Pride and Prejudice (Clandestine Classics) by Jane Austen, Amy Armstrong

never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”
    “Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,” said Darcy, “has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”
    “Nor I, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley.
    “Then,” observed Elizabeth, “you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”
    When Mr Darcy met Elizabeth’s pointed gaze, his body filled with a burning desire he tried his utmost to disregard. “Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.”
    “Oh, certainly,” cried his faithful assistant, “no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word. And besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved.”
    “All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”
    “I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women,” Elizabeth remarked. “I rather wonder now at your knowing any .”
    “Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all this?”
    “I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united.”
    Mrs Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of her implied doubt, and were both protesting that they knew many women who answered this description, when Mr Hurst called them to order, with bitter complaints of their inattention to what was going forward. As all conversation was thereby at an end, Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.
    “Elizabeth Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, “is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own, and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art.”
    “Undoubtedly,” replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, “there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.” Mr Darcy did not believe Elizabeth Bennet to be cunning thus. For a reason he could not comprehend, Elizabeth seemed to take great pleasure in her contradictions towards him, though the idea did not fill him with ire. Instead, her curious manner intrigued him further. He rather liked that she challenged him, for she was the only person to do so.
    Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to continue the subject.
    Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged Mr Jones being sent for immediately, while his sisters, convinced that no country advice could be of any service, recommended an express to town for one of the most eminent physicians. This she would not hear of, but she was not so unwilling to comply with their brother’s proposal, and it was settled that Mr Jones should be sent for early in the morning, if Miss Bennet were not decidedly better. Bingley was quite uncomfortable. His sisters declared that they were miserable. They solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his housekeeper directions that every attention might be paid to the sick lady and her sister.
    Mr Darcy made his excuses