Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 11

Elizabeth spent nearly the whole of the evening in her sister's room, when Bingley sent a maid, and later two elegant women, who attended his sisters respectively, to inquire about her condition. , Elizabeth was finally able to happily give them a more satisfactory answer.However, although the patient was showing some improvement, she begged that they should send a message to Longbourne, that her mother should be sent to come and see Jane, and judge her condition for herself.The letter was sent immediately, and the things stated in the letter were quickly followed.After breakfast Mrs. Bennet set off for Netherfield with her two youngest daughters.

Mrs. Bennet would be very sad if she found Jane's condition very serious; but when she saw Jane with relief, it might be time to leave Netherfield.Therefore, when her daughter asked her to take her back, she didn't listen; moreover, the doctor who came here at about the same time as her also thought it would be better to stay and recuperate.After she sat with Jane for a while, Miss Bingley came in and invited them down to have breakfast, so the mother and daughter and their party of four followed Miss Bingley to the breakfast hall.Mr. Bingley, who was waiting for them, said he hoped Mrs. Bennet would not feel that Miss Bennet was so ill as she had supposed.

"But it's more serious than I imagined, sir," she answered, "and she's too ill to be moved. Dr. Jones says she can't be moved. So we've got to work." You have been taking care of it for a few days."

"Moving place!" cried Bingley anxiously. "It is absolutely impossible. I am sure my sister will not tell her to go back now."

"It is true, ma'am," said Miss Bingley, politely but somewhat dryly, "that Miss Bennet will have the best care with us."

For this, Mrs. Bennet thanked again and again.

"I believe," she went on, "that she would not have known what would have happened had it not been for the care of such good friends as you, for she was indeed very ill and suffered a great deal, notwithstanding her great She has a lot of patience, she has always been like this. Because her character is the kind of gentle character that I have never seen before. I often say to my other daughters, compared with your sister, you are nothing No. Your house is lovely, Mr. Bingley, and your view beyond your cobblestones is lovely. I don't know of a place in our country like Netherfield and so on. I suppose you won't be leaving the place anytime soon, though your tenancy isn't too long."

"I do everything in a hurry," he replied, "so if I had made up my mind to leave Neesefeld, I might have moved in five minutes. But at the moment, I feel like I'm firmly anchored here."

"That's what I think of you," said Elizabeth.

"You're getting to know me already, aren't you?" he asked, turning to her in surprise.

"Well! Yes—I understand you perfectly."

"I hope I can take this as a compliment to me, but I'm afraid it's very pitiful for people to see through it so quickly."

"It depends on the situation. A person with a deep heart and a complex personality may not be more or less respectable than a personality like yours."

"Lizzy," cried her mother, "don't forget where you are, and you can't be here and be mean as you are at home."

"I hadn't noticed it before," continued Bingley, "but you are an expert in the study of character. It must be an interesting study."

"True; especially the studies of complex characters are more interesting. It may be said that they have an advantage in this respect at least."

"The countryside," said Darcy, "generally seldom provides such an object of study. Among the neighbors in the countryside, the social circle of your activities is very limited and single."

"But men are always changing themselves to such a degree that there is always something new to observe in them."

"Oh, that's quite true," exclaimed Mrs. Bennet, exasperated by Mr. Darcy's reference to his country neighbours, "I can assure you that the country is nothing more worth seeing than There are few in the city."

Everyone was taken aback; Darcy, after staring at her for a moment, walked away without a word.Mrs. Bennet thought she had the upper hand on him, so she took advantage of the victory to pursue.

"I personally think that London has no advantages over the country, except that there are more shops and places of activity. The country is more comfortable and agreeable than the city, is it not, Mr. Bingley?"

"When I stay in the country," he replied, "I never want to leave the country; when I stay in the city, I don't want to leave the city either. Whether in the country or in the city, I am equally happy."

"Ah—that's because of your integrity. But that gentleman," said she, looking at Mr. Darcy, "seems to think our country is worth nothing."

"Mother, you are mistaken," said Elizabeth, blushing for her mother. "You have completely misunderstood Mr. Darcy. He just said that the country is not like the city, where you can meet all kinds of people. One thing you have to admit is the truth."

"Of course, my dear, no one ever said that; but if we haven't met many people in our neighborhood, I'm sure it's hard to find one bigger than ours. As far as I know, the people who come and go with us There are 24 places to eat."

