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111 lines
4.6 KiB
Plaintext
111 lines
4.6 KiB
Plaintext
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession
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of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
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However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his
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first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds
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of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property
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of some one or other of their daughters.
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“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that
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Netherfield Park is let at last?”
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Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
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“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she
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told me all about it.”
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Mr. Bennet made no answer.
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“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.
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“_You_ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
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This was invitation enough.
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“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken
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by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came
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down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much
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delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he
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is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to
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be in the house by the end of next week.”
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“What is his name?”
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“Bingley.”
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“Is he married or single?”
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“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or
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five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!”
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“How so? How can it affect them?”
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“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You
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must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
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“Is that his design in settling here?”
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“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he
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_may_ fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as
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soon as he comes.”
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“I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send
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them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are
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as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the
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party.”
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“My dear, you flatter me. I certainly _have_ had my share of beauty, but
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I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five
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grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.”
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“In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”
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“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into
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the neighbourhood.”
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“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.”
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“But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would
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be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to
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go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no
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newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for _us_ to
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visit him if you do not.”
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“You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very
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glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my
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hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though
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I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.”
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“I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the
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others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so
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good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving _her_ the preference.”
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“They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied he; “they are
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all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of
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quickness than her sisters.”
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“Mr. Bennet, how _can_ you abuse your own children in such a way? You
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take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves.”
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“You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They
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are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration
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these last twenty years at least.”
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“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”
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“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four
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thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”
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“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not
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visit them.”
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“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them
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all.”
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Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour,
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reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had
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been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. _Her_ mind
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was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding,
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little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented,
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she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her
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daughters married; its solace was visiting and news. |