colonelfitzwilliam'smannerswereverymuchadmiredattheparsonage,andtheladiesallfeltthathemustaddconsiderablytothepleasureoftheirengagementsatrosings.itwassomedays,however,beforetheyreceivedanyinvitationthither,forwhiletherewerevisitorsinthehousetheycouldnotbenecessary;anditwasnottilleaster-day,almostaweekafterthegentlemen'sarrival,thattheywerehonouredbysuchanattention,andthentheyweremerelyaskedonleavingchurchtocomethereintheevening.forthelastweektheyhadseenverylittleofeitherladycatherineorherdaughter.colonelfitzwilliamhadcalledattheparsonagemorethanonceduringthetime,butmr.darcytheyhadonlyseenatchurch.

theinvitationwasacceptedofcourse,andataproperhourtheyjoinedthepartyinladycatherine'sdrawingroom.herladyshipreceivedthemcivilly,butitwasplainthattheircompanywasbynomeanssoacceptableaswhenshecouldgetnobodyelse;andshewas,infact,almostengrossedbyhernephews,speakingtothem,especiallytodarcy,muchmorethantoanyotherpersonintheroom.

colonelfitzwilliamseemedreallygladtoseethem;anythingwasawelcomerelieftohimatrosings;andmrs.collins'sprettyfriendhadmoreovercaughthisfancyverymuch.henowseatedhimselfbyher,andtalkedsoagreeablyofkentandhertfordshire,oftravellingandstayingathome,ofnewbooksandmusic,thatelizabethhadneverbeenhalfsowellentertainedinthatroombefore;andtheyconversedwithsomuchspiritandflow,astodrawtheattentionofladycatherineherselfaswellasofmr.darcy.hiseyeshadbeensoonandrepeatedlyturnedtowardsthemwithalookofcuriosity;andthatherladyshipafterawhilesharedthefeeling,wasmoreopenlyacknowledged,forshedidnotscrupletocallout,"whatisthatyouaresaying,fitzwilliam?whatisityouaretalkingof?whatareyoutellingmissbennet?letmehearwhatitis."

"wearespeakingofmusic,madam,"saidhe,whennolongerabletoavoidareply.

"ofmusic!thenprayspeakaloud.itisofallsubjectsmydelight.imusthavemyshareintheconversation,ifyouarespeakingofmusic.therearefewpeopleinengland,isuppose,whohavemoretrueenjoymentofmusicthanmyself,orabetternaturaltaste.ifihadeverlearnt,ishouldhavebeenagreatproficient.andsowouldanne,ifherhealthhadallowedhertoapply.iamconfidentthatshewouldhaveperformeddelightfully.howdoesgeorgianageton,darcy?"

mr.darcyspokewithaffectionatepraiseofhissister'sproficiency.

"iamverygladtohearsuchagoodaccountofher,"saidladycatherine;"andpraytellherfromme,thatshecannotexpecttoexcel,ifshedoesnotpractiseagreatdeal."

"iassureyou,madam,"hereplied,"thatshedoesnotneedsuchadvice.shepractisesveryconstantly."

"somuchthebetter.itcannotbedonetoomuch;andwheninextwritetoher,ishallchargehernottoneglectitonanyaccount.ioftentellyoungladies,thatnoexcellenceinmusicistobeacquired,withoutconstantpractice.ihavetoldmissbennetseveraltimes,thatshewillneverplayreallywell,unlessshepractisesmore;andthoughmrs.collinshasnoinstrument,sheisverywelcome,asihaveoftentoldher,tocometorosingseveryday,andplayonthepianoforteinmrs.jenkinson'sroom.shewouldbeinnobody'sway,youknow,inthatpartofthehouse."

mr.darcylookedalittleashamedofhisaunt'sillbreeding,andmadenoanswer.

whencoffeewasover,colonelfitzwilliamremindedelizabethofhavingpromisedtoplaytohim;andshesatdowndirectlytotheinstrument.hedrewachairnearher.ladycatherinelistenedtohalfasong,andthentalked,asbefore,toherothernephew;tillthelatterwalkedawayfromher,andmovingwithhisusualdeliberationtowardsthepianoforte,stationedhimselfsoastocommandafullviewofthefairperformer'scountenance.elizabethsawwhathewasdoing,andatthefirstconvenientpause,turnedtohimwithanarchsmile,andsaid,"youmeantofrightenme,mr.darcy,bycominginallthisstatetohearme?butiwillnotbealarmedthoughyoursisterdoesplaysowell.thereisastubbornnessaboutmethatnevercanbeartobefrightenedatthewillofothers.mycouragealwaysriseswitheveryattempttointimidateme."

