by Jane Austen
She could think of nothing more to say; but if he wished to converse with her, he might have better success. He stood by her, however, for some minutes, in silence; and, at last, on the young lady's whispering to Elizabeth again, he walked away.
When the tea-things were removed, and the card tables placed, the ladies all rose, and Elizabeth was then hoping to be soon joined by him, when all her views13 were overthrown, by seeing him fall a victim to her mother's rapacity for whist players,14 and in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party. She now lost every expectation of pleasure. They were confined for the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself.
Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper;15 but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of the others, and she had no opportunity of detaining them.
“Well girls,” said she, as soon as they were left to themselves, “What say you to the day? I think every thing has passed off uncommonly well, I assure you. The dinner was as well dressed as any I ever saw. The venison16 was roasted to a turn17 —and everybody said, they never saw so fat a haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucas's last week; and even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done;18 and I suppose he has two or three French cooks19 at least. And, my dear Jane, I never saw you look in greater beauty. Mrs. Long said so too, for I asked her whether you did not. And what do you think she said besides? Ah! Mrs. Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last.' She did indeed. I do think Mrs. Long is as good a creature as ever lived—and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls,20 and not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously.”
Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane, to be convinced that she would get him at last; and her expectations of advantage to her family, when in a happy humour, were so far beyond reason, that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next day, to make his proposals.
“It has been a very agreeable day,” said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth.
“The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other. I hope we may often meet again.”
Elizabeth smiled.
“Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having a wish beyond it. I am perfectly satisfied from what his manners now are, that he never had any design of engaging my affection. It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address,21 and a stronger desire of generally pleasing than any other man.”22
“You are very cruel,” said her sister, “you will not let me smile, and are provoking me to it every moment.”
“How hard it is in some cases to be believed!”
“And how impossible in others!”23
“But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?”
“That is a question which I hardly know how to answer. We all love to instruct, though we can teach only what is not worth knowing. Forgive me; and if you persist in indifference, do not make me your confidante.”
1. This is not the only time in the novel when people are presented as unable to resist pursuing subjects of thought that may only make them unhappy. This passage, like others in this section, also shows the author directing a greater degree of irony toward Elizabeth than at other times in the book, for Elizabeth is now acting and thinking in a less clear-headed way because of her strong feelings for Darcy.
2. teazing: irritating.
3. That is, the distraction of her sister's presence causes Elizabeth, without her willing it, to maintain temporarily her resolution to think no more of Darcy. The phrasing of the passage suggests that this resolution will not be kept for long, since external distractions will not always be present to bolster her resolve.
4. punctuality as sportsmen: their punctuality in finishing their sport (i.e., shooting).
5. repaired to: moved into. The guests would have been received initially in another room.
6. The implication is that Elizabeth still suspects Darcy to harbor snobbish reservations toward a marriage between Bingley and Jane, despite Elizabeth's experience of Darcy's improved behavior at Pemberley and her knowledge of his actions with regard to Lydia.
7. Elizabeth's inability at this juncture to communicate with Darcy or to learn his true thoughts constitutes another ordeal for her and a further test of her feelings for him.
8. Commentators of the time would often describe this period when the ladies waited for the men as one of boredom for them. The implication of this sentence is that it is even more tedious than usual for Elizabeth now.
9. Elizabeth's making such a silly resolution is a sign of how much Darcy is affecting her emotionally, and causing her to be less the confident and often sardonic person that she was earlier.
Showing such confusion or irrationality in Elizabeth is one way for the author to reveal, in the absence of actual love scenes, the growing strength of Elizabeth's love for Darcy.
10. confederacy: league or union. The terms suggests that the ladies are, at least to Elizabeth's mind, almost conspiring to prevent Darcy from talking to her.
11. Scarborough: a town on the northeast coast of England (see map, p. 742); it was a popular spa and seaside resort, the largest of such resorts outside the vicinity of London. For people already in Derbyshire, it would be closer than the resorts on the southern coast. “The others” probably refers to, at the least, Miss Bingley and the Hursts.
12. these three weeks: for the last three weeks.
13. views: expectations.
14. Since whist is a card game requiring four players for each group, a hostess would often need to recruit additional players in order to make sure each potential group of four was complete.
15. Jane Austen herself commented on the issue of Mrs. Bennet's suppers; see p. 627, note 14.
16. venison: this, and other game such as partridges (also served at this dinner), would be in season at this time. Because restrictions on hunting and selling game made it difficult to procure, serving it was a mark of status, as Mrs. Bennet would certainly know. According to one authority on rural life (E. W. Bovili), “In the shooting season no dinner party with any pretension to smartness was complete without a game course.” Venison was especially prestigious, for the rarity of deer in England meant that obtaining it required either the possession of extensive lands or an acquaintance with someone who possessed such lands.
Serving two different kinds of meat, in this case venison and partridges, at the same dinner was not at all unusual for the time, for those who could afford it had a heavily meat-based diet. Sample menus for formal dinners from the time show a great variety of meats or meat dishes being served.
17. to a turn: to the exact proper degree.
18. Darcy's willingness to offer such a compliment, and to someone as annoying and as impolite to him as Mrs. Bennet, indicates his improvement in courtesy and sociability.
19. French cooks: often hired by the wealthy, for by this time French cuisine had become more prestigious; French cooking was also more prevalent in towns than in the countryside. One of Jane Austen's brothers hired a French cook.
20. pretty behaved: pleasingly or properly behaved.
21. address: way of speaking, or bearing in conversation.
22. After first saying that she harbors no special regard for Bingley, Jane then exalts him above all other men. This indicates both the strength of her feelings for him, and her continued inability or unwillingness to acknowledge these feelings.
23. This line and the previous line were printed as one line, and thus as utterances of the same speaker, in initial editions of the novel. Jane Austen noticed this in a letter written when the novel first appeared, calling it “the greatest blunder in the Pri
nting that I have met with” (Feb. 4, 1813).
Chapter Thirteen
A few days after this visit, Mr. Bingley called again, and alone. His friend had left him that morning for London, but was to return home1 in ten days time. He sat with them above an hour, and was in remarkably good spirits. Mrs. Bennet invited him to dine with them; but, with many expressions of concern, he confessed himself engaged elsewhere.
“Next time you call,” said she, “I hope we shall be more lucky.”
He should be particularly happy at any time, &c. &c.;2 and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on3 them.
“Can you come to-morrow?”
Yes, he had no engagement at all for to-morrow; and her invitation was accepted with alacrity.
He came, and in such very good time, that the ladies were none of them dressed. In ran Mrs. Bennet to her daughter's room, in her dressing gown, and with her hair half finished, crying out,
“My dear Jane, make haste and hurry down. He is come —Mr. Bingley is come. —He is, indeed. Make haste, make haste. Here, Sarah,4 come to Miss Bennet this moment, and help her on with her gown. Never mind Miss Lizzy's hair.”5
“We will be down as soon as we can,” said Jane; “but I dare say Kitty is forwarder6 than either of us, for she went up stairs half an hour ago.”7
“Oh! hang Kitty! what has she to do with it? Come be quick, be quick! where is your sash my dear?”
But when her mother was gone, Jane would not be prevailed on to go down without one of her sisters.8
The same anxiety to get them by themselves, was visible again in the evening. After tea, Mr. Bennet retired to the library, as was his custom, and Mary went up stairs to her instrument.9 Two obstacles of the five being thus removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and Catherine for a considerable time, without making any impression on them. Elizabeth would not observe her; and when at last Kitty did, she very innocently said, “What is the matter mamma? What do you keep winking at me for? What am I to do?”
“Nothing child, nothing. I did not wink at you.” She then sat still five minutes longer; but unable to waste such a precious occasion, she suddenly got up, and saying to Kitty,
“Come here, my love, I want to speak to you,” took her out of the room. Jane instantly gave a look at Elizabeth, which spoke10 her distress at such premeditation, and her intreaty that she would not give into it. In a few minutes, Mrs. Bennet half opened the door and called out,
“Lizzy, my dear, I want to speak with you.”
Elizabeth was forced to go.
“We may as well leave them by themselves you know;” said her mother as soon as she was in the hall. “Kitty and I are going up stairs to sit in my dressing room.”11
Elizabeth made no attempt to reason with her mother, but remained quietly in the hall, till she and Kitty were out of sight, then returned into the drawing room.12
Mrs. Bennet's schemes for this day were ineffectual. Bingley was every thing that was charming, except the professed lover of her daughter. His ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party; and he bore with the ill-judged officiousness of the mother, and heard all her silly remarks with a forbearance and command of countenance, particularly grateful to the daughter.
He scarcely needed an invitation to stay13 supper;14 and before he went away, an engagement was formed, chiefly through his own and Mrs. Bennet's means, for his coming next morning to shoot with her husband.
After this day, Jane said no more of her indifference. Not a word passed between the sisters concerning Bingley; but Elizabeth went to bed in the happy belief that all must speedily be concluded, unless Mr. Darcy returned within the stated time. Seriously, however, she felt tolerably persuaded that all this must have taken place with that gentleman's concurrence.
