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Chapter VI · Pride and Prejudice | Audiobook

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  Speaker 1: CHAPTER VI The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those
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  Speaker 1: of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form. Miss
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  Speaker 1: Bennet's pleasing manners grew on the goodwill of Mrs Hurst
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  Speaker 1: and Miss Bingley, and though the mother was found to
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  Speaker 1: be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to,
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  Speaker 1: a wish of being better acquainted with them was expressed
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  Speaker 1: towards the two eldest. By Jane, this attention was received
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  Speaker 1: with the greatest pleasure, but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in
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  Speaker 1: their treatment of everybody, hardly accepting even her sister, and
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  Speaker 1: could not like them. Though their kindness to Jane, such
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  Speaker 1: as it was, had a value, as arising in all probability,
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  Speaker 1: from the influence of their brother's admiration. It was generally evident,
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  Speaker 1: whenever they met, that he did admire her, and to
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  Speaker 1: her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to
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  Speaker 1: the preference which she had begun to entertain for him
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  Speaker 1: from the first, and was in a way to be
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  Speaker 1: very much in love. But she considered with pleasure that
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  Speaker 1: it was not likely to be discovered by the world
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  Speaker 1: in general, since Jane united with great strength of feeling.
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  Speaker 1: a composure of temper and an uniform cheerfulness of manner,
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  Speaker 1: which would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent.
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  Speaker 1: She mentioned this to her friend, Miss Lucas. It may, perhaps,
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  Speaker 1: be pleasant, replied Charlotte, to be able to impose on
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  Speaker 1: the public in such a case, but it is sometimes
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  Speaker 1: a disadvantage to be so very guarded. If a woman
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  Speaker 1: conceals her affection with the same skill from the object
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  Speaker 1: of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him,
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  Speaker 1: and it will then be but poor consolation to believe
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  Speaker 1: the world equally in the dark. There is so much
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  Speaker 1: of gratitude or vanity in almost every attachment that it
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  Speaker 1: is not safe to leave any to itself. We can
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  Speaker 1: all begin freely. A slight preference is natural enough. but
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  Speaker 1: there are very few of us who have heart enough
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  Speaker 1: to be really in love without encouragement. In nine cases
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  Speaker 1: out of ten, a woman had better show more affection
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  Speaker 1: than she feels. Bingley likes your sister undoubtedly, but he
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  Speaker 1: may never do more than like her if she does
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  Speaker 1: not help him on. But she does help him on,
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  Speaker 1: as much as her nature will allow. If I can
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  Speaker 1: perceive her regard for him, He must be a simpleton indeed,
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  Speaker 1: not to discover it too. Remember, Eliza, that he does
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  Speaker 1: not know Jane's disposition as you do. But if a
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  Speaker 1: woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour
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  Speaker 1: to conceal it, he must find it out. Perhaps he must,
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  Speaker 1: if he sees enough of her. But though Bingley and
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  Speaker 1: Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for many hours together.
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  Speaker 1: and as they always see each other in large mixed parties,
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  Speaker 1: it is impossible that every moment should be employed in
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  Speaker 1: conversing together. Jane should therefore make the most of every
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  Speaker 1: half hour in which she can command his attention. When
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  Speaker 1: she is secure of him, there will be leisure for
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  Speaker 1: falling in love as much as she chooses. Your plan
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  Speaker 1: is a good one, replied Elizabeth. where nothing is in
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  Speaker 1: question but the desire of being well married, and if
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  Speaker 1: I were determined to get a rich husband, or any husband,
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  Speaker 1: I dare say I should adopt it. But these are
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  Speaker 1: not Jane's feelings. She is not acting by design. As yet,
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  Speaker 1: she cannot even be certain of the degree of her
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  Speaker 1: own regard, nor of its reasonableness. She has known him
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  Speaker 1: only a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at Meryton.
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  Speaker 1: She saw him one morning at his own house, and
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  Speaker 1: has since dined in company with him four times. This
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  Speaker 1: is not quite enough to make her understand his character.
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  Speaker 1: Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him,
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  Speaker 1: she might only have discovered whether he had a good appetite.
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  Speaker 1: but you must remember that four evenings have been also
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  Speaker 1: spent together, and four evenings may do a great deal. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they
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  Speaker 1: both like Vingtoun better than commerce, but with respect to
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  Speaker 1: any other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much
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  Speaker 1: has been unfolded. Well, said Charlotte, I wish Jane success
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  Speaker 1: with all my heart, and if she were married to
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  Speaker 1: him tomorrow, I should think she had as good a
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  Speaker 1: chance of happiness as if she were to be studying
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  Speaker 1: his character for a twelve-month. Happiness, in marriage, is entirely
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  Speaker 1: a matter of chance. If the dispositions of the parties
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  Speaker 1: are ever so well known to each other, or ever
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  Speaker 1: so similar beforehand, It does not advance their felicity in
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  Speaker 1: the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently unlike afterwards
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  Speaker 1: to have their share of vexation, and it is better
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  Speaker 1: to know as little as possible of the defects of
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  Speaker 1: the person with whom you are to pass your life.
