Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 66

A few days later Mr. Bingley called again, alone this time.His friend had set off for London that morning, a journey of ten days.He sat with Mr. Bennet's family for more than an hour, and seemed to be in high spirits.Mrs. Bennet asked him to dine with them, and he made many apologetic remarks, for he had an appointment elsewhere.

"When you come again," she said, "I hope we shall have the honor of treating you to dinner."

"Can you come tomorrow?"

All right, he didn't have any appointments tomorrow; so her invitation was readily accepted.

He arrived early the next morning, and the ladies hadn't even dressed yet.Mrs. Bennet, in her dressing-gown, with her hair uncombed, ran into her daughter's room, calling:
"Jing, hurry up and go down-stairs. He's coming—Mr. Bingley is coming—it's true. Hurry up. Say, Sarah, come over to Miss Bennet, and help her." Put on your clothes. At this time, you can leave Lizzy's hair alone."

"We'll be going down at once," said Jane, "but I dare say Kitty is quicker than either of us, for she went upstairs half an hour ago."

"Oh! what are you talking about Kitty? What does it matter to her? Come on, come on! Where's your sash, dear?"

However, after her mother left, Jane was reluctant to go downstairs alone without her sisters. —In the evening, I saw my mother's desire to let the two of them be alone for a while again.After tea, Mr. Bennet went to the study as usual, and Mary went upstairs to play.Two of the five obstacles were removed in this way.Mrs. Bennet sat there for a long while and cast her eyes at Elizabeth and Catherine, but got no response from either of them.Elizabeth pretended not to see it; and when Kitty finally became aware of her mother's behavior, she asked naively, "Mom, what's the matter with you? Why did you wink at me just now?" What do you want me to do?"

"It's all right, boy. I didn't wink at you." She sat like that for another five minutes; but Mrs. Bennet couldn't bear to let such a great opportunity pass by, so she stood up suddenly. Say to Kitty:

"Come on, baby, go with mother, I want to tell you something." He said and led Kitty out.Jane cast an instant glance at Elizabeth, beseeching her not to go away, for she was already somewhat embarrassed by her mother's conduct.But within a few minutes, Mrs. Bennet opened half the door and shouted:
"Lizzy, dear, mother has something to tell you."

Elizabeth had to go out.

"Let's leave them both alone," said the mother, as soon as she entered the hall. "Kitty and I are going upstairs to sit in my dressing-room."

Elizabeth did not argue with her mother, but remained silent in the hall, and when she saw her and Kitty go upstairs, she returned to the drawing-room.

Mrs. Bennet's plans for the day didn't work out.Bingley was full of loveliness, but did not show his love for her daughter.His easy-going and jovial wit added extra jollity to evenings in their house; he tolerated well the mother's untimely overattentiveness, and listened to her mother's many foolish remarks without showing boredom. , which made Jane especially grateful.

He stayed to supper, scarcely invited by his hosts; and before he left, it was arranged chiefly by himself and Mrs. Bennet, that he and her husband should go hunting together the next morning.

From that day on Jane spoke no more of indifference.There was no further talk of Bingley between the sisters; but Elizabeth, as she went to bed at night, thought with pleasure that if Mr. Darcy did not come back within ten days, the business would soon be done.But on serious second thought, she felt that Mr. Darcy's participation must have been the cause of this development.

Bingley came punctually for the appointment; he and Mr. Bennet spent the morning together, as agreed.Mr. Bennet was more friendly and enthusiastic than Bingley had expected.There was nothing in Bingley that was haughty or stupid for him to laugh at, nor too disgusting to speak of; Never seen him like this before.It is needless to say that Bingley returned to lunch with him; and in the afternoon Mrs. Bennet managed to distract the others, and left him alone with her daughter.Elizabeth had a letter to write, and after tea she went to the sitting-room; and, seeing that the others were avoiding to play cards, she was unwilling to go against her mother's arrangements.

But when Elizabeth finished her letter and returned to the drawing-room, she was astonished to see that her mother's method had worked.As she opened the door, she caught a glimpse of her sister and Bingley standing side by side before the fire, as if in the midst of a lively conversation; The look on their faces when they stood away from each other told her everything.They both looked embarrassed; but Elizabeth felt that her own situation was perhaps worse.Neither of them said a word; and just as Elizabeth was going away, Bingley (he and Jane had just sat down) rose suddenly, whispered something to her, and ran out of the room.

Jane would never have kept a secret from Elizabeth, so long as such sweet words brought pleasure; and she went at once to embrace her sister, and declared with great joy that she was now the happiest person in the world.

"I've had too much happiness!" she went on. "It's too much. I don't deserve it. Oh! Why aren't all people as happy as I am?"

Elizabeth congratulated her sister again and again, the sincerity, enthusiasm and joy were beyond words.Every word of her congratulations made Jane feel a new joy.But at this moment, Jiying doesn't want to let the two of them share the happiness, or she wants to save what she hasn't finished talking to others.

"I must go to mother at once," she cried; "I would not at any rate let her love hang in the air; I would tell her myself, and I would not let her hear it from others. Oh, Lizzy, imagine what joy what I have to say will bring to our family! How I can bear such happiness!"

As she spoke, she ran to her mother, only to see that her mother had consciously left the game early, and was sitting upstairs chatting with Kitty.

