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 skreens, and net purses. I scarcely know anyone 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 skreen. 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 surprised 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 description, 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 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 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 attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.
CHAPTER IX
Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sister’s room, and in the morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer to the enquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a house-maid, and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his sisters. In spite of this amendment, however, she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her own judgement of her situation. The note was immediately dispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She would not listen therefore to her daughter’s proposal of being carried home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley’s appearance and invitation, the mother and three daughter all attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.
«Indeed I have, Sir», was her answer. «She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness».
«Removed!» cried Bingley. «It must not be thought of. My sister, I am sure, will not hear of her removal».
«You may depend upon it, Madam», said Miss Bingley, with cold civility, «that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us».
Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.
«I am sure», she added, «if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world, which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest temper I have ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a hurry I hope, though you have but a short lease».
«Whatever I do is done in a hurry», replied he; «and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed here».
«That is exactly what I should have supposed of you», said Elizabeth.
«You begin to comprehend me, do you?» cried he, turning towards her.
«Oh! yes – I understand you perfectly».
«I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful».
«That is as it happens. It does not follow that a deep, intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours».
«Lizzy», cried her mother, «remember where you are, and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home».
«I did not know before», continued Bingley immediately, «that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study».
«Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage».
«The country», said Darcy, «can in general supply but a few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society».
