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    ‘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 hear that; but why did not you tell me so before? If 

I   had   known   as   much   this   morning;   I   certainly   would   not   have 

called   on   him。   It   is   very   unlucky;   but   as   I   have   actually   paid   the 



Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                          ElecBook 


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                        Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice                            13 



visit; we cannot escape the acquaintance now。’ 

    The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished; that of 

Mrs。   Bennet   perhaps   surpassing   the   rest;   though   when   the   first 

tumult of joy was over; she began to declare that it was   what  she 

had expected all the while。 

    ‘How   good   it   was   in   you;   my   dear   Mr。   Bennet!   But   I   knew   I 

should persuade you at last。 I was sure you loved your girls too well 

to neglect such an acquaintance。 Well; how pleased I am! and it is 

such a good joke; too; that you should have gone this morning; and 

never said a word about it till now。’ 

    ‘Now;   Kitty;   you   may   cough   as   much   as   you   chuse;’   said   Mr。 

Bennet;      and;   as   he  spoke;    he   left  the   room;    fatigued    with    the 

raptures of his wife。 

    ‘What   an   excellent   father   you   have;   girls;’   said   she;   when   the 

door was shut。 ‘I do not know how you will ever make 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   be   making   new  acquaintance 

every  day;   but  for  your  sakes;   we   would   do   any   thing。   Lydia;   my 

love;   though   you  are     the    youngest;     I  dare   say   Mr。   Bingley   will 

dance with you at the next ball。’ 

    ‘Oh!’   said   Lydia   stoutly;   ‘I   am   not   afraid;   for   though   I  am  the 

youngest; I’m the tallest。’ 

    The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he 

would      return    Mr。    Bennet’s     visit;  and    determining       when     they 

should ask him to dinner。 



Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                            ElecBook 


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                       Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice                          14 



                              CHAPTER III 



            ot all that Mrs。 Bennet; however; with the   assistance   of 

            her     five   daughters;     could    ask    on   the   subject    was 

Nsufficient                to  draw    from   her   husband      any   satisfactory 



description   of   Mr。   Bingley。   They   attacked   him   in   various   ways; 

with    barefaced      questions;    ingenious     suppositions;      and   distant 

surmises; but he eluded the skill of them all; and they were at last 

obliged to accept the second…hand intelligence of their neighbour 

Lady   Lucas。   Her   report   was   highly   favourable。   Sir   William   had 

been     delighted     with    him。   He    was    quite   young;     wonderfully 

handsome;        extremely     agreeable;     and   to   crown    the   whole;    he 

meant to be at the next assembly with a large party。 Nothing could 

be    more    delightful!   To   be   fond   of   dancing   was   a  certain    step 

towards 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    at 

Netherfield;’ said Mrs。 Bennet to her husband; ‘and all the others 

equally well married; I shall have nothing to wish for。’ 

    In a few days   Mr。   Bingley  returned   Mr。   Bennet’s   visit; and   sat 

about   ten   minutes   with   him      in  his   library。  He   had   entertained 

hopes   of   being   admitted   to  a   sight   of   the   young   ladies;   of   whose 

beauty he had heard much; but he saw only the father。 The ladies 

were     somewhat      more    fortunate;    for  they   had   the   advantage     of 

ascertaining from an upper window; that he wore a blue coat and 

rode a black horse。 

   An   invitation   to   dinner   was   soon   afterwards   dispatched;         and 



Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                          ElecBook 


… Page 15…

                        Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice                            15 



already     had    Mrs。   Bennet     planned     the   courses     that  were    to   do 

credit     to  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; &c。 Mrs。 Bennet was quite disconcerted。 She could not 

imagine   what   business   he   could   have   in   town   so   soon   after   his 

arrival   in   Hertfordshire;   and   she   began   to   fear   that   he   might   be 

always flying about from one place to another; and never settled at 

Netherfield as he ought to be。 Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little 

by starting the idea of his being gone to London only to get a large 

party for the ball; and a report soon followed that Mr。 Bingley was 

to   bring    twelve     ladies   and    seven    gentlemen       with   him    to   the 

assembly。 The girls grieved over such a number of ladies; but were 

comforted       the   day   before    the   ball   by   hearing;    that   instead    of 

twelve;   he   had   brought   only   six   with   him   from   London;   his   five 

sisters   and   a   cousin。   And   when   the   party   entered   the   assembly 

room;     it   consisted   of  only   five   altogether;    Mr。   Bingley;     his  two 

sisters; the husband of the eldest; and another young man。 

    Mr。    Bingley     was   good    looking    and    gentlemanlike;       he   had   a 

pleasant   countenance;   and   easy;   unaffected   manners。   His   sisters 

were   fine   women;   with   an   air   of   decided   fashion。   His   brother…in… 

law;   Mr。   Hurst;   merely   looked   the   gentleman;   but   his   friend   Mr。 

Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine; tall person; 

handsome        features;    noble    mien;    and    the   report    which     was   in 

general   circulation   within   five   minutes   after   his   entrance;   of   his 

having ten thousand a year。 The gentlemen pronounced him to be 

a fine figure of a man; the ladies declared he was much handsomer 

than Mr。 Bingley; and he was looked at with great admiration for 

about     half   the   evening;    till  his  manners      gave    a  disgust    which 



Classics in Literature: Jane Austen                                            ElecBook 


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                       Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice                           16 



turned     the   tide  of  his  popularity;     for  he   was   discovered      to  be 

proud; to be above his company; and above being pleased; and not 

all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having 

a most forbidding; disagreeable countenance; and being unworthy 

to be compared with his friend。 

    Mr。    Bingley    had   soon    made    himself    acquainted      with   all  the 

principal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved; danced 

every dance; was angry that the ball closed so early; and talked of 

giving    one    himself   at  Netherfield。     Such    amiable     qualities   must 

speak for 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 

rest    of   the    evening     in   walking     about     the    room;    speaking 

occasionally to one of his own party。 His character was decided。 He 

was the proudest; most disagreeable man in the world; and   every 

body   hoped   that   he   would   never   come   there   again。   Amongst   the 

most   violent   against   him   was   Mrs。   Bennet;   whose   dislike   of   his 

general   behaviour;   was   sharpened   into   particular   resentment;   by 

his having slighted one of 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。    Darcy    had    been    standing     near    enough      for  her   to 

overhear a conversation between him and Mr。 Bingley; who came 

from the dance for a few minutes; to press his friend to join it。 

    ‘Come; Darcy;’ said he; ‘I must have you dance。 I hate to see you 

standing about by  yourself  in   this  stupid   manner。   You  had   much 

better dance。

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