Quick note: I am deliberately overstating a few points in the dialogue for effect. It's done on purpose.
Elizabeth retired to Jane's bedchamber after dinner, meaning to be done with the company, who were on the whole – aside from the ever-affable Mr. Bingley – disagreeable. To her dismay, this was not to be, as Miss Bennet petitioned her younger sister to represent their family amongst the gathered and, despite her reservations, Elizabeth did so.
On entering the drawing room, she found the whole party playing at cards and determined that listening with the appearance of reading one of the few books present was more to her purpose. It was after several minutes had passed that a most diverting conversation began. Mr. Bingley had opened the topic of the Pearsons and their hoped-for arrival; he then proceeded to catechize his sisters about the state of their plans for the ball. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst seemed to be of one mind in resisting what they viewed as their brother's provocation, and spoke instead on the deplorable state of the goods from Meryton when taken in contrast with those of London.
Looking up from her book, Elizabeth stated, 'I must own a distinct disadvantage in being compared to such a great city, for what town could bear the resemblance? Nevertheless, it is to the benefit of those residing in Meryton and environs that the owners of the area's estates maintain their business at local shops, which is then repaid to the estates by better, more plentiful goods and a smaller loss of residents forced to seek employment elsewhere. This is as much a responsibility of a land-owner as the upkeep of their buildings.'
The gentleman from Derbyshire was further charmed by Elizabeth and her defense of Meryton's merchants; he wisely decided, though, that no sign of his admiration should escape, nothing that could elevate within her the hope of influencing his felicity. To that end, much as he concurred with her assessment, he deemed a reply at this moment was imprudent.
As it was evident that Mr. Darcy patently disagreed with Miss Elizabeth – for did he not ignore her comment? – Miss Bingley took it upon herself to answer. 'Your pleading the case for the local shops is very kind and perfectly understandable, considering your own close association. However, this affair will be held at Netherfield and our family name will be connected to its success; although I can appreciate your loyalty to this district, superior goods will be expected and, therefore, must be present.'
Amused, Elizabeth asked, 'Let us surmise a general supposition: that a person of means, and we could be speaking of any given party, was to purchase an estate. Let us also presume that they were to invite your opinion as to whether they should purchase their wares from town or from the shopkeepers nearest their home. Would you deem one or the other the most prudent course of action? Or would you, instead, recommend possibly a combination of both choices?'
Mr. Darcy assiduously kept his eyes upon his cards, despite being wholly alive to the discussion between the two ladies.
Confidently replied Miss Bingley, 'I believe that it is dependent upon the situation. For a family of lesser means and stature, there is no harm to their reputation if they were to travel no further than the closest market town. But for those from a more exalted rank, it is of utmost importance that their surroundings are in keeping with their station and only goods from the best locations can answer their purpose.'
'For the appearance of everything good is far superior to the truth of its essence?' queried Elizabeth in a gently sardonic tone.
Caroline Bingley was, much like her brother, not deficient of understanding and could relate a scene with much wit and humor; however, by none of her acquaintance would she be considered clever. She could, therefore, make no answer to Elizabeth's question.
Unable to maintain his indifferent façade, Mr. Darcy declared, 'Why does the utilization of finer materials necessarily imbue falseness to the one who purchases them? Could this not speak, instead, to the preferences of the one for whom they were acquired?'
Elizabeth exclaimed, 'But from whence did they procure said materials? Would you encounter in society the one from whom you bought your draperies or other home objects? If this meeting did by chance happen, would you acknowledge his presence? Conversely, if you were in your own neighborhood in the country and passed a local merchant, would you ignore him? Must it follow that any conversation between a gentleman and a tradesman must be hidden or conducted away from town, else the reputation of the greater one would suffer?'
Smiling, Mr. Darcy replied, 'Why, Miss Bennet - are you tilting at windmills? For it is certain that your foe is not likely to be vanquished. These strictures were not the work of a moment and their dissolution will neither be, similar to the rules governing, as it was recently spoken of, an assembly or ball. What would occur to the character of a woman who had the temerity to request the hand of a gentleman for a set?'
