fall a victim to her mother's rapacity for whist players, 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.
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Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen to supper; 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 venison was roasted to a turn—and everybody said they never saw so fat a
haunch. The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases' last week; and even
Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done; and I suppose he has
two or three French cooks 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, 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,
and a stronger desire of generally pleasing, than any other man."
"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!"
"But why should you wish to persuade me that I feel more than I acknowledge?"
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"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."
Chapter 55
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 home 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, etc. etc.; and if she would give him leave, would
take an early opportunity of waiting on 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, come to Miss Bennet this moment, and help her on with
her gown. Never mind Miss Lizzy's hair."
"We will be down as soon as we can," said Jane; "but I dare say Kitty is forwarder than either of
us, for she went up stairs half an hour ago."
"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.
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. Two
obstacles of the five being thus removed, Mrs. Bennet sat looking and winking at Elizabeth and
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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 spoke her distress at such premeditation, and her entreaty that SHE would not give in to 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 upstairs to sit in my dressing-room."
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.
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 stay supper; 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.