Darcy carefully observed Bingley and Jane Bennet for the rest of the evening. He watched as Bingley danced with Jane - again. Only now did he realise that Bingley had danced with no on else. Sometimes, Jane was obliged to dance with another. Darcy looked with concern as his friend watched Jane dance with a pained looked on his face.

Jane on the other hand, did not seem at all concerned.


Darcy's attention was diverted during the dinner when he saw Miss Bingley speaking to Elizabeth. Elizabeth seemed upset by Miss Bingley's words, and angrily walked to the punch bowl. Her sister joined her and they spoke quietly together. He sipped his wine as he wondered what Miss Bingley had told her.

The gentle murmur of conversation quieted as Bingley stood up from his seat. . . beside Jane.

"Shall we have some music? I have a great desire for a song," said he. Bingley smiled - it seemed he was having a good time. "Caroline, can we persuade you?"

As the last words fell from his mouth, Mary Bennet scooped up some music and rushed to the instrument.

"Miss Mary Bennet," said Bingley without much enthusiasm. "I see you anticipated me."

Darcy watched as Miss Mary adjusted her glasses and begin to play.

She began to play a Handel piece with a pedantic air and a conceited manner. Upon hearing the first notes, Darcy turned away. But then she began to sing, a high note on which her voice wobbled and struggled to hold. He turned back with a look of surprise and amazement. He looked away, trying to determine the problem of Jane and Bingley but it was difficult to concentrate with the terrible noise.

It was obvious to Darcy, knowing his friend as he did, that Bingley preferred Jane Bennet to any other woman in the country. But that was the usual beginning to any of his friend's infatuations. But now, it seemed that Bingley's interest in the woman was actually becoming - nay, had already become - a serious attachment.

He watched the two from his seat. Bingley leaned close to her, talking and laughing without a single glance at any other person. If this were a usual infatuation of Bingley's, by this stage in their acquaintance Bingley's interest in her would be diminishing. It wasn't - in fact it seemed his partiality for Jane Bennet had actually increased.

Darcy began to wonder - was his friend serious enough about Jane to actually propose to her?

He was lost in his own thoughts, when he became aware of a man approaching him. He looked up into the face of a heavyset, rather sweaty man in a clergyman's clothing. He recognised the cousin of the Bennets. He vaguely remembered that he was the clergyman to his aunt Lady Catherine, from the information Bingley had told him. Again, the name escaped him.

The man deeply bowed and began to speak.

"Mr. Darcy, I have made a remarkable, I must say, an amazing discovery! I understand that you are the nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings Park!"

Darcy's astonishment at being addressed by the man was great. They had not even been introduced and this pompous fellow had the effrontery to address him!

"Well, Mr. Darcy, I am in the happy position of being able to inform you, that her ladyship was in the best of health . . . " (he counted under his breath) " . . . eight days ago!"

He gave Darcy a smile which he did not return.

"I'm glad to hear it," replied Darcy with thinly veiled contempt. He stood up to his full height and towered over the fool who was still half-bowed.

"And what is your name, sir?" he asked with distant civility.

"My name is William Collins, Mr. Darcy, and I am greatly honoured . . . "

The rest of this dialogue was lost on Darcy, for he walked away, past Elizabeth (who was looking as if she wanted to fall through the floor) and to the back of the room where he stood beside Miss Bingley. He put Mr. Collins out of his mind and turned his attention back to Bingley, who was sitting next to Jane engaged in conversation.

Mary Bennet came to the end of her song. She turned the last chord into an arpeggio and looked up awaiting the applause.

The applause was polite, and only polite. Her performance was not one that encouraged an applause of considerable proportions. Darcy though that the girl would walk away when there was very little encouragement to continue her performance, but instead she began another, faster piece.

"My mother bid me bind my hair, with ties of rosy hue . . . "

The music trailed off as Mr. Bennet walked towards her. He bent down as if to say something only to her, but in a voice loud enough for the whole room to hear.

"That will do extremely well, child. You have delighted us long enough. Let the other young ladies have time to exhibit."

Darcy could not help but feel sorry for the girl. To have her own father humiliate her in public! Granted, he was grateful for Mr. Bennet's interference, but surely there could have been a more diplomatic way to stop her.

The trial was not over yet, for Mr. Collins stood up to speak.

"If I," said Mr. Collins, "were so fortunate as to be able to sing, I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air; for I consider music as a very innocent diversion, and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman. I do not mean however to assert that we can be justified in devoting too much of our time to music, for there are certainly other things to be attended to. The rector of a parish has much to do. In the first place, he must make such an agreement for tithes as may be beneficial to himself and not offensive to his patron. He must write his own sermons; and the time that remains will not be too much for his parish duties, and the care and improvement of his dwelling, which he cannot be excused from making as comfortable as possible. And I do not think it of light importance that he should have attentive and conciliatory manners towards every body, especially towards those to whom he owes his preferment. I cannot acquit him of that duty; nor could I think well of the man who should omit an occasion of testifying his respect towards any body connected with the family." And with a bow to Mr. Darcy, he concluded his speech.

Darcy did his best not to walk out of the room.

Wanting to prevent any further speeches, Miss Bingley nodded to her sister, who walked past Mr. Collins to the instrument and begin to play.

Over the music, Darcy could clearly hear Mrs. Bennet speaking to Lady Lucas at the top of her voice.

"Mr. Collins is such a sensible, respectable young man . . ." (Darcy tried not to laugh at this) " . . . and he's taken quite a fancy to Lizzy and I don't think he could find a better wife."

Darcy had again tried to turn his attention to Bingley but the last comment of Mrs. Bennet stopped him. Mr. Collins was to marry Elizabeth?! No, that cannot happen, he would not allow it to happen!

