第55章

'Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss，if she practised more，and could have the advantage of a London master. She has a very good notion of fingering，though her taste is not equal to Anne's.Anne would have been a delightful performer，had her health allowed her to learn.'

Elizabeth looked at Darcy to see how cordially he assented to his cousin's praise；but neither at that moment nor at any other could she discern any symptom of love；and from the whole of his behaviour to Miss De Bourgh she derived this comfort for Miss Bingley，that he might have been just as likely to marry her，had she been his relation.

Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeth's per-formance，mixing with them many instructions on execution and taste. Elizabeth received them with all the forbearance of civility；and at the request of the gentlemen remained at the instrument till her Ladyship's carriage was ready to take them all home.

IX

E lizabeth was sitting by herself the next morning，and writing to Jane，while Mrs. Collins and Maria were gone on business into the village，when she was startled by a ring at the door，the certain signal of a visitor.As she had heard no carriage，she thought it not unlikely to be Lady Catherine，and under that apprehension was putting away her half-finished letter that she might escape all impertinent questions，when the door opened，and to her very great surprise，Mr.Darcy，and Mr.Darcy only，entered the room.

He seemed astonished too on finding her alone，and apologised for his intrusion，by letting her know that he had understood all the ladies to be within.

They then sat down，and when her enquiries after Rosings were made，seemed in danger of sinking into total silence. It was absolutely necessary，therefore，to think of something，and in this emergence recollecting when she had seen him last in Hertfordshire，and feeling curious to know what he would say on the subject of their hasty departure，she observed，

'How very suddenly you all quitted Netherfield last November，Mr. Darcy！It must have been a most agreeable surprise to Mr.Bingley to see you all after him so soon；for，if I recollect right，he went but the day before.He and his sisters were well，I hope，when you left London.'

'Perfectly so—I thank you.'

She found that she was to receive no other answer—and，after ashort pause，added，

'I think I have understood that Mr. Bingley has not much idea of ever returning to Netherfield again？'

'I have never heard him say so；but it is probable that he may spend very little of his time there in future. He has many friends，and he is at a time of life when friends and engagements are continually increasing.'

'If he means to be but little at Netherfield，it would be better for the neighbourhood that he should give up the place entirely，for then we might possibly get a settled family there. But perhaps Mr.Bingley did not take the house so much for the convenience of the neighbourhood as for his own，and we must expect him to keep or quit it on the same principle.'

'I should not be surprised，'said Darcy，'if he were to give it up，as soon as any eligible purchase offers.'

Elizabeth made no answer. She was afraid of talking longer of his friend；and，having nothing else to say，was now determined to leave the trouble of finding a subject to him.

He took the hint，and soon began with，'This seems a very comfortable house. Lady Catherine，I believe，did a great deal to it when Mr.Collins first came to Hunsford.'

'I believe she did—and I am sure she could not have bestowed her kindness on a more grateful object.'

'Mr. Collins appears very fortunate in his choice of a wife.'

'Yes，indeed；his friends may well rejoice in his having met with one of the very few sensible women who would have accepted him，or have made him happy if they had. My friend has an excellent understanding—though I am not certain that I consider her marrying Mr.Collins as the wisest thing she ever did.She seemsperfectly happy，however，and in a prudential light，it is certainly a very good match for her.'

'It must be very agreeable to her to be settled within so easy a distance of her own family and friends.'

'An easy distance do you call it？It is nearly fifty miles.'

'And what is fifty miles of good road？Little more than half a day's journey. Yes，I call it a very easy distance.'

'I should never have considered the distance as one of the advantages of the match，'cried Elizabeth.'I should never have said Mrs. Collins was settled near her family.'

'It is a proof of your own attachment to Hertfordshire. Any thing beyond the very neighbourhood of Longbourn，I suppose，would appear far.'

As he spoke there was a sort of smile，which Elizabeth fancied she understood；he must be supposing her to be thinking of Jane and Netherfield，and she blushed as she answered，

'I do not mean to say that a woman may not be settled too near her family. The far and the near must be relative，and depend on many varying circumstances.Where there is fortune to make the expence of travelling unimportant，distance becomes no evil.But that is not the case here.Mr.and Mrs.Collins have a comfortable income，but not such a one as will allow of frequent journeys—and I am persuaded my friend would not call herself near her family under less than half the present distance.'

Mr. Darcy drew his chair a little towards her，and said，'You cannot have a right to such very strong local attachment.You cannot have been always at Longbourn.'

Elizabeth looked surprised. The gentleman experienced some change of feeling；he drew back his chair，took a newspaper fromthe table，and，glancing over it，said，in a colder voice，

'Are you pleased with Kent？'