Chapter 12
The following days saw several invitations issued to Jane and Elizabeth. The Bingley sisters offered a variety of activities to embarrass the Bennets, who took it all in stride. During one such dinner invitation, a sudden rain storm had prevented all road access and reportedly flooded a small stream passed under the road to Longbourn. Jane and Elizabeth would be spending the next several days at Netherfield. The Bingley sisters offered some old garments (probably fit for the poor house or a clown show) for use.
The following morning, in an ill fighting dress, Elizabeth and Jane joined breakfast before selecting two novels from the library to read. While the Bennet ladies selected reading material, the Bingley sisters took the chance to abuse them.
"She has nothing, in short to recommend her. I shall not forget this mornings appearance in such an ill-fitting dress. If I were here, I would remain upstairs."
"She did indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very nonsensical to come down at all! And her hair, has she never learned to properly do her own hair?"
"Your picture may be accurate, Louisa," said Bingley, "but she is wearing your clothes so any garishness in her dress can only be reflected upon your own choice. Right Darce?"
"Certainly."
"The clothes are not the problem, it is the fit. You would not allow Georgiana to venture downstairs in such ill-fitting clothes," Caroline attempted to protest.
"She has shown no skin, and as such should not be denied company for several days." Bingley was adamant that the Bennet sisters be shown respect in his home.
"Jane Bennet is a sweet girl, and I wish her luck in becoming well settled. But her father and mother uncles in trade. Charles, you must see the right of it." Louisa persisted. She would get her brother to see sense.
"Yes. One uncles is an attorney in Meryton and another who live somewhere near Cheapside." Caroline jumped in to help her brother see sense.
"If they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside," cried Bingley, "it would not make them one jot less agreeable."
"But it does materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration," replied Darcy.
Smug, Caroline buttered her scone and shared a look with Louisa. With any luck, they would be gone from this forsaken place within a fortnight.
As the Bennet sisters rejoined the party, they were invited to a game of cards. The offer was promptly turned down.
"Do you prefer reading to cards?" said Mr. Hurst, "that is rather singular."
"The Miss Bennets," said Miss Bingley, "despise cards. They take little pleasure in such a mundane social activity."
"I believe we do not deserve that censure. We take pleasure in many such 'mundane' social activities." Elizabeth was quick to defend her beloved sister and herself.
"Miss Bingley, I do apologize if we caused offense in turning down playing cards. We meant no ill will. We merely suspected that you were playing high." Jane attempted to appease the situation before Elizabeth started censuring Miss Bingley.
The truth of the matter was none of the Bennets played cards for money, their grandfather's legacy ensured that none who remembered him took pleasure from the game. They played at card parties and such for politeness, but they never allowed money to be played. Much of the neighborhood respected their distaste for the game in general and found other such amusements. However, Miss Bingley may take the implication that the Bennets could not afford their game.
"Well then. I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit," Mr. Bingley inserted into the pause in conversation. "I am and idle fellow and afraid I still have more books than I ever look into."
"What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!" said Miss Bingley.
"It ought to be good," he replied, "it has been the work of many generations."
Miss Bingley continued her praise of Mr. Darcy, who responded minimally in turn. After the subject of books failed to draw Mr. Darcy's attention, Miss Bingley attempted to inquire after her sister. Elizabeth wondered if the lady was just stupid or did not care to the fact that Mr. Darcy found her irritating. It was not her place but she would remain amused by the lady's inability to understand a rejection. She took her book and sat on the settee across from Jane and started to read.
"It is amazing to me,'' said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.''
"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?''
"Yes all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.''
"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,'' said Darcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse, or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.''
"Nor I, I am sure,'' said Miss Bingley.
"Then,'' observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea an accomplished women.'' The Bennet ladies rarely enjoyed a conversation on accomplishments. They always feared one of their less conventional accomplishments might slip.
"Yes; I do comprehend a great deal in it.''
"Oh! certainly,'' cried his faithful assistant, ``no one can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved.''
"All this she must possess,'' added Darcy, ``and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.''
"I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any.''
"Are you so severe upon your own sex, as to doubt the possibility of all this?''
"I never saw such a woman, I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe, united. '' Elizabeth knew accomplished women. Eight lived with her, but she doubted any would meet those requirements. And they were silly requirements. It was a slap in the face. A woman could not choose her interests. They were dictated my society. The anger became overwhelming and a glance at Jane told her that Jane felt those words just as acutely, if not more. Her interest in Mr. Bingley made her particularly susceptible to the words of those serpents.
"Miss Bingley, if you would excuse me. I believe I feel a slight headache coming on. Jane, do you mind helping me?"
A sharp glance up, and Jane quickly assented. A brief curtsey and the pair were out of the room.
"Eliza Bennet,'' said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, "is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own, and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.''
"Undoubtedly,'' replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, "there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.''
Three days later the roads were clear and the Bennet ladies, quickly prepared to leave. They thanked their hosts for their hospitality and alighted into the Bennet carriage. They arrived home to an uproar. It appeared that the dreaded Mr. Collins has announced plans to visit. Mr. Bennet immediately hired several more footman and bade his daughters to never be alone for the duration of his stay. The servants were informed that Mr. Collins was in no way allowed in the private rooms, the family rooms, or the servant's quarters. Any abusive comments were to be immediately reported.
While the Bennet girls had heard stories of Mr. Collins father, they felt their father was being overly cautious and already believing the worst in Mr. Collins. He was the son of Aunt Elizabeth, who everyone always said was all that was lovely and kind. And if they were to judge men by their father, Uncle Edward and their own father could be painted by the same brush. One day at dinner, several days before the arrival of Mr. Collins, the question was asked by Mary.
"Father, I know that Mr. Collins father was an unkind man, but so was Grandfather Bennet and Grandfather Gardiner. You and Uncle Gardiner both turned out to be the best of men, so how do we know Mr. Collins is not another case?"
"My darling Mary, I do not believe men with horrible fathers are horrible men. While your Great Grandfather Bennet was a horrible man and so was his son, you have pointed out two excellent cases where that was not the case. By that same token, we do not trust any single young man who may sweep our lovely daughters off her feet."
"But, while we have two footman to protect us, you do not hire so many footman every time a bachelor enters the neighborhood."
"Indeed we don't. However, those men don't typically come to stay with us."
"So it is only because he stays here that you do not trust him."
"It is best to be prepared for the worst my dear."
"There is another reason, isn't there papa." Elizabeth joined in the discussion. "I don't imagine you going to the lengths you have if you believed there to be a reasonable chance that he wasn't anther Grandfather Bennet."
"Quite right. I am basing my suppositions of him on the letter I have received. It is not outwardly alarming, but small phrases here and there remind me of my father. I will not take the chance of any man's vindictive streak. Least of all where it concerns my precious daughters."
At that the conversation was closed. Mr. Bennet made clear that he refused anyone to read the letter. Elizabeth and Jane vaguely recalled the specter of Old Mr. Bennet and knew their father's warnings. They would make sure the younger girls headed father's warning.
***Note:
Thanks to all those who have read and reviewed my story. I appreciate all the comments and support. This has been one of the weirder chapters to write as I didn't know how to get the important Netherfield conversations with this Mrs. Bennet, who would not allow Jane to ride horseback in the rain.
I have a poll running for Mr. Darcy's character if you wouldn't mind jumping over to take a vote. Each one has been mulling around my head and would have its own caveat. You have time to ponder as I won't be playing that caveat for several chapters.