Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.
‘I am astonished,’said Miss Bingley,‘that my father should have left so small a collection of books.-What a delightful library you have at Pemberley,Mr Darcy!’
‘It ought to be good,’he replied,‘it has been the work of many generations.’
‘And then you have added so much to it yourself,you are always buying books.’
‘I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.’
‘Neglect!I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place.Charles,when you build your house,I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.’
‘I wish it may.’
‘But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood,and take Pemberley for a kind of model.There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.’
‘With all my heart;I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it.’
‘I am talking of possibilities,Charles.’
‘Upon my word,Caroline,I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.’
Elizabeth was so much caught by what passed,as to leave her very little attention for her book;and soon laying it wholly aside,she drew near the card table,and stationed herself between Mr Bingley and his eldest sister to observe the game.
‘Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?’said Miss Bingley;‘will she be as tall as I am?’
‘I think she will.She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height,or rather taller.’
‘How I long to see her again!I never met with anybody who delighted me so much.Such a countenance,such manners,and so extremely accomplished for her age!Her performance on the piano forte is exquisite.’
‘It is amazing to me,’said Bingley,‘how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.’
‘All young ladies accomplished!My dear Charles,what do you mean?’
‘Yes,all of them,I think.They all paint tables,cover screens,and net purses.I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this,and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time,without being informed that she was very accomplished.’
‘Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,’said Darcy,‘has too much truth.The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse,or covering a screen.But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general.I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen,in the whole range of my acquaintance,that are really accomplished.’
‘Nor I,I am sure,’said Miss Bingley.
‘Then,’observed Elizabeth,‘you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.’
‘Yes;I do comprehend a great deal in it.’
‘Oh!certainly,’cried his faithful assistant,‘no one can be really esteemed accomplished,who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with.A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music,singing,drawing,dancing,and the modern languages,to deserve the word;and besides all this,she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking,the tone of her voice,her address and expressions,or the word will be but half deserved.’
‘All this she must possess,’added Darcy,‘and to all this she must yet add something more substantial,in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.’
‘I am no longer surprized at your knowing only six accomplished women.I rather wonder now at your knowing any.’
‘Are you so severe upon your own sex,as to doubt the possibility of all this?’
‘I never saw such a woman.I never saw such capacity,and taste,and application,and elegance,as you describe,united.’
Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of her implied doubt,and were both protesting that they knew many women who answered this deion,when Mr Hurst called them to order,with bitter complaints of their inattention to what was going forward.As all conversation was thereby at an end,Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.
‘Eliza Bennet,’said Miss Bingley,when the door was closed on her,‘is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own;and with many men,I dare say,it succeeds.But,in my opinion,it is a paltry device,a very mean art.’
‘Undoubtedly,’replied Darcy,to whom this remark was chiefly addressed,‘there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation.Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.’
Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to continue the subject.
Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse,and that she could not leave her.Bingley urged Mr Jones's being sent for immediately;while his sisters,convinced that no country advice could be of any service,recommended an express to town for one of the most eminent physicians.This she would not hear of,but she was not so unwilling to comply with their brother's proposal;and it was settled that Mr Jones should be sent for early in the morning if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better.Bingley was quite uncomfortable;his sisters declared that they were miserable.They solaced their wretchedness,however,by duets after supper,while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every possible attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.
