During dinner Darcy hoped for an opportunity to speak with Elizabeth, but Caroline strategically placed her next to Mr. Hurst. Darcy made conversation with Caroline. He split his attention, however, hoping forgemsof Elizabeth’s conversation, which he could use later.
Elizabeth returned to her sister’s care after dinner, and Miss Bingley immediately began to abuse her. “Miss Elizabeth’s manners, I find, are very bad indeed; they are a mixture of pride and impertinence. Did you notice, Louisa, she cannot hold a civil conversation; she has no style, no taste, and no beauty of which to speak. Country ideas of such appealing qualities must be far below those of refined societies.” Darcy shuddered listening to her crassness; he wondered at how little he knew about Miss Bingley. He once found her to be dignified.When was that exactly?
Louisa Hurst joined in her sister’s aspersion of Elizabeth Bennet. “She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild.”
Caroline cackled, “She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance.Very nonsensical to come at all! Why mustshebescampering about the country because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy, so blowsy!”
“Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches deep in mud!”
Bingley came to Elizabeth’s defense.“I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat quite escaped my notice.”Bless him,thought Darcy.Maybe he will be able to handle Caroline some day after all.
Caroline turned her attention to Darcy. “You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure, and I am inclined to think that you would not wish to seeyoursister make such an exhibition.To walk three miles or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt and alone, quite alone—what can she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.”
Caroline’s references to the boorish behavior of the locals wore on Darcy’s patience.“Her sister was ill; it shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing.”
“Mr. Darcy, you must agree, however, that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.” Caroline’s voice displayed her desperation.
“Again you are mistaken, Miss Bingley. They were brightened by the exercise.”
Darcy hoped his comment would stifle Miss Bingley’s censure of Elizabeth, but it did not. “Did you know, Louisa, the Bennet family has an uncle who is a country attorney and an uncle who owns a warehouse in Cheapside?”
“I do not understand all this emphasis on material wealth when one judges a person’s merit; even if the Bennets had enough uncles to fillallCheapside, it would not make them one jot less agreeable.” Bingley felt the need to defend his preference for Jane Bennet.
“Unfortunately, Bingley, other people will judge differently. It must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world.” He hated to say it, but the facts weretrue. Men of fine society would not consider the Bennet sisters as probable mates, and although he found Elizabeth Bennet to be more than appealing, he knew he could not marry her.
Darcy’s speech gave the Bingley sisterspermissionto continue their condemnation of the Bennet family’s vulgar relations. Bingley, on the other hand, made no answer; he wanted to change the subject, but the reality of the situation did not allow him to open up another avenue of defense. Darcy, too, could not shake the uneasiness he felt each time Caroline mentioned Elizabeth in a negative light.
Eventually, the sisters ceased theirhumorousattack and removed to Miss Bennet’s room for an update on Jane Bennet’s condition. It was late in the evening before Elizabeth, however, rejoined the Bingley household.The party sat at loo when she returned; Darcy anxiously observed her again. During the day he decided he once more desired Elizabeth’s company. Plus, he reasoned having her here would give him some time to really get to know Elizabeth Bennet. He had no one with whom he must share her responses. Darcy looked forward to once again engaging her in a verbal battle. Elizabeth would see him differently; she would increase her regard for Fitzwilliam Darcy. That idea played to Darcy’s sense of pride; what woman would not desire his attention? No one Darcy met before refused his consideration.
“Will you join us, Miss Elizabeth?” Louisa asked graciously.
“I fear my sister may require my help; I would not wish to interrupt your game,” Elizabeth begged off. “Pray, I will amuse myself with a book instead.”
“You cannot tell me, Miss Elizabeth, you prefer reading to cards? That is rather singular.” Mr. Hurst protested.
Miss Bingley seized the opportunity to disparage Elizabeth in front of Darcy. She offered a calculated cut. “Miss Eliza Bennet despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.”
Caroline’s rudeness astonished Darcy. To call Elizabeth “Eliza”highlighted Caroline’s way of showing her disdain. Miss Bingley’s lack of proper manners mortified him. Turning to Elizabeth, he expected to see her taken aback as well; instead, he noted that same enigmatic smile, the one she gave him when she found his manners lacking. “Miss Bingley, you misjudge me. I deserve neither such praise nor such censure. I amnota great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.”
Good for her,thought Darcy,she held her own with Caroline.How Elizabeth deflected Caroline’s criticism impressed Darcy. Verbal attacks with her should entertain him nicely; he anticipated the pleasure of it all. As the evening progressed, Elizabeth, eventually, left her book and drew near the card table. Although she stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, she played havoc with Darcy’s well-being. Awashed with the fragrance of lavender, her nearness placed Darcy’s every fiber on alert.
Caroline, aware of the changes in Darcy, tried to recover his attention.“How is dear Georgiana, Mr. Darcy? Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring? Will she be as tall as I am?”
Darcy’s eyes never left his cards, but his awareness of Elizabeth could not be described. “Actually, Miss Bingley, I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet’s height, or rather taller.” He shot a glance at Elizabeth, and they momentarily locked eyes.
Caroline’s exaggerated regard for Georgiana continued; she wanted Elizabeth to know how intimate she was with Darcy. “How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners. And so extremely accomplished for her age. Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite.”
“It is amazing to me,” Bingley quickly added, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they are. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”
Darcy’s fondness for Bingley increased. Not only had his generosity placed Elizabeth within Netherfield, he opened up a mode ofdiscourse of which Darcy knew Elizabeth would react. Challengingly, Darcy asserted, “Your list of the common extent of accomplishments has too much truth. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”
Echoing his ideas, Miss Bingley said,“Nor I, I am sure.”
Darcy’s eyes rose to look Elizabeth squarely in the face; as predicted, she did not disappoint him.“It amazes me you have such an understanding of women’s abilities, Mr. Darcy. Have you studied them thoroughly? You seem to comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”
Touché! Darcy had her now; he would let her see he was a worthy opponent for her verbal prowess.“I do comprehend a great deal in it. Just because I am a man, Miss Elizabeth, does not mean I am unaware of what qualities the ideal woman should possess,” he began to lead her on.
Not wishing to lose his appreciation to Elizabeth Bennet, Miss Bingley recited her list of qualities for an accomplished woman.“A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and 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.” Caroline hoped she displayed her accomplished qualities to Darcy while amplifying Elizabeth’s flaws.
