{"id":"01KJRRE0MF06JF8FJZSSMX59S0","cid":"bafkreif2knidwby5u4g5pbchiaj7gxazrjp2ixa4mssrtmalxzpsevzele","type":"text_chunk","properties":{"char_end":129386,"char_start":121573,"chunk_index":17,"chunk_total":108,"estimated_tokens":1954,"label":"thankful; and then you may say whatever you like o","source_file_key":"pride-and-prejudice","text":"thankful; and then you may say whatever you like of me.”\r\n\r\n“What you ask,” said Elizabeth, “is no sacrifice on my side; and Mr.\r\nDarcy had much better finish his letter.”\r\n\r\nMr. Darcy took her advice, and did finish his letter.\r\n\r\nWhen that business was over, he applied to Miss Bingley and Elizabeth\r\nfor the indulgence of some music. Miss Bingley moved with alacrity to\r\nthe pianoforte, and after a polite request that Elizabeth would lead the\r\nway, which the other as politely and more earnestly negatived, she\r\nseated herself.\r\n\r\nMrs. Hurst sang with her sister; and while they were thus employed,\r\nElizabeth could not help observing, as she turned over some music-books\r\nthat lay on the instrument, how frequently Mr. Darcy’s eyes were fixed\r\non her. She hardly knew how to suppose that she could be an object of\r\nadmiration to so great a man, and yet that he should look at her because\r\nhe disliked her was still more strange. She could only imagine, however,\r\nat last, that she drew his notice because there was something about her\r\nmore wrong and reprehensible, according to his ideas of right, than in\r\nany other person present. The supposition did not pain her. She liked\r\nhim too little to care for his approbation.\r\n\r\nAfter playing some Italian songs, Miss Bingley varied the charm by a\r\nlively Scotch air; and soon afterwards Mr. Darcy, drawing near\r\nElizabeth, said to her,--\r\n\r\n“Do you not feel a great inclination, Miss Bennet, to seize such an\r\nopportunity of dancing a reel?”\r\n\r\nShe smiled, but made no answer. He repeated the question, with some\r\nsurprise at her silence.\r\n\r\n“Oh,” said she, “I heard you before; but I could not immediately\r\ndetermine what to say in reply. You wanted me, I know, to say ‘Yes,’\r\nthat you might have the pleasure of despising my taste; but I always\r\ndelight in overthrowing those kind of schemes, and cheating a person of\r\ntheir premeditated contempt. I have, therefore, made up my mind to tell\r\nyou that I do not want to dance a reel at all; and now despise me if you\r\ndare.”\r\n\r\n“Indeed I do not dare.”\r\n\r\nElizabeth, having rather expected to affront him, was amazed at his\r\ngallantry; but there was a mixture of sweetness and archness in her\r\nmanner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody, and Darcy had\r\nnever been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really\r\nbelieved that, were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he\r\nshould be in some danger.\r\n\r\nMiss Bingley saw, or suspected, enough to be jealous; and her great\r\nanxiety for the recovery of her dear friend Jane received some\r\nassistance from her desire of getting rid of Elizabeth.\r\n\r\nShe often tried to provoke Darcy into disliking her guest, by talking of\r\ntheir supposed marriage, and planning his happiness in such an alliance.\r\n\r\n“I hope,” said she, as they were walking together in the shrubbery the\r\nnext day, “you will give your mother-in-law a few hints, when this\r\ndesirable event takes place, as to the advantage of holding her tongue;\r\nand if you can compass it, to cure the younger girls of running after\r\nthe officers. And, if I may mention so delicate a subject, endeavour to\r\ncheck that little something, bordering on conceit and impertinence,\r\nwhich your lady possesses.”\r\n\r\n[Illustration:\r\n\r\n     “No, no; stay where you are”\r\n\r\n[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]\r\n\r\n“Have you anything else to propose for my domestic felicity?”\r\n\r\n“Oh yes. Do let the portraits of your uncle and aunt Philips be placed\r\nin the gallery at Pemberley. Put them next to your great-uncle the\r\njudge. They are in the same profession, you know, only in different\r\nlines. As for your Elizabeth’s picture, you must not attempt to have it\r\ntaken, for what painter could do justice to those beautiful eyes?”\r\n\r\n“It would not be easy, indeed, to catch their expression; but their\r\ncolour and shape, and the eyelashes, so remarkably fine, might be\r\ncopied.”\r\n\r\nAt that moment they were met from another walk by Mrs. Hurst and\r\nElizabeth herself.\r\n\r\n“I did not know that you intended to walk,” said Miss Bingley, in some\r\nconfusion, lest they had been overheard.\r\n\r\n“You used us abominably ill,” answered Mrs. Hurst, “running away without\r\ntelling us that you were coming out.”\r\n\r\nThen taking the disengaged arm of Mr. Darcy, she left Elizabeth to walk\r\nby herself. The path just admitted three. Mr. Darcy felt their rudeness,\r\nand immediately said,--\r\n\r\n“This walk is not wide enough for our party. We had better go into the\r\navenue.”\r\n\r\nBut Elizabeth, who had not the least inclination to remain with them,\r\nlaughingly answered,--\r\n\r\n“No, no; stay where you are. You are charmingly grouped, and appear to\r\nuncommon advantage. The picturesque would be spoilt by admitting a\r\nfourth. Good-bye.”\r\n\r\nShe then ran gaily off, rejoicing, as she rambled about, in the hope of\r\nbeing at home again in a day or two. Jane was already so much recovered\r\nas to intend leaving her room for a couple of hours that evening.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n[Illustration:\r\n\r\n     “Piling up the fire”\r\n\r\n[_Copyright 1894 by George Allen._]]\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCHAPTER XI.\r\n\r\n\r\n[Illustration]\r\n\r\nWhen the ladies removed after dinner Elizabeth ran up to her sister, and\r\nseeing her well guarded from cold, attended her into the drawing-room,\r\nwhere she was welcomed by her two friends with many professions of\r\npleasure; and Elizabeth had never seen them so agreeable as they were\r\nduring the hour which passed before the gentlemen appeared. Their powers\r\nof conversation were considerable. They could describe an entertainment\r\nwith accuracy, relate an anecdote with humour, and laugh at their\r\nacquaintance with spirit.\r\n\r\nBut when the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first object;\r\nMiss Bingley’s eyes were instantly turned towards Darcy, and she had\r\nsomething to say to him before he had advanced many steps. He addressed\r\nhimself directly to Miss Bennet with a polite congratulation; Mr. Hurst\r\nalso made her a slight bow, and said he was “very glad;” but diffuseness\r\nand warmth remained for Bingley’s salutation. He was full of joy and\r\nattention. The first half hour was spent in piling up the fire, lest she\r\nshould suffer from the change of room; and she removed, at his desire,\r\nto the other side of the fireplace, that she might be farther from the\r\ndoor. He then sat down by her, and talked scarcely to anyone else.\r\nElizabeth, at work in the opposite corner, saw it all with great\r\ndelight.\r\n\r\nWhen tea was over Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the\r\ncard-table--but in vain. She had obtained private intelligence that Mr.\r\nDarcy did not wish for cards, and Mr. Hurst soon found even his open\r\npetition rejected. She assured him that no one intended to play, and the\r\nsilence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr.\r\nHurst had, therefore, nothing to do but to stretch himself on one of the\r\nsofas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book. Miss Bingley did the same;\r\nand Mrs. Hurst, principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and\r\nrings, joined now and then in her brother’s conversation with Miss\r\nBennet.\r\n\r\nMiss Bingley’s attention was quite as much engaged in watching Mr.\r\nDarcy’s progress through _his_ book, as in reading her own; and she was\r\nperpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page. She\r\ncould not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered her\r\nquestion and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the attempt to be\r\namused with her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the\r\nsecond volume of his, she gave a great yawn and said, “How pleasant it\r\nis to spend an evening in this way! I declare, after all, there is no\r\nenjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a\r\nbook! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not\r\nan excellent library.”\r\n\r\nNo one made any reply."},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KJRRD3TNE5A6AKAVXSRFT9RC","peer_label":"pride-and-prejudice","peer_type":"text","predicate":"derived_from"},{"peer":"01KJRRC2C7K6XERRJES8143XGV","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KJRREZJBEM6MWHW485H9DS9F","peer_label":"mr darcy","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREZGM87R12EADFF6YZZG3","peer_label":"jane bennet","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREZ9ES6JCT32MXQCVR11Y","peer_label":"mr hurst","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREZE4MTY540KMV82YTDGM","peer_label":"mrs hurst","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREZKG263C7SQSDV3TZ5MX","peer_label":"elizabeth bennet","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRF06V9ABE1JZWJHE56BCY","peer_label":"miss bingley","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRF1JH8VM8NMX4JF87P0BV","peer_label":"mr philips","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRF1A42FY2HZTFF6WCFG11","peer_label":"mrs philips","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREZJ8A0QJK2TXKT8DT57S","peer_label":"pemberley","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"estate","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRF0TVAJXHRKBC46241BRT","peer_label":"pemberley gallery","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"room","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRF0BR23NFBY96G5423J10","peer_label":"pianoforte","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"musical_instrument","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREYRAPBAR593DJKHRVWY2","peer_label":"george allen","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"organization","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRREY5SSJCQ67QYG0XTG9A8","peer_label":"mr bingley","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1P8VCDA7B2MAV4R9X5F","peer_label":"drawing-room","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"room","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1QDMVR7K9MH8GCFKXQE","peer_label":"reel dance","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"dance_form","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1NW23440CJWC44G6CBB","peer_label":"shrubbery","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"garden_feature","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1QB4XM00SMMZ4PKEG92","peer_label":"italian song","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"musical_piece","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG2CR1BMY1MEJ4NN03AMT","peer_label":"book mr darcys","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"object","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1RRM35XYGYSYVMF4DZB","peer_label":"scotch air","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"musical_piece","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG1X4KNSTWA8VRPSNPQ4M","peer_label":"chapter xi","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"document_section","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG29JKNTNVBQ7Y8VMFVDW","peer_label":"card-table","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"furniture","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG2DMX0T9X0F5PWMAX6ZC","peer_label":"illustration","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"visual_element","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG2DZHKNVGHGTWX07JHSQ","peer_label":"mr darcys great-uncle","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"person","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}},{"peer":"01KJRRG2FG9N5809KGR4328NHK","peer_label":"judge","predicate":"extracted_entity","properties":{"entity_type":"entity","extracted_at":"2026-03-03T02:30:10.157Z"}}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-03-03T02:29:01.199Z","ts":"2026-03-03T02:30:11.093Z","edited_by":{"method":"system","user_id":"01KJ60XQBHJ0GBGTP9X8HXAPPM"}}