Pride and Prejudice E-Book

Jane Austen.

• Herausgeber: Youcanprint
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Beschreibung

Begun when she was just eleven years old, Love and Friendship is one of Jane Austen's stories that very few readers may have encountered before.  Austen experts feel that this story was written, like many others, only for the pleasure of her family and friends. It is scribbled across three notebooks, in childish handwriting, and the complete work is thought to have been written over a period of six or seven years. It is dedicated to one of her cousins, whom she was very close to, Eliza de Feuillide. Eliza herself was an extremely colorful figure and is thought to have been the illegitimate daughter of the first Governor General of India, Warren Hastings. She was also a witness to the French Revolution where her husband, the self styled Comte de Feuillide was guillotined. For the young Jane, these events must have been sheer inspiration to a writer's imagination. Love and Friendship takes the shape of an expostulatory novel. Written as a series of letters from Laura to a much younger Marianne who is her friend Isabel's daughter, it is meant to apprise the young and flighty Marianne about the dangers of infatuation and falling headlong into romantic love. The book offers an early and crucial insight into Jane Austen's style, her wonderful sense of humor and her take on contemporary society. At times, she portrays events almost in parody form, at others, she is sharp and critical, but as always, the typical Jane Austen brand of gentle, sparkling wit is highly evident. She describes the concept of “sensibility” or what we would today call “sensitivity” or “sentimentality” and how it can be taken to ridiculous extremes. The deliberately twisted and complicated plot is replete with fainting fits, deaths due to a variety of causes, including “galloping consumption,” plenty of drama, elopements galore, unbelievable coincidences and wicked philanderers—all the elements that a typical potboiler of the era would contain. Love and Friendship was written primarily for the amusement of her large and gregarious family, and young Jane was probably called upon to read her writings aloud. The reader can only imagine the sheer hilarity that the novel must have evoked. As part of a collection of Jane Austen Juvenilia, this is indeed a treasure trove for Jane Austen enthusiasts as it offers early glimpses of that brilliant talent which was to shine forth a few years later and delight readers of all ages.

Leseprobe

Pride and Prejudice

 

Jane Austen

First digital edition 2017 by Anna Ruggieri

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Chapter 46

Chapter 47

Chapter 48

Chapter 49

Chapter 50

Chapter 51

Chapter 52

Chapter 53

Chapter 54

Chapter 55

Chapter 56

Chapter 57

Chapter 58

Chapter 59

Chapter 60

Chapter 61

Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man inpossession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may beon hisfirst entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixedin the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered therightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day,“have you heard that Netherfield Park is let atlast?”

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long hasjust been here, and she told me all about it.”

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” criedhis wife impatiently.

“Youwant to tell me, and I have no objection to hearingit.”

This was invitation enough.

“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says thatNetherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the northof England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to seethe place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed withMr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession beforeMichaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by theend of next week.”

“What is hisname?”

“Bingley.”

“Is he married or single?”

“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of largefortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for ourgirls!”

“How so? How can it affect them?”

“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “howcanyou be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of hismarrying one of them.”

“Is that his design in settling here?”

“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is verylikely that hemayfall in love with one of them, and therefore youmust visithim as soon as he comes.”

“I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, oryou may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be stillbetter, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley maylike you the best of the party.”

“My dear,you flatter me. I certainlyhavehad my share ofbeauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. Whena woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give overthinking of her own beauty.”

“In such cases, a woman has not often much beautyto thinkof.”

“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley whenhe comes into the neighbourhood.”

“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.”

“But consider your daughters. Only think what anestablishment it would be for one of them. Sir Williamand LadyLucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general,you know, they visit no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it willbe impossible forusto visit him if you do not.”

“You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingleywillbe very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you toassure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever hechooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for mylittle Lizzy.”

“I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not abitbetter than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsomeas Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are alwaysgivingherthe preference.”

“They have none of them much to recommend them,”replied he; “they are all silly and ignorantlike other girls;but Lizzy has something more of quickness than hersisters.”

“Mr. Bennet, howcanyou abuse your own children in such away? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for mypoor nerves.”

