By Force of Instinct Read Online Free PDF Page A

was in London there was a discussion one evening at my uncle’s house about Mr. Wordsworth and Mr. coleridge, and how they have been trans-forming the art of poetry. Mr. Monkhouse, whose cousin is married to Mr.
    Wordsworth, was saying that his personal vision of nature contrasts with the formal meanings that were common to cowper and Gray, and I was curious to see for myself what might appear in this edition …” she felt as if she were talking to no purpose but to fill the empty space in the room.
    “you have not read this collection before, then?” He was beginning to recover himself from the shock of seeing her so unexpectedly, and his voice grew more formal and distant.
    she heard the surprise and the chill in his voice. “no, sir, I have not had that privilege,” she said shortly, loath to admit a deficiency in her education to him. since he had made no move to take the book from her, she set it down on the neutral territory of a small table.
    “you are welcome to read it, Miss Bennet. you might enjoy Lyrical Ballads by coleridge and Wordsworth as well—that was their first published work.”
    The turn of his countenance was making her quite uncomfortable, as did his condescension in pointing out the obvious regarding poetry. “I have read many poems from it already; it indeed heralded a new age in poetry. I am interested to see where Mr. Wordsworth goes with his current work in progress.” she looked at him challengingly.
    21

    Abigail Reynolds
    “The Prelude? What do you think of it?”
    Displeased to find that she could not better him on the subject, elizabeth said shortly, “I have seen only brief excerpts from it.”
    “I hope that you will have the opportunity to discover it for yourself in its entirety soon, then, or at least such parts as have been published,” Darcy said lamely, aware that he had somehow displeased her.
    elizabeth heard his discomfort and misinterpreted it. “Thank you, Mr.
    Darcy, but we must be realistic, must we not?” she said with a bite in her voice. “I must consider my restricted opportunities; after all, my father has an excellent library for a man of his means, but that does not extend to the newest books; those of us with inferior connections cannot hope to have such amenities.”
    Darcy grew pale. “Miss Bennet,” he replied, his uneasiness causing him to take on an unintentionally haughty air, “I did not mean to imply anything of the sort.”
    Finding his manner infuriating, she discovered that once opened, the wound would not close. “My uncle may have entertained Mr. Wordsworth himself, but of course, he is merely in trade and could not be expected to have such sensibilities. Is it not a degradation for you, Mr. Darcy, to even discuss this with me? What would your family think?” she caught her breath, horrified that she had uncontrollably poured out to him her injured feelings in such a manner. “Pray excuse me, Mr. Darcy!” Blindly, she moved past him, thinking only of escape.
    Darcy, stunned by this unexpected attack, put out a hand to stop her flight. It had never occurred to him that she might feel wounded by what he saw as his factual recitation of the gulf between them. “Miss Bennet,”
    he said, his voice pained, “It was never my intention to grieve you in any way.”
    she looked up at his pale face. “Then you have gone about it in a most unusual way!” she was mortified to realize that her eyes were swimming with tears. “If you would be so kind as to release me, sir.”
    He removed his hand from her arm instantly. “I shall trouble you no further, madam,” he said formally, cut to the quick by her sudden fury. You fool! he raged to himself. Did you learn nothing from that horrible night? She wants nothing to do with you; how much clearer can she be? The conclusion was as intolerable as ever.
    22

    By FoRce oF InstInct
    “Miss Bennet!” came Georgiana’s light tones from the doorway, causing both elizabeth and Darcy to immediately