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  Speaker 1: You make me laugh, Charlotte, but it is not sound.
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  Speaker 1: You know it is not sound, and that you would
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  Speaker 1: never act in this way yourself. Occupied in observing Mr
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  Speaker 1: Bingley's attention to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting
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  Speaker 1: that she was herself becoming an object of some interest
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  Speaker 1: in the eyes of his friend. Mr Darcy had at
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  Speaker 1: first scarcely allowed her to be pretty. He had looked
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  Speaker 1: at her without admiration at the ball, and when they
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  Speaker 1: next met, he looked at her only to criticise. But
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  Speaker 1: no sooner had he made it clear to himself and
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  Speaker 1: his friends that she had hardly a good feature in
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  Speaker 1: her face, than he began to find it was rendered
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  Speaker 1: uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes.
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  Speaker 1: To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying, though he
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  Speaker 1: had detected with a critical eye more than one failure
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  Speaker 1: of perfect symmetry in her form. he was forced to
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  Speaker 1: acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing. And in
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  Speaker 1: spite of his asserting that her manners were not those
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  Speaker 1: of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.
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  Speaker 1: Of this, she was perfectly unaware. To her, he was
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  Speaker 1: only the man who made himself agreeable nowhere, and who
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  Speaker 1: had not thought her handsome enough to dance with. He
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  Speaker 1: began to wish to know more of her, and, as
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  Speaker 1: a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her
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  Speaker 1: conversation with others. His doing so drew her notice. It
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  Speaker 1: was at Sir William Lucas's, where a large party were assembled.
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  Speaker 1: What does Mr Darcy mean? said she to Charlotte. By
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  Speaker 1: listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster. That is a
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  Speaker 1: question which Mr Darcy only can answer. But if he
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  Speaker 1: does it any more, I shall certainly let him know
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  Speaker 1: that I see what he is about. He has a
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  Speaker 1: very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by
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  Speaker 1: being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.
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  Speaker 1: On his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to
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  Speaker 1: have any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend
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  Speaker 1: to mention such a subject to him. which, immediately provoking
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth to do it, she turned to him and said,
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  Speaker 1: Did not you think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself
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  Speaker 1: uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster
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  Speaker 1: to give us a ball at Meryton? With great energy,
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  Speaker 1: but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.
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  Speaker 1: You are severe on us. It will be her turn
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  Speaker 1: soon to be teased. said Miss Lucas. I am going
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  Speaker 1: to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.
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  Speaker 1: You are a very strange creature by way of a friend,
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  Speaker 1: always wanting me to play and sing before anybody and everybody.
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  Speaker 1: If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would
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  Speaker 1: have been invaluable. But as it is, I would really
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  Speaker 1: rather not sit down before those who must be in
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  Speaker 1: the habit of hearing the very best performers. On Miss
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  Speaker 1: Lucas's persevering, however, she added, Very well. If it must
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  Speaker 1: be so, it must. And gravely glancing at Mr Darcy,
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  Speaker 1: There is a very fine old saying, which everybody here
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  Speaker 1: is of course familiar with. keep your breath to cool
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  Speaker 1: your porridge, and I shall keep mine to swell my song.
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  Speaker 1: Her performance was pleasing, though by no means capital. After
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  Speaker 1: a song or two, and before she could reply to
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  Speaker 1: the entreaties of several that she would sing again, she
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  Speaker 1: was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her sister Mary,
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  Speaker 1: who having, in consequence of being the only plain one
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  Speaker 1: in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was
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  Speaker 1: always impatient for display. Mary had neither genius nor taste,
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  Speaker 1: and though vanity had given her application, it had given
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  Speaker 1: her likewise a pedantic air and conceited manner. which would
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  Speaker 1: have injured a higher degree of excellence than she had reached. Elizabeth,
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  Speaker 1: easy and unaffected, had been listened to with much more pleasure,
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  Speaker 1: though not playing half so well, and Mary, at the
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  Speaker 1: end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise
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  Speaker 1: and gratitude by Scotch and Irish heirs at the request
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  Speaker 1: of her younger sisters, who, with some of the Lucases,
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  Speaker 1: and two or three officers, joined eagerly in dancing at
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  Speaker 1: one end of the room. Mr. Darcy stood near them
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  Speaker 1: in silent indignation at such a mode of passing the evening,
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  Speaker 1: to the exclusion of all conversation, and was too much
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  Speaker 1: engrossed by his own thoughts to perceive that Sir William
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  Speaker 1: Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began. What
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  Speaker 1: a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr Darcy.
