Pride and Prejudice

"Yes, she called yesterday with her father.  What an agreeable
man Sir William is, Mr. Bingley, is not he?  So much the man of
fashion!  So genteel and easy!  He had always something to say
to everybody.  _That_ is my idea of good breeding; and those
persons who fancy themselves very important, and never open
their mouths, quite mistake the matter."

"Did Charlotte dine with you?"

"No, she would go home.  I fancy she was wanted about the
mince-pies.  For my part, Mr. Bingley, I always keep servants
that can do their own work; _my_ daughters are brought up very
differently.  But everybody is to judge for themselves, and the
Lucases are a very good sort of girls, I assure you.  It is a pity
they are not handsome!  Not that I think Charlotte so _very_
plain--but then she is our particular friend."

"She seems a very pleasant young woman."

"Oh! dear, yes; but you must own she is very plain.  Lady Lucas
herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty.  I do not
like to boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane--one does
not often see anybody better looking.  It is what everybody says.
I do not trust my own partiality.  When she was only fifteen,
there was a man at my brother Gardiner's in town so much in
love with her that my sister-in-law was sure he would make her
an offer before we came away.  But, however, he did not.
Perhaps he thought her too young.  However, he wrote some
verses on her, and very pretty they were."

"And so ended his affection," said Elizabeth impatiently.  "There
has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way.  I
wonder who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving
away love!"

"I have been used to consider poetry as the _food_ of love," said
Darcy.

"Of  a fine, stout, healthy love it may.  Everything nourishes
what is strong already.  But if it be only a slight, thin sort of
inclination, I am convinced that one good sonnet will starve it
entirely away."

Darcy only smiled; and the general pause which ensued made
Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself
again.  She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say;
and after a short silence Mrs. Bennet began repeating her thanks
to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane, with an apology for
troubling him also with Lizzy.  Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly
civil in his answer, and forced his younger sister to be civil
also, and say what the occasion required.  She performed her
part indeed without much graciousness, but Mrs. Bennet was
satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage.  Upon this
signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward.  The
two girls had been whispering to each other during the whole
visit, and the result of it was, that the youngest should tax
Mr. Bingley with having promised on his first coming into the
country to give a ball at Netherfield.

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine
complexion and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her
mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early
age.  She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural
self-consequence, which the attention of the officers, to whom
her uncle's good dinners, and her own easy manners recommended
her, had increased into assurance.  She was very equal,
therefore, to address Mr. Bingley on the subject of the ball, and
abruptly reminded him of his promise; adding, that it would be
the most shameful thing in the world if he did not keep it.  His
answer to this sudden attack was delightful to their mother's ear:

"I am perfectly ready, I assure you, to keep my engagement; and
when your sister is recovered, you shall, if you please, name the
very day of the ball.  But you would not wish to be dancing
when she is ill."

Lydia declared herself satisfied.  "Oh! yes--it would be much
better to wait till Jane was well, and by that time most likely
Captain Carter would be at Meryton again.  And when you have
given _your_ ball," she added, "I shall insist on their giving one
also.  I shall tell Colonel Forster it will be quite a shame if he
does not."

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters then departed, and Elizabeth
returned instantly to Jane, leaving her own and her relations'
behaviour to the remarks of the two ladies and Mr. Darcy; the
latter of whom, however, could not be prevailed on to join in
their censure of _her_, in spite of all Miss Bingley's witticisms on
_fine eyes_.



Chapter 10


The day passed much as the day before had done.  Mrs. Hurst
and Miss Bingley had spent some hours of the morning with the
invalid, who continued, though slowly, to mend; and in the
evening Elizabeth joined their party in the drawing-room.  The