Chapter 7 ~ Taking Chances
10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? 12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water. (James 3:10-12, ESV)
5 The thoughts of the righteous are just; the counsels of the wicked are deceitful. 6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood, but the mouth of the upright delivers them. (Proverbs 12:5-6, ESV)
23 A prudent man conceals knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims folly. 26 One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray. (Proverbs 12:23 26, ESV)
At the appointed hour, as no objection was made to the young people's engagement with their aunt, and all Mr. Collins's scruples of leaving Mr. and Mrs. Bennet for a single evening during his visit were most steadily resisted, the coach conveyed him and his five cousins to Meryton.
When they had all taken their seats, Mr. Collins was at leisure to look around him and admire, and he was so much struck with the size and furniture of the apartment, that he declared he might almost have supposed himself in the small summer breakfast-parlour at Rosings; a comparison that did not at first convey much gratification; but when Mrs. Philips understood from him what Rosings was, and who was its proprietor, she felt all the force of the compliment. Mrs. Philips was resolved to retell all she learned of Mr. Collins consequence among her neighbours as soon as she could and she encourged him to elaborate on every detail. In describing to her all the grandeur of Lady Catherine and her mansion, he remained happily employed. He found in Mrs. Philips a very attentive listener and in his Cousin Mary a patient one. Mary, resolved to continue the good work begun the previous morning, counted the minutes until Mr. Wickham made his appearance in the drawing room. To the other girls, who could not listen to their cousin, and who had nothing to do but to wish for an instrument, and examine their own indifferent imitations of china on the mantlepiece, the interval of waiting appeared very long. It was over at last, however. The gentlemen did approach, and when Mr. Wickham walked into the room, Mary felt that she had neither been seeing him before, nor thinking of him since, with the smallest degree of unreasonable admiration.
The card-tables were placed and Mrs. Phillips took the opportunity to request that Mr. Collins oblige her by sitting down to whist.
"I know little of the game at present," said he, "but I shall be glad to improve myself, for in my situation of life -- "
Mrs. Philips was very thankful for his compliance, but could not wait for his reason and moved to lead him directly to the table. She would have succeeded in her object had not the look Miss Mary Bennet sent him on hearing his acceptance left him confused. Stumbling his way through unsatisfactory excuses heavily embellished with flattery he extricated himself and if Colonel Forster had not volunteered to take his place in the middle of his speeches Mrs. Phillips would not have made a table at all.
Mary drew Mr. Collins aside to strategise, providing in a lowered voice the words she thought would be most effective to convince Mr. Wickham of the error of his ways. Mr. Collins smiled on her, and told her that in all things in her sphere he expected that her judgment could not be supposed to err, but that in this instance his education and his station in life put him in the way of knowing what ought to be said to his fellow clergyman. He proceeded to instruct her on how she could best present the lesson her sister was to benefit from. This exchange took them through nearly half the evening and during that time their misguided proteges were sat together seemingly playing a game on the opposite side of the room.
The rest of the party decided on Lottery Tickets. Mr. Wickham was slow to join the group and approached Miss Elizabeth hoping for an opportunity to warn her. In this company it would need to be done subtly if he manged it at all. After what she had witnessed the day before Elizabeth was equally eager to speak to him, though what she chiefly wished to learn she could not hope to be told over a game of lottery tickets, turning to him she said,
"Mr. Wickham, Lottery tickets seems a very noisy game and I cannot think it is to your taste." Indicating a small table a little removed from the others she asked, "Shall we move just there and try our luck at Piquet?"
Astonished at this offer Mr. Wickham thanked Providence and considered it a confirmation that he had chosen the right course. Making the necessary decisions on the points to be awarded to tricks and to trumps was soon done. When they began to play they conversed on indifferent subjects and Elizabeth considered how she might introduce the subject. Once she had despaired of learning what she most wished to know – the history of his acquaintance with Mr. Darcy – Mr. Wickham began the subject himself by inquiring what she knew of the gentleman.
"He is a man of very large property in Derbyshire, I understand."
"Yes," replied Wickham, unsure if this was indeed the best way to begin the subject; "his estate there is a noble one. I have been connected with his family in a particular manner from my infancy, we lived on the estate where my father was employed as Pemberley's steward. His father, the late Mr. Darcy, was one of the best men who ever breathed, my father's truest friend, and my own godfather. I spent my earliest years beside the current Mr. Darcy in Pemberley's nursery."
Elizabeth's interest in the subject increased, wordlessly she invited him to continue.
"It was an unusual arrangement to be sure but when his own mother died giving birth my mother being nearby was brought over to care for her infant son. I had been born only nine days previously and it was easier for us to remain there. It was meant to be temporary but she became attached to the young master and stayed on to oversee his education and mine until he was provided with a tutor."
She looked at him skeptically, "How remarkable and yet you did not appear to meet as old friends, Mr. Wickham."
"Miss Bennet, your doubt of this assertion, after seeing, as you evidently did, the very cold manner of our meeting yesterday is justified. I wish to explain more but I am – I would like to put before you a philosophical question if I may?"
Astonished, annoyed and slightly amused at the sudden change of subject she answered with a smile to soften her words, "By all means, I do always discuss philosophy over Piquet."
Pleased at having made her smile he continued seriously for he could not easily forget that this was indeed a serious question.
"Have you read Cicero?"
Supposing he meant to show her how much more knowledge he had attained she regretted having arranged to be in his exclusive company for the length of a game. While considering the most foolish card she could play she answered, "No, Mr. Wickham I do not play cards enough to justify so much serious study as he would require."
Consumed by his purpose he did not see that her smile had slipped. "Well what do you think of the idea of doing what is right even when we might have a selfish motive? Is it still right to do?" Looking at the game he saw that she had not lied when she claimed to play very little and if he was not careful the game would end before he came to his point. Deliberating over his next play, he awaited her answer.
Elizabeth watched his play and then his face. The trick would be hers.
"I am surprised that a clergyman would refer to a philosopher before a theologian but perhaps you disapprove of the cold moral of Aquinas – I cannot recite it faithfully; my sister could: An action is only good when one's motives are pure." Trying to discern his point she studied his face and forgot the cards.
Blushing under her scrutiny he adjusted his cravat and answered, "That is my trouble exactly. If a thing is right to do is it not right regardless of the motive? As Seneca said virtue not acted on is fruitless. I wish to tell you something more but I fear that questioning my motives you may doubt its truth. There is reason to question my motives, I question them myself but I think it is better to tell you and have you think what you will of me than to leave you in ignorance."
She played a card without any thought at all to the game for they must keep up the pretense. It was obvious now that neither intended to win. He wished to reveal what she longed to know. "I have not read many philosophical or theological works – I have confessed already my preference for the novel – but I recall something Augustine wrote on the subject: 'God's grace does not permit us to do evil when we will to do good.' If you have a selfish motive that sits beside a virtuous one I cannot think anything so weak and small as selfishness can overcome what is strong and true. If we must be perfect before we do good we would never do anything worthwhile."
He smiled a really warm smile but looked at their farce of a game instead of at her. She was far too good for him and he admired her more and it was become an even more hopeless adoration. "Very well said. I feel I must speak though you will doubt me, perhaps hate me for it, you will not be ignorant. He seemed to - - Miss Bennet I have no right to ask but what is your opinion of Mr. Darcy."
She answered hesitantly, "I have spent four days in the same house with him, and I think him very - - agreeable."
''As to his being agreeable or otherwise" said Wickham, "I am not qualified to judge. I left Pemberley when I was very young and did not meet him again until school. He chose not to recognise me and I understood then that our connextion mattered not at all to him."
"Forgive me if you please, the reaction I observed was too strong for people who know little of each other."
"I cannot pretend to be sorry that you observed it. He seemed very attentive to you." said Wickham, looking at his opponent instead of the cards he sacrificed a trump and lost the trick, "You are too fine a person to be fooled by his flattery and I would caution you. The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or charmed by his manners, and sees him only as he chooses to be seen."
Taking the trick she deliberated over ending the game and the conversation. "I wonder what you are about. You did warn me, did you not, that you have a motive other than my best interest. I have too slight an acquaintance with either of you to determine who I may trust."
Wickham only shook his head, he was a fool, but he would not give way and he saw now that she played to win. To finish the conversation he must deny her the victory or at least delay it. To distract her he asked an apparently innocuous question.
"Is he likely to be in this country much longer?"
"I do not at all know; but I heard nothing of his going away when I was at Netherfield."
"I can offer nothing as proof that I am honest! Let me say only this -- it would give me pain to see you hurt. Be very careful of the proprieties, extend him no trust." The strategy worked and the next trick was his.
Loosing interest in the game she recalled the liberties the man had taken already and the near offer of marriage that might excuse them she asked Mr. Wickham to explain himself, "What makes you question his honesty when you have already acknowledged only a slight acquaintance. It could not be any nursery room mischief, surely."
"At school I saw enough of his habits that after observing his interest in you I was determined to caution you against him. I will not be more explicit, but the fact is, that we are very different sort of men."
Mr. Wickham grew silent and grave as was his wont. Elizabeth sat and shame coloured her cheeks. It was shame that she had indeed permitted more than she ought, had heard and believed what she wanted to believe. They finished the game in silence. The victor did not gloat but straightened the deck and smiled apologetically at his opponent. She nodded and they moved their chairs apparently to observe the other game but really they were too consumed by their thoughts to attempt anything more.
Elizabeth knew that nothing he said was proof against Mr. Darcy. Her own observations and behaviour were proof only of her own folly. The man whom she had thought to be always disapproving may after all be genuinely concerned for her wellbeing. He shared some deeply personal information in order to convince her. He may have a hatred of Mr. Darcy, it was possible that if he did not lie he exaggerated to discredit him. He confessed to having personal motives. Was he a practised liar or honest about his internal struggle? She did not know what to think and so she turned her attention to her sisters' success in the game with more than her usual enthusiasm and Mr. Wickham grew stonier and more troubled as a result. Tea was soon served and once he had drunk his cup he thanked his hostess. He used his long walk as his excuse for an early departure. All of Mary's plans would needs must wait for another day.
The rest of the evening passed hurriedly by. Mr. Collins proved how inept a partner he truly was when he took Colonel Forster's place at the whist table until supper was served. Elizabeth joined the others playing lottery tickets and continued to feign an elevated interest in the activity, though she did not attempt to match her younger sisters' sprightly energy. Jane played but was more eager to keep others from losing than to win herself. Poor Mary remained discontented and sipped her soup in fretful silence, disappointed that they had missed an opportunity to guide a lost sheep. Her sighs persisted until their carriage was called.
Miss Bennet found herself very near Mr. Collins as they waited and ventured to make the usual inquiries as to his success. It had not been very great: he had lost every point; but when Mrs. Philips began to express her concern thereupon, he assured her with much earnest gravity that it was not of the least importance, that he considered the money as a mere trifle, and begged she would not make herself uneasy.
"I know very well, madam," said he, "that when persons sit down to a card-table they must take their chance of these things -- and happily I am not in such circumstances as to make five shillings any object. There are undoubtedly many who could not say the same, but thanks to Lady Catherine de Bourgh, I am removed far beyond the necessity of regarding little matters."
Elizabeth went away with her head full of Mr. Wickham, and of what he had told her, all the way home; but there was not time for her even to mention his name as they went, for neither Lydia nor Mr. Collins were once silent. Lydia talked incessantly of lottery tickets, of the fish she had lost and the fish she had won; Mr. Collins, in describing the civility of Mr. and Mrs. Philips, protesting that he did not in the least regard his losses at whist, enumerating all the dishes at supper, and repeatedly fearing that he crowded his cousins, had more to say than he could well manage before the carriage stopped at Longbourn House.