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.🔗