Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility

Chapter 60 Jane's Happiness Comes

A few days after this visit, Mr. Bingley came again, and alone.His friend had left for London that morning, but would be back in ten days.He sat at the Bennett's for over an hour, obviously very happy.Mrs. Bennet took him to dinner, and he apologized repeatedly, saying that he had already had an appointment elsewhere.

Mrs. Bennet had to say: "I hope you can appreciate our face when you come next time."

He said he would be happy to come anytime, if she didn't bother, and he would see them whenever he could.

"Can you come tomorrow?"

"Yes." He didn't have a date tomorrow, so he readily accepted her invitation.

The next day, he really came, very early, and the wives and ladies hadn't dressed up yet.Mrs. Bennet, in her dressing-gown, with her hair only half combed, ran into her daughter's room, shouting, "Dear Jane, come down-stairs quickly. Here he is, Mr. Bingley. Here it comes. Hurry, hurry. I say, Sally, hurry to Missy and help her dress. Leave Miss Lizzy's hair alone."

Jane said, "We'll be going down in a minute, and Katie may be faster than either of us, because she's been up for half an hour."

"Oh, never mind Katie! What's her business? Come on, come on! My dear boy, where's your belt?"

After her mother left, Jane repeatedly asked a sister to accompany her downstairs.

By the afternoon it was evident that Mrs. Bennet was once again determined to have them both together.After tea, Mr. Bennet went, as was his usual custom, to the study, while Mary went upstairs to play.Mrs. Bennet winked at Elizabeth and Catherine when she saw two out of five obstacles.

Kitty said innocently, "What's the matter, Mom? Why do you keep winking at me? What do you want me to do?"

"It's nothing, boy, it's nothing. I didn't wink at you."

She sat for another five minutes, and she really didn't want to miss this great opportunity, so she stood up suddenly and said to Katie, "Come on, baby, let me talk to you."

Having said this, she pulled Katie out.Jane immediately exchanged glances with Elizabeth, implying that she couldn't bear such manipulation, and begged Elizabeth not to do the same.

In the blink of an eye, Mrs. Bennet opened half the door and called, "Lizzy, dear, I want to speak to you."

Elizabeth had to go out.

On entering the hall her mother said to her: "We'd better leave them alone, for Katie and I have gone upstairs to my dressing-room."

Elizabeth did not argue with her, but remained silent in the hall, and did not return to the drawing-room until her mother and Kitty were out of sight.

Mrs. Bennet's plans for the day did not go as planned.Bingley was charming in every way, except that he did not openly claim to be her daughter's lover.He was poised and cheerful, and everyone liked him at their evening family gatherings.In spite of Mrs. Bennet's indiscretion and meddling, he strove to bear it; and in spite of her many foolish remarks, he listened with a calmness and patience, which particularly pleased the daughter.

He hardly needed an invitation from his host, so he stayed to eat by himself; and before he took leave, he followed Mrs. Bennet's wishes, and agreed to come and shoot birds with her husband tomorrow.

Since that day, Jane never said that she didn't care about him anymore.Neither sister said a word about Bingley afterward, but Elizabeth went to bed with a high spirit, feeling that if Mr. Darcy did not return in time, the matter would soon be brought to fruition.She thought, however, that by this time Mr. Darcy must have given his assent.

The next day, Bingley was punctual for the appointment, and spent the whole morning with Mr. Bennet, as previously agreed.Mr. Bennet was far more agreeable than Mr. Bingley had expected.This is because there was nothing haughty or stupid in Bingley to make him laugh at, or so annoying that he would ignore him.He was more talkative this time, and less eccentric than he had been on the last occasion Bingley had seen him.It is needless to say that Bingley returned to lunch with him.In the evening, Mrs. Bennett managed to get everyone else away, and let him be with her daughter.

Elizabeth had a letter to write to-night, and after tea she went to the sitting-room to do it, for she could not antagonize her mother when she saw the others sitting down to play cards.

When she finished writing the letter and came back to the living room, seeing the scene, she couldn't help being shocked, thinking that her mother was much smarter than she was.As soon as she came in, she saw her sister and Bingley standing together by the fire, apparently engaged in lively conversation, and if there was nothing suspicious about the situation, just look at the look on their faces and the panic Turning around and leaving immediately, I knew it well.They showed their embarrassment, but she herself was even more embarrassed.They sat down without speaking a word; and Elizabeth was about to go away when Bingley rose suddenly, spoke a few words to her sister in a low voice, and ran out.

Jane had a joy in her heart, and never concealed it from Elizabeth, and she embraced her sister at once, acknowledging with the most warmth that she was the happiest creature in the world.

She added: "So happy! So happy. I don't deserve it. Oh, why can't everyone be as happy as I am?"

Elizabeth hastened to congratulate her with such sincerity and ardor as to congratulate her beyond description.Every kind word she uttered added to Jane's sense of happiness.But Jane can't get entangled with her sister any longer. She hasn't said half of what she wants to say, so she can't go on.

"I must go to mother at once," said Jane, "and I must not disappoint her kindness, and I will go and tell her the story myself, and no one else will. He has gone to tell father. Oh, Lizzy You know, everyone in the family will be very happy when they hear about this! How can I bear such happiness!"

So she hurried to her mother's place, only to find that her mother had left the card game and sat on a chair with Katie.