Elizabeth could not permit his question to remain unanswered. 'And if there were a surfeit of gentlemen? Would you declare the ladies forced to sit for lack of a partner to have been slighted by other men? Or would a more generous impulse impel you to understand their plight? For if gentlemen were simply to stand around and not dance, would there be any ladies deriding them for some supposed unsuitability?'
Astonished, he said, 'It is most always to the lady's detriment when she is not engaged for a particular set, unless she were accompanied by a gentleman during her rest, for she gives the impression, intentional or not, of unseemliness of some sort. If a gentleman were to abstain from dancing, none would fault him, for it can be a tiresome activity.'
He could proceed no further, as Elizabeth declared, 'You have precisely described the ludicrousness of the situation, sir! A gentleman may find repose as he so chooses but a lady may not, else her reputation could suffer. To what end could this deplorable criterion have been established? It seems to me that there is a parallel to be found between our two examples. Through no fault of their own, many innocent people have been and likely will continue to be materially injured by practices with no discernable reason.'
Although the gentleman from Derbyshire was prepared to respond, Miss Bingley had tired of a discussion which did not include herself; therefore, she, with assistance from Mr. Hurst, exhorted those seated at the card table to attend their game. Elizabeth returned to her book and, finding their discourse rather dull and uninformative, shortly begged pardon of those present and bade them a good night.
An adorable, lively little girl had been just the solution to the silence and solemnity of their home. Despite his best efforts to preserve his dignity, he had been unable to avoid her childish but feminine games and had been found more than once seated in an overly small chair, dressed in a frilled pinafore, partaking of tea and pastries with her dolls.
Busy as he had been learning those items appropriate for a young man, time had passed with rapidity. To his vast surprise, on returning to his family's estate, he discovered that the little princess had become a young woman. To his vast irritation and concern, on their traveling to other locales, her still-young self was much admired by males of various stripes. He had spoken with his father on the topic of how best to protect her but the elder man had been less disturbed by the scrutiny the young lady had received, claiming that while men might look, it did not follow that they would act.
To Elizabeth's delight, Jane was much improved come morning and she wished to join the company after breakfast. She felt mortified that she should have ignored the signs of a trifling cold, when she and Mary were known to be proficient healers, and then to have imposed so on her new friends – it was deplorable behavior and required exoneration. That there was the additional inducement of encountering Mr. Bingley, she could not deny and hoped to have occasion to speak with the genial fellow before long. Elizabeth had informed her just this morning that Mrs. Bennet had summoned her daughters home the soonest that Jane's health permitted and it seemed very likely that her younger sister would send a request to Longbourn after lunch for the carriage this afternoon. It, therefore, became imperative that she should seize what opportunity might present itself to communicate with the man of whom she thought so highly.
Jane's expectations were fulfilled on both points. She and Elizabeth were warmly welcomed into the sitting room by Mr. Bingley and he saw to the fire's being built up, seating himself beside Jane on the settee closest to the warmth and safeguarding her against any cold drafts. Though she could not speak to what her younger sister was occupied with during this period, Jane and the young gentleman enjoyed a quiet talk uninterrupted by the other occupants of the room.
The lack of disruption was, in large part, due to Miss Bingley's fascination with her book, which, coincidentally, corresponded to the progress being made by Mr. Darcy through his. Mrs. Hurst was absorbed in vacantly staring at a picture hung upon a wall and her husband appeared to be sleeping on one of the couches.
Elizabeth sat sewing in the opposite corner, in quiet contemplation of the scene before her, until an exclamation from Mr. Bingley caught her attention. He was, it seemed, adamant that the Bennet sisters should not leave so precipitately but Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right and she would not gainsay her mother.
The carriage arrived after a most enjoyable luncheon, for the closer the time of departure, the more cordial Miss Bingley and her sister became. Elizabeth and Jane bid their farewells and departed.