whentheladiesremovedafterdinner,elizabethranuptohersister,and,seeingherwellguardedfromcold,attendedherintothedrawing-room;whereshewaswelcomedbyhertwofriendswithmanyprofessionsofpleasure;andelizabethhadneverseenthemsoagreeableastheywereduringthehourwhichpassedbeforethegentlemenappeared.theirpowersofconversationwereconsiderable.theycoulddescribeanentertainmentwithaccuracy,relateananecdotewithhumour,andlaughattheiracquaintancewithspirit.

butwhenthegentlemenentered,janewasnolongerthefirstobject.missbingley'seyeswereinstantlyturnedtowardsdarcy,andshehadsomethingtosaytohimbeforehehadadvancedmanysteps.headdressedhimselfdirectlytomissbennet,withapolitecongratulation;mr.hurstalsomadeheraslightbow,andsaidhewas"veryglad;"butdiffusenessandwarmthremainedforbingley'ssalutation.hewasfullofjoyandattention.thefirsthalfhourwasspentinpilingupthefire,lestsheshouldsufferfromthechangeofroom;andsheremovedathisdesiretotheothersideofthefireplace,thatshemightbefartherfromthedoor.hethensatdownbyher,andtalkedscarcelytoanyoneelse.elizabeth,atworkintheoppositecorner,sawitallwithgreatdelight.

whenteawasover,mr.hurstremindedhissister-in-lawofthecard-table—butinvain.shehadobtainedprivateintelligencethatmr.darcydidnotwishforcards;andmr.hurstsoonfoundevenhisopenpetitionrejected.sheassuredhimthatnooneintendedtoplay,andthesilenceofthewholepartyonthesubjectseemedtojustifyher.mr.hursthadthereforenothingtodobuttostretchhimselfononeofthesophasandgotosleep.darcytookupabook;missbingleydidthesame;andmrs.hurst,principallyoccupiedinplayingwithherbraceletsandrings,joinednowandtheninherbrother'sconversationwithmissbennet.

missbingley'sattentionwasquiteasmuchengagedinwatchingmr.darcy'sprogressthroughhisbook,asinreadingherown;andshewasperpetuallyeithermakingsomeinquiry,orlookingathispage.shecouldnotwinhim,however,toanyconversation;hemerelyansweredherquestion,andreadon.atlength,quiteexhaustedbytheattempttobeamusedwithherownbook,whichshehadonlychosenbecauseitwasthesecondvolumeofhis,shegaveagreatyawnandsaid,"howpleasantitistospendaneveninginthisway!ideclareafterallthereisnoenjoymentlikereading!howmuchsooneronetiresofanythingthanofabook!—whenihaveahouseofmyown,ishallbemiserableifihavenotanexcellentlibrary."

noonemadeanyreply.shethenyawnedagain,threwasideherbook,andcasthereyesroundtheroominquestofsomeamusement;when,hearingherbrothermentioningaballtomissbennet,sheturnedsuddenlytowardshimandsaid,

"bythebye,charles,areyoureallyseriousinmeditatingadanceatnetherfield?—iwouldadviseyou,beforeyoudetermineonit,toconsultthewishesofthepresentparty;iammuchmistakeniftherearenotsomeamongustowhomaballwouldberatherapunishmentthanapleasure."

"ifyoumeandarcy,"criedherbrother,"hemaygotobed,ifhechuses,beforeitbegins—butasfortheball,itisquiteasettledthing;andassoonasnichollshasmadewhitesoupenoughishallsendroundmycards."

"ishouldlikeballsinfinitelybetter,"shereplied,"iftheywerecarriedoninadifferentmanner;butthereissomethinginsufferablytediousintheusualprocessofsuchameeting.itwouldsurelybemuchmorerationalifconversationinsteadofdancingmadetheorderoftheday."

"muchmorerational,mydearcaroline,idaresay,butitwouldnotbenearsomuchlikeaball."

missbingleymadenoanswer;andsoonafterwardsgotupandwalkedabouttheroom.herfigurewaselegant,andshewalkedwell;—butdarcy,atwhomitwasallaimed,wasstillinflexiblystudious.inthedesperationofherfeelingssheresolvedononeeffortmore;andturningtoelizabeth,said,"misselizabennet,letmepersuadeyoutofollowmyexample,andtakeaturnabouttheroom.—iassureyouitisveryrefreshingaftersittingsolonginoneattitude."

elizabethwassurprised,butagreedtoitimmediately.missbingleysucceedednolessintherealobjectofhercivility;mr.darcylookedup.hewasasmuchawaketothenoveltyofattentioninthatquarteraselizabethherselfcouldbe,andunconsciouslyclosedhisbook.hewasdirectlyinvitedtojointheirparty,buthedeclinedit,observingthathecouldimaginebuttwomotivesfortheirchusingtowalkupanddowntheroomtogether,witheitherofwhichmotiveshisjoiningthemwouldinterfere."whatcouldhemean?shewasdyingtoknowwhatcouldbehismeaning"—andaskedelizabethwhethershecouldatallunderstandhim?

"notatall,"washeranswer;"butdependuponit,hemeanstobesevereonus,andoursurestwayofdisappointinghimwillbetoasknothingaboutit."

missbingley,however,wasincapableofdisappointingmr.darcyinanything,andperseveredthereforeinrequiringanexplanationofhistwomotives.

"ihavenotthesmallestobjectiontoexplainingthem,"saidhe,assoonassheallowedhimtospeak."youeitherchusethismethodofpassingtheeveningbecauseyouareineachother'sconfidence,andhavesecretaffairstodiscuss,orbecauseyouareconsciousthatyourfiguresappeartothegreatestadvantageinwalking;—ifthefirst,ishouldbecompletelyinyourway;—andifthesecond,icanadmireyoumuchbetterasisitbythefire."

"oh!shocking!"criedmissbingley."ineverheardanythingsoabominable.howshallwepunishhimforsuchaspeech?"

"nothingsoeasy,ifyouhavebuttheinclination,"saidelizabeth."wecanallplagueandpunishoneanother.teazehim—laughathim.—intimateasyouare,youmustknowhowitistobedone."