"ishallnotsaythatyouaremistaken,"hereplied,"becauseyoucouldnotreallybelievemetoentertainanydesignofalarmingyou;andihavehadthepleasureofyouracquaintancelongenoughtoknow,thatyoufindgreatenjoymentinoccasionallyprofessingopinionswhichinfactarenotyourown."

elizabethlaughedheartilyatthispictureofherself,andsaidtocolonelfitzwilliam,"yourcousinwillgiveyouaveryprettynotionofme,andteachyounottobelieveawordisay.iamparticularlyunluckyinmeetingwithapersonsowellabletoexposemyrealcharacter,inapartoftheworldwhereihadhopedtopassmyselfoffwithsomedegreeofcredit.indeed,mr.darcy,itisveryungenerousinyoutomentionallthatyouknewtomydisadvantageinhertfordshire—and,givemeleavetosay,veryimpolitictoo—foritisprovokingmetoretaliate,andsuchthingsmaycomeout,aswillshockyourrelationstohear."

"iamnotafraidofyou,"saidhe,smilingly.

"prayletmehearwhatyouhavetoaccusehimof,"criedcolonelfitzwilliam."ishouldliketoknowhowhebehavesamongstrangers."

"youshallhearthen—butprepareyourselfforsomethingverydreadful.thefirsttimeofmyeverseeinghiminhertfordshire,youmustknow,wasataball—andatthisball,whatdoyouthinkhedid?hedancedonlyfourdances!iamsorrytopainyou—butsoitwas.hedancedonlyfourdances,thoughgentlemenwerescarce;and,tomycertainknowledge,morethanoneyoungladywassittingdowninwantofapartner.mr.darcy,youcannotdenythefact."

"ihadnotatthattimethehonourofknowinganyladyintheassemblybeyondmyownparty."

"true;andnobodycaneverbeintroducedinaballroom.well,colonelfitzwilliam,whatdoiplaynext?myfingerswaityourorders."

"perhaps,"saiddarcy,"ishouldhavejudgedbetter,hadisoughtanintroduction,butiamillqualifiedtorecommendmyselftostrangers."

"shallweaskyourcousinthereasonofthis?"saidelizabeth,stilladdressingcolonelfitzwilliam."shallweaskhimwhyamanofsenseandeducation,andwhohaslivedintheworld,isillqualifiedtorecommendhimselftostrangers?"

"icanansweryourquestion,"saidfitzwilliam,"withoutapplyingtohim.itisbecausehewillnotgivehimselfthetrouble."

"icertainlyhavenotthetalentwhichsomepeoplepossess,"saiddarcy,"ofconversingeasilywiththoseihaveneverseenbefore.icannotcatchtheirtoneofconversation,orappearinterestedintheirconcerns,asioftenseedone."

"myfingers,"saidelizabeth,"donotmoveoverthisinstrumentinthemasterlymannerwhichiseesomanywomen'sdo.theyhavenotthesameforceorrapidity,anddonotproducethesameexpression.butthenihavealwayssupposedittobemyownfault—becauseiwouldnottakethetroubleofpractising.itisnotthatidonotbelievemyfingersascapableasanyotherwoman'sofsuperiorexecution."

darcysmiled,andsaid,"youareperfectlyright.youhaveemployedyourtimemuchbetter.nooneadmittedtotheprivilegeofhearingyou,canthinkanythingwanting.weneitherofusperformtostrangers."

heretheywereinterruptedbyladycatherine,whocalledouttoknowwhattheyweretalkingof.elizabethimmediatelybeganplayingagain.ladycatherineapproached,and,afterlisteningforafewminutes,saidtodarcy,"missbennetwouldnotplayatallamiss,ifshepractisedmore,andcouldhavetheadvantageofalondonmaster.shehasaverygoodnotionoffingering,thoughhertasteisnotequaltoanne's.annewouldhavebeenadelightfulperformer,hadherhealthallowedhertolearn."

elizabethlookedatdarcytoseehowcordiallyheassentedtohiscousin'spraise;butneitheratthatmomentnoratanyothercouldshediscernanysymptomoflove;andfromthewholeofhisbehaviourtomissdebourghshederivedthiscomfortformissbingley,thathemighthavebeenjustaslikelytomarryher,hadshebeenhisrelation.

ladycatherinecontinuedherremarksonelizabeth'sperformance,mixingwiththemmanyinstructionsonexecutionandtaste.elizabethreceivedthemwithalltheforbearanceofcivility;andattherequestofthegentlemen,remainedattheinstrumenttillherladyship'scarriagewasreadytotakethemallhome.