Pride and Prejudice - Chaelisa Edition

Chapter 18

Till Roseanne entered the drawing-room at Netherfield, and looked in vain for Miss Moon among the cluster of red coats there assembled, a doubt of her being present had never occurred to her. The certainty of meeting her had not been checked by any of those recollections that might not unreasonably have alarmed her. She had dressed with more than usual care, and prepared in the highest spirits for the conquest of all that remained unsubdued of her heart, trusting that it was not more than might be won in the course of the evening. But in an instant arose the dreadful suspicion of her being purposely omitted for Miss Manoban’s pleasure in the Kim’s invitation to the officers; and though this was not exactly the case, the absolute fact of her absence was pronounced by her friend Jin, to whom Solar eagerly applied, and who told them that Moon had been obliged to go to town on business the day before, and was not yet returned; adding, with a significant smile, “I do not imagine her business would have called her away just now, if she had not wanted to avoid a certain lady here.”

This part of his intelligence, though unheard by Solar, was caught by Roseanne, and, as it assured her that Manoban was not less answerable for Moon’s absence than if her first surmise had been just, every feeling of displeasure against the former was so sharpened by immediate disappointment, that she could hardly reply with tolerable civility to the polite inquiries which he directly afterwards approached to make. Attendance, forbearance, patience with Manoban, was injury to Moon. She was resolved against any sort of conversation with her, and turned away with a degree of ill-humour which she could not wholly surmount even in speaking to Miss Kim, whose blind partiality provoked her.

But Roseanne was not formed for ill-humour; and though every prospect of her own was destroyed for the evening, it could not dwell long on her spirits; and having told all her griefs to Goeun Lucas, whom she had not seen for a week, she was soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of her cousin, and to point him out to her particular notice.

The first two dances, however, brought a return of distress; they were dances of mortification. Mr. Jeong, awkward and solemn, apologising instead of attending, and often moving wrong without being aware of it, gave her all the shame and misery which a disagreeable partner for a couple of dances can give. The moment of her release from him was ecstasy.

She danced next with an officer, and had the refreshment of talking of Moon, and of hearing that she was universally liked. When those dances were over, she returned to Goeun Lucas, and was in conversation with her, when she found herself suddenly addressed by Miss Manoban who took her so much by surprise in her application for her hand, that, without knowing what she did, she accepted her. She walked away again immediately, and she was left to fret over her own want of presence of mind; Goeun tried to console her: “I dare say you will find her very agreeable.”

“Heaven forbid! That would be the greatest misfortune of all! To find a woman agreeable whom one is determined to hate! Do not wish me such an evil.”

When the dancing recommenced, however, and Manoban approached to claim her hand, Goeun could not help cautioning her in a whisper, not to be a simpleton, and allow her fancy for Moon to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a lady ten times her consequence. Roseanne made no answer, and took her place in the set, amazed at the dignity to which she was arrived in being allowed to stand opposite to Miss Manoban, and reading in her neighbours’ looks, their equal amazement in beholding it. They stood for some time without speaking a word; and she began to imagine that their silence was to last through the two dances, and at first was resolved not to break it; till suddenly fancying that it would be the greater punishment to her partner to oblige her to talk, she made some slight observation on the dance. She replied, and was again silent. After a pause of some minutes, she addressed her a second time with:—“It is your turn to say something now, Miss Manoban. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some sort of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.”