CHARLOTTE.

Certainly, Mr. Darcy! [ELIZABETH _also, absent-mindedly, murmurs her a.s.sent, for which_ DARCY _lingers with vague uneasiness before departing with_ FITZWILLIAM. CHARLOTTE _looks at_ ELIZABETH _curiously, then calls to the little maid, who enters_.]

CHARLOTTE.

Martha--take these eggs to the pantry. Do not disturb them.

MARTHA.

Very well, ma'am.

[_She curtsies and goes out._]

CHARLOTTE.

[_Taking off her hat and gloves._] Now, Eliza, we must get to our work and have a comfortable chat. You have been here nearly two weeks and we really haven't had a good talk yet.

ELIZABETH.

[_Getting out her embroidery._] Yes, you promised me a quiet visit, Charlotte. But I find you are more lively here than we are at Longbourn.

[_The two ladies sit at the table with their embroidery._]

CHARLOTTE.

But how could I have antic.i.p.ated the arrival here of two very attentive young gentlemen? [_Smiling at_ ELIZABETH.] It is really quite a surprising coincidence, or else Mr. Darcy has timed his visit to his aunt very cleverly. As to these daily visits to the parsonage--you may be sure I do not take to myself the credit of them. Neither of these young gentlemen would ever come so often to see me. I have to thank you, Eliza, for this civility.

ELIZABETH.

[_With a little temper._] You may thank a lack of occupation on their part. You know very well my opinion of Mr. Darcy!

CHARLOTTE.

Yes. You have often expressed it. I wish I were as well informed of Mr.

Darcy's opinion of Eliza.

ELIZABETH.

When you know the one, you know the other. They are identical.

CHARLOTTE.

Well, perhaps under the circ.u.mstances, that is the most satisfactory condition of things. And do we hold the same opinion of Colonel Fitzwilliam?

ELIZABETH.

[_Tossing her head._] Oh, Colonel Fitzwilliam!

CHARLOTTE.

[_Looking at_ ELIZABETH _sharply, and after a short silence_.] And so Jane is once more at home after her visit in London, and Lydia has gone to Brighton after all. How did she ever manage to persuade your father?

ELIZABETH.

Oh, Lydia was so determined upon it that she and mamma gave my father no peace till they had teased him to consent. But I am very sorry. Lydia is too foolish, too ignorant and wilful to be trusted away from home. I only hope that no harm will come of it.

CHARLOTTE.

And is Mr. Wickham still with the regiment?

ELIZABETH.

Yes, he went with it to Brighton.

CHARLOTTE.

I hear that he is thinking of marrying Miss King, since she has just received a legacy of ten thousand pounds. I should be sorry to think that our friend was mercenary.

ELIZABETH.

A man in distressed circ.u.mstances has not time for all those elegant decorums which other people may observe. If Miss King does not object to it, why should we?

CHARLOTTE.

_Her_ not objecting does not justify--him.

ELIZABETH.

[_Emphatically._] Well, have it as you choose. _He_ shall be mercenary, and _she_ shall be foolish! Mr. Wickham's worst fault, after all, is his power of being agreeable. Thank heaven, we both of us know some men who haven't one agreeable quality. Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing!