overhearing more to the purpose

overhearing more to the purpose, Fanfiction, Pride and prejudice, tekstowo

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Overhearings More to the PurposeSharniSection I, Next SectionChapter 1Posted on Friday, 15 March 2002Elizabeth was not at all concerned about having to sit out the dance. Truth be told she actually felt a small, smug sense of triumph over managing to avoid a certain potential partner once again - and sitting out the set was a small price to pay for continued freedom from his attentions.She congratulated herself on her successful maneuvering, and allowed herself a smile as she looked across to see her enthusiastic admirer dancing instead with Kitty. Perhaps he was finally getting the hint that his interest was not reciprocated. It then occurred to her that she'd already promised the remaining few dances of the evening, and she relaxed with the satisfaction of knowing she'd successfully side-stepped Mr. Henry Elton for the whole of the assembly.Appreciating the opportunity she now had to sit back and observe, Elizabeth chose to sit in a quieter corner of the hall rather than join the matrons in their gossip, or the other girls who had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit out the two dances.As she cast her eye around the room she was pleasantly surprised to see Mary, who didn't get the opportunity to dance as frequently as her sisters, standing up with one of the Lucas boys. Continuing to run her eye down the couples, her smile broadened as she discerned Jane, again with Mr. Bingley. Her sister's countenance showed a restrained pleasure at being afforded the honour of partnering this amiable and handsome man for a second time that evening. Bingley had requested Elizabeth's hand for the two dances that would follow, but as she could already discern a promising inclination toward her older sister, she fully intended to make Jane the topic of conversation during her own dances with Bingley.Bingley's sisters were also both standing up in this set, Mrs. Hurst with her husband, a young foppish looking man, and Miss Bingley with the eldest Witherspoon boy. The look of condescending patience on Miss Bingley's face amused Elizabeth no end. She had already come to the conclusion that the sisters were not nearly as amiable as the brother, and she enjoyed the fact that Miss Bingley looked somewhat discomforted. Actually, it occurred to Elizabeth, she'd not seen Miss Bingley look comfortable once over the whole course of the evening... not even during her dances with the superior looking Mr. Darcy - then she looked as if she were trying too hard to be the perfect partner.Mr. Darcy, she thought to herself, was an odd one indeed, and she wondered at him being such good friends with the open and personable Mr. Bingley. Aside from dancing only once with each of the Bingley sisters, he'd spent the evening roaming the room and looking generally unapproachable.It was only upon Bingley's taking a moment from Jane and drawing quite near, that she discerned that Mr. Darcy was, at that moment, actually standing close by - close enough, if fact, to enable Elizabeth to clearly overhear the beginnings of their conversation.``Come, Darcy,'' Bingley began, ``I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner. You had much better dance.''``I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this, it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.''Elizabeth suppressed a smirk at his arrogance, and was pleased to hear Mr. Bingley rejoin with a defense.``I would not be so fastidious as you are,'' cried Bingley, ``for a kingdom! Upon my honour I never met with so many pleasant girls in my life, as I have this evening; and there are several of them, you see, uncommonly pretty.''Elizabeth, however did not get to hear Mr. Darcy's reply, as Charlotte had discovered her hiding place, and approached to claim her attention."Lizzy! So here you are. When I saw you'd managed to evade this dance with Mr. Elton, I felt sure you'd join our circle for conversation.""I might have Charlotte, but I'm afraid Mother has been too much inspired by the sight of Jane receiving a second invitation to dance with Mr. Bingley, and I decided to maintain my distance in order to escape from her effusions. I'll have enough of it on the way home. Sadly, in a carriage, there's no means of escape.""I'm surprised he didn't ask you to dance Lizzy - politeness really would have required it.""Oh, he has - for the next two - but I think I may have been rather an afterthought," Elizabeth grinned, "...and who can blame him? Jane looks absolutely stunning again this evening, and the animation her pleasure has given her, makes her look more beautiful still.""She does look lovely," Charlotte replied, "but really Lizzy, I wouldn't undervalue yourself. You might still have a chance if you play your cards right during your dance... you have both beauty and spirit."The dignified Mr. Darcy turned as he heard laughter from the girl he had just described as 'tolerable' to his friend. He was momentarily caught by the humour in her countenance, and by her laughter's natural ring, before reminding himself of the lack of fashionable decorum that such frivolity displayed, and walking away."You can be so funny Charlotte," Elizabeth countered. "Why would I want to cut my sister out?""Well," Charlotte replied, ever the advocate for the promotion of her pretty young friend, "Maybe you'll get an opportunity to try for his friend."Elizabeth felt a burst of apprehension, and looked up quickly, fearing that Mr. Darcy might still be close enough to overhear her friend's comment. It was with relief she discerned he had moved to the other end of the room."I think Charlotte," Elizabeth replied, her cheekiness rising with her relief, "that Mr. Darcy is a little too enamoured with himself , and is unlikely to have time, or inclination, for anyone of our society.""Come now Lizzy, I'm sure you're judging him too quickly. You've not even spoken with the man.""I may have not exchanged words with him Charlotte, but his behaviour and manners speak volumes.""He may just be of a reserved nature," Charlotte countered. "We really have no basis to assume otherwise.""Ah ... but here I have the advantage over you." Elizabeth smiled triumphantly. "Only minutes ago I overheard him tell his friend it would be a punishment to stand up with anyone outside his party... I kid you not.""Are you certain you heard quite correctly Lizzy?""Yes quite certain. He hates dancing and 'it would be quite insupportable at an assembly such as this'," Lizzy finished off in a superior clipped tone.Charlotte looked a warning at her friend."I wouldn't be so eager to Judge Lizzy," she said with seriousness a little alien to their conversation so far. "His pride doesn't offend me so much as pride often does, because there's an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, every thing in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud.''Elizabeth took a moment to reflect on her friend's words, before answering with equal seriousness."That may be true, but it doesn't necessarily follow that in order to think highly of ones-self, that you have to think meanly of others... No, I reserve my right to think what I will of the man."Chapter 2Posted on Friday, 15 March 2002The next few weeks gave Elizabeth a number of opportunities to again observe the newcomers, and these only served to confirm her initial assessments of the occupants of Netherfield. She still discerned a superciliousness in the Bingley sisters' treatment of everyone, hardly even excepting Jane, who'd been adopted by them as a particular favourite, and Mr. Darcy remained the man who thought himself above his company, and made himself agreeable no-where. Mr. Bingley though, continued to prove himself pleasant and amiable, and his admiration of Jane only became more evident.Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this she was perfectly unaware.He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her conversation with others. He even managed to exchange a few words with her before, upon the urgings of Charlotte, she was obliged to leave their circle and move to the instrument.Her performance was pleasing, though by no means capital. After a song or two, and before she could reply to the entreaties of several that she would sing again, she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by her sister Mary, who having, in consequence of being the only plain one in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments, was always impatient for display.Mary had ... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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