Pearson Education Limited

Chapter 19 The Bingleys
Mr Darcy brought his sister to visit Elizabeth a few hours after her arrival the next day. The Gardiners were surprised again, and a new idea on the subject began to enter their heads.
Elizabeth saw with astonishment that the young lady with
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whom she was now made acquainted was not extremely proud, as had been reported, but only extremely shy. The expression on her face showed sense and natural good temper, and her manners were perfectly gentle.

They had not been together long before Bingley also came to call on Elizabeth. His manner was unchanged, and he looked and spoke with friendly confidence. To Mr and Mrs Gardiner, who knew what he meant to Jane, he was hardly a less interesting person than to herself. The whole party excited their attention. They were taken up in observing Mr Darcy and their niece. They remained a little in doubt about the lady's feelings, but it was clear that the gentleman was overflowing with admiration.
Elizabeth, on her side, had much to do. She wished to be agreeable to her visitors. She was watching Bingley with Miss Darcy, who had been put forward as a competitor to Jane. She saw nothing in the behaviour of either that gave support to the words of Miss Bingley. In a voice of real sadness, Bingley observed to her, at a moment when the others were talking together, that they had not met for eight months, not since 26 November, when they were all dancing together at Netherfield. Elizabeth was pleased that his memory was so exact. He later took an opportunity to ask her privately whether all her sisters were at Longbourn. There was not much in the question, but his look and manner gave it meaning.
It was not often that she could turn her eyes on Mr Darcy himself, but when she did manage to look in his direction, she saw him doing his best to gain the good opinion of her relations, and when the visit came to an end, the wish was expressed of seeing them all at dinner at Pemberley two days later.

It had been agreed between the aunt and the niece that such a striking piece of politeness as Miss Darcy's, in coming to see

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them on the very day of her arrival, ought to be returned, though it could not be equalled. It was therefore decided to call on her at Pemberley the following morning. Elizabeth was pleased, though when she asked herself the reason, she had very little to say in reply.

When they reached the house, they were received by Miss Darcy, who was sitting with Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley and the lady with whom she lived in London. Georgiana's welcome was very shy, and might have given a false idea of pride, but Mrs Gardiner and her niece understood her difficulty and pitied her.
Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley greeted them in few words, and when they were seated an awkward pause followed. It was broken by Miss Darcy's companion, a woman of good breeding, who carried on a conversation with Mrs Gardiner with some help from Elizabeth. Miss Darcy looked as if she wished for courage enough to join in.
Elizabeth soon saw that she was closely watched by Miss Bingley. After a quarter of an hour, Miss Bingley inquired coldly after the health of her family, and Elizabeth replied just as coldly.
Some servants then entered with cold meat, cake, and a variety of all the finest fruits in season, and soon after that Mr Darcy, who had been fishing with Mr Gardiner, made his appearance.
Elizabeth decided to appear perfectly calm and relaxed, especially when she realized that the suspicions of the whole party were causing close observation of every word, expression and movement from Darcy or herself. In no face was this so clearly expressed as in Miss Bingley's, in spite of the smiles that spread over it when she addressed one of them. Jealousy had not yet made her give up hope, and she still planned to win Mr Darcy. But a little later, in an unwise moment of anger, she said with scornful politeness:
'I believe, Miss Eliza, that the regiment has left Meryton. They must be a great loss to your family.'
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Elizabeth answered calmly, and while she spoke, she noticed that the colour in Darcy's face had deepened, and that his sister was full of confusion. Miss Bingley little knew what pain she was giving her friend. She had only intended to anger Elizabeth, and make her show some feeling that might harm her in Darcy's opinion. Elizabeth's self-control soon lessened his discomfort, and as Miss Bingley, annoyed and disappointed, dared not move any closer to the subject of Wickham, Georgiana, too, recovered in

time.
Their visit did not continue for long after this, and when Mr Darcy returned from walking them to their carriage, Miss Bingley was busy criticizing Elizabeth's appearance, behaviour and dress.
'How very ugly Eliza Bennet looks this morning!' she cried. 'I have never in my life seen anyone so much changed as she is since the winter. She has become so brown and rough-looking. I must admit, though, that I could never see any beauty in her. Her features are not at all attractive, and as for her eyes, they have a sharp look to them.'
As Miss Bingley believed that Mr Darcy admired Elizabeth, this was not the best way of persuading him that he should prefer her, but angry people are not always wise. He looked annoyed, but remained silent, and from a determination to make him speak, she continued:
'I remember, when we first knew her in Hertfordshire, how you yourself said one night, after they had been having dinner at Netherfield, "She, a beauty! I should as soon call her mother a person of high intelligence!" But I believe you thought her rather pretty afterwards.'
'Yes,' replied Darcy, who could no longer control himself. 'For many months I have considered her to be one of the best-looking women of my acquaintance.'

In the carriage, as they returned to their hotel, Mrs Gardiner

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and Elizabeth talked of all that had happened during their visit, except what particularly interested them both and the person who had attracted their attention most. They spoke of his sister, his friends, his house, his fruit, of everything except himself! But Elizabeth was anxious to know what Mrs Gardiner thought of him, and Mrs Gardiner would have been extremely pleased if her niece had introduced the subject!