Pride and Prejudice, a play by Mary Keith Medbery Mackaye Part 17

BINGLEY.

Oh, come, Darcy! I understand. Set your mind at rest. I am going to London with you, although I must say I do not see the necessity for it.

I think you are exaggerating the effect of any small attentions of mine toward Miss Bennet. However, we will cling together, and fly a common danger.

DARCY.

[_Coldly._] Common danger?

BINGLEY.

[_Smiling._] Yes, common danger! I, too, have eyes. Where will you match the wit and vivacity of Miss Elizabeth Bennet?

DARCY.

[_Quietly._] She is indeed charming, and I admit that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, I might be in some danger. [_Very coolly and confidently._] But they form, for me, an insurmountable barrier against any possible peril.

BINGLEY.

Love laughs at bars, Darcy! [DARCY _looks annoyed_.] No,--I won't! It really is not fair, since it is my fault. You would never have been put to this test if you hadn't been so good as to stay on here with me after that----

[_Stopping suddenly, and with an entire change from his former bantering tone, he says in a hesitating manner._] Darcy, do you really think you should be silent about Wickham?

DARCY.

[_Haughtily._] Decidedly! I do not choose to lay my private affairs before the world.

BINGLEY.

But the fellow is sailing under false colours. You do not know what the result may be. I really must speak of this again, Darcy, even at the risk of offending you. [DARCY _makes an impatient gesture_.] I am truly concerned at the foothold this rascal has already gained in the Bennet family. What he has failed to accomplish once he may succeed in again.

These young ladies have no brother to defend them.

DARCY.

Neither have they the wealth to excite Wickham's cupidity. At any rate I do not wish to be the one to enlighten the neighbourhood. Besides, I understand that he has left Meryton.

BINGLEY.

Even so--I---- [_He is interrupted by_ MISS BINGLEY, _who enters gaily from the drawing-room_.]

MISS BINGLEY.

Ah! Here you are! [_To_ DARCY.] Will you be so kind? [_She holds out her arm for him to clasp her bracelet._] Your sister Georgiana should be here, Mr. Darcy. [_To her brother._] Charles, you should have insisted on her coming.

BINGLEY.

I am not in the habit of insisting with Darcy.

MISS BINGLEY.

[_Laughingly._] Very true. [_To_ DARCY, _who has at length succeeded in fastening the bracelet_.] Thank you. [_Looking about her._] It is vastly pretty, Charles, but I am much mistaken if there are not some among us to whom a ball will be rather a punishment than a pleasure.

BINGLEY.

[_Laughing._] If you mean Darcy, he may go to bed, if he pleases, before it begins.

MISS BINGLEY.

But, Charles, it would certainly be more rational if conversation instead of dancing were made the order of the day.

BINGLEY.

Much more rational, my dear Caroline, but it would not be near so much like a ball.

MARTIN, THE FOOTMAN.

[_Entering, to_ BINGLEY.] Several of the carriages have arrived, sir, and the guests will soon be entering the ball-room.

BINGLEY.

[_To the_ FOOTMAN.] Very well. [_To_ MISS BINGLEY.] Come Caroline, we must be at our post. We will leave Darcy to make up his mind whether he will join us later.

[BINGLEY _and his sister disappear through the archway leading to the ball-room_. DARCY _does not follow them, but walks thoughtfully up and down the room. The sound of a voice is heard announcing_.]

THE VOICE.

Mrs. Long--the Miss Longs. [_A pause._] Colonel Forster and Mr. Denny.

[_A pause._] Mr. and Mrs. Goulding. [_A pause._] Mrs. Bennet--the Miss Bennets. [DARCY _stops in his walk and goes toward the ball-room archway--then he walks once more up and down_.] Mrs. King--Miss King.

[DARCY _again moves toward the ball-room; he lifts the curtain, hesitates--looks in--then disappears_.] Sir William and Lady Lucas--Miss Lucas--Mr. Robinson.

[_The music now begins, the stage is left empty. After a short pause_, ELIZABETH _and_ CHARLOTTE _appear between the curtains of the ball-room archway_.]

CHARLOTTE.