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'True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ballroom.

Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers

wait your orders.'

'Perhaps,' said Darcy, 'I should have judged better had I

sought an introduction, but I am ill qualified to recommend

myself to strangers.'

'Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?' said Eliza-

beth, still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. 'Shall we ask him

why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the

world, is ill qualified to recommend himself to strangers?'

'I can answer your question,' said Fitzwilliam, 'without

applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the

trouble.'

'I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,'

said Darcy, 'of conversing easily with those I have never seen

before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear

interested in their concerns as I often see done.'

'My fingers,' said Elizabeth, 'do not move over this in-

strument in the masterly manner which I see so many

women's do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and

do not produce the same expression. But then I have always

supposed it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the

trouble of practising. It is not that I do not believe _my_

fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior exe-

cution.'

Darcy smiled and said, 'You are perfectly right. You

have employed your time much better. No one admitted to

the privilege of hearing you can think anything wanting.

We neither of us perform to strangers.'

Here they were interrupted by Lady Catherine, who called

out to know what they were talking of. Elizabeth immedi-

ately began playing again. Lady Catherine approached, and,

after listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy,--

'Miss Bennet would not play at all amiss if she practised

more, and could have the advantage of a London master.

She has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is

not equal to Anne's. Anne would have been a delightful

performer, had her health allowed her to learn.'

Elizabeth looked at Darcy to see how cordially he assented

to his cousin's praise: but neither at that moment nor at any

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