Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 36

Colonel Fitzwilliam's speech and manners were greatly admired by the Vicar's family, and the ladies thought he would be a great addition to their pleasure when they went to Rosings House for their appointments.But her days went by without any invitation from that side, and they were evidently superfluous when there were distinguished guests at Rosings; and remained till Easter Day, when the distinguished guests came. It was nearly a week before they had the honor of being looked after once, and that was when they were called upon to spend the evening when they all came out of church together.During that week they saw little of Lady Catherine or her daughter.Colonel Fitzwilliam has been here a few times during this time, but Mr. Darcy, they have only been photographed once in church.

The invitation over there was of course accepted, and at a more appropriate time, they came to Lady Catherine's reception room where both the guests and the host were present.The lady received them with civility, though it was evident that they were not as welcome as she usually was when she had no other company; , talking incessantly to both of them, and especially to Mr. Darcy, than to any other person in the room.

Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed delighted to see them; in Rosings, anything new was a pleasure and a refreshment to him; interest.He sat beside her now, and talked to her pleasantly of Kent and Hertfordshire, of travel and hibernation, of new books and music, and talked so agreeably that Elizabeth felt that she had never been treated in this room before. and this half of the good entertainment; and the two of them talked with such vigor and enjoyment that they attracted the attention of Lady Catherine herself and Mr. Darcy.His eyes kept falling on them both, with a look of curiosity on his face; the lady was affected after a while too, but she expressed it openly, for she exclaimed without hesitation:
"What are you talking about, Fitzwilliam? What exactly are you talking about to Miss Bennet? Let me hear too."

"We're talking about music, ma'am." Seeing that he couldn't hide without answering, he responded.

"Music! Say it aloud, please, it's my favorite subject. If you're talking about music, I must be in the conversation. I don't think there are very many people in England who can." More genuinely appreciate music than I do, or have more talent and taste than I do. If I had studied music, I would have been a celebrity in the music industry. Anne would be a celebrity, too, if she Had her health permitted her to pursue the profession. I am sure she would have played very well. Darcy, how is Georgiana's practice?"

Mr. Darcy praised his sister's achievements with great emotion.

"I'm glad to hear she's improving so much," said Lady Catherine. "Please tell her for me that if she doesn't practice hard, she has no hope of being successful."

"I can assure you, ma'am," he replied, "that she needs no such advice. She has practiced very diligently."

"That's all right, no matter how much you practice, there will never be enough time; when I write to her next time, I will tell her not to neglect practice under any circumstances. I often tell young girls that there is no persistence. You can never reach a higher level of music without practice. I have also told Miss Bennet several times that if she does not practice more, she will never be able to play really well; although Mrs. Collins has no piano, I still used to tell her she was welcome to come to Rosings every day and play on that piano in Mrs. Gingerson's room. You know. She wouldn't do anybody any harm by playing in that place."

Mr. Darcy, feeling a little uncomfortable at his aunt's incisive remarks, said nothing more.

After coffee, Colonel Fitzwilliam reminded Elizabeth of her promise to play for him; and she went at once to the piano.He took a chair and sat beside her.Lady Catherine listened halfway through a song, and then, as before, she began to talk to her other nephew, until this nephew also avoided her, and then walked deliberately away from the piano. Not far away, I chose a place where I could see the entire beautiful face of the performer and stood still.Elizabeth saw what he meant, and when she reached a passage where she could stop, she turned to him with a mischievous smile and said:
"Are you trying to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming up to me with such dignity, Mr. Darcy? But I shall not be alarmed, though your sister plays very well. I have a Stubborn, never willing to bow to the will of others. Every time I am threatened, my courage grows."

"I won't say you misunderstand me," he replied, "because you don't really believe that I have any intention of intimidating you yourself; I have had the privilege of knowing you long enough to know that you sometimes I like to say things that are insincere.”

Elizabeth could not help laughing at what was said of her, and said to Colonel Fitzwilliam: "Your cousin will give you such a good picture of me that you will not believe a word I say. I had intended to spend some time in splendor in this corner of the world, but I was so unlucky to have met someone here who would reveal my true character. Mr. Darcy, you put me in It would be too inconsiderate--and, I venture to say, not tactful--to bring out some bad things you know about Hertfordshire--for it would provoke me to revenge. Mentally, I'll tell you things that will shock even your relatives."

"I'm not afraid of what you say." He replied with a smile.

"Let me also hear what you have to say about him," said Colonel Fitzwilliam aloud. "I should like to know how he behaves among strangers."

"Listen, then--but prepare yourself for the horrors you hear. I first saw him, you know, at a dance in Hertfordshire-- —Can you imagine how he behaved at this ball? He only had four dances! I’m sorry to upset you—but it’s true. He only had four dances, although the men at the ball Very little; as far as I know, more than one or two young girls were sitting there because they had no partners. Can you deny the fact, Mr. Darcy?"

"At that time, I never had the pleasure of knowing any of the girls at the ball except our own group."

"Yes. And no introductions at balls. Oh, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what shall I play next? My fingers await your order."

"Perhaps," said Darcy, "I would have been wiser then to ask for an introduction, since I am not very good at introducing myself to strangers."

"Can we ask your cousin why?" Elizabeth was still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. "We can ask him why an educated, well-informed, intelligent man Wouldn't he be good at introducing himself to strangers?"

"I can answer that question for you for him," said Fitzwilliam, "because he doesn't want to get himself into trouble."

"There is no doubt that I do not have the talents of some people," said Darcy, "to talk as well as they do to people I have never met before. If you do that, you can immediately follow the other party's tone, or show interest in what the other party is saying."

"My fingers," said Elizabeth, "do not play with such skill and ease on this instrument as many women I have seen. My fingers have not their strength and quickness, nor the same emotion." The effect. However, I always think it's my own fault - for not wanting to work hard. I don't believe that my fingers are worse than any woman's."

Darcy smiled and said, "You're absolutely right. You use your time much more efficiently. No one who's ever been lucky enough to hear you play would think you'd have anything lacking. The two of us Do not perform to strangers."

At this moment their conversation was interrupted by Lady Catherine, who cried out to know what the two of them were talking about.Elizabeth immediately bounced again.Lady Catherine came forward, and after listening for some minutes said to Darcy:

"If Miss Bennet had practiced a little more, and could have been taught by a famous teacher in London, she would not have any trouble playing. She knows fingering very well, though her musical taste is not as good as Anne's. If healthy If the situation allows, Anne will definitely learn to be an excellent pianist."

Elizabeth looked up at Darcy to see if he would wholeheartedly assent to his lady's compliments to his cousin; but she could not, at that moment, or at any time since His countenance read the slightest affection for his cousin; and in his whole manner to Miss de Bourgh, she could not help feeling a little consolation for Miss Bingley; if Miss Bingley were his relation Darcy would have taken her as his wife, too.

Lady Catherine continued to comment on Elizabeth's playing, interspersed here and there with many specific instructions on playing and fun.Elizabeth listened with great patience out of courtesy; and, at the request of the two gentlemen, sat down at the piano, and played till the carriage which the lady sent them was ready.

(End of this chapter)