“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for yournerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them withconsideration these last twenty years at least.”

“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”

“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see manyyoung men of four thousand ayear come into theneighbourhood.”

“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come,since you will not visit them.”

“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, Iwill visit them all.”

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastichumour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience ofthree-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wifeunderstand his character.Hermind was less difficult to develop. Shewas a woman of mean understanding, little information, anduncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied herselfnervous. The business of her life was to get her daughters married;its solace was visitingand news.

Chapter 2

Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr.Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the lastalways assuring his wife that he should not go; and till theevening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it. It wasthen disclosed in the following manner. Observing his seconddaughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed herwith:

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.”

“We are not in a way to knowwhatMr. Bingley likes,”said her mother resentfully, “since we are not tovisit.”

“But you forget, mamma,” said Elizabeth, “thatwe shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised tointroduce him.”

“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. Shehas two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman,and I have no opinion of her.”

“No more have I,” said Mr. Bennet; “and I amglad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.”

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable tocontain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for Heaven’ssake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them topieces.”

“Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,” said herfather; “she times them ill.”

“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kittyfretfully. “When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?”

“To-morrow fortnight.”

“Aye, so it is,” cried her mother, “and Mrs.Long does not come back till the day before; so it will beimpossible for her to introduce him, for shewill not know himherself.”

“Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend,and introduce Mr. Bingley toher.”

“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am notacquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?”

“I honour your circumspection. A fortnight’sacquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a manreally is by the end of a fortnight. But ifwedo not venturesomebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces muststand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act ofkindness, if you decline the office, I will take it onmyself.”

The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only,“Nonsense, nonsense!”

“What can be the meaning of that emphaticexclamation?” cried he. “Do you consider the forms ofintroduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? Icannot quite agree with youthere. What say you, Mary? For you are ayoung lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books andmake extracts.”

Mary wished to say something sensible, but knew not how.

“While Mary is adjusting her ideas,” he continued,“let us return to Mr. Bingley.”

“I am sick of Mr. Bingley,” cried his wife.

“I am sorry to hearthat; but why did not you tell me thatbefore? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would nothave called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paidthe visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that ofMrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though, when the firsttumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what shehad expected all the while.

“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew Ishould persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls toowell to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! andit is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morningand never said a word about it till now.”

“Now, Kitty, you maycough as much as you choose,”said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued withthe raptures of his wife.

“What an excellent father you have, girls!” saidshe, when the door was shut. “I do not know how you will evermake him amends for his kindness; or me, either, for that matter.At our time of life it is not so pleasant, I can tell you, to bemaking new acquaintances every day; but for your sakes, we would doanything. Lydia, my love, though youarethe youngest, I dare say Mr.Bingleywill dance with you at the next ball.”

“Oh!” said Lydia stoutly, “I am not afraid;for though Iamthe youngest, I’m the tallest.”

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon hewould return Mr. Bennet’s visit, and determining when theyshould ask him to dinner.

Chapter 3

Not all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of herfive daughters, could ask on the subject, was sufficient to drawfrom her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley. Theyattacked him in various ways—with barefaced questions,ingenious suppositions, and distant surmises; but he eluded theskill of them all, and they were at last obliged to accept thesecond-hand intelligence of their neighbour, Lady Lucas. Her reportwas highly favourable. SirWilliam had been delighted with him. Hewas quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and, tocrown the whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a largeparty. Nothing could be more delightful! To be fond of dancing wasa certain steptowards falling in love; and very lively hopes of Mr.Bingley’s heart were entertained.

“If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled atNetherfield,” said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, “and allthe others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wishfor.”

In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet’s visit, andsat about ten minutes with him in his library. He had entertainedhopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whosebeauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father.The ladieswere somewhat more fortunate, for they had the advantage ofascertaining from an upper window that he wore a blue coat, androde a black horse.

