Pride and Prejudice (The Wild and Wanton Edition) Read Free Page A

sweet, stolen kiss while the laughter of the party faded into the background. Fortunately, the arrival of her dear friend, Charlotte Lucas, distracted such wanderings of the mind and she did not find herself foolishly blushing for all to see.
    At first, her daydreams of Mr. Darcy’s character were affirmed most readily by those in attendance. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening. It was then the true nature of this quickly esteemed gentleman began to reveal itself. His manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding countenance, and of being unworthy to be compared with his friend. Elizabeth did not want to acknowledge the crushing truth, till she found herself the subject of his unwarranted disdain.
    Elizabeth had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen, to sit down for two dances. During part of that time, Mr. Darcy had been standing near enough for her to hear a conversation between him and Mr. Bingley, who came from the dance for a few minutes, to press his friend to join it.
    “Come, Darcy,” he said, “I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupid manner.”
    Elizabeth might have looked pleasantly at the dancers, but her attention was fully fixed upon the conversation. She held her breath, not wanting to miss a single word.
    “I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to me to stand up with.”
    “I would not be so fastidious as you are for a kingdom.” Mr. Bingley cried. “Upon my honor, I never met so many pleasant girls in my life as I have this evening, and there are several who are uncommonly pretty.”
    “You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet. Elizabeth’s smile faltered and she felt as if someone pushed her into a cold lake.
    “She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I daresay very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.”
    Elizabeth forced the smile back to her mouth, and lifted her hands to clap in time with the lively music. Perhaps the gentleman had forgotten about her when he made his generalized comment about the lack of beauty in the room.
    “Which do you mean?” Turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”
    And, then again, perhaps not. Elizabeth took a deep breath, and her smile became forcibly fixed upon her face.
    Mr. Bingley followed his advice. As Mr. Darcy walked off, Elizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings toward him. She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous. It was easier to laugh at the nature of the slight than admit to the true depth of the wound.
    Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room. He was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Mr. Darcy danced