Bingley was punctual to his appointment; and he and Mr. Ben-net spent the morning15 together, as had been agreed on. The latter was much more agreeable than his companion expected. There was nothing of presumption or folly in Bingley, that could provoke his ridicule, or disgust him into silence; and he was more communicative, and less eccentric than the other had ever seen him. Bingley of course returned with him to dinner; and in the evening Mrs. Bennet's invention16 was again at work to get every body away from him and her daughter. Elizabeth, who had a letter to write, went into the breakfast room for that purpose soon after tea; for as the others were all going to sit down to cards, she could not be wanted to counteract her mother's schemes.17
But on returning to the drawing room, when her letter was finished, she saw, to her infinite surprise, there was reason to fear that her mother had been too ingenious for her. On opening the door, she perceived her sister and Bingley standing together over the hearth, as if engaged in earnest conversation; and had this led to no suspicion, the faces of both as they hastily turned round, and moved away from each other, would have told it all. Their situation was awkward enough; but hers she thought was still worse. Not a syllable was uttered by either;18 and Elizabeth was on the point of going away again, when Bingley, who as well as the others19 had sat down, suddenly rose, and whispering a few words to her sister, ran out of the room.
Jane could have no reserves20 from Elizabeth, where confidence21 would give pleasure; and instantly embracing her, acknowledged, with the liveliest emotion, that she was the happiest creature in the world.
“Tis too much!” she added, “by far too much. I do not deserve it. Oh! why is not every body as happy?”
Elizabeth's congratulations were given with a sincerity, a warmth, a delight, which words could but poorly express. Every sentence of kindness was a fresh source of happiness to Jane. But she would not allow herself to stay with her sister, or say half that remained to be said, for the present.
“I must go instantly to my mother;” she cried. “I would not on any account trifle with her affectionate solicitude; or allow her to hear it from any one but myself. He is gone to my father already.22 Oh! Lizzy, to know that what I have to relate will give such pleasure to all my dear family! how shall I bear so much happiness!”
She then hastened away to her mother, who had purposely broken up the card party,23 and was sitting up stairs with Kitty.
Elizabeth, who was left by herself, now smiled at the rapidity and ease with which an affair was finally settled, that had given them so many previous months of suspense24 and vexation.
“And this,” said she, “is the end of all his friend's anxious circumspection! of all his sister's falsehood and contrivance! the happiest, wisest, most reasonable end!”
In a few minutes she was joined by Bingley, whose conference with her father had been short and to the purpose.
“Where is your sister?” said he hastily, as he opened the door.
“With my mother up stairs. She will be down in a moment I dare say.”
He then shut the door, and coming up to her, claimed the good wishes and affection of a sister. Elizabeth honestly and heartily expressed her delight in the prospect of their relationship. They shook hands with great cordiality;25 and then till her sister came down, she had to listen to all he had to say, of his own happiness, and of Jane's perfections; and in spite of his being a lover, Elizabeth really believed all his expectations of felicity, to be rationally founded, because they had for basis the excellent understanding, and super-excellent disposition of Jane, and a general similarity of feeling and taste between her and himself26
It was an evening of no common delight to them all; the satisfaction of Miss Bennet's mind27 gave a glow of such sweet animation to her face, as made her look handsomer than ever. Kitty simpered and smiled, and hoped her turn was coming soon. Mrs. Bennet could not give her consent, or speak her approbation in terms warm enough to satisfy her feelings, though she talked to Bingley of nothing else, for half an hour; and when Mr. Bennet joined them at supper, his voice and manner plainly shewed how really happy he was.
Not a word, however, passed his li
ps in allusion to it, till their visitor took his leave for the night; but as soon as he was gone, he turned to his daughter and said,
“Jane, I congratulate you. You will be a very happy woman.”
Jane went to him instantly, kissed him, and thanked him for his goodness.
“You are a good girl;” he replied, “and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers28 are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.”29
“I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters, would be unpardonable in me.”30
“Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet,” cried his wife, “what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a-year, and very likely more.”31 Then addressing her daughter, “Oh! my dear, dear Jane, I am so happy! I am sure I sha'nt get a wink of sleep all night. I knew how it would be. I always said it must be so, at last. I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing!32 I remember, as soon as ever I saw him, when he first came into Hertfordshire last year, I thought how likely it was that you should come together. Oh! he is the handsomest young man that ever was seen!”
Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten. Jane was beyond competition her favourite child. At that moment, she cared for no other. Her youngest33 sisters soon began to make interest34 with her for objects of happiness which she might in future be able to dispense.
Mary petitioned for the use of the library at Netherfield; and Kitty begged very hard for a few balls there every winter.
Bingley, from this time, was of course a daily visitor at Long-bourn; coming frequently before breakfast, and always remaining till after supper; unless when some barbarous neighbour, who could not be enough detested,35 had given him an invitation to dinner, which he thought himself obliged to accept.
Elizabeth had now but little time for conversation with her sister; for while he was present, Jane had no attention to bestow on any one else; but she found herself considerably useful to both of them, in those hours of separation that must sometimes occur. In the absence of Jane, he always attached himself to Elizabeth, for the pleasure of talking of her; and when Bingley was gone, Jane constantly sought the same means of relief.