An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; andalready had Mrs. Bennet planned the courses that were to do creditto her housekeeping, when an answer arrived which deferred it all.Mr. Bingley was obliged to be in town the following day, and,consequently, unable to accept the honour of their invitation, etc.Mrs. Bennet was quite disconcerted. She could not imagine whatbusiness he could have in town so soon after his arrival inHertfordshire; and she began to fear that he might be always flyingabout from one place to another, and never settled at Netherfieldas he ought to be. Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little bystarting the idea of his being gone to London only to get a largeparty for the ball; and a report soon followed that Mr. Bingley wasto bring twelve ladies and seven gentlemen with him to theassembly. The girls grieved over such a number of ladies, but werecomforted the day before the ball by hearing, that instead oftwelve he brought only six with him from London—his fivesisters and a cousin. And when the party entered the assembly roomit consisted of only five altogether—Mr. Bingley, his twosisters, the husband of the eldest, and another young man.

Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had apleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisterswere fine women, with an air of decided fashion. Hisbrother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but hisfriend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine,tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report whichwas in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance,of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him tobe a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was muchhandsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with greatadmiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave adisgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he wasdiscovered to be proud; to be above his company, and abovebeingpleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then savehim from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, andbeing unworthy to be compared with his friend.

Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all theprincipal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved, dancedevery dance, was angry that the ball closed so early, and talked ofgiving onehimself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speakfor themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Mr.Darcy danced only once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley,declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the restofthe evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally toone of his own party. His character was decided. He was theproudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hopedthat he would never come there again. Amongst the most violentagainst him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behaviourwas sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted oneof her daughters.

Elizabeth Bennet had been obliged, by the scarcity of gentlemen,to sit down for two dances; and during part of that time, Mr. Darcyhad been standing near enough for her to hear a conversationbetween him and Mr. Bingley, who came from the dance for a fewminutes, to press his friend to join it.

“Come, Darcy,” said he, “I must have youdance. I hate to see you standing about by yourself in this stupidmanner. You had much better dance.”

“I certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless Iam particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly asthis it would be insupportable. Your sisters areengaged, and thereis not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishmentto me to stand up with.”

“I would not be so fastidious as you are,” cried Mr.Bingley, “for a kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with somany pleasant girls in my lifeas I have this evening; and there areseveral of them you see uncommonly pretty.”

“Youare dancing with the only handsome girl in theroom,” said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.

“Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! Butthereis one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who isvery pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask mypartner to introduce you.”

“Which do you mean?” and turning round he looked fora moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his ownand coldly said: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enoughto temptme; I am in no humour at present to give consequence toyoung ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better returnto your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your timewith me.”

Mr. Bingley followed his advice. Mr. Darcy walked off; andElizabeth remained with no very cordial feelings toward him. Shetold the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; forshe had a lively, playful disposition,which delighted in anythingridiculous.

The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the wholefamily. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired bythe Netherfield party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, andshe had been distinguishedby his sisters. Jane was as muchgratified by thisas her mother could be, though in a quieter way.Elizabeth felt Jane’s pleasure. Mary had heard herselfmentioned to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in theneighbourhood; and Catherine and Lydiahad been fortunate enoughnever to be without partners, which was all that they had yetlearnt to care for at a ball. They returned, therefore, in goodspirits to Longbourn, the village where they lived, and of whichthey were the principal inhabitants. They found Mr. Bennet stillup. With a book he was regardless of time; and on the presentoccasion he had a good deal of curiosity as to the event of anevening which had raised such splendid expectations. He had ratherhoped that his wife’s views on the stranger would bedisappointed; but he soon found out that he had a different storyto hear.

“Oh! my dear Mr. Bennet,” as she entered the room,“we have had a most delightful evening, a most excellentball. I wish you had been there. Jane was so admired, nothing couldbe like it. Everybody said how well she looked; and Mr. Bingleythought her quite beautiful, and danced with her twice! Only thinkofthat, my dear; he actually danced with her twice! and she was theonly creature in the room that he asked a second time. First ofall, he asked Miss Lucas. I was so vexed to see him stand up withher! But, however, he did not admire her at all; indeed, nobodycan, you know; and he seemed quite struck with Jane as she wasgoing down the dance. So he inquired who shewas, and gotintroduced, and asked her for the two next. Then the two third hedanced with Miss King, and the two fourth with Maria Lucas, and thetwo fifth with Jane again, and the two sixth with Lizzy, andtheBoulanger—”

“If he had had any compassion forme,” cried herhusband impatiently, “he would not have danced half so much!For God’s sake, say no more of his partners. Oh that he hadsprained his ankle in the first dance!”