Elizabeth left her alone at this time, thinking with a slight smile, unexpectedly, this important matter that had troubled and worried her family for several months was finally resolved smoothly all at once.

She said to herself: "This also announces the end of his friend's deliberate obstruction! It announces the end of his sister's all kinds of deception and obstruction! This is the happiest, most satisfactory, and most reasonable ending."

In a few minutes Bingley, having settled the matter with their father, returned to Elizabeth.

"Where is your sister?" he asked eagerly as soon as he opened the door.

"Going upstairs to my mother. I dare say she'll be downstairs in a moment."

Bingley followed behind closed the door to her, and was well and kindly wished by her sister, and Elizabeth said with all sincerity that she was delighted at his marriage to her sister.The two shook hands cordially; she listened to his confides of his happiness, and his praise of Jane, till her sister came downstairs; and though the words were spoken by a passionate lover, Elizabeth was sincere. He felt confident that his expectation of happiness was secure, because they knew each other so well, Jane's disposition was so gentle and kind, and her feelings and tastes were so compatible with his own.

It was an evening of uncharacteristic joy for all their family; Jane's inner joy made her face more voluptuous and more beautiful than usual.Kitty chuckled and hoped her chance would come soon too.Mrs. Bennet was beaming, and no warm words could express her approbation of the match, though for half an hour she and Bingley had been talking about it, and Mr. Bennet's conversation at supper His appearance and demeanor showed how happy he was.

However, he did not say a word on the matter until their guest had left; but as soon as he had gone, turning to his daughter, he said:

"Papa blesses you, Jane. You will be a very happy girl."

Jane went forward at once, kissed her father, and thanked him for his kindness.

"You are a fine girl," he said, "and I am delighted that you will have such a happy home. I have no doubt that you will both be very happy. Your temperaments are very similar. You are both so You are willing to obey, but you can't make up your mind about everything; you are so easy-going that every servant will deceive you; and you are so generous that you can't make ends meet."

"I hope it isn't. I won't forgive myself for being careless with money."

"Not enough to make ends meet! My dear old man," cried his wife, "where are you talking? Well, he has four or five thousand pounds a year, and probably more than that." At last she added Say to Jane, "Oh! my dear daughter, I'm so happy! I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. I knew it was going to be like this. I always say it's going to be like this in the end Yes. I am sure that such beauty as yours will not be in vain! I remember that when he first came to Hertfordshire last year, I thought that you two would be together when I first saw him. Ah! I have never seen such a handsome man in my life!"

Wickham, Lydia, were all forgotten by this time.Jiying is her most beloved daughter, and she doesn't care about others.The younger sisters soon flocked to her, demanding that she promise to give them all the favors she could in the future.

Mary begged to use the library at Netherfield; Kitty begged her sister to give a few balls each winter.

From then on, Bingley naturally became a daily visitor to Longbourn House; he usually came before breakfast and left after dinner; Inviting him to dinner at home, he had to socialize out of politeness.

Elizabeth now had scarcely time for her sister's heart; for Jane was indifferent to anyone in Mr. Bingley's presence; but she found that in those hours when the lovers sometimes had to part Here, she herself was useful to both of them.In Jane's absence he was always looking for Elizabeth, and talking to her with interest of her sister; and after Bingley was gone, Jane was always talking of him to her.

"He told me," she said to Elizabeth one evening, "that he knew nothing of me living in the city last spring, and I was so glad to hear that! It never occurred to me. "

"It never occurred to me," replied Elizabeth, "and how does he explain it?"

"He said it must have been done by his sister. His sisters must have been displeased with my acquaintance with him, and I don't find it surprising on that point, since he could have found a I am more ideal in every way. But I believe that when they see their brothers happy with me, they will slowly change their attitudes and we will make up again; although it will be like before Such intimacy is impossible."

"It is the first time I have heard you speak unforgiving words. My dear sister! I am sorry to see you again confronting Miss Bingley's hypocrisy."

"Can you believe it, Lizzy, when he returned to the city in November last year, he still really loved me in his heart. It was just a few words of persuasion from my side that were not warm enough to prevent him from going back to the country at that time. !"

"He does have some flaws, but it's all because he's too humble."

This remark naturally aroused Jane's admiration for him, saying that he was modest, and although he had so many good qualities, he was not self-righteous.

Elizabeth was pleased to find that Bingley had made no secret of his friend's interference in the matter, for she knew that, though Jane was the kindest and most generous of hearts, it would be difficult for her not to prejudice him in such matters. Come.

"I'm certainly the luckiest man in the world!" cried Jane. "Oh! Lizzy, why am I the happiest of the family by being so favored! If only I could see you so happy! It would be great if another such a good man also fell in love with you!"

"Even if you find me dozens of such men, I will never be as happy as you. Unless I have your temperament and kindness, otherwise, I will never be as happy as you .No, no, let me do it myself; perhaps, with luck, I shall meet another Mr. Collins."

It is impossible to keep the good news of the Longborn family from outsiders for too long.Mrs. Bennet, with permission, told it to Mrs. Philip in a whisper, and Mrs. Philip spread the news through the neighborhood of Meryton without anyone's permission.

The Bennets were soon being hailed by their neighbors as the luckiest family in the world; though only a few weeks before they had been thought to be the unluckiest family.

(End of this chapter)