第12章

Had she found Jane in any apparent danger，Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable；but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was not alarming，she had no wish of her recovering immediately，as her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield.She would not listen therefore to her daughter's proposal of being carried home；neither did the apothecary，who arrived about the same time，think it at all advisable.After sitting a little while with Jane，on Miss Bingley's appearance and invitation，the mother and three daughters all attended her into the breakfast parlour.Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs.Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.

'Indeed I have，Sir，'was her answer.'She is a great deal too ill to be moved. Mr.Jones says we must not think of moving her.We must trespass a little longer on your kindness.'

'Removed！'cried Bingley.'It must not be thought of. My sister，I am sure，will not hear of her removal.'

'You may depend upon it，Madam，'said Miss Bingley，with cold civility，'that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she remains with us.'

Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.

'I am sure，'she added，'if it was not for such good friends I do not know what would become of her，for she is very ill indeed，and suffers a vast deal，though with the greatest patience in the world，which is always the way with her，for she has，without exception，the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they are nothing to her.You have a sweet room here，Mr.Bingley，and a charming prospect over that gravel walk.I do not know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield.You will not think of quitting it in a hurry I hope，though you have but a short lease.'

'Whatever I do is done in a hurry，'replied he；'and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield，I should probably be off in five minutes. At present，however，I consider myself as quite fixed here.'

'That is exactly what I should have supposed of you，'said Elizabeth.

'You begin to comprehend me，do you？'cried he，turning towards her.

'Oh！yes—I understand you perfectly.'

I wish I might take this for a compliment；but to be so easily seen through I am afraid is pitiful.'

'That is as it happens. It does not necessarily follow that a deep，intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours.'

'Lizzy，'cried her mother，'remember where you are，and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.'

'I did not know before，'continued Bingley immediately，'that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study.'

'Yes；but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at least that advantage.'

'The country，'said Darcy，'can in general supply but few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society.'

'But people themselves alter so much，that there is something new to be observed in them for ever.'

'Yes，indeed，'cried Mrs. Bennet，offended by his manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood.'I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town.'

Every body was surprised；and Darcy，after looking at her for a moment，turned silently away. Mrs.Bennet，who fancied she had gained a complete victory over him，continued her triumph.

'I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my part，except the shops and public places. The country is a vast deal pleasanter，is not it，Mr.Bingley？'

'When I am in the country，'he replied，'I never wish to leave it；and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each their advantages，and I can be equally happy in either.'

'Aye—that is because you have the right disposition. But that gentleman，'looking at Darcy，'seemed to think the country was nothing at all.'

'Indeed，Mama，you are mistaken，'said Elizabeth，blushing for her mother.'You quite mistook Mr. Darcy.He only meant that there were not such a variety of people to be met with in the country as in town，which you must acknowledge to be true.'

'Certainly，my dear，nobody said there were；but as to not meeting with many people in this neighbourhood，I believe there are few neighbourhoods larger. I know we dine with four and twenty families.'

Nothing but concern for Elizabeth could enable Bingley to keep his countenance. His sister was less delicate，and directed her eye towards Mr.Darcy with a very expressive smile.Elizabeth，for the sake of saying something that might turn her mother's thoughts，now asked her if Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn since her coming away.

'Yes，she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir William is，Mr.Bingley—is not he？so much the man of fashion！so genteel and so easy！—He has always something to say to every body.—That is my idea of good breeding；and those persons who fancy themselves very important and never open their mouths，quite mistake the matter.'

'Did Charlotte dine with you？'

'No，she would go home. I fancy she was wanted about the mince pies.For my part，Mr.Bingley，I always keep servants that can do their own work；my daughters are brought up differently.But every body is to judge for themselves，and the Lucases are very good sort of girls，I assure you.It is a pity they are not handsome！Not that I think Charlotte so very plain—but then she is our particular friend.'

'She seems a very pleasant young woman，'said Bingley.