Pride and Prejudice

CHAPTER LIV.

As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits. Mr. Darcy’s behaviour astonished and vexed her. “Why, if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent, did he come at all?” She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure. “If he fears me, why come hither? If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teasing, teasing man! I will think no more about him.”

Her sister joined her with a cheerful look. “Now that this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly easy… I am glad he dines here on Tuesday. It will then be publicly seen that on both sides we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance.” “Yes, very indifferent, indeed,” said Elizabeth, laughingly. “Oh, Jane! take care.” “I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever.”

On Tuesday a large party assembled at Longbourn. Elizabeth watched to see whether Bingley would take his old place by Jane. On entering, he seemed to hesitate; but Jane happened to look round and smile: it was decided. He placed himself by her. Elizabeth looked towards his friend. He bore it with noble indifference; she would have imagined Bingley had received his sanction to be happy, had she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Darcy with an expression of half-laughing alarm.

Darcy was on one side of her mother; Elizabeth knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either. She hoped the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together. Anxious and uneasy, the period before the gentlemen came was wearisome and dull. She looked forward to their entrance as the point on which all her chance of pleasure must depend. “If he does not come to me, then,” said she, “I shall give him up for ever.”

The gentlemen came; she thought he looked as if he would have answered her hopes; but the ladies had crowded round the table in so close a confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her which would admit of a chair. Darcy walked away to another part of the room. She followed him with her eyes, envied everyone to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee. “A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of his love?”

She was a little revived by his bringing back his coffee-cup himself; she seized the opportunity of saying, “Is your sister at Pemberley still?” “Yes; she will remain there till Christmas.” “And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?” “Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others have been gone on to Scarborough these three weeks.” She could think of nothing more to say. He stood by her for some minutes in silence, then, on the young lady’s whispering to Elizabeth again, he walked away.

When the tea things were removed, Elizabeth was hoping to be soon joined by him, when all her views were overthrown by seeing him fall a victim to her mother’s rapacity for whist players. Their carriage was ordered before any of the others, and Mrs. Bennet had no opportunity of detaining them.

“Well, girls,” said Mrs. Bennet, as soon as they were left alone, “what say you to the day? I think everything has passed off uncommonly well.” She was in very great spirits.

“It has been a very agreeable day,” said Miss Bennet. “The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other. I hope we may often meet again.”

Elizabeth smiled. “Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having a wish beyond it.” “You are very cruel,” said her sister; “you will not let me smile, and are provoking me to it every moment.” “How hard it is in some cases to be believed! But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?” “That is a question which I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing. Forgive me; and if you persist in indifference, do not make me your confidante.”