Only thinking of Elizabeth kept Bingley from laughing.His sister, who was less thoughtful than he, cast her eyes on Mr. Darcy, and wore a meaningful smile.Elisabeth, in order to divert her mother's thoughts, asked her mother if Carlotta Lucas had been at Longbourn during her absence.

"Oh, she was with her mother yesterday. Sir William is such an amiable fellow, isn't he, Mr. Bingley? So handsome, so refined, and so easy-going!—he talked to everyone Everyone can talk—I think that's what good breeding is called; and people who think they're great enough to talk about it don't understand it at all."

"Has Carlotti dined with us?"

"No, she was in a hurry to go home. I think it may be that her house is waiting for her to go back and make meat pies. In my house, Mr. Bingley, I always make the servants do a good job of every kind of housework." Yes; my daughters were brought up differently from theirs. But that's for everyone to judge, and I tell you, the Lucas girls were good boys. It's a pity they weren't pretty. Of course It's not that I think Carlotti is ordinary-looking—she's our family's best friend after all."

"She looks like a fine girl," said Bingley.

"Oh! my dear, you are quite right--you have to admit, however, that she has an ordinary face. Miss Lucas used to say so herself, and envied our Jane's beauty. I don't like to praise my own. Boy, though, as far as Jane is concerned—prettier than she is rare. Everyone says so. I dare not rely on my own partiality. When she was fifteen, in the city There was a gentleman in my brother Gardiner's family who fell in love with her, and my sister-in-law even said he would propose to her before we left. But he didn't mention it afterwards. Maybe he thought she Too young. But he wrote some poems about her, and they were very good poems."

"That's how his love affair ended," said Elizabeth impatiently. "I imagine many loves are overcome in this way. I don't know who was the first." I discovered that poetry has the effect of chasing away love!"

"I've been used to thinking that poetry is the food of love," said Darcy.

"That is true of love, which is healthy, steadfast, and beautiful. Everything nourishes that which is already strong. But if that love were but an insignificant, feeble disposition, I believe, a song A good sonnet will wring it out of its nourishment."

Darcy only smiled slightly, and the silence which ensued in the room set Elizabeth's heart beating fast again, and she feared that her mother should do something more unseemly.She was on the point of saying something more, but was unable to think of anything else to say; and after a moment's silence Mrs. Bennet resumed her gratitude to Mr. Bingley for his kindness to Jane. At the same time, he apologized to him for Lizzy's trouble.Mr. Bingley returned her words with frankness and civility, and urged his sister to do the same with the civility which the occasion demanded.To tell the truth, his sister was perfunctory in the entertainment, but Mrs. Bennet was satisfied with it, and shortly thereafter had the carriage ready.At this juncture, her youngest daughter came forward.The two youngest daughters of hers had been whispering to each other throughout the visit, and the result of this exchange was that the youngest demanded that Mr. A promise made in the country to hold a ball in Nicefeld.

Although Lydia was only fifteen years old, she had grown into a strong, plump girl, with a rosy complexion and a happy, carefree expression; she was the favorite of her mother, which made her Entered the social world at a very early age.She had an animal energy and a natural ignorance, which was added to by the constant courtesies of the young officers whom her uncle's good food and her frivolity attracted. It has become self-important.She was, therefore, now on a perfect equal footing, talking to Mr. Bingley about the ball, reminding him abruptly of his promise; The most embarrassing thing ever.Mr. Bingley's answer to this surprise pleased her mother greatly.

"I can assure you that I am always ready to keep my word; and when your sister is well enough you may choose the day of the ball, but you will not wish to dance while she is still ill." Bar."

Lydia felt herself satisfied. "Oh! yes--it will be more advantageous to wait until Jane recovers, and then Captain Carter will probably be back in Meryton again. After you have given your ball," she added, "I'll let them do one too. I'll tell Colonel Foster it'll be a shame if he won't."

Mrs. Bennet and her two little daughters thus set off, and Elizabeth soon returned to Jane's, in spite of the conduct of the master sisters and Mr. Darcy to herself and her family. Go judge; but, though Miss Bingley made fun of her beautiful eyes again and again, Mr. Darcy was not urged by them to join in their criticism of her.

(End of this chapter)