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consequence； which the attentions of the officers； to whom her
uncle’s good dinners and her own easy manners recommended
her； had increased into assurance。 She was very equal therefore to
address Mr。 Bingley on the subject of the ball； and abruptly
reminded him of his promise； adding； that it would be the most
shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it。 His answer to this
sudden attack was delightful to their mother’s ear。
‘I am perfectly ready； I assure you； to keep my engagement； and
when your sister is recovered； you shall if you please name the very
day of the ball。 But you would not wish to be dancing while she is
ill。’
Lydia declared herself satisfied。 ‘Oh！ yes—it would be much
better to wait till Jane was well； and by that time most likely
Captain Carter would be at Meryton again。 And when you have
given your ball；’ she added； ‘I shall insist on their giving one also。 I
shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not。’
Mrs。 Bennet and her daughters then departed； and Elizabeth
returned instantly to Jane； leaving her own and her relations’
behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr。 Darcy； the
latter of whom； however； could not be prevailed on to join in their
censure of her； in spite of all Miss Bingley’s witticisms onfine eyes。
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CHAPTER X
he day passed much as the day before had done。 Mrs。
Hurst and Miss Bingley had spent some hours of the
T
morning with the invalid； who continued； though slowly；
to mend； and in the evening Elizabeth joined their party in the
drawing…room。 The loo table； however； did not appear。 Mr。 Darcy
was writing； and Miss Bingley； seated near him； was watching the
progress of his letter； and repeatedly calling off his attention by
messages to his sister。 Mr。 Hurst and Mr。 Bingley were at piquet；
and Mrs。 Hurst was observing their game。
Elizabeth took up some needlework； and was sufficiently
amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his
companion。 The perpetual commendations of the lady either on his
hand…writing； or on the evenness of his lines； or on the length of his
letter； with the perfect unconcern with which her praises were
received； formed a curious dialogue； and was exactly in unison
with her opinion of each。
‘How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter！’
He made no answer。
‘You write uncommonly fast。’
‘You are mistaken。 I write rather slowly。’
‘How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course
of the year！ Letters of business too！ How odious I should think
them！’
‘It is fortunate； then； that they fall to my lot instead of to yours。’
‘Pray tell your sister that I long to see her。’
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‘I have already told her so once； by your desire。’
‘I am afraid you do not like your pen。 Let me mend it for you。 I
mend pens remarkably well。’
‘Thank you—but I always mend my own。
‘How can you contrive to write so even？’
He was silent。
‘Tell your sister I am delighted to hear of her improvement on
the harp； and pray let her know that I am quite in raptures with
her beautiful little design for a table； and I think it infinitely
superior to Miss Grantley’s。’
‘Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write
again？—At present I have not room to do them justice。’
‘Oh！ it is of no consequence。 I shall see her in January。 But do
you always write such charming long letters to her； Mr。 Darcy？’
‘They are generally long； but whether always charming； it is not
for me to determine。’
‘It is a rule with me； that a person who can write a long letter；
with ease； cannot write ill。’
‘That will not do for a compliment to Darcy； Caroline；’ cried her
brother—‘because he does not write with ease。 He studies too
much for words of four syllables。—Do not you； Darcy？’
‘My stile of writing is very different from yours。’
‘Oh！’ cried Miss Bingley； ‘Charles writes in the most careless
way imaginable。 He leaves out half his words； and blots the rest。’
‘My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them—
by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my
correspondents。’
‘Your humility； Mr。 Bingley；’ said Elizabeth； ‘must disarm
reproof。’
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‘Nothing is more deceitful；’ said Darcy； ‘than the appearance of
humility。 It is often only carelessness of opinion； and sometimes an
indirect boast。’
‘And which of the two do you call my little recent piece of
modesty？’
‘The indirect boast；—for you are really proud of your defects in
writing； because you consider them as proceeding from a rapidity
of thought and carelessness of execution； which if not estimable；
you think at least highly interesting。 The power of doing any thing
with quickness is always much prized by the possessor； and often
without any attention to the imperfection of the performance。
When you told Mrs。 Bennet this morning that if you ever resolved
on quitting Netherfield you should be gone in five minutes； you
meant it to be a sort of panegyric； of compliment to yourself—and
yet what is there so very laudable in a precipitance which must
leave very necessary business undone； and can be of no real
advantage to yourself or any one else？’
‘Nay；’ cried Bingley； ‘this is too much； to remember at night all
the foolish things that were said in the morning。 And yet； upon my
honour； I believed what I said of myself to be true； and I believe it
at this moment。 At least； therefore； I did not assume the character
of needless precipitance merely to shew off before the ladies。’
‘I dare say you believed it； but I am by no means convinced that
you would be gone with such celerity。 Your conduct would be quite
as dependant on chance as that of any man I know； and if； as you
were mounting your horse； a friend were to say； “Bingley； you had
better stay till next week；” you would probably do it； you would
probably not go—and； at another word； might stay a month。’
‘You have only proved by this；’ cried Elizabeth； ‘that Mr。
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Bingley did not do justice to his own disposition。 You have shewn
him off now much more than he did himself。’
‘I am exceedingly gratified；’ said Bingley； ‘by your converting
what my friend says into a compliment on the sweetness of my
temper。 But I am afraid you are giving it a turn which that
gentleman did by no means intend； for he would certainly think
the better of me； if under such a circumstance I were to give a flat
denial； and ride off as fast as I could。’
‘Would Mr。 Darcy then consider the rashness of your original
intention as atoned for by your obstinacy in adhering to it？’
‘Upon my word I cannot exactly explain the matter； Darcy must
speak for himself。’
‘You expect me to account for opinions which you chuse to call
mine； but which I have never acknowledged。 Allowing the case；
however； to stand according to your representation； you must
remember； Miss Bennet； that the friend who is supposed to desire
his return to the house； and the delay of his