谢国芳（Roy Xie）的主页 — 国芳多语对照文库：[英汉对照]《傲慢与偏见》（简·奥斯汀） Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
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&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&解密文本：&&&& 《傲慢与偏见》
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第一部（第1-23章）&&&&&&&&&& 第二部（第24-42章）&&&&&&&&&
第三部（第43-61章）
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普通版（General
&Chapter 1
is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession
of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on
his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in
the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the
rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
dear Mr. Bennet,& said his lady to him one day, &have you heard that
Netherfield Park is let at last?&
Bennet replied that he had not.
&But it is,& &for Mrs. Long has just been here, and
she told me all about it.&
Bennet made no answer.
you not want to know who has taken it?& cried his wife impatiently.
want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.&
This was invitation enough.
&Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is
taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of E
that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place,
and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris
that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and
some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next
&What is his name?&
&Bingley.&
he married or single?&
&Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single
four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!&
&How so? How can it affect them?&
dear Mr. Bennet,& replied his wife, &how can you be so tiresome! You
must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.&
that his design in settling here?&
&Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that
he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must
visit him as soon as he comes.&
see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send
them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you
are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of
the party.&
dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of
beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When
a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking
of her own beauty.&
such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.&
&But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes
into the neighbourhood.&
is more than I engage for, I assure you.&
&But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it
would be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined
to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit
no newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for
us to visit him if you do not.&
&You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be
and I will send a few lines by you to assure
him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the
though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.&
desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the
and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half
so good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the
preference.&
&They have none of them much to recommend them,& &they
are all silly and ignor but Lizzy has something
more of quickness than her sisters.&
&Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a
way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my
poor nerves.&
&You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves.
They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with
consideration 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 many young men of
four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.&
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, I will visit
them all.&
Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour,
reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years
had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.
Her mind was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean
understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. When she
was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her
life was to get h its solace was visiting and
Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He
had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring
his wife t and till the evening after the visit
was paid she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the
following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming
a hat, he suddenly addressed her with:
hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.&
are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes,& said her
mother resentfully, &since we are not to visit.&
&But you forget, mamma,& said Elizabeth, &that we shall meet him at
the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long promised to introduce him.&
do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces
of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no
opinion of her.&
more have I,& said Mr. B &and I am glad to find that you do
not depend on her serving you.&
Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply, but, unable to contain
herself, began scolding one of her daughters.
&Don't keep coughing so, Kitty, for Heaven's sake! Have a little
compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.&
&Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,& &she times
them ill.&
do not cough for my own amusement,& replied Kitty fretfully. &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
so it will be impossible for her to introduce
him, for she will not know him herself.&
&Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and
introduce Mr. Bingley to her.&
&Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with
how can you be so teasing?&
honour your circumspection. A fortnight's acquaintance is certainly
very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a
fortnight. But if we do not ventur and
after all, Mrs. Long and her daughters mus and,
therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline
the office, I will take it on myself.&
girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, &Nonsense,
nonsense!&
&What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?& cried he.
&Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is
laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there.
What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I
know, and read great books and make 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.&
am sick of Mr. Bingley,& cried his wife.
am sorry to hear that; but why did not you tell me that
before? If I had known as much this morning I certainly would not
have called on him. I but as I have actually paid
the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.&
astonishment of the ladies was that of Mrs.
Bennet perhaps 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 choose,& said Mr. B
and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of
&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
or me, either, for that matter. At our time of life it is
not so pleasant, I can tell you, to be making new acquaintances
but for your sakes, we would do anything. 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 for though I am
the youngest, I'm the tallest.&
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.
all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with the assistance of her five
daughters, could ask on the subject, was sufficient to draw from her
husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley. They attacked
him in various ways—with barefaced questions, ingenious
suppositions,
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 tow and very lively hopes of Mr.
Bingley's heart were entertained.
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.&
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
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.
invitation to dinner was soon a and 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, etc.
Mrs. Bennet was quite disconcerted. She could not imagine what
business he could have in town so soon after his arrival in
H 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
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 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.
Bingley was good-looki 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
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 turned the tide
for he was di to be above
his company, and 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
Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal
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 everybody 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 and during part of that time, Mr. Darcy had
been standing near enough for her to hear 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.&
certainly shall not. You know how I detest it, unless I am
particularly acquainted with my partner. At such an assembly as this
it would be insupportable. Your sisters are engaged, and there is
not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to
me to stand up with.&
would not be so fastidious as you are,& cried Mr. Bingley, &for a
kingdom! Upon my honour, I never met with so many pleasant girls in
my life as I and there are several of them you
see uncommonly pretty.&
are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,& said Mr.
Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
&Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is
one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty,
and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce
&Which do you mean?& and turning round he looked for a moment at
Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly
said: &She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me;
I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who
are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and
enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.&
Bingley followed his advice. Mr. D and Elizabeth
remained with no very cordial feelings toward him. She told the
story, however, with great spir for she had a
lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.
evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs.
Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield
party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, and she had been
distinguished by his sisters. Jane was as much gratified by this as
her mother could be, though in a quieter way. Elizabeth felt Jane's
pleasure. Mary had heard herself mentioned to Miss Bingley as the
most accomplished girl
and Catherine and Lydia
had been fortunate enough never to be without partners, which was
all that they had yet learnt to care for at a ball. They returned,
therefore, in good spirits to Longbourn, the village where they
lived, and of which they were the principal inhabitants. They found
Mr. Bennet still up. With a book he wa and on
the present occasion he had a good deal of curiosity as to the event
of an evening which had raised such splendid expectations. He had
rather hoped that his wife's views on the stranger would be
but he soon found out that he had a different story to
&Oh! my dear Mr. Bennet,& as she entered the room, &we have had a
most delightful evening, a most excellent ball. I wish you had been
there. Jane was so admired, nothing could be like it. Everybody said
and Mr. Bingley thought her quite beautiful,
and danced with her twice! Only think of that, he
actually danced with her twice! and she was the only creature in the
room that he asked a second time. First of all, he asked Miss Lucas.
I was so vexed to see him stand up with her! But, however, he did
n indeed, nobody can, and he seemed
quite struck with Jane as she was going down the dance. So he
inquired who she was, and got introduced, and asked her for the two
next. Then the two third he danced with Miss King, and the two
fourth with Maria Lucas, and the two fifth with Jane again, and the
two sixth with Lizzy, and the Boulanger—&
he had had any compassion for me,& cried her husband
impatiently, &he would not have danced half so much! For God's sake,
say no more of his partners. Oh that he had sprained his ankle in
the first dance!&
&Oh! my dear, I am quite delighted with him. He is so excessively
handsome! And his sisters are charming women. I never in my life saw
anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare say the lace upon
Mrs. Hurst's gown—&
Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Bennet protested against any
description of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek another
branch of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit
and some exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy.
&But I can assure you,& she added, &that Lizzy does not lose much by
not suiting his for he is a most disagreeable, horrid
man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited that there
was no enduring him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying
himself so very great! Not handsome enough to dance with! I wish you
had been there, my dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I
quite detest the man.&
When Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been
cautious in her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her
sister just how very much she admired him.
is just what a young man ought to be,& said she, &sensible,
good-humoured, and I never saw such happy manners!—so much
ease, with such perfect good breeding!&
is also handsome,& replied Elizabeth, &which a young man ought
likewise to be, if he possibly can. His character is thereby
complete.&
was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I
did not expect such a compliment.&
&Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference
between us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and
me never. What could be more natural than his asking you again?
He could not help seeing that you were about five times as pretty as
every other woman in the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that.
Well, he certainly is very agreeable, and I give you leave to like
him. You have liked many a stupider person.&
&Dear Lizzy!&
&Oh! you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in
general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good
and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human
being in your life.&
would not wish to be hasty but I always speak
what I think.&
and it is that which makes the wonder. With
your good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and
nonsense of others! Affectation of candour is common enough—one
meets with it everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or
design—to take the good of everybody's character and make it still
better, and say nothing of the bad—belongs to you alone. And so you
like this man's sisters, too, do you? Their manners are not equal to
&Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing women when you
converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother, and
and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very
charming neighbour in her.&
Elizabeth listened in silence, b their
behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in
and with more quickness of observation and less pliancy of
temper than her sister, and with a judgement too unassailed by any
attention to herself, she was very little disposed to approve them.
They were in f not deficient in good humour
when they were pleased, nor in the power of making themselves
agreeable when they chose it, but proud and conceited. They were
rather handsome, had been educated in one of the first private
seminaries in town, had a fortune of twenty thousand pounds, were in
the habit of spending more than they ought, and of associating with
people of rank, and were therefore in every respect entitled to
think well of themselves, and meanly of others. They were of a
respectable family in the north of E a circumstance more
deeply impressed on their memories than that their brother's fortune
and their own had been acquired by trade.
Bingley inherited property to the amount of nearly a hundred
thousand pounds from his father, who had intended to purchase an
estate, but did not live to do it. Mr. Bingley intended it likewise,
and sometimes made
but as he was now provided
with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to
many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he
might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield, and leave
the next generation to purchase.
sisters were anxious for his having
though he was now only established as a tenant, Miss Bingley was by
no means unwilling to preside at his table—nor was Mrs. 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 by an accidental
recommendation to look at Netherfield House. He did look at it, and
into it for half-an-hour—was pleased with the situation and the
principal rooms, satisfied with what the owner said in its praise,
and took it immediately.
Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite
of great opposition of character. Bingley was endeared to Darcy 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 the strength of
Darcy's regard, Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his
judgement the highest opinion. In understanding, Darcy was the
superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever.
He was at the same time haughty, reserved, and fastidious, and his
manners, though well-bred, were not inviting. In that respect his
friend had greatly the advantage. Bingley was sure of being liked
wherever he appeared, Darcy was continually giving offense.
manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was sufficiently
characteristic. Bingley had never met with more pleasant people or
pretti everybody had been most kind and
there had been no formality, he had
soon felt acquaint and, as to Miss Bennet, he
could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the contrary,
had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and
no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and
from none received either attention or pleasure. Miss Bennet he
acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much.
Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so—but still they admired
her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweet girl, and one
whom they would not object to know more of. Miss Bennet was
therefore established as a sweet girl, and their brother felt
authorized by such commendation to think of her as he chose.
Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the
Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been
formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune,
and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king
during his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt too
strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his
residence in and, in quitting them both, he had
removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton,
denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with
pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy
himself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elated
by his rank, it did not ren on the contrary, he
was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and
obliging, his presentation at St. James's had made him courteous.
Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a
valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The
eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about
twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend.
That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over
a ball was
and the morning after the assembly
brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to communicate.
began the evening well, Charlotte,& said Mrs. Bennet with civil
self-command to Miss Lucas. &You were Mr. Bingley's first
&Y but he seemed to like his second better.&
&Oh! you mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To
be sure that did seem as if he admired her—indeed I rather
believe he did—I heard something about it—but I hardly know
what—something about Mr. Robinson.&
&Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. R did
not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson's asking him how he liked our
Meryton assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great
many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the
prettiest? and his answering immediately to the last question: 'Oh!
the eldest Miss Bennet, there cannot be two opinions
on that point.'&
&Upon my word! Well, that is very decided indeed—that does seem as
if—but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know.&
overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza,&
said Charlotte. &Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his
friend, is he?—poor Eliza!—to be only just tolerable.&
beg you would not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed by his
ill-treatment, for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be
quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night
that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once opening his
&Are you quite sure, ma'am?—is not there a little mistake?& said
Jane. &I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her.&
&Aye—because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he
could no but she said he seemed quite angry at
being spoke to.&
&Miss Bingley told me,& said Jane, &that he never speaks much,
unless among his intimate acquaintances. With them he is
remarkably agreeable.&
do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very
agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it
everybody says that he is eat up with pride, and I dare say he
had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had
come to the ball in a hack chaise.&
do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long,& said Miss Lucas, &but I
wish he had danced with Eliza.&
&Another time, Lizzy,& said her mother, &I would not dance with
him, if I were you.&
believe, ma'am, I may safely promise you never to dance with
&His pride,& said Miss Lucas, &does not offend me so much as
pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot
wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune,
everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may
so express it, he has a right to be proud.&
&That is very true,& replied Elizabeth, &and I could easily forgive
his pride, if he had not mortified mine.&
&Pride,& observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidity of her
reflections, &is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I
have ever read, I am convinced that it i that
human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very
few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the
score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride
are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.
A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our
opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of
I were as rich as Mr. Darcy,& cried a young Lucas, who came with his
sisters, &I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of
foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine a day.&
&Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought,& said Mrs.
B &and if I were to see you at it, I should take away your
bottle directly.&
boy protested she continued to declare that she
would, and the argument ended only with the visit.
ladies of Longbourn soon waited on those of Netherfield. The visit
was soon returned in due form. Miss Bennet's pleasing manners grew
on the goodwill of Mrs. Hurst and Miss B and though the
mother was found to be intolerable, and the younger sisters not
worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with them
was expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane, this attention was
received with the greatest pleasure, but Elizabeth still saw
superciliousness in their treatment of everybody, hardly excepting
even her sister, and though their kindness to
Jane, such as it was, had a value as arising in all probability from
the influence of their brother's admiration. It was generally
evident whenever they met, that he did admire her and to
her it was equally evident that Jane was yielding to the
preference which she had begun to entertain for him from the first,
and was in a way to
but she considered with
pleasure that it was not likely to be discovered by the world in
general, since Jane united, with great strength of feeling, a
composure of temper and a uniform cheerfulness of manner which would
guard her from the suspicions of the impertinent. She mentioned this
to her friend Miss Lucas.
may perhaps be pleasant,& replied Charlotte, &to be able to impose
on the p but it is sometimes a disadvantage to
be so very guarded. If a woman conceals her affection with the same
skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing
and it will then be but poor consolation to believe the world
equally in the dark. There is so much of gratitude or vanity in
almost every attachment, that it is not safe to leave any to itself.
