CHAPTER XVII.
Elizabeth related to Jane the next day, what had passed between Mr.Wickham and herself. Jane listened with astonishment and concern;--sheknew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr.Bingley's regard; and yet, it was not in her nature to question theveracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham.--Thepossibility of his having really endured such unkindness, was enough tointerest all her tender feelings; and nothing therefore remained to bedone, but to think well of them both, to defend the conduct of each, andthrow into the account of accident or mistake, whatever could not beotherwise explained.
”They have both,” said she, ”been deceived, I dare say, in some way orother, of which we can form no idea. Interested people have perhapsmisrepresented each to the other. It is, in short, impossible for us toconjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them,without actual blame on either side.”
”Very true, indeed;--and now, my dear Jane, what have you got to say inbehalf of the interested people who have probably been concerned in thebusiness?--Do clear _them_ too, or we shall be obliged to think ill ofsomebody.”
”Laugh as much as you chuse, but you will not laugh me out of myopinion. My dearest Lizzy, do but consider in what a disgraceful lightit places Mr. Darcy, to be treating his father's favourite in such amanner,--one, whom his father had promised to provide for.--It isimpossible. No man of common humanity, no man who had any value for hischaracter, could be capable of it. Can his most intimate friends be soexcessively deceived in him? oh! no.”
”I can much more easily believe Mr. Bingley's being imposed on, thanthat Mr. Wickham should invent such a history of himself as he gave melast night; names, facts, every thing mentioned without ceremony.--If itbe not so, let Mr. Darcy contradict it. Besides, there was truth in hislooks.”
”It is difficult indeed--it is distressing.--One does not know what tothink.”
”I beg your pardon;--one knows exactly what to think.”
But Jane could think with certainty on only one point,--that Mr.Bingley, if he _had been_ imposed on, would have much to suffer when theaffair became public.
The two young ladies were summoned from the shrubbery where thisconversation passed, by the arrival of some of the very persons of whomthey had been speaking; Mr. Bingley and his sisters came to give theirpersonal invitation for the long expected ball at Netherfield, which wasfixed for the following Tuesday. The two ladies were delighted to seetheir dear friend again, called it an age since they had met, andrepeatedly asked what she had been doing with herself since theirseparation. To the rest of the family they paid little attention;avoiding Mrs. Bennet as much as possible, saying not much to Elizabeth,and nothing at all to the others. They were soon gone again, rising fromtheir seats with an activity which took their brother by surprise, andhurrying off as if eager to escape from Mrs. Bennet's civilities.
The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable to everyfemale of the family. Mrs. Bennet chose to consider it as given incompliment to her eldest daughter, and was particularly flattered byreceiving the invitation from Mr. Bingley himself, instead of aceremonious card. Jane pictured to herself a happy evening in thesociety of her two friends, and the attentions of their brother; andElizabeth thought with pleasure of dancing a great deal with Mr.Wickham, and of seeing a confirmation of every thing in Mr. Darcy'slooks and behaviour. The happiness anticipated by Catherine and Lydia,depended less on any single event, or any particular person, for thoughthey each, like Elizabeth, meant to dance half the evening with Mr.Wickham, he was by no means the only partner who could satisfy them, anda ball was at any rate, a ball. And even Mary could assure her familythat she had no disinclination for it.
”While I can have my mornings to myself,” said she, ”it is enough.--Ithink it no sacrifice to join occasionally in evening engagements.Society has claims on us all; and I profess myself one of those whoconsider intervals of recreation and amusement as desirable for everybody.”
Elizabeth's spirits were so high on the occasion, that though she didnot often speak unnecessarily to Mr. Collins, she could not help askinghim whether he intended to accept Mr. Bingley's invitation, and if hedid, whether he would think it proper to join in the evening'samusement; and she was rather surprised to find that he entertained noscruple whatever on that head, and was very far from dreading a rebukeeither from the Archbishop, or Lady Catherine de Bourgh, by venturing todance.
”I am by no means of opinion, I assure you,” said he, ”that a ball ofthis kind, given by a young man of character, to respectable people, canhave any evil tendency; and I am so far from objecting to dancing myselfthat I shall hope to be honoured with the hands of all my fair cousinsin the course of the evening, and I take this opportunity of solicitingyours, Miss Elizabeth, for the two first dances especially,--apreference which I trust my cousin Jane will attribute to the rightcause, and not to any disrespect for her.”
Elizabeth felt herself completely taken in. She had fully proposed beingengaged by Wickham for those very dances:--and to have Mr. Collinsinstead! her liveliness had been never worse timed. There was no helpfor it however. Mr. Wickham's happiness and her own was per forcedelayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins's proposal accepted with asgood a grace as she could. She was not the better pleased with hisgallantry, from the idea it suggested of something more.--It now firststruck her, that _she_ was selected from among her sisters as worthy ofbeing the mistress of Hunsford Parsonage, and of assisting to form aquadrille table at Rosings, in the absence of more eligible visitors.The idea soon reached to conviction, as she observed his increasingcivilities toward herself, and heard his frequent attempt at acompliment on her wit and vivacity; and though more astonished thangratified herself, by this effect of her charms, it was not long beforeher mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriagewas exceedingly agreeable to _her_. Elizabeth however did not chuse totake the hint, being well aware that a serious dispute must be theconsequence of any reply. Mr. Collins might never make the offer, andtill he did, it was useless to quarrel about him.
If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talk of, theyounger Miss Bennets would have been in a pitiable state at this time,for from the day of the invitation, to the day of the ball, there wassuch a succession of rain as prevented their walking to Meryton once. Noaunt, no officers, no news could be sought after;--the very shoe-rosesfor Netherfield were got by proxy. Even Elizabeth might have found sometrial of her patience in weather, which totally suspended theimprovement of her acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less thana dance on Tuesday, could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sunday andMonday, endurable to Kitty and Lydia.