Chapter 08 (Pride and Prejudice)

01CHAPTER VIII.

02At five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner.

03To the civil inquiries which then poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the much superior solicitude of Mr.

04Bingley's, she could not make a very favourable answer.

05Jane was by no means better.

06The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they were grieved, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively they disliked being ill themselves, and then thought no more of the matter, and their indifference towards Jane when not immediately before them, restored Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her former dislike.

07Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she could regard with any complacency.

08His anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing, and they prevented her feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered by the others.

09She had very little notice from any but him.

10Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr.

11Darcy, her sister scarcely less so, and as for Mr.

12Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he found her to prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.

13When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room.

14Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence.

15She had no conversation, no style, no beauty.

16Mrs.

17Hurst thought the same, and added, She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker.

18I shall never forget her appearance this morning.

19She really looked almost wild.

20She did indeed, Louisa.

21I could hardly keep my countenance.

22Very nonsensical to come at all.

23Why must she be scampering about the country, because her sister had a cold?

24Her hair so untidy, so blowsy!

25Oh, yes, and her petticoat!

26I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud, I am absolutely certain, and the gown which had been let down to hide it not doing its office.

27Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley, but all this was lost upon me.

28I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she came into the room this morning.

29Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice.

30You observed it, Mr.

31Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley, and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition.

32Certainly not.

33To walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone!

34What could she mean by it?

35It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum." It shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing," said Bingley.

36I am afraid, Mr.

37Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half-whisper, that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes." Not at all," he replied.

38They were brightened by the exercise.

39A short pause followed this speech, and Mrs.

40Hurst began again.

41I have an excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet.

42She is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled.

43But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it." I think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney on Meryton.

44Yes, and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.

45That is capital," added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.

46If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside," cried Bingley, it would not make them one jot less agreeable.

47But it must very materially lessen their chances of marrying men of any consideration in the world," replied Darcy.

48To this speech Bingley made no answer, but his sisters gave it their hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their dear friend's vulgar relations.

49With a renewal of tenderness, however, they returned to her room on leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her till summoned to coffee.

50She was still very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her at all, till late in the evening when she had the comfort of seeing her asleep, and when it seemed to her rather right than pleasant that she should go downstairs herself.

51On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join them.

52But suspecting them to be playing high, she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below, with a book.

53Mr.

54Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

55Do you prefer reading to cards?

56said he.

57That is rather singular.

58Miss Eliza Bennet, said Miss Bingley, despises cards.

59She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.

60I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth.

61I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.

62In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure," said Bingley, and I hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well.

63Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards the table where a few books were lying.

64He immediately offered to fetch her others, all that his library afforded.

65And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit.

66But I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever looked into." Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

67I am astonished, said Miss Bingley, that my father should have left so small a collection of books.

68What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr.

69Darcy!

70It ought to be good, he replied.

71It has been the work of many generations.

72And then you have added so much to it yourself!

73You are always buying books.

74I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.

75—Neglect!

76I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place.

77Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.

78—I wish it may.

79But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model.

80There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.

81—With all my heart, I will buy Pemberley itself, if Darcy will sell it.

82—I am talking of possibilities, Charles.

83—Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.

84Elizabeth was so much caught with what passed, as to leave her very little attention for her book, and soon laying it wholly aside, she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr.

85Bingley and his eldest sister, to observe the game.

86"'Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?' said Miss Bingley.

87"'Will she be as tall as I am?' "'I think she will.

88She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller.' How I longed to see her again!

89I never met with anybody who delighted me as much.

90Such a countenance, such manners, and so extremely accomplished for her age!

91Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite." "'It is amazing to me,' said Bingley, "'how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.' "'All young ladies accomplished?

92My dear Charles, what do you mean?' "'Yes, all of them, I think.

93They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses.

94I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time without being informed that she was very accomplished." "'Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,' said Darcy, "'has too much truth.

95The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen.

96But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general.

97I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen in the whole range of my acquaintance that are really accomplished." "'Nor I, I am sure,' said Miss Bingley." "'Then,' observed Elizabeth, "'you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.' "'Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.' "'Oh, certainly!' cried his faithful assistant.

98"'No one can really be esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.

99A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing in the modern languages, to deserve the word.

100And besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air, and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved." "'All this she must possess,' added Darcy.

101"'And to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." "'I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women.

102I rather wonder now at your knowing any." "'Are you so severe upon your own sex to doubt the possibility of all this?' "'I never saw such a woman.

103I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe United." "'Mrs.

104Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of her implied doubt, and were both protesting that they knew many women who answered this description, when Mr.

105Hurst called them to order, with bitter complaints of their inattention to what was going forward.

106"'As all conversation was thereby at an end, Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.

107"'Elizabeth Bennet,' said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, "'is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own.

108And with many men, I dare say, it succeeds.

109But in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.'" "'Undoubtedly,' replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, "'there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.

110Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.'" Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to continue the subject.

111Elizabeth joined them again, only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her.

112Bingley urged Mr.

113Jones being sent for immediately, while his sisters, convinced that no country advice could be of any service, recommended an express to town for one of the most eminent physicians.

114This she would not hear of, but she was not so unwilling to comply with their brother's proposal, and it was settled that Mr.

115Jones should be sent for early in the morning, if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better.

116Bingley was quite uncomfortable.

117His sisters declared that they were miserable.

118They solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings, than by giving his housekeeper directions that every attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.

119End of chapter 8