirgame.

elizabethtookupsomeneedlework,andwassufficientlyamusedinattendingtowhatpassedbetweendarcyandhiscompanion.theperpetualcommendationsoftheladyeitheronhishandwriting,orontheevennessofhislines,oronthelengthofhisletter,withtheperfectunconcernwithwhichherpraiseswerereceived,formedacuriousdialogue,andwasexactlyinunisonwithheropinionofeach.

"howdelightedmissdarcywillbetoreceivesuchaletter!"

hemadenoanswer.

"youwriteuncommonlyfast."

"youaremistaken.iwriteratherslowly."

"howmanylettersyoumusthaveoccasiontowriteinthecourseoftheyear!lettersofbusinesstoo!howodiousishouldthinkthem!"

"itisfortunate,then,thattheyfalltomylotinsteadoftoyours."

"praytellyoursisterthatilongtoseeher."

"ihavealreadytoldhersoonce,byyourdesire."

"iamafraidyoudonotlikeyourpen.letmemenditforyou.imendpensremarkablywell."

"thankyou—butialwaysmendmyown."

"howcanyoucontrivetowritesoeven?"

hewassilent.

"tellyoursisteriamdelightedtohearofherimprovementontheharp,andprayletherknowthatiamquiteinraptureswithherbeautifullittledesignforatable,andithinkitinfinitelysuperiortomissgrantley's."

"willyougivemeleavetodeferyourrapturestilliwriteagain?—atpresentihavenotroomtodothemjustice."

"oh!itisofnoconsequence.ishallseeherinjanuary.butdoyoualwayswritesuchcharminglongletterstoher,mr.darcy?"

"theyaregenerallylong;butwhetheralwayscharming,itisnotformetodetermine."

"itisarulewithme,thatapersonwhocanwritealongletter,withease,cannotwriteill."

"thatwillnotdoforacomplimenttodarcy,caroline,"criedherbrother—"becausehedoesnotwritewithease.hestudiestoomuchforwordsoffoursyllables.—donotyou,darcy?"

"mystileofwritingisverydifferentfromyours."

"oh!"criedmissbingley,"charleswritesinthemostcarelesswayimaginable.heleavesouthalfhiswords,andblotstherest."

"myideasflowsorapidlythatihavenottimetoexpressthem—bywhichmeansmyletterssometimesconveynoideasatalltomycorrespondents."

"yourhumility,mr.bingley,"saidelizabeth,"mustdisarmreproof."

"nothingismoredeceitful,"saiddarcy,"thantheappearanceofhumility.itisoftenonlycarelessnessofopinion,andsometimesanindirectboast."

"andwhichofthetwodoyoucallmylittlerecentpieceofmodesty?"

"theindirectboast;—foryouarereallyproudofyourdefectsinwriting,becauseyouconsiderthemasproceedingfromarapidityofthoughtandcarelessnessofexecution,whichifnotestimable,youthinkatleasthighlyinteresting.thepowerofdoinganythingwithquicknessisalwaysmuchprizedbythepossessor,andoftenwithoutanyattentiontotheimperfectionoftheperformance.whenyoutoldmrs.bennetthismorningthatifyoueverresolvedonquittingnetherfieldyoushouldbegoneinfiveminutes,youmeantittobeasortofpanegyric,ofcomplimenttoyourself—andyetwhatistheresoverylaudableinaprecipitancewhichmustleaveverynecessarybusinessundone,andcanbeofnorealadvantagetoyourselforanyoneelse?"

"nay,"criedbingley,"thisistoomuch,torememberatnightallthefoolishthingsthatweresaidinthemorning.andyet,uponmyhonour,ibelievedwhatisaidofmyselftobetrue,andibelieveitatthismoment.atleast,therefore,ididnotassumethecharacterofneedlessprecipitancemerelytoshewoffbeforetheladies."

"idaresayyoubelievedit;butiambynomeansconvincedthatyouwouldbegonewithsuchcelerity.yourconductwouldbequiteasdependantonchanceasthatofanymaniknow;andif,asyouweremountingyourhorse,afriendweretosay,"bingley,youhadbetterstaytillnextweek,"youwouldprobablydoit,youwouldprobablynotgo—and,atanotherword,mightstayamonth.

"youhaveonlyprovedbythis,"criedelizabeth,"thatmr.bingleydidnotdojusticetohisowndisposition.youhaveshewnhimoffnowmuchmorethanhedidhimself."

"iamexceedinglygratified,"saidbingley,"byyourconvertingwhatmyfriendsaysintoacomplimentonthesweetnessofmytemper.butiamafraidyouaregivingitaturnwhichthatgentlemandidbynomeansintend;forhewouldcertainlythinkthebetterofme,ifundersuchacircumstanceiweretogiveaflatdenial,andrideoffasfastasicould."

"wouldmr.darcythenconsidertherashnessofyouroriginalintentionasatonedforbyyourobstinacyinadheringtoit?"

"uponmywordicannotexactlyexplainthematter;darcymustspeakforhimself."