were invited and engaged to dine at Longbourn in a few days time.
"You are quite a visit in my debt, Mr. Bingley," she added, "for when you went to town last
winter, you promised to take a family dinner with us, as soon as you returned. I have not forgot,
you see; and I assure you, I was very much disappointed that you did not come back and keep
your engagement."
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Bingley looked a little silly at this reflection, and said something of his concern at having been
prevented by business. They then went away.
Mrs. Bennet had been strongly inclined to ask them to stay and dine there that day; but, though
she always kept a very good table, she did not think any thing less than two courses could be
good enough for a man on whom she had such anxious designs, or satisfy the appetite and pride
of one who had ten thousand a year.
Chapter 54
As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits; or in other words, to
dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden them more. Mr. Darcy's behaviour
astonished and vexed her.
"Why, if he came only to be silent, grave, and indifferent," said she, "did he come at all?"
She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure.
"He could be still amiable, still pleasing, to my uncle and aunt, when he was in town; and why
not to me? If he fears me, why come hither? If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teasing,
teasing, man! I will think no more about him."
Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of her sister, who joined
her with a cheerful look, which showed her better satisfied with their visitors, than Elizabeth.
"Now," said she, "that this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength,
and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming. I am glad he dines here on Tuesday. It
will then be publicly seen that, on both sides, we meet only as common and indifferent
acquaintance."
"Yes, very indifferent indeed," said Elizabeth, laughingly. "Oh, Jane, take care."
"My dear Lizzy, you cannot think me so weak, as to be in danger now?"
"I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever."
* * * * *
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They did not see the gentlemen again till Tuesday; and Mrs. Bennet, in the meanwhile, was
giving way to all the happy schemes, which the good humour and common politeness of
Bingley, in half an hour's visit, had revived.
On Tuesday there was a large party assembled at Longbourn; and the two who were most
anxiously expected, to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen, were in very good time.
When they repaired to the dining-room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would
take the place, which, in all their former parties, had belonged to him, by her sister. Her prudent
mother, occupied by the same ideas, forbore to invite him to sit by herself. On entering the room,
he seemed to hesitate; but Jane happened to look round, and happened to smile: it was decided.
He placed himself by her.
Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards his friend. He bore it with noble
indifference, and she would have imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy,
had she not seen his eyes likewise turned towards Mr. Darcy, with an expression of half-laughing
alarm.
His behaviour to her sister was such, during dinner time, as showed an admiration of her, which,
though more guarded than formerly, persuaded Elizabeth, that if left wholly to himself, Jane's
happiness, and his own, would be speedily secured. Though she dared not depend upon the
consequence, she yet received pleasure from observing his behaviour. It gave her all the
animation that her spirits could boast; for she was in no cheerful humour. Mr. Darcy was almost
as far from her as the table could divide them. He was on one side of her mother. She knew how
little such a situation would give pleasure to either, or make either appear to advantage. She was
not near enough to hear any of their discourse, but she could see how seldom they spoke to each
other, and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did. Her mother's
ungraciousness, made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth's mind; and
she would, at times, have given any thing to be privileged to tell him that his kindness was
neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family.
She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together; that
the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling them to enter into something more
of conversation than the mere ceremonious salutation attending his entrance. Anxious and
uneasy, the period which passed in the drawing-room, before the gentlemen came, was
wearisome and dull to a degree that almost made her uncivil. She looked forward to their
entrance as the point on which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend.
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"If he does not come to me, THEN," said she, "I shall give him up for ever."
The gentlemen came; and she thought he looked as if he would have answered her hopes; but,
alas! the ladies had crowded round the table, where Miss Bennet was making tea, and Elizabeth
pouring out the coffee, in so close a confederacy that there was not a single vacancy near her
which would admit of a chair. And on the gentlemen's approaching, one of the girls moved
closer to her than ever, and said, in a whisper:
"The men shan't come and part us, I am determined. We want none of them; do we?"
Darcy had walked away to another part of the room. She followed him with her eyes, envied
everyone to whom he spoke, had scarcely patience enough to help anybody to coffee; and then
was enraged against herself for being so silly!
"A man who has once been refused! How could I ever be foolish enough to expect a renewal of
his love? Is there one among the sex, who would not protest against such a weakness as a second
proposal to the same woman? There is no indignity so abhorrent to their feelings!"
She was a little revived, however, by his bringing back his coffee cup himself; and she seized the
opportunity of saying:
"Is your sister at Pemberley still?"
"Yes, she will remain there till Christmas."
"And quite alone? Have all her friends left her?"
"Mrs. Annesley is with her. The others have been gone on to Scarborough, these three weeks."
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 views were overthrown by seeing him