Part 1
The ladies of Longbourn were readying themselves for a sortie.
Lizzy looked very pretty for her venture into the assembly rooms, Mrs. Bennet assured her, although of course she could be nothing to Jane-those dreadful spectacles! Why could Lizzy not leave them behind tonight?
"Because, Mama," Lizzy explained, none too patiently, "I need them in order to see."
"See! See what? I am sure I cannot understand what you would want to see for!"
Lizzy felt herself in danger of either laughing violently or remaining angry with her mother for the rest of both their lives. She quitted the room. Mrs. Bennet's voice pursued her down the stairs.
"None of the young men there, you know, will want to look at a girl with spectacles!"
Mr. Bennet, applied to by his lady, could not be persuaded to force Lizzy into leaving her spectacles behind, nor to comment on any of the pleas, tears, or fits of nerves that could be heard throughout the house immediately thereafter.
The carriage ride consisted alternately of icy silences and renewed ultimatums on the part of Mrs. Bennet, and irritated sighs supplemented with glares of wrath on the part of Lizzy. This state of affairs caused the other girls all the tedium being cloistered with their mother usually induced. The entire party was very pleased to alight at the assembly rooms.
The usual collection of local gentry was gathered within, to look and gossip in so unrestrained a manner as to cause Mrs. Bennet the greatest of joy. She left her daughters to find their own delights and sat down with Lady Lucas, observing that Mrs. Long's feathered turban was not at all the thing.
Lizzy conversed with Charlotte Lucas and occasionally stood up with a few of the young men who evidently did not mind looking at a girl with spectacles. Mrs. Bennet righteously refused to look at her daughter, so happily could not feel the insult of having been proven wrong.
Then the door flew open and in came a party that included the handsomest man ever to grace the Assembly Rooms of Meryton, or indeed the eyes of any of its inhabitants.
Lizzy gaped until prodded by Charlotte, whereupon she took a scholarly interest in a smudge on the nearest wall.
The rest of the party consisted of a very happy looking gentleman, two ladies with raised noses, and another gentleman with an air of having already indulged himself more than was wise.
"That gentleman there is Mr. Bingley. He called on my father last week," Charlotte said. "He informed us of his intention to bring a party with him to Netherfield. Those are his sisters. One of them is married to Mr. Hurst, the rather ... red-cheeked gentleman. The other is unmarried, and is to keep house for her brother."
"And the other gentleman?" Lizzy inquired as she carefully poked at the smudge on the wall.
Charlotte looked at her. Then she looked at the handsomest man ever to grace the Assembly Rooms of Meryton. "Hmmm," she said.
Lizzy looked up. "I beg your pardon?" She asked
"Oh, nothing. Just 'hmmm.'"
"Charlotte, a little less of it, if you please."
"If you insist."
"I do."
There was a pause.
"Well?" Inquired Lizzy.
"Well, what?"
"Well, are you going to name the third gentleman?"
"Oh. Ah. I see. Do let me think, Lizzy, for I cannot with you peering at me like that!"
Lizzy reversed a step. "Is this an improvement, Miss Lucas?"
"Yes, I thank you. Ah, now I recall! He is a Mr. Darcy!"
Lizzy gazed across the room at the gentleman. "Hmmm," she said.
"I beg your pardon, Lizzy?"
"Oh, nothing. Just 'hmmm.'"
"Of course, Lizzy," Charlotte smiled.
Mr. Darcy, Lizzy noticed, danced only once with each of Mr. Bingley's sisters. He subsequently offended every lady present, with the exception of Lizzy, by refusing to be introduced to any of them. After this, he paced the perimeters of the room wearing an expression of the utmost distaste, and occasionally staring out the windows, although it was dark and there was nothing to be seen. Lizzy tried to stop gazing at him.
She stood up with one of the Lucas boys, who complained that she seemed distracted. Her mother and sisters were their usual selves, but she was more than usually embarrassed by them. What on earth was the matter with her? She would ask Charlotte. Charlotte would know.
But Charlotte just smirked at her unhelpfully. Lizzy felt inclined to stomp her foot for the first time since the age of eight. Everyone was provoking her tonight!
At least Jane looked happy. She was dancing with Mr. Bingley.
Lizzy sat down and tried not to think about how she had just walked across the entire room to sit in the chair nearest to Mr. Darcy. The other chairs in the room were not at all to her liking. They were too striped.
The dance ended and Mr. Bingley came over to his friend.
"Darcy!" He shouted. Mr. Bingley was one of those hearty men who shouted excessively.
"Darcy! Are you not going to dance?"
Lizzy nearly fell out of her chair trying to hear.
Mr. Darcy turned toward his friend, an inscrutable expression on his features. He opened his lips to speak.
"No."
Lizzy nearly swooned upon hearing his dulcet tones, until she realized what he had said. She straightened back up, disappointed.
But Mr. Bingley was obviously used to dealing with Mr. Darcy.
"Come now, Darcy, with so many lovely creatures in the room? How can you resist? And all of them so agreeable!"
Mr. Darcy made no answer other than a slight grumbling.
"But look! There is one of the Misses Bennet sitting down! She is very pretty, too. Do let me ask Miss Bennet to introduce you. Then you can dance with her!" Mr. Bingley looked very pleased.
"Bingley, she is wearing spectacles!" Mr. Darcy sounded scandalized.
"Well, what of it?"
"She would be tolerable, I suppose, without them, but not handsome enough to tempt me. I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies with spectacles. Go back to your partner. She, at least, does not wear them."
Mr. Bingley needed no second urging.
Lizzy sat back, shocked. Then she arose from her place. Now that she thought about it, this chair really was not to her taste. It was too green.
She stalked away and saw that she must move near Mr. Darcy if she was to avoid the dancers. A thought struck her.
As she passed him, she observed in low but penetrating tones, "Men don't make passes at girls who wear glasses." And glided away, all dignity.