notallthatmrs.bennet,however,withtheassistanceofherfivedaughters,couldaskonthesubjectwassufficienttodrawfromherhusbandanysatisfactorydescriptionofmr.bingley.theyattackedhiminvariousways;withbarefacedquestions,ingenioussuppositions,anddistantsurmises;butheeludedtheskillofthemall;andtheywereatlastobligedtoacceptthesecond-handintelligenceoftheirneighbourladylucas.herreportwashighlyfavourable.sirwilliamhadbeendelightedwithhim.hewasquiteyoung,wonderfullyhandsome,extremelyagreeable,and,tocrownthewhole,hemeanttobeatthenextassemblywithalargeparty.nothingcouldbemoredelightful!tobefondofdancingwasacertainsteptowardsfallinginlove;andverylivelyhopesofmr.bingley'sheartwereentertained.

"ificanbutseeoneofmydaughtershappilysettledatnetherfield,"saidmrs.bennettoherhusband,"andalltheothersequallywellmarried,ishallhavenothingtowishfor."

inafewdaysmr.bingleyreturnedmr.bennet'svisit,andsatabouttenminuteswithhiminhislibrary.hehadentertainedhopesofbeingadmittedtoasightoftheyoungladies,ofwhosebeautyhehadheardmuch;buthesawonlythefather.theladiesweresomewhatmorefortunate,fortheyhadtheadvantageofascertaining,fromanupperwindow,thatheworeabluecoatandrodeablackhorse.

aninvitationtodinnerwassoonafterwardsdispatched;andalreadyhadmrs.bennetplannedthecoursesthatweretodocredittoherhousekeeping,whenananswerarrivedwhichdeferreditall.mr.bingleywasobligedtobeintownthefollowingday,andconsequentlyunabletoacceptthehonouroftheirinvitation,&c.mrs.bennetwasquitedisconcerted.shecouldnotimaginewhatbusinesshecouldhaveintownsosoonafterhisarrivalinhertfordshire;andshebegantofearthathemightbealwaysflyingaboutfromoneplacetoanother,andneversettledatnetherfieldasheoughttobe.ladylucasquietedherfearsalittlebystartingtheideaofhisbeinggonetolondononlytogetalargepartyfortheball;andareportsoonfollowedthatmr.bingleywastobringtwelveladiesandsevengentlemenwithhimtotheassembly.thegirlsgrievedoversuchalargenumberofladies;butwerecomfortedthedaybeforetheballbyhearingthat,insteadoftwelve,hehadbroughtonlysixwithhimfromlondon,hisfivesistersandacousin.andwhenthepartyenteredtheassemblyroom,itconsistedofonlyfivealtogether;mr.bingley,histwosisters,thehusbandoftheoldest,andanotheryoungman.

mr.bingleywasgoodlookingandgentlemanlike;hehadapleasantcountenance,andeasy,unaffectedmanners.hisbrother-in-law,mr.hurst,merelylookedthegentleman;buthisfriendmr.darcysoondrewtheattentionoftheroombyhisfine,tallperson,handsomefeatures,noblemien;andthereportwhichwasingeneralcirculationwithinfiveminutesafterhisentrance,ofhishavingtenthousandayear.thegentlemenpronouncedhimtobeafinefigureofaman,theladiesdeclaredhewasmuchhandsomerthanmr.bingley,andhewaslookedatwithgreatadmirationforabouthalftheevening,tillhismannersgaveadisgustwhichturnedthetideofhispopularity;forhewasdiscoveredtobeproud,tobeabovehiscompany,andabovebeingpleased;andnotallhislargeestateinderbyshirecouldthensavehimfromhavingamostforbidding,disagreeablecountenance,andbeingunworthytobecomparedwithhisfriend.

mr.bingleyhadsoonmadehimselfacquaintedwithalltheprincipalpeopleintheroom;hewaslivelyandunreserved,dancedeverydance,wasangrythattheballclosedsoearly,andtalkedofgivingonehimselfatnetherfield.suchamiablequalitiesmustspeakforthemselves.whatacontrastbetweenhimandhisfriend!mr.darcydancedonlyoncewithmrs.hurstandoncewithmissbingley,declinedbeingintroducedtoanyotherlady,andspenttherestoftheeveninginwalkingabouttheroom,speakingoccasionallytooneofhisownparty.hischaracterwasdecided.hewastheproudest,mostdisagreeablemanintheworld,andeverybodyhopedthathewouldnevercomethereagain.amongstthemostviolentagainsthimwasmrs.bennet,whosedislikeofhisgeneralbehaviourwassharpenedintoparticularresentmentbyhishavingslightedoneofherdaughters.

elizabethbennethadbeenobliged,bythescarcityofgentlemen,tositdownfortwodances;andduringpartofthattime,mr.darcyhadbeenstandingnearenoughforhertooverhearaconversationbetweenhimandmr.bingley,whocamefromthedanceforafewminutestopresshisfriendtojoinit.

"come,darcy,"saidhe,"imusthaveyoudance.ihatetoseeyoustandingaboutbyyourselfinthisstupidmanner.youhadmuchbetterdance."

"icertainlyshallnot.youknowhowidetestit,unlessiamparticularlyacquaintedwithmypartner.atsuchanassemblyasthis,itwouldbeinsupportable.yoursistersareengaged,andthereisnotanotherwomanintheroomwhomitwouldnotbeapunishmenttometostandupwith."

"iwouldnotbesofastidiousasyouare,"criedbingley,"forakingdom!uponmyhonourinevermetwithsomanypleasantgirlsinmylife,asihavethisevening;andthereareseveralofthem,yousee,uncommonlypretty."

"youaredancingwiththeonlyhandsomegirlintheroom,"saidmr.darcy,lookingattheeldestmissbennet.

"oh!sheisthemostbeautifulcreatureieverbeheld!butthereisoneofhersisterssittingdownjustbehindyou,whoisverypretty,andidaresayveryagreeable.doletmeaskