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After passing most of the night in her sister's room, in the morning Elizabeth requested a note be sent to Longbourn, asking her mother visit. The note was immediately dispatched.
Jane seemed much improved. Better than she was, but by no means in good health.
Accompanied by her two youngest girls, Mrs. Bennet reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
Still, Mrs. Bennet insisted Jane stay rather than undertake the journey home. "She is a great deal too ill to be moved. We must trespass a little longer on your kindness."
"Removed!" cried Bingley. "You must not think it. I am sure my sister will not hear of her removal."
Of course, Mrs. Bennet also sought clarity on Mr. Bingley's intentions. "You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over the 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."
Mr. Bingley replied, "Whatever I do is done in a hurry. If I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself quite fixed here."
"That is exactly what I should have supposed of you," said Elizabeth.
"You begin to comprehend me, do you?" He turned towards her.
"Oh! yes—I understand you perfectly," she repeated with a small nod of agreement.
"I wish I might take this as a compliment; but for anyone to see through me so easily is, I am afraid, pitiful."
"Lizzy, remember where you are and do not run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home," cried Mrs. Bennet.
"I did not know before that you were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study," continued Bingley.
"The country can in general supply but a few subjects for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined and unvarying society," said Darcy.
"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever."
"Yes, indeed," cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by Darcy's manner of mentioning a country neighbourhood. "I assure you there is quite as much of that going on in the country as in town."
Everybody 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 it not, Mr. Bingley?"
"When I am in the country, I never wish to leave it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same," he replied. "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," she looked at Darcy, "seemed to think the country was nothing at all."
"Indeed, you are mistaken." Elizabeth blushed, mortified by the need to contradict Mrs. Bennet who was beginning to appear foolish. "You quite mistook Mr. Darcy. He only meant that there was not such a variety of people in the country as in the town. You must acknowledge this is true."
"Certainly, my dear, nobody said otherwise. 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."
Twenty-four families!
She could give them a number!
Nothing but concern for the Bennet sisters could explain how Bingley kept his composure, though he turned his face away. His sister was less delicate and directed her eyes towards Mr. Darcy with a very expressive smile.
For the sake of saying something that might turn her mother's thoughts, Elizabeth asked if Charlotte Lucas had been at Longbourn lately.
"Yes, she called yesterday with her father. What an agreeable man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley, is he not? So much the man of fashion! So genteel and easy! He always has something to say to everybody. That is my idea of good breeding. Those persons who fancy themselves very important, and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter."
"Did Charlotte Lucas 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 very differently. But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the Lucases are good 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."
"Oh! Dear, yes; but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to boast of my child, but to be sure, Jane—one rarely sees anybody better looking. It is what everybody says. I do not trust my impartiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a man at my brother Gardiner's in town so much in love with her that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came away. But he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young. However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were."
The brazen way Mrs. Bennet missed no opportunity to promoted Jane and denigrated others must have been evident to all.
"And so ended his affection," Elizabeth said impatiently. "There has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder who first discovered poetry was best for driving away love!"
"I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love," said Darcy. "Poetry and music, of course. Must not forget music is the food of love."
"The food of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Everything nourishes what is strong already. But if it is only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away."
Darcy only smiled. The general pause which ensued made Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should expose herself again. She longed to speak but could think of nothing to say. After a short silence, Mrs. Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane, with an apology for troubling him.
Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly civil, and forced his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required. She performed her part indeed without much graciousness.
As they were about to leave, Mrs. Bennet's younger daughters stepped forward to remind Mr. Bingley of his promise to give a ball at Netherfield.
A stout, well-grown girl of fifteen with a fine complexion, Lydia was good-humoured and had high animal spirits, and natural self-assurance. Lydia had no qualms about addressing Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball and abruptly reminded him of his promise. It would be the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it.
His answer to this sudden attack must have delighted Mrs. Bennet's ear.
"I am ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement. When your sister is recovered, you must, if you please, name the very day of the ball. But you would not wish to be dancing when she is ill."
Lydia declared herself satisfied. "Oh! Yes. It would be much better to wait till Jane is well, and by that time most likely Captain Carter would be at Meryton again. And when you have given your ball, I will insist on their giving one also." She added, "I will tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he does not."
Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth returned to Jane.
Yet again, in no doubt that the others would have plenty to say about her and the Bennet family.