Elizabeth had a surprise of her own, however, as the previous day she had also called in at Monsieur Rojard’s. The late Mr. Darcy had given his son his own pocket-watch shortly before his death. The watch was a very old and valuable piece, but it was not accurate; in addition, it was much larger and heavier than the modern time-pieces that were now extraordinarily precise, and of a much smaller and more elegant form. The old watch was English-made and in an heavy, engraved silver case, with a highly ornate face and hands. Elizabeth wanted a replacement that would not be seen as an imitator of the old watch, but rather one in accord with all of her husband’s ideas on the value of innovation and progress. She and Georgiana had viewed and rejected a vast array of watches and clocks: some that were automatons, some that had jewels to their case and faces, some that played music, some that shewed the phases of the moon, one that had a gentleman pushing a lady on a swing as it ticked, some contrived so as to shew the entirety of the mechanism inside, and those that were in the shapes of balls, urns, musical instruments, and many other ingenious and diverting inventions. Monsieur Rojard, himself, had come from his offices to shew her a pocket-watch of the most recent design, and which was the picture of elegant simplicity: it was of the highest-quality gold, oval in shape, with a plain white dial, a set of English numbers, and very fine black hands. Monsieur Rojard explained to Mrs. Darcy that there was not a time-piece made that was more accurate for such a small size, and averred that her husband would be delighted with the precision and mechanics of the article, above all of the others on display. She requested that he inscribe the watch-back as from herself, with the date and “Geneva.” She arranged with the proprietor that the parcel be delivered to their hôtel later that day, Elizabeth wishing to choose exactly when she might present the gift.

Mr. Darcy forced Elizabeth’s hand on the morrow, however, by producing the boxes for herself and Georgiana at breakfast, and was to reap a fitting reward for his effrontery, as Elizabeth must necessarily answer his volley with that of her own. Upon receiving the watch from his wife, his look bespoke a deep and tender attachment, and a recognition of the thoughtfulness evinced by the gift, which had—among others—the happy effect of rendering words superfluous. Unused as he was to accepting the generosity of others, it was Darcy’s fate that he must learn to express not only his admiration for his wife, but also his gratitude to her, possibly even beyond what he felt he deserved.

CHAP. 9.