“Oh! my dear, I am quite delighted with him. He is soexcessively handsome! And his sisters are charming women. I neverin my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare saythe lace upon Mrs. Hurst’s gown—”

Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Bennet protested against anydescription of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek anotherbranch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spiritand some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy.

“But I can assure you,” she added, “that Lizzydoes not lose much by not suitinghisfancy; for he is a mostdisagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and soconceited that there was no enduring him! He walked here, and hewalked there, fancying himself so very great! Not handsome enoughto dance with! I wish you had been there, my dear, to havegiven himone of your set-downs. I quite detest the man.”

Chapter 4

When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had beencautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to hersister just how very much she admired him.

“He is justwhat a young man ought to be,” said she,“sensible, good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happymanners!—so much ease, with such perfect goodbreeding!”

“He is also handsome,” replied Elizabeth,“which a young man ought likewise to be, if he possiblycan.His character is thereby complete.”

“I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance asecond time. I did not expect such a compliment.”

“Did not you? I did for you. But that is one greatdifference between us. Compliments always takeyouby surprise,andmenever. What could be more natural than his asking you again?He could not help seeing that you were about five times as prettyas every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry forthat. Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave tolike him. You have liked many a stupider person.”

“Dear Lizzy!”

“Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to likepeople in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the worldare good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard youspeak ill ofa human being in your life.”

“I would not wish to be hasty in censuring anyone; but Ialways speak what I think.”

“I know you do; and it isthatwhich makes the wonder.Withyourgood sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies andnonsenseof others! Affectation of candour is commonenough—one meets with it everywhere. But to be candid withoutostentation or design—to take the good of everybody’scharacter and make it still better, and say nothing of thebad—belongs to you alone. And so youlike this man’ssisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal tohis.”

“Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasingwomen when you converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with herbrother, and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall notfind a very charming neighbour in her.”

Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced; theirbehaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please ingeneral; and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy oftemper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by anyattention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them.They were in fact very fine ladies; not deficient in good humourwhen they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselvesagreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They wererather handsome, had been educated in one of the first privateseminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, werein the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associatingwith people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitledto think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of arespectable family in the north of England; a circumstance moredeeply impressed on their memories than that their brother’sfortuneand their own had been acquired by trade.

Mr. Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundredthousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase anestate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Bingley intended itlikewise, and sometimesmade choice of his county; but as he was nowprovided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it wasdoubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper,whether he might not spend the remainder of his days atNetherfield, and leave the next generation to purchase.

His sisters were anxious for his having an estate of his own;but, though he was now only established as a tenant, Miss Bingleywas by no means unwilling to preside at his table—nor wasMrs. Hurst, who had married a man of more fashion than fortune,less disposed to consider his house as her home when it suited her.Mr. Bingley had not been of age two years, when he was tempted byan accidental recommendation to look at Netherfield House. He didlook at it, and into it for half-an-hour—was pleased with thesituation and the principal rooms, satisfied with what the ownersaid in its praise, and took it immediately.

Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, inspite of great opposition of character. Bingley was endeared toDarcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper,though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own,and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied. On thestrength of Darcy’s regard, Bingley had the firmest reliance,and of his judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcywas the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy wasclever. He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious,and his manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In thatrespect his friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure ofbeing liked wherever he appeared, Darcy was continually givingoffense.

The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly wassufficiently characteristic. Bingley had nevermet with morepleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had beenmost kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, nostiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and, asto Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angelmore beautiful.Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whomthere was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he hadfelt the smallest interest, and from none received either attentionor pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged tobe pretty, but shesmiled too much.

Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so—but stillthey admired her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweetgirl, and one whom they would not object to know more of. MissBennet was therefore established asa sweet girl, and their brotherfelt authorized by such commendation to think of her as hechose.

