A Simplified Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 10

"No," cried Bingley, "this is too much, don't remember at night all the foolish things that were said in the morning. And yet, upon my honour, I believe what I said to be true, and I believe it right now. At least, therefore, I did not take on such a careless belief just to show off for the ladies."

"I do agree you believed it, but I am not at all convinced that you would be gone so swiftly. Your actions would be as dependant on chance as any man I know. If a friend said 'Bingley you had better stay till next week.' as you were mounting your horse, you would probably stay. And at another word, you would probably stay a month."

"You have only proven," cried Elizabeth, "That Mr Bingley did not do justice to himself."

"I am extremely pleased," said Mr Bingley, "That you converted what my friend Darcy said into a compliment on the gentleness of my mind. But I am afraid you are turning it into something he did not mean. He would certainly think better of me if I gave a flat denial and rode off as fast as I could."

"Does Mr Darcy believe the rashness of your first intentions as forgivable as your stubbornness in following it?"

'Upon my word," replied Bingley "I cannot exactly explain the matter, Darcy must speak for himself."

"You expect me to hold opinions you choose to call mine, but which I have never expressed. But if we play along with the case you have brought forward, you must remember, Miss Bennet, that the friend who desires Bingley to go home, and delay his plan, simply desires it, and hasn't offered one reasonable excuse to stay.

"To give up, readily, easily, to the persuasion of a friend holds no worthiness to you," said Elizabeth

"To give up without reason is not a compliment to the wisdom of either."

"You appear to me, Mr Darcy," she replied, "to ignore the influence of friendship and affection. A respect of love for the requester would often make one happy to yield, making it unnecessary to wait for reasons or arguments into it. I am not really speaking specifically about a case like Mr Bingley's. We might as well wait until the circumstance occurs before we discuss the wisdom of his behaviour. But in general and ordinary cases between two friends, when one of them wishes the other to change their mind on an unimportant decision, would you think poorly of a person to for complying to the wish, rather than being argued into it.

"Perhaps it's advisable," said Darcy, "before we proceed on this subject, to arrange with more precision, the amount of importance we place on this request, as well as the amount of intimacy between the two men."

"By all means," cried Bingley, "let us hear all the details! Not forgetting their comparative height and size, for Miss Bennet, that will have more weight in the argument than you are aware of. I assure you, if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow in comparison to myself, I would not pay him half as much respect. I declare! On certain occasions and particular places, especially at his own house, on a Sunday evening when he has nothing to do, I do not know a more awful object than Darcy."

Mr Darcy smiled, but Elizabeth thought she could discern that he was rather offended, and therefore postponed her laugh. Miss Bingley hotly hated the abuse he had received, and reprimanded her brother for talking such nonsense.

"I see your plan Bingly," said Darcy, "You dislike the argument, and want to silence it."

"Perhaps I do, arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Bennet will pause yours until I am out of the room, I should be very thankful; and then you may say whatever you like of me."

"What you ask," said Elizabeth, "Is no sacrifice on my side, and Mr Darcy had probably better finish his letter."

Mr Darcy took her advice, and did finish his letter. When that business was over, he asked Miss Bingley and Elizabeth if they would perform some music. Miss Bingley moved with quick readiness to the pianoforte. She offered a polite request that Elizabeth lead the way, which was as politely and more earnestly declined. Miss Bingley seated herself.

Mr Hurst sang with her sister, and while they were performing, and as Elizabeth browsed some music books that lay in the instrument, she could not help but notice how frequently Mr Darcy's eyes were fixed on her. She hardly could believe to be an object of admiration to so great a man, but that he would look at her because he disliked her was even more strange. She could only imagine that she drew his notice because there was something more wrong or disgraceful in herself than anyone else present. The thought did not pain her, she liked him too little to care for his approval.

After playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley added some variety with a lively Scotch air, and soon afterwards Mr Darcy, coming near Elizabeth, said her:

"Do you not feel a great interest Miss Bennet, to seize the opportunity of dancing a reel?"

She smiled but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.

"Oh!" she said, "I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. I know you wanted me to say yes, so you might have the pleasure of despising my taste, but I always take delight in overthrowing that kind of scheme, and cheating a person out of their planned displeasure. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you that I do not want to dance a reel at all, and now despise me if you dare."

"Indeed I do not dare," he responded. Elizabeth, having expected to offend him, was amazed at his chivalry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to offend anybody, and Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger.

Miss Bingley saw, or suspected enough to be jealous, and her great wish for the recovery of her dear friend Jane received some assistance from her desire of getting rid of Elizabeth. She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking Elizabeth, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.

"I hope," said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, "When this desirable marriage takes place, you will give your mother-in-law a few hints on the advantage of holding her tongue, and if you can reach it, do stop the younger girls from running after officers. And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, attempt to check that little something, boarding on conceit and rudeness which your lady possesses."

"Do you have anything else to propose for my happiness in marriage?"

"Oh! Yes. Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Philips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great-uncle the judge. They have the same profession, you know, only in different lines. You must not have Elizabeth's picture, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?"

"Indeed, it would not be easy to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and her eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."

At that moment they were met by Mrs Hurst and Elizabeth herself, who were walking another path that joined theirs.

"I did not know you decided to walk," said Miss Bingley, in some confusion, in case they had been overheard."

"You treated us very poorly," answered Mrs Hurst, "running away without telling us you were coming out." Then taking Mr Darcy's empty arm, she left Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path was only wide enough for three. Mr Darcy felt their rudeness, and immediately said:

"This path is not wide enough for our group. We better move to the avenue."

But Elizabeth, who had no desire to remain with them, laughingly answered,

"No, no; stay where you are, you are charmingly grouped, and appear perfectly balanced. The picture would be ruined by adding a fourth. Goodbye."

She then ran happily off, rejoicing as she left, in the hope of going home in a day or two. Jane was already feeling good enough to plan on leaving her room for a couple hours that evening.