{{prxprp049.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 49 ||

confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you arc

conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in

walking; -- if the first, I should be completely in your way; and

if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire.'

'Oh! shocking!' cried Miss Bingley. 'I never heard anything

so abominable. How shall we punish him for such a speech?'

'Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination,' said Elizabeth.

'We can all plague and punish one another. Tease him -- laugh

at him. -- Intimate as you are, you must know how it is to be

done.'

'But upon my honour I do not. I do assure you that my

intimacy has not yet taught me that. Tease calmness of temper

and presence of mind! No, no -- I feel he may defy us there.

And as to laughter, we will not expose ourselves, if you please,

by attempting to laugh without a subject. Mr. Daicy may

hug himself.'

'Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!' cried Elizabeth. 'That

is an uncommon advantage, and uncommon I hope it will

continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such

acquaintance. I dearly love a laugh.'

'Miss Bingley,' said he, 'has given me credit for more than can

be. The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best

of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose

first object in life is a joke.'

'Certainly,' replied Elizabeth -- 'there are such people, but I

hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule what is wise

or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do

divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. -- But

these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without.'

'Perhaps that is not possible for any one. But it has been the

study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose

a strong understanding to ridicule.'

'Such as vanity and pride.'

'Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride -- where there is

a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good

regulation.'

Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.

 [[049]]