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  Speaker 1: There is nothing like dancing, after all. I consider it
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  Speaker 1: as one of the first refinements of polished societies. Certainly, sir.
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  Speaker 1: And it has the advantage also of being in vogue
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  Speaker 1: amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage
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  Speaker 1: can dance. Sir William only smiled. Your friend performs delightfully.
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  Speaker 1: he continued, after a pause, on seeing Bingley join the group.
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  Speaker 1: And I doubt not that you are an adept in
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  Speaker 1: the science yourself, Mr. Darcy. You saw me dance at Meryton,
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  Speaker 1: I believe, sir? Yes, indeed, and received no inconsiderable pleasure
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  Speaker 1: from the sight. Do you often dance at St. James's? Never, sir.
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  Speaker 1: Do you not think it would be a proper compliment
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  Speaker 1: to the place? It is a compliment which I never
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  Speaker 1: pay to any place if I can avoid it. You
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  Speaker 1: have a house in town, I conclude. Mr. Darcy bowed.
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  Speaker 1: I had once some thoughts of fixing in town myself,
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  Speaker 1: for I am fond of superior society, but I did
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  Speaker 1: not feel quite certain that the heir of London would
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  Speaker 1: agree with Lady Lucas. He paused in hopes of an answer,
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  Speaker 1: but his companion was not disposed to make any. and
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth at that instant moving towards them, he was struck
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  Speaker 1: with the notion of doing a very gallant thing, and
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  Speaker 1: called out to her, My dear Miss Eliza, why are
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  Speaker 1: not you dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must allow me to
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  Speaker 1: present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner.
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  Speaker 1: You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure, when so
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  Speaker 1: much beauty is before you. And, taking her hand, he
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  Speaker 1: would have given it to Mr. Darcy, who, though extremely surprised,
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  Speaker 1: was not unwilling to receive it, when she instantly drew
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  Speaker 1: back and said with some discomposure to Sir William, Indeed, sir,
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  Speaker 1: I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreat
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  Speaker 1: you not to suppose that I moved this way in
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  Speaker 1: order to beg for a partner. Mr. Darcy said, with
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  Speaker 1: grave propriety, requested to be allowed the honour of her hand,
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  Speaker 1: but in vain. Elizabeth was determined, nor did Sir William
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  Speaker 1: at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.
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  Speaker 1: You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that
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  Speaker 1: it is cruel to deny me the happiness of seeing you,
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  Speaker 1: and though this gentleman dislikes the amusement in general, he
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  Speaker 1: can have no objection, I am sure, to oblige us
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  Speaker 1: for one half hour. Mr. Darcy is all politeness, said Elizabeth, smiling.
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  Speaker 1: He is indeed, but considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza,
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  Speaker 1: we cannot wonder at his complacence, for who would object
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  Speaker 1: to such a partner? Elizabeth looked archly and turned away.
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  Speaker 1: Her resistance had not injured her with the gentleman, and
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  Speaker 1: he was thinking of her with some complacency. when thus
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  Speaker 1: accosted by Miss Bingley. I can guess the subject of
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  Speaker 1: your reverie. I should imagine not. You are considering how
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  Speaker 1: insupportable it would be to pass many evenings in this manner,
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  Speaker 1: in such society, and indeed I am quite of your opinion.
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  Speaker 1: I was never more annoyed. The insipidity, and yet the noise,
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  Speaker 1: the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all these people.
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  Speaker 1: What would I give to hear your strictures on them?
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  Speaker 1: Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind
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  Speaker 1: was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the
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  Speaker 1: very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in
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  Speaker 1: the face of a pretty woman can bestow. Miss Bingley
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  Speaker 1: immediately fixed her eyes on his face. and desired he
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  Speaker 1: would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring
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  Speaker 1: such reflections. Mr Darcy replied with great intrepidity, Miss Elizabeth Bennet.
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  Speaker 1: Miss Elizabeth Bennet, repeated Miss Bingley. I am all astonishment.
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  Speaker 1: How long has she been such a favourite? And pray,
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  Speaker 1: when am I to wish you joy? That is exactly
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  Speaker 1: the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's
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  Speaker 1: imagination is very rapid. It jumps from admiration to love,
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  Speaker 1: from love to matrimony in a moment. I knew you
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  Speaker 1: would be wishing me joy. Nay, if you are so
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  Speaker 1: serious about it, I shall consider the matter as absolutely settled.
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  Speaker 1: You will have a charming mother-in-law indeed, and of course
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  Speaker 1: she will be always at Pemberley with you. He listened
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  Speaker 1: to her with perfect indifference, while she chose to entertain
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  Speaker 1: herself in this manner, and as his composure convinced her
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  Speaker 1: that all was safe, her wit flowed along.