oh shocking cried
miss bingley
“Oh! shocking!” cried Miss Bingley.
“I never heard anything so abominable.
How shall we punish him for such a speech?”
“Nothing so easy, if you have but the inclination,” said Elizabeth.
“We can all plague and punish one another.
Tease him — laugh at him.
— Intimate as you are, you must know how it is to be done.”
“But upon my honour, I do not.
I do assure you that my intimacy has not yet taught me that.
Tease calmness of temper and presence of mind!
No, no — I feel he may defy us there.
And as to laughter, we will not expose ourselves, if you please, by attempting to laugh without a subject.
Mr. Darcy may hug himself.”
“Mr. Darcy is not to be laughed at!” cried Elizabeth.
“That is an uncommon advantage,
and uncommon I hope it will continue, for it would be a great loss to me to have many such acquaintances.
I dearly love a laugh.”