Page 30 of Pride, Prejudice & Wicked Pleasure

"To yield readily—easily—to the persuasion of a friend is no merit with you," Miss Elizabeth stated.

"To yield without conviction is no compliment to the understanding of either."

"You appear to me, Mr. Darcy, to allow nothing for the influence of friendship and affection. A regard for the requester would often make one readily yield to a request, without waiting for arguments to reason one into it. I am not particularly speaking of such a case as you have supposed about Mr. Bingley. We may as well wait, perhaps, till the circumstance occurs before we discuss the discretion of his behaviour thereupon. But in general and ordinary cases between friend and friend, where one of them is desired by the other to change a resolution of no very great moment, should you think ill of that person for complying with the desire, without waiting to be argued into it?"

"Will it not be advisable, before we proceed on this subject, to arrange with rather more precision the degree of importance which is to appertain to this request, as well as the degree of intimacy subsisting between the parties?"

"By all means," cried Bingley; "let us hear all the particulars, not forgetting their comparative height and size; for that will have more weight in the argument, Miss Bennet, than you may be aware of. I assure you, that if Darcy were not such a great tall fellow, in comparison with myself, I should not pay him half so much deference. I declare I do not know a more awful object than Darcy, on particular occasions, and in particular places—at his own house especially, and of a Sunday evening, when he has nothing to do."

Darcy only smiled. He would not have taken offense but for the fact that the words had been uttered before Miss Elizabeth, who appeared to check her laughter. Caroline warmly resented the indignity Darcy had received, in an expostulation with her brother for talking such nonsense.

"I see your design, Bingley," said Caroline. "You dislike an argument, and want to silence this."

"Perhaps I do. Arguments are too much like disputes. If you and Miss Bennet will defer yours till I am out of the room, I shall be very thankful, and then you may say whatever you like of me."

"What you ask," said Miss Elizabeth, "is no sacrifice on my side, and Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter."

Darcy took her advice and finished his letter.

When that business was over, he applied to Caroline and Elizabeth for an indulgence of some music. Caroline moved with some alacrity to the pianoforte, and, after a polite request that Miss Elizabeth would lead the way which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she seated herself.

Louisa sang with her sister, and while they were thus employed, Darcy took the opportunity to observe Miss Elizabeth, who turned over some music-books that lay on the instrument. She caught his gaze twice, but rather than blush or be disconcerted or offended, she returned to her business. He gathered she did not care enough for his approbation to merit a response of any kind.

He could not resist. While Caroline varied some Italian songs by a lively Scotch air, he drew near Miss Elizabeth and asked, "Do not you feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an opportunity of dancing a reel?"

She smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some surprise at her silence.

"Oh!" said she, "I heard you before, but I could not immediately determine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say 'Yes,' that you might have the pleasure of despising my taste, but I always delight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of their premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell you, that I do not want to dance a reel at all—and now despise me if you dare."

"Indeed I do not dare."

Miss Elizabeth seemed surprise at his gallantry, but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront him. She was really quite bewitching. If it were not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger.

Caroline saw, or suspected, enough to be jealous. She often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest, by talking of their supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.

"I hope," said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the next day, "you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this desirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue; and if you can compass it, do cure the younger girls of running after officers. And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, endeavour to check that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence, which your lady possesses."

"Have you anything else to propose for my domestic felicity?"

"Oh, yes! Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Phillips be placed in the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great-uncle the judge. They are in the same profession, you know, only in different lines. As for your Elizabeth's picture, you must not have it taken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?"

"It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression, but their colour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be copied."

At that moment they were met from another walk by Louisa and Miss Elizabeth herself.

"I did not know that you intended to walk," said Caroline, in some confusion, lest they had been overheard.

"You used us abominably ill," answered Louisa, "running away without telling us that you were coming out."

Then taking Darcy’s disengaged arm, she left Miss Elizabeth to walk by herself. The path just admitted three.

Darcy felt their rudeness, and immediately said, "This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the avenue."

But Miss Elizabeth laughingly answered, “No, no. Stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped, and appear to uncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a fourth. Good-bye."

She then ran gaily off. If he were not so vexed with Bingley’s sisters, he would have savored the enchantment of her form as she rambled away.

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