Elizabeth was left there alone, thinking that the family had been troubled by this matter for months, and now it was settled at once.She couldn't help smiling when she thought of this.

She said: "This is the end of his friend's careful planning! It is the end of his own sister who deceived himself! This result is so happy, so fulfilling, and so interesting!"

In a few minutes Bingley came to her, for he had spoken briefly with her father.

As soon as he opened the door, he quickly asked, "Where is your sister?"

"It's upstairs at my mother's, and it'll be down in a minute."

He then closed the door, went up to her, and asked her to congratulate her brother-in-law kindly.Elizabeth said with all sincerity that she was delighted at their future happy marriage.The two shook hands cordially.

She only heard him tell of his own happiness, and of Jane's perfection, till Jane came downstairs.Although these words came from a lover, she was convinced that his wish for happiness would come true, because Jane was extremely smart and her temper couldn't be better, which was the basis of happiness, and their mutual personalities and Interest is also very similar.

It was a very pleasant evening for all, and Miss Bennet's face was fresh, radiant, and more beautiful than usual, from the satisfaction of her heart.Katie smiled and smiled, and smiled, all she wanted was to hope that such luck would soon be her turn.

Mrs. Bennet talked with Bingley for a full half an hour. She was full of approval and extreme praise, but she always felt that she could not fully express her enthusiasm.When Mr. Bennet was at supper with the company, it was evident from his manner that he too was in the utmost joy.However, he didn't say a word about it at that time. When the distinguished guest left, he turned to his eldest daughter and said, "Jane, I congratulate you. You have become a very happy girl."

Jane stepped forward at once to kiss him, and thanked him for his kindness.

He said: "You are a good boy. I am so happy to think that you have settled the life-long affairs so happily. I believe that you will get along very well. Your personalities are very similar. You are willing to accommodate when you are in trouble, and the result will be messy." You can't make up your mind about everything, and you're so talkative that every servant will bully you; you're so generous that you'll end up making ends meet."

"I hope not. It would be inexcusable for me to be careless in matters of money."

His wife exclaimed: "I can't make ends meet! My dear, what are you talking about? He has four or five thousand pounds a year, and probably more." And she said to her eldest daughter: "My dear Jane, I am so happy." I'm not going to sleep tonight. I knew it was going to happen, I used to say it was going to happen one day. I always thought you weren't born so good-looking for nothing. He came to Hertford early last year When I was in the county, as soon as I saw him, I thought the two of you would be a pair. My God! I have never seen a man as handsome as him in my life!"

She had long forgotten Wickham and Lydia.Jane was originally her favorite daughter, and now she doesn't care about anyone.Immediately the sisters crowded around Jane, demanding what good she would promise them in the future.

Mary begged to use the library at Netherfield, and Kitty insisted that she give dances there several times every winter.

From then on, Bingley naturally became the regular guest of the Longburn family every day.He always came without breakfast, and didn't leave until after dinner—unless a neighbor who didn't know the general idea and was not afraid of being hated repeatedly invited him to dinner, and he had to socialize.

Elizabeth had seldom an opportunity of talking to her sister, for Jane's mind was on no one else when Bingley was present.Still, the two of them had to part ways sometimes.Bingley was always fond of talking to Elizabeth when Jane was absent, and Jane always sought her amusement when Bingley was home, so that she was of great use to them both.

Jane said to her one evening: "I'm glad he said he didn't know I was in town this spring. I really didn't believe it before."

Elizabeth replied: "I was also suspicious of this before. Did he explain why?"

"It must have been arranged by his sisters. Of course they don't approve of him befriending me. I'm not surprised, because he can choose someone who is better than me in everything. However, I believe they will one day They will understand how happy their brother is with me, and then they will slowly change their minds and resume their old friendship with me, but they will never be as confidant as before."

"I've only heard one petty remark from you in all my life. You're a good-hearted girl! To tell the truth, I'd be damned mad to see you again being deceived by that hypocritical Miss Bingley!"

"I want you to believe, Lizzy, that he really loved me when he went to town last November, and if he hadn't believed others that I really didn't love him, he would have come back anyway." Already!"

"There is something wrong with him, but it's all because he's too humble."

When Jane heard this, she naturally praised his humility, and praised him for his many beautiful qualities, but he was not self-righteous.

To Elizabeth's delight, Bingley did not reveal the story of his friend's obstruction, because although Jane is magnanimous and keeps no grudges, if she knows about it, she will definitely have a prejudice against Darcy .

Jane said loudly again: "I am indeed the happiest person ever! Oh, Lizzy, how can I be the happiest with so many people in my family? I hope you will be as happy! I hope you can find such a person people!"

"Even if you give me dozens of people like you, I will never be as happy as you. Unless I have a good temper and a good person like you, I will never be as happy as you anyway." .No, never. Let me do my best. If I'm lucky, I may meet another Collins then."

The Longburn family could not be kept a secret for long.Mrs. Bennet first obtained a dispensation to secretly tell it to Mrs. Philip, who, without anyone's permission, boldly circulated it through the neighborhood of Meryton.

I remember that just a few weeks ago, Lydia had just eloped. At that time, everyone thought that the Bennet family was unlucky. Now, in this way, the Bennet family has suddenly become the luckiest family in the world. up.

(End of this chapter)