"He favoured Jane at first, but Bingley was there before him."

Her loud voice carried over to the couple who tried to ignore her, though both turned red.

"Now there will be a great marriage! and you know, that will throw the girls into the paths of other rich men!"

The woman's vulgarity was absolutely shocking! To speak of a supposed alliance, even though it was only an expectation showed a total want of propriety that lowered his estimation of Mrs. Bennet even further. At first Darcy had believed her to be empty-headed, but now she was rude, ill-mannered and crude.

It seemed that the Bennets (excepting the two eldest sisters) were determined to do their best to be uncivilized and expose themselves to the ridicule of all present. Darcy heard a voice crying, "Lydia! Lydia!" He saw the youngest Bennet girl dancing about with one of the officer's sabres around the table. She was laughing so hard that she collapsed into the nearest chair and struggled with the owner of the sabre for the prize before relinquishing it, gasping to Denny to get her a glass of wine, "Lord, I'm so fagged!"

Before this, Darcy had done his best not to notice the faults of the Bennets, but now it was too obvious to ignore. The situation of the Bennet family were off-putting enough, but the vulgarity of the mother, the want of propriety displayed by the three youngest daughters and the lack of tact shown by the father were appalling. How Elizabeth and Jane could live with such an abominable family was beyond him.

There was no way he would allow his friend to connect himself with such a family. He himself would never even think of an alliance with any of the Bennets, let alone actually marry one of them! Darcy resolved to speak to Bingley about the matter as soon as possible.

But he realised that opening Bingley's eyes would not sway him in his resolve to marry Miss Jane Bennet if he was serious about it. Charles Bingley was rarely truly serious about anything or anyone, but when he was, it was extremely difficult to persuade him otherwise. Darcy would have to find another reason to prevent Bingley from carrying through with his matrimonial intentions.

He stared at Jane and Bingley. Bingley said something that he considered quite amusing, for he laughed happily. Jane in contrast, merely smiled and looked away.

Darcy studied her countenance closely. Her looks and manners were open, cheerful and engaging, but he could not detect any particular regard for his friend. It seemed to him that she took pleasure in his attentions, but she did not invite them. The serenity of her expressions and air made him wonder - was Jane Bennet indifferent to his friend?

That was a thought that required further attention.


For the rest of the evening, his opinion of the Bennet family (saving the two eldest daughters) gradually sank further and further. Their behaviour was not missed by Miss Bingley or Mrs. Hurst either; their insolent smiles at having further reason to ridicule the family were obvious. His silent contempt was not so easily noticed, he believed.

Darcy was diverted at times by Elizabeth and her attempts to rid herself of Mr. Collins. She was teased by the clergyman, who continued most perseveringly by her side, and even though she declined his offers to dance, he still would not leave her. Darcy considered talking to Elizabeth to help her escape her human shadow but remembered her allusions to Wickham and decided not to.

For some reason, (Darcy wondered if it was another of Mrs. Bennet's schemes) the Longbourn party had to wait a quarter of an hour for their carriage to arrive, and so the majority of the Netherfield party were obliged to suffer through fifteen minutes more of the Bennets' company.

Darcy heartily wished them away, as did Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst. They scarcely opened their mouths except to complain of fatigue and repulsed every attempt at conversation. Most of the silence was filled by the long and pompous speeches of the clergyman, and Darcy wondered how his aunt could bear him. He then realised that the simpering toady would be exactly what she would want and so the mystery was cleared up.

In a little way away from them, Bingley was earnestly speaking to Jane. Darcy considered the idea that Jane was indifferent to Bingley. If she was, it would be a great asset in convincing Bingley not to marry her.

He questioned himself - was he convinced that Jane was indifferent to his friend because he wished it? In his determination to find another weapon against a Bingley-Bennet marriage, were his eyes deluding him? Darcy decided they weren't. His investigations and judgments he believed, were not influenced by his hopes or fears and his conscience was put at ease.

Finally, with one more of Lydia's yawns and exclamations of, "Lord, how tired I am!" the Bennets left. Darcy noticed that Elizabeth was very glad to leave. Mrs. Bennet pressed them all to come to dinner (Darcy vowed he never attend) and Bingley agreed to go on his return from London, where he was required to go the next day.

Darcy looked at Elizabeth one last time before she left. She looked straight back, and there was no hint of pleasure or happiness in her eyes. She looked relieved and embarrassed and rolled her eyes when Mr. Collins hurried to hand her into the carriage.

When the door was closed on them, Miss Bingley sighed gratefully.

"Thank goodness they finally left! If I had to stay in their company for one minute longer I would have screamed!" she declared. "That pompous cousin of theirs - have you ever seen such a windbag? And the mother - her barbarous manners! Her indecorous behaviour! Even the father, who I had believed to be a gentleman with an unfortunate wife, he is as bad as his family! And do not even speak of those younger sisters!"

Darcy agreed wholeheartedly with her.

Then, with a significant look at Darcy, Miss Bingley said, "And Miss Eliza, when I tried to warn her about Mr. Wickham's less than honourable character (being the son of a steward I am not surprised) she rebuffed me and rudely implied that I should mind my own business!"

Darcy was surprised that Miss Bingley had been kind enough to tell Elizabeth the truth about Wickham. But he was crushed that Elizabeth still did not believe the truth.

"Well, I had a wonderful time. I do declare the ball was a great success!" said Bingley contentedly.

Speak for yourself! thought Darcy.

Darcy was now convinced of Jane's indifference to Bingley. From what he had witnesses of the Bennet family, he was even more determined to save his friend from what he believed to be an unhappy marriage. He resolved on informing his friend as soon as possible if it was proved that Bingley did intend to propose to Jane.

But he needed an ally to aid him in his mission, and he knew he could find one in Miss Caroline Bingley.