Jane Austin - Pride and Prejudice

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 his.”

“Certainly not—at first. But they are very pleasing women when

you converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother,

and keep his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a

very charming neighbour in her.”

Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced; their

behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in

general; 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 fact very fine ladies; 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

England; a circumstance more deeply impressed on their memories

than that their brother’s fortune and their own had been acquired

by trade.

Mr. 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 choice of his county; 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.

His sisters were anxious for his having an estate of his own;

but, 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.

The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was

sufficiently characteristic. Bingley had never met with more

pleasant people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had been

most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality, no

stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; 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 a small market town; 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 render him

supercilious; 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 absolutely necessary; and the morning after the

assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to

communicate.

“_You_ began the evening well, Charlotte,” said Mrs. Bennet with

civil self-command to Miss Lucas. “_You_ were Mr. Bingley’s first

choice.”

“Yes; 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. Robinson;

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, beyond a doubt; 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.”

“_My_ 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_.”

“I 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 lips.”

“Are you quite sure, ma’am?—is not there a little mistake?” said

Jane. “I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her.”