{{prxprp040.jpg}} || 40 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

Chapter X

The day passed much as the day before had done. Mrs. Hurst

and Miss Bingley had spent some hours of the morning with

the invalid, who continued, though slowly, to mend; and in the

evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing-room. The

loo-table, however, did not appear. Mr. Darcy was writing, and

Miss Bingley, seated near him, was watching the progress of his

letter and repeatedly calling off his attention by messages to his

sister. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley were at piquet, and Mrs. Hurst

was observing their game.

Elizabeth took up some needlework, and was sufficiently

amused in attending to what passed between Darcy and his

companion. The perpetual commendations of the lady, either

on his handwriting, or on the evenness of his lines, or on the

length of his letter, with the perfect unconcern with which her

praises were received, formed a curious dialogue, and was exactly

in unison with her opinion of each.

'How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter!'

He made no answer.

'You write uncommonly fast.'

'You are mistaken. I write rather slowly.'

'How many letters you must have occasion to write in the course

of a year! Letters of business, too! How odious I should

think them!'

'It is fortunate, then, that they fall to my lot instead of to yours.'

'Pray tell your sister that I long to see her.'

'I have already told her so once, by your desire.'

T am afraid you do not like your pen. -- Let me mend it for

you. I mend pens remarkably well.'

'Thank you -- but I always mend my own.'

'How can you contrive to write so even?'

He was silent.

40

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