Pride and Prejudice — Chapter Eight (Abridged)

At five o’clock the ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquiries which then poured in, she could return no very favourable answer; Jane was by no means better. Mr. Bingley’s concern for her sister was evident, and his attentions to herself were pleasing; but his sisters, after expressing proper sorrow, seemed to think little more of the matter.

Mr. Bingley was, indeed, the only person of the party whom Elizabeth could regard with much satisfaction. Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and Mr. Hurst, who sat by Elizabeth, was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards. After dinner, Elizabeth returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was gone. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no taste, no beauty.

“She has nothing, in short, to recommend her,” said Miss Bingley.

“Except her eyes,” replied Mr. Darcy, “which have sometimes a fine expression.”

Elizabeth spent the evening with Jane, whose illness, though not dangerous, still required care; and the next morning she was again with her sister. When she came downstairs later, she found Mr. Darcy writing, while Miss Bingley watched him with constant admiration, interrupting him by messages to his sister and praises of his handwriting. He bore her attentions with polite composure, and Elizabeth could not help being amused by the contrast between Miss Bingley’s eagerness and Darcy’s reserve.

The conversation soon turned upon female accomplishments. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst spoke with great self-satisfaction of all the qualities that belonged to an accomplished woman—music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages. Mr. Darcy agreed, but added that all this would not suffice without something more substantial. A truly accomplished woman, in his judgment, must improve her mind by extensive reading. Elizabeth smiled at the greatness of the demand, and declared herself no longer surprised at his knowing so few accomplished women; she was surprised that he knew any.

Her manner, lively and playful as it was, seemed rather to increase than lessen his attention. Miss Bingley, anxious to engage him wholly on her own side, proposed a walk about the room with Mrs. Hurst, and invited Elizabeth to join them. Elizabeth refused, suspecting that they either wished to show their figures to advantage, or to enjoy the pleasure of laughing at her. Darcy, on being appealed to, admitted that there might perhaps be some truth in both suppositions. Elizabeth’s arch reply, and the good humour with which she gave it, made the exchange more pleasing than offensive.

Later, the conversation turned again to faults of character. Darcy confessed that once his good opinion was lost, it was lost forever; resentment with him was not to be easily overcome. Elizabeth laughed, and observed that such a failing was not, perhaps, the best recommendation. She herself, she said, hoped never to ridicule what was wise or good; but follies and absurdities did divert her, and she supposed they always would.

Thus passed the day at Netherfield. Jane continued slowly to recover; Mr. Bingley remained all kindness and anxiety; Miss Bingley was all civility when watched, and criticism when unobserved; and Darcy, though still grave and reserved, found himself more and more drawn to Elizabeth’s intelligence, spirit, and unaffected ease. Elizabeth, on her side, saw enough to laugh at in the house, yet enough also to keep her interest awake.