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— “Did you not think, Mr. Darcy, that I expressed myself uncommonly well just now, when I was teasing Colonel Forster to give us a ball at Meryton?”

— “With great energy;

— but it is a subject which always makes a lady energetic.”

— “You are severe on us.”

— “It will be her turn soon to be teased,”

said Miss Lucas.

“I am going to open the instrument, Eliza, and you know what follows.”

— “You are a very strange creature by way of a friend! — always wanting me to play and sing before any body and every body! —

If my vanity had taken a musical turn, you would have been invaluable, but as it is, I would really rather not sit down before those who must be in the habit of hearing the very best performers.”

On Miss Lucas's persevering, however, she added,

“Very well;

if it must be so, it must.”

And gravely glancing at Mr. Darcy,

“There is a fine old saying, which every body here is of course familiar with —

'Keep your breath to cool your porridge,' —

and I shall keep mine to swell my song.”