He bowed to Lady Hortensia. "Constancy may be admirable, but only when its object deserves it. Otherwise, it is simply error prolonged."
The gentlemen applauded, though Mr Hadley's clapping was less enthusiastic than it had been for Elizabeth. Colonel Fitzwilliam gave Darcy an openly approving look.
Lady Hortensia waited until the noise had faded. "Very good. You have both succeeded in making a strong opening."
Mr Pritchard stepped forward with a small sandglass and placed it between the platforms. "Each speaker may now question the other. You will have five minutes apiece." Mr Pritchard turned the glass. "Miss Elizabeth may begin."
Elizabeth faced Darcy. "You argue that a person ought to alter course when he discovers his original judgement was wrong. Who is to decide that it was wrong?"
"The person required to act upon it."
"Then every person becomes the judge of his own obligations."
"Not the sole judge. Advice may be sought and consequences considered, but no one else can surrender his conscience for him."
"Conscience is a convenient word. A gentleman may claim it requires him to abandon a promise while another person bears the consequences."
"Then he must answer for the harm he causes. Change does not excuse dishonour."
Elizabeth pressed him upon the difference between honest reconsideration and selfishness, while Darcy insisted that no useful distinction could be made without examining the circumstances. When she asked whether a person who had encouraged another to rely upon his constancy acquired an obligation to remain, his expression became more serious.
"He acquires an obligation to behave honestly and with consideration."
She moved instead to family expectations, and there Darcy answered with less hesitation. A family might offer wisdom, he said, but it might also attempt to govern an adult son or daughter through ambition or prejudice. Amelia glanced towards Henry Blackwood before lowering her eyes.
Mr Pritchard raised his hand as the final grains fell. "Time. Mr Darcy, you may begin." The glass was turned again.
Darcy began by making Elizabeth admit that constancy must allow for reflection and that a person ought to correct an opinion proved unjust.
He continued with a series of examples chosen with aggravating precision. Would she praise someone for remaining constant to a false first impression? To an obligation that injured another? To a marriage decided by family pressure?
"No," Elizabeth said firmly. "A promise extracted through pressure is not freely given."
"Then constancy is only virtuous when the original commitment was made freely and wisely."
"And if a person chooses a different course despite disapproval and uncertainty, might that choice require courage?"
"It might."
"Then changing one's course may sometimes be the wiser and more honourable choice."
"It may," Elizabeth conceded. "But that does not prove constancy is not generally a virtue."
"No," he said. "Only that it is not always one."
The gentlemen broke into applause. Lady Frances shook her head with reluctant admiration, while Harriet groaned aloud.
Elizabeth folded her arms. "You trapped me."
Mr Pritchard raised his hand. "Time."
Lady Hortensia rose with the assistance of her cane. "One final statement each. You may tell us why your opponent has failed, but do try not to enjoy it excessively."
Elizabeth turned to the company. "Mr Darcy has proved that constancy may be misapplied, but exceptions do not destroy a virtue. Honesty does not cease to be admirable because silence isoccasionally kinder, nor courage because retreat may sometimes be wise. Constancy is what allows affection, trust and duty to survive difficulty. Without it, we may all become perfectly reasonable and entirely undependable."
The ladies applauded warmly.
Darcy waited until they had finished. "Miss Elizabeth has offered a most persuasive defence of constancy when it is wisely placed. Unfortunately, the proposition asks whether it is always a virtue. During my questions she admitted that a person may remain constant to error, fear or an expectation which ought never to have governed him. She has defended constancy beautifully, but she has also proved my argument."