Chapter 5

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom theBennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had beenformerly intrade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune,and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the kingduring his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt toostrongly. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to hisresidence in a small market town; and, in quitting them both, hehad removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton,denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think withpleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupyhimself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elatedby his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary,he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly,and obliging, his presentation at St. James’s hadmade himcourteous.

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be avaluable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. Theeldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, abouttwenty-seven, was Elizabeth’s intimate friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talkover a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after theassembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and tocommunicate.

“Youbegan the evening well, Charlotte,” said Mrs.Bennet with civil self-command to Miss Lucas. “Youwere Mr.Bingley’s first choice.”

“Yes; but he seemed to like his second better.”

“Oh! you mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with hertwice. To be sure thatdidseem as if he admired her—indeed Irather believe hedid—I heard something about it—but Ihardly know what—something about Mr. Robinson.”

“Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr.Robinson; did not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson’s askinghim how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he did notthink there were a great many pretty women in the room, andwhichhethought the prettiest? and his answering immediately to the lastquestion: ‘Oh! the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; therecannot be two opinions on that point.’”

“Uponmy word! Well, that is very decided indeed—thatdoes seem as if—but, however, it may all come to nothing, youknow.”

“Myoverhearings were more to the purpose thanyours,Eliza,” said Charlotte. “Mr. Darcy is not so well worthlistening to as his friend,is he?—poor Eliza!—to beonly justtolerable.”

“I beg you would not put it into Lizzy’s head to bevexed by his ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, thatit would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long toldme last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour withoutonce opening his lips.”

“Are you quite sure, ma’am?—is not there alittle mistake?” said Jane. “I certainly saw Mr. Darcyspeaking to her.”

“Aye—because she asked him at last how he likedNetherfield, and he could not help answering her; but she said heseemed quite angry at being spoke to.”

“Miss Bingley told me,” said Jane, “that henever speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintances.Withthemhe is remarkably agreeable.”

“I do not believe a word of it, mydear. If he had been sovery agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guesshow it was; everybody says that he is eat up with pride, and I daresay he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage,and had come to the ball in a hack chaise.”

“I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long,” saidMiss Lucas, “but I wish he had danced with Eliza.”

“Another time, Lizzy,” said her mother, “Iwould not dance withhim, if I were you.”

“I believe, ma’am, I may safely promise younevertodance with him.”

“His pride,” said Miss Lucas, “does notoffendmeso much as pride often does, because there is an excuse forit. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family,fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly ofhimself.If I may so express it, he has arightto beproud.”

“That is very true,” replied Elizabeth, “and Icould easily forgivehispride, if he had notmortifiedmine.”

“Pride,” observed Mary, who piqued herself upon thesolidity of her reflections, “is a verycommon failing, Ibelieve. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it isvery common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it,and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling ofself-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real orimaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the wordsare often used synonymously. A person may be proud without beingvain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity towhat we would have others think of us.”

“If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy,” cried a youngLucas, who came with his sisters, “I should not care howproud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottleof wine a day.”

“Then you would drink a great deal more than youought,” said Mrs. Bennet; “and if I were to see you atit, I should take away your bottle directly.”

The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declarethat she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

Chapter 6

The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. Thevisit was soon returned in due form. Miss Bennet’s pleasingmanners grew on the goodwill of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; andthough the mother was found to be intolerable, and the youngersisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquaintedwiththemwas expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane, thisattention was received with the greatest pleasure, but Elizabethstill saw superciliousness in their treatment of everybody,hardlyexcepting even her sister, and could not like them; thoughtheir kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value as arising inall probability from the influence of their brother’sadmiration. It was generally evident whenever they met, thathedidadmire her and toherit was equally evident that Jane wasyielding to the preference which she had begun to entertain for himfrom the first, and was in a way to be very much in love; but sheconsidered with pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered bytheworld in general, since Jane united, with great strength offeeling, a composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of mannerwhich would guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. Shementioned this to her friend Miss Lucas.