Colonel Fitzwilliam's manners were very much admired at the
Parsonage, and the ladies all felt that he must add considerably to the
pleasures of their engagements at Rosings. It was some days, however,
before they received any invitation thither--for while there were
visitors in the house, they could not be necessary; and it was not till
Easter-day, almost a week after the gentlemen's arrival, that they were
honoured by such an attention, and then they were merely asked on
leaving church to come there in the evening. For the last week they had
seen very little of Lady Catherine or her daughter. Colonel Fitzwilliam
had called at the Parsonage more than once during the time, but Mr.
Darcy they had seen only at church.
The invitation was accepted of
course, and at a proper hour they joined the party in Lady Catherine's
drawing-room. Her ladyship received them civilly, but it was plain that
their company was by no means so acceptable as when she could get nobody
else; and she was, in fact, almost engrossed by her nephews, speaking
to them, especially to Darcy, much more than to any other person in the
room.
Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed really glad to see them; anything
was a welcome relief to him at Rosings; and Mrs. Collins's pretty
friend had moreover caught his fancy very much. He now seated himself by
her, and talked so agreeably of Kent and Hertfordshire, of travelling
and staying at home, of new books and music, that Elizabeth had never
been half so well entertained in that room before; and they conversed
with so much spirit and flow, as to draw the attention of Lady Catherine
herself, as well as of Mr. Darcy. _His_ eyes had been soon and
repeatedly turned towards them with a look of curiosity; and that her
ladyship, after a while, shared the feeling, was more openly
acknowledged, for she did not scruple to call out:
"What is that
you are saying, Fitzwilliam? What is it you are talking of? What are you
telling Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is."
"We are speaking of music, madam," said he, when no longer able to avoid a reply.
"Of
music! Then pray speak aloud. It is of all subjects my delight. I must
have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There
are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of
music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I
should have been a great proficient. And so would Anne, if her health
had allowed her to apply. I am confident that she would have performed
delightfully. How does Georgiana get on, Darcy?"
Mr. Darcy spoke with affectionate praise of his sister's proficiency.
"I
am very glad to hear such a good account of her," said Lady Catherine;
"and pray tell her from me, that she cannot expect to excel if she does
not practice a good deal."
"I assure you, madam," he replied, "that she does not need such advice. She practises very constantly."
"So
much the better. It cannot be done too much; and when I next write to
her, I shall charge her not to neglect it on any account. I often tell
young ladies that no excellence in music is to be acquired without
constant practice. I have told Miss Bennet several times, that she will
never play really well unless she practises more; and though Mrs.
Collins has no instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told
her, to come to Rosings every day, and play on the pianoforte in Mrs.
Jenkinson's room. She would be in nobody's way, you know, in that part
of the house."
Mr. Darcy looked a little ashamed of his aunt's ill-breeding, and made no answer.
When
coffee was over, Colonel Fitzwilliam reminded Elizabeth of having
promised to play to him; and she sat down directly to the instrument. He
drew a chair near her. Lady Catherine listened to half a song, and then
talked, as before, to her other nephew; till the latter walked away
from her, and making with his usual deliberation towards the pianoforte
stationed himself so as to command a full view of the fair performer's
countenance. Elizabeth saw what he was doing, and at the first
convenient pause, turned to him with an arch smile, and said:
"You
mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me?
I will not be alarmed though your sister _does_ play so well. There is a
stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will
of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me."
"I
shall not say you are mistaken," he replied, "because you could not
really believe me to entertain any design of alarming you; and I have
had the pleasure of your acquaintance long enough to know that you find
great enjoyment in occasionally professing opinions which in fact are
not your own."
Elizabeth laughed heartily at this picture of
herself, and said to Colonel Fitzwilliam, "Your cousin will give you a
very pretty notion of me, and teach you not to believe a word I say. I
am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so able to expose my
real character, in a part of the world where I had hoped to pass myself
off with some degree of credit. Indeed, Mr. Darcy, it is very ungenerous
in you to mention all that you knew to my disadvantage in
Hertfordshire--and, give me leave to say, very impolitic too--for it is
provoking me to retaliate, and such things may come out as will shock
your relations to hear."
"I am not afraid of you," said he, smilingly.
"Pray
let me hear what you have to accuse him of," cried Colonel Fitzwilliam.
"I should like to know how he behaves among strangers."
"You
shall hear then--but prepare yourself for something very dreadful. The
first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at
a ball--and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four
dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge,
more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr.
Darcy, you cannot deny the fact."
"I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party."
"True;
and nobody can ever be introduced in a ball-room. Well, Colonel
Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders."
"Perhaps,"
said Darcy, "I should have judged better, had I sought an introduction;
but I am ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers."
"Shall
we ask your cousin the reason of this?" said Elizabeth, still addressing
Colonel Fitzwilliam. "Shall we ask him why a man of sense and
education, and who has lived in the world, is ill qualified to recommend
himself to strangers?"
"I can answer your question," said Fitzwilliam, "without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble."
"I
certainly have not the talent which some people possess," said Darcy,
"of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot
catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their
concerns, as I often see done."
"My fingers," said Elizabeth, "do
not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many
women's do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not
produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my
own fault--because I will not take the trouble of practising. It is not
that I do not believe _my_ fingers as capable as any other woman's of
superior execution."
Darcy smiled and said, "You are perfectly
right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the
privilege of hearing you can think anything wanting. We neither of us
perform to strangers."
Here they were interrupted by Lady
Catherine, who called out to know what they were talking of. Elizabeth
immediately began playing again. Lady Catherine approached, and, after
listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy:
"Miss Bennet would not
play at all amiss if she practised more, and could have the advantage
of a London master. She has a very good notion of fingering, though her
taste is not equal to Anne's. Anne would have been a delightful
performer, had her health allowed her to learn."
Elizabeth looked
at Darcy to see how cordially he assented to his cousin's praise; but
neither at that moment nor at any other could she discern any symptom of
love; and from the whole of his behaviour to Miss de Bourgh she derived
this comfort for Miss Bingley, that he might have been just as likely
to marry _her_, had she been his relation.
Lady Catherine
continued her remarks on Elizabeth's performance, mixing with them many
instructions on execution and taste. Elizabeth received them with all
the forbearance of civility, and, at the request of the gentlemen,
remained at the instrument till her ladyship's carriage was ready to
take them all home. _