We can all begin freely—a slight preference is natural
but there are very few of us who have heart enough to be
really in love without encouragement. In nine cases out of ten a
women had better show more affection than she feels. Bingley
likes you but he may never do more than like
her, if she does not help him on.&
&But she does help him on, as much as her nature will allow. If I
can perceive her regard for him, he must be a simpleton, indeed, not
to discover it too.&
&Remember, Eliza, that he does not know Jane's disposition as you
&But if a woman is partial to a man, and does not endeavour to
conceal it, he must find it out.&
&Perhaps he must, if he sees enough of her. But, though Bingley and
Jane meet tolerably often, it is never for and,
as they always see each other in large mixed parties, it is
impossible that every moment should be employed in conversing
together. Jane should therefore make the most of every half-hour in
which she can command his attention. When she is secure of him,
there will be more leisure for falling in love as much as she
&Your plan is a good one,& replied Elizabeth, &where nothing is in
question but the desire of being well married, and if I were
determined to get a rich husband, or any husband, I dare say I
should adopt it. But these are not Jane' she is not
acting by design. As yet, she cannot even be certain of the degree
of her own regard nor of its reasonableness. She has known him only
a fortnight. She danced four dances with him at M she saw him
one morning at his own house, and has since dined with him in
company four times. This is not quite enough to make her understand
his character.&
&Not as you represent it. Had she merely dined with him, she
might only have discovered whether he but you
must remember that four evenings have also been spent together—and
four evenings may do a great deal.&
&Y these four evenings have enabled them to ascertain that they
both like Vingt-un better than C but with respect to any
other leading characteristic, I do not imagine that much has been
unfolded.&
&Well,& said Charlotte, &I wish Jane succe and
if she were married to him to-morrow, I should think she had as good
a chance of happiness as if she were to be studying his character
for a twelvemonth. Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of
chance. If the dispositions of the parties are ever so well known to
each other or ever so similar beforehand, it does not advance their
felicity in the least. They always continue to grow sufficiently
unlike afterwards to have the and it is better
to know as little as possible of the defects of the person with whom
you are to pass your life.&
&You make me laugh, C but it is not sound. You know it is
not sound, and that you would never act in this way yourself.&
Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister,
Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an
object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy had at
first scarcely allo he had looked at her
without ad and when they next met, he looked at
her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself
and his friends that she hardly had a good feature in her face, than
he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the
beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded
some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a
critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form,
he was forced to acknowledge her figure to b
and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the
fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Of this
she w to her he was only the man who made
himself agreeable nowhere, and who had not thought her handsome
enough to dance with.
began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing
with her himself, attended to her conversation with others. His
doing so drew her notice. It was at Sir William Lucas's, where a
large party were assembled.
&What does Mr. Darcy mean,& said she to Charlotte, &by listening to
my conversation with Colonel Forster?&
&That is a question which Mr. Darcy only can answer.&
&But if he does it any more I shall certainly let him know that I
see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not
begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.&
his approaching them soon afterwards, though without seeming to have
any intention of speaking, Miss Lucas defied her friend to mention
s which immediately provoking Elizabeth to do
it, she turned to him and said:
&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?&
&W but it is always a subject which makes a lady
energetic.&
&You are severe on us.&
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 anybody and everybody! If my vanity had
taken a musical turn, you would
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 everybody here is of course familiar with: 'Keep your
breath to cool your porridge'; and I shall keep mine to swell my
performance was pleasing, though by no means capital. After a song
or two, and before she could reply to the entreaties of several that
she would sing again, she was eagerly succeeded at the instrument by
her sister Mary, who having, in consequence of being the only plain
one in the family, worked hard for knowledge and accomplishments,
was always impatient for display.
Mary had neit and though vanity had given her
application, it had given her likewise a pedantic air and conceited
manner, which would have injured a higher degree of excellence than
she had reached. Elizabeth, easy and unaffected, had been listened
to with much more pleasure, though not
Mary, at the end of a long concerto, was glad to purchase praise and
gratitude by Scotch and Irish airs, at the request of her younger
sisters, who, with some of the Lucases, and two or three officers,
joined eagerly in dancing at one end of the room.
Darcy stood near them in silent indignation at such a mode of
passing the evening, to the exclusion of all conversation, and was
too much engrossed by his thoughts to perceive that Sir William
Lucas was his neighbour, till Sir William thus began:
&What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy!
There is nothing like dancing after all. I consider it as one of the
first refinements of polished society.&
&Certainly, and it has the advantage also of being in vogue
amongst the less polished societies of the world. Every savage can
William only smiled. &Your friend performs delightfully,& he
continued after a pause, on seeing Bi &and I
doubt not that you are an adept in the science yourself, Mr. Darcy.&
&You saw me dance at Meryton, I believe, sir.&
&Yes, indeed, and received no inconsiderable pleasure from the
sight. Do you often dance at St. James's?&
&Never, sir.&
you not think it would be a proper compliment to the place?&
is a compliment which I never pay to any place if I can avoid it.&
&You have a house in town, I conclude?&
Darcy bowed.
had once had some thought of fixing in town myself—for I am fond of
but I did not feel quite certain that the air of
London would agree with Lady Lucas.&
paused i but his companion was not disposed to
and Elizabeth at that instant moving towards them, he was
struck with the action of doing a very gallant thing, and called out
dear Miss Eliza, why are you not dancing? Mr. Darcy, you must allow
me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner.
You cannot refuse to dance, I am sure when so much beauty is before
you.& And, taking her hand, he would have given it to Mr. Darcy who,
though extremely surprised, was not unwilling to receive it, when
she instantly drew back, and said with some discomposure to Sir
&Indeed, sir, I have not the least intention of dancing. I entreat
you not to suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a
Darcy, with grave propriety, requested to be allowed the honour of
her hand, but in vain. Eliz nor did Sir William
at all shake her purpose by his attempt at persuasion.
&You excel so much in the dance, Miss Eliza, that it is cruel to
deny me the hap and though this gentleman
dislikes the amusement in general, he can have no objection, I am
sure, to oblige us for one half-hour.&
&Mr. Darcy is all politeness,& said Elizabeth, smiling.
is, but, considering the inducement, my dear Miss Eliza, we
cannot wonder at his complaisance—for who would object to such a
Elizabeth looked archly, and turned away. Her resistance had not
injured her with the gentleman, and he was thinking of her with some
complacency, when thus accosted by Miss Bingley:
can guess the subject of your reverie.&
should imagine not.&
&You are considering how insupportable it would be to pass many
evenings in this manner— and indeed I am quite of
your opinion. I was never more annoyed! The insipidity, and yet the
noise—the nothingness, and yet the self-importance of all those
people! What would I give to hear your strictures on them!&
&Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. My mind was more
agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure
which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow.&
Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he
would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such
reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity:
&Miss Elizabeth Bennet.&
&Miss Elizabeth Bennet!& repeated Miss Bingley. &I am all
astonishment. How long has she been such a favourite?—and pray, when
am I to wish you joy?&
&That is exactly the question which I expected you to ask. A lady's
imagi it jumps from admiration to love, from
love to matrimony, in a moment. I knew you would be wishing me joy.&
&Nay, if you are serious about it, I shall consider the matter is
absolutely settled. You will be having a charming mother-in-law,
and, of course, she will always be at Pemberley with you.&
listened to her with perfect indifference while she chose to
entertain he and as his composure convinced her
that all was safe, her wit flowed long.
Bennet's property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two
thousand a year, which, unfortunately for his daughters, was
entailed, in default of heirs male, o and their
mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life, could but
ill supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney in
Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds.
had a sister married to a Mr. Phillips, who had been a clerk to
their father and succeeded him in the business, and a brother
settled in London in a respectable line of trade.
village of Longbourn was only one mile from M a most
convenient distance for the young ladies, who were usually tempted
thither three or four times a week, to pay their duty to their aunt
and to a milliner's shop just over the way. The two youngest of the
family, Catherine and Lydia, were particularly frequent in these
their minds were more vacant than their sisters', and
when nothing better offered, a walk to Meryton was necessary to
amuse their morning hours and furnish conversa
and however bare of news the country in general might be, they
always contrived to learn some from their aunt. At present, indeed,
they were well supplied both with news and happiness by the recent
arrival of a militia regiment
it was to remain
the whole winter, and Meryton was the headquarters.
Their visits to Mrs. Phillips were now productive of the most
interesting intelligence. Every day added something to their
knowledge of the officers' names and connections. Their lodgings
were not long a secret, and at length they began to know the
officers themselves. Mr. Phillips visited them all, and this opened
to his nieces a store of felicity unknown before. They could talk of
and Mr. Bingley's large fortune, the mention
of which gave animation to their mother, was worthless in their eyes
when opposed to the regimentals of an ensign.
After listening one morning to their effusions on this subject, Mr.
Bennet coolly observed:
&From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be
two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some
time, but I am now convinced.&
Catherine was disconcerted, but Lydia, with
perfect indifference, continued to express her admiration of Captain
Carter, and her hope of seeing him in the course of the day, as he
was going the next morning to London.
am astonished, my dear,& said Mrs. Bennet, &that you should be so
ready to think your own children silly. If I wished to think
slightingly of anybody's children, it should not be of my own,
my children are silly, I must hope to be always sensible of it.&
&Yes—but as it happens, they are all of them very clever.&
&This is the only point, I flatter myself, on which we do not agree.
I had hoped that our sentiments coincided in every particular, but I
must so far differ from you as to think our two youngest daughters
uncommonly foolish.&
dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect such girls to have the sense of
their father and mother. When they get to our age, I dare say they
will not think about officers any more than we do. I remember the
time when I liked a red coat myself very well—and, indeed, so I do
and if a smart young colonel, with five or six
thousand a year, should want one of my girls I shall not say nay to
and I thought Colonel Forster looked very becoming the other
night at Sir William's in his regimentals.&
&Mamma,& cried Lydia, &my aunt says that Colonel Forster and Captain
Carter do not go so often to Miss Watson's as they did when they
she sees them now very often standing in Clarke's
Mrs. Bennet was prevented replying by the entrance of the footman
with a note for Miss B it came from Netherfield, and the
servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled with
pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her daughter read,
&Well, Jane, who is it from? What is it about? What does he say?
Well, Jane, ma make haste, my love.&
is from Miss Bingley,& said Jane, and then read it aloud.
DEAR FRIEND,—
you are not so compassionate as to dine to-day with Louisa and me,
we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our
lives, for a whole day's tete-a-tete between two women can never end
without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on receipt of this. My
brother and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers.—Yours ever,
&CAROLINE BINGLEY&
&With the officers!& cried Lydia. &I wonder my aunt did not tell us
&Dining out,& said Mrs. Bennet, &that is very unlucky.&
&Can I have the carriage?& said Jane.
&No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems
and then you must stay all night.&
&That would be a good scheme,& said Elizabeth, &if you were sure
that they would not offer to send her home.&
&Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to
Meryton, and the Hursts have no horses to theirs.&
had much rather go in the coach.&
&But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, I am sure. They
are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are they not?&
&They are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them.&
&But if you have got them to-day,& said Elizabeth, &my mother's
purpose will be answered.&
did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses
were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and her
mother attended her to the door with many cheerful prognostics of a
bad day. Her Jane had not been gone long before
it rained hard. Her sisters were uneasy for her, but her mother was
delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without
Jane certainly could not come back.
&This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!& said Mrs. Bennet more than
once, as if the credit of making it rain were all her own. Till the
next morning, however, she was not aware of all the felicity of her
contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over when a servant from
Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:
DEAREST LIZZY,—
find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be
imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. My kind friends will
not hear of my returning till I am better. They insist also on my
seeing Mr. Jones—therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of
his having been to me—and, excepting a sore throat and headache,
there is not much the matter with me.—Yours, etc.&
&Well, my dear,& said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read the note
aloud, &if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness—if
she should die, it would be a comfort to know that it was all in
pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders.&
&Oh! I am not afraid of her dying. People do not die of little
trifling colds. She will be taken good care of. As long as she stays
there, it is all very well. I would go and see her if I could have
the carriage.&
Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, was determined to go to her,
though the carria and as she was no horsewoman,
walking was her only alternative. She declared her resolution.
&How can you be so silly,& cried her mother, &as to think of such a
thing, in all this dirt! You will not be fit to be seen when you get
shall be very fit to see Jane—which is all I want.&
this a hint to me, Lizzy,& said her father, &to send for the
&No, indeed, I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is
nothing w only three miles. I shall be back by
admire the activity of your benevolence,& observed Mary, &but every
impulse of feeling should and, in my opinion,
exertion should always be in proportion to what is required.&
will go as far as Meryton with you,& said Catherine and Lydia.
Elizabeth accepted their company, and the three young ladies set off
we make haste,& said Lydia, as they walked along, &perhaps we may
see something of Captain Carter before he goes.&
M the two youngest repaired to the lodgings of
one of the officers' wives, and Elizabeth continued her walk alone,
crossing field after field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and
springing over puddles with impatient activity, and finding herself
at last within view of the house, with weary ankles, dirty
stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise.
was shown into the breakfast-parlour, where all but Jane were
assembled, and where her appearance created a great deal of
surprise. That she should have walked three miles so early in the
day, in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost incredible to
Mrs. Hurst and Miss B and Elizabeth was convinced that they
held her in contempt for it. She was received, however, very
and in their brother's manners there was something
be there was good humour and kindness. Mr.
Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was
divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had
given to her complexion, and doubt as to the occasion's justifying
her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his
breakfast.
inquiries after her sister were not very favourably answered. Miss
Bennet had slept ill, and though up, was very feverish, and not well
enough to leave her room. Elizabeth was glad to be taken to her
and Jane, who had only been withheld by the fear of
giving alarm or inconvenience from expressing in her note how much
she longed for such a visit, was delighted at her entrance. She was
not equal, however, to much conversation, and when Miss Bingley left
them together, could attempt little besides expressions of gratitude
for the extraordinary kindness she was treated with. Elizabeth
silently attended her.
When breakfast was over they were j and
Elizabeth began to like them herself, when she saw how much
affection and solicitude they showed for Jane. The apothecary came,
and having examined his patient, said, as might be supposed, that
she had caught a violent cold, and that they must endeavour to get
advised her to return to bed, and promised her
some draughts. The advice was followed readily, for the feverish
symptoms increased, and her head ached acutely. Elizabeth did not
quit h nor were the other
the gentlemen being out, they had, in fact, nothing to do elsewhere.
When the clock struck three, Elizabeth felt that she must go, and
very unwillingly said so. Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and
she only wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified
such concern in parting with her, that Miss Bingley was obliged to
convert the offer of the chaise to an invitation to remain at
Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented,
and a servant was dispatched to Longbourn to acquaint the family
with her stay and bring back a supply of clothes.
five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six
Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquiries which then
poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing
the much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley's, she could not make a
very favourable answer. Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on
hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they were
grieved, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively
they disliked
and then thought no more of the
matter: and their indifference towards Jane when not immediately
before them restored Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her former
Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she could
regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane was evident, and
his attentions to herself most pleasing, and they prevented her
feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was
considered by the others. She had very little notice from any but
him. Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely
and as for Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an
indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, who,
when he found her to prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to
say to her.
When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss
Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her
manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride
she had no conversation, no style, no beauty. Mrs.
Hurst thought the same, and added:
&She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent
walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really
looked almost wild.&
&She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance. Very
nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about
the country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, so
&Yes, I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches
deep in mud, I a and the gown which had been
let down to hide it not doing its office.&
&Your picture may be very exact, Louisa,& said B &but this
was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked
remarkably well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty
petticoat quite escaped my notice.&
observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure,& said Miss B &and I am
inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister
make such an exhibition.&
&Certainly not.&
walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is,
above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! What could she
mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited
independence, a most country-town indifference to decorum.&
shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing,& said
am afraid, Mr. Darcy,& observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper,
&that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine
&Not at all,& &they were brightened by the exercise.& A
short pause followed this speech, and Mrs. Hurst began again:
have an excessive regard for Miss Jane Bennet, she is really a very
sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But
with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid
there is no chance of it.&
think I have heard you say that their uncle is an attorney in
&Y and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.&
&That is capital,& added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.
they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside,& cried Bingley,
&it would not make them one jot less agreeable.&
&But it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of
any consideration in the world,& replied Darcy.
this speech Bi but his sisters gave it their
hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense
of their dear friend's vulgar relations.
With a renewal of tenderness, however, they returned to her room on
leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her till summoned to
coffee. She was still very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her
at all, till late in the evening, when she had the comfort of seeing
her sleep, and when it seemed to her rather right than pleasant that
she should go downstairs herself. On entering the drawing-room she
found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join
but suspecting them to be playing high she declined it, and
making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the
short time she could stay below, with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at
her with astonishment.
you prefer reading to cards?& &that is rather singular.&
&Miss Eliza Bennet,& said Miss Bingley, &despises cards. She is a
great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else.&
deserve neither such praise nor such censure,& cried E &I
am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.&
nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure,& said B &and
I hope it will be soon increased by seeing her quite well.&
Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards the
table where a few books were lying. He immediately offered to fetch
her others—all that his library afforded.
&And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own
but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have
more than I ever looked into.&
Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with
those in the room.
am astonished,& said Miss Bingley, &that my father should have left
so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have
at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!&
ought to be good,& he replied, &it has been the work of many
generations.&
&And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always
buying books.&
cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as
&Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties
of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I
wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.&
wish it may.&
&But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that
neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not
a finer county in England than Derbyshire.&
&W I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell
am talking of possibilities, Charles.&
&Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get
Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.&
Elizabeth was so much caught with what passed, as to leave her very
little at and soon laying it wholly aside, she
drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley
and his eldest sister, to observe the game.
Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?& said Miss B &will
she be as tall as I am?&
think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or
rather taller.&
&How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted
me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! And so extremely
accomplished for her age! Her performance on the pianoforte is
exquisite.&
is amazing to me,& said Bingley, &how young ladies can have patience
to be so very accomplished as they all are.&
&All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?&
&Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens,
and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this, and I
am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time,
without being informed that she was very accomplished.&
&Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,& said Darcy,
&has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who
deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a
screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation
of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than
half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really
accomplished.&
&Nor I, I am sure,& said Miss Bingley.
&Then,& observed Elizabeth, &you must comprehend a great deal in
your idea of an accomplished woman.&
&Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.&
&Oh! certainly,& cried his faithful assistant, &no one can be really
esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually
met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing,
drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, and
besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air
and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and
expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved.&
&All this she must possess,& added Darcy, &and to all this she must
yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind
by extensive reading.&
am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished
women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any.&
&Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of
all this?&
never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and
application, and elegance, as you describe united.&
Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley both cried out against the injustice of
her implied doubt, and were both protesting that they knew many
women who answered this description, when Mr. Hurst called them to
order, with bitter complaints of their inattention to what was going
forward. As all conversation was thereby at an end, Elizabeth soon
afterwards left the room.
&Elizabeth Bennet,& said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on
her, &is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves
to the other sex by un and with many men, I
dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a
very mean art.&
&Undoubtedly,& replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly
addressed, &there is a meanness in all the arts which ladies
sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears
affinity to cunning is despicable.&
Miss Bingley was not so entirely satisfied with this reply as to
continue the subject.
Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse,
and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged Mr. Jones being sent
while his sisters, convinced that no country advice
could be of any service, recommended an express to town for one of
the most eminent physicians. This s but she was
not so unwilling to comply with their brother' and it was
settled that Mr. Jones should be sent for early in the morning, if
Miss Bennet were not decidedly better. Bingley was quite
his sisters declared that they were miserable. They
solaced their wretchedness, however, by duets after supper, while he
could find no better relief to his feelings than by giving his
housekeeper directions that every attention might be paid to the
sick lady and her sister.
Elizabeth passed the chief of the night in her sister's room, and in
the morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable
answer to the inquiries which she very early received from Mr.
Bingley by a housemaid, and some time afterwards from the two
elegant ladies who waited on his sisters. In spite of this
amendment, however, she requested to have a note sent to Longbourn,
desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her own judgement of her
situation. The note was immediately dispatched, and its contents as
quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest
girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been
but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness
was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as
her restoration to health would probably remove her from
Netherfield. She would not listen, therefore, to her daughter's
proposal o neither did the apothecary, who
arrived about the same time, think it at all advisable. After
sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss Bingley's appearance and
invitation, the mother and three daughters all attended her into the
breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had
not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.
&Indeed I have, sir,& was her answer. &She is a great deal too ill
to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must
trespass a little longer on your kindness.&
&Removed!& cried Bingley. &It must not be thought of. My sister, I
am sure, will not hear of her removal.&
&You may depend upon it, Madam,& said Miss Bingley, with cold
civility, &that Miss Bennet will receive every possible attention
while she remains with us.&
Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.
am sure,& she added, &if it was not for such good friends I do not
know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and
suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world,
which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception,
the sweetest temper I have ever met with. I often tell my other
girls they are nothing to her. You have a sweet room here,
Mr. Bingley, and a charming prospect over the gravel walk. I do not
know a place in the country that is equal to Netherfield. You will
not think of quitting it in a hurry, I hope, though you have but a
short lease.&
&Whatever I do is done in a hurry,& &and therefore if I
should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five
minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed
&That is exactly what I should have supposed of you,& said
Elizabeth.
&You begin to comprehend me, do you?& cried he, turning towards her.
&Oh! yes—I understand you perfectly.&
wish I might take t but to be so easily seen
through I am afraid is pitiful.&
&That is as it happens. It does not follow that a deep, intricate
character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours.&
&Lizzy,& cried her mother, &remember where you are, and do not run
on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home.&
did not know before,& continued Bingley immediately, &that you were
a studier of character. It must be an amusing study.&
&Yes, but intricate characters are the most amusing. They
have at least that advantage.&
&The country,& said Darcy, &can in general supply but a few subjects
for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very
confined and unvarying society.&
&But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to
be observed in them for ever.&
&Yes, indeed,& cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of
mentioning a country neighbourhood. &I assure you there is quite as
much of that going on in the country as in town.&
Everybody was