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of the fair performer's countenance. Elizabeth saw what he

was doing, and at the first convenient pause turned to him

with an arch smile, and said,--

'You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all

this state to hear me. But I will not be alarmed though

your sister _does_ play so well. There is a stubbornness

about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will

of others. My courage always rises with every attempt to

intimidate me.'

'I shall not say that you are mistaken,' he replied, 'because

you could not really believe me to entertain any design of

alarming you; and I have had the pleasure of your acquaint-

ance long enough to know that you find great enjoyment in

occasionally professing opinions which, in fact, are not your

own.'

Elizabeth laughed heartily at this picture of herself, and

said to Colonel Fitzwilliam, 'Your cousin will give you a very

pretty notion of me, and teach you not to believe a word I say.

I am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so well

able to expose my real character, in a part of the world where

I had hoped to pass myself off with some degree of credit.

Indeed, Mr. Darcy, it is very ungenerous in you to mention

all that you knew to my disadvantage in Hertfordshire -- and,

give me leave to say, very impolitic too -- for it is provoking

me to retaliate, and such things may come out as will shock

your relations to hear.'

'I am not afraid of you,' said he, smilingly.

'Pray let me hear what you have to accuse him of,' cried

Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'I should like to know how he behaves

among strangers.'

'You shall hear, then -- but prepare for something very

dreadful. The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertford-

shire, you must know, was at a ball -- and at this ball, what

do you think he did? He danced only four dances! I am

sorry to pain you, but so it was. He danced only four dances,

though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge,

more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a

partner. Mr. Darcy, you cannot deny the fact.'

'I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in

the assembly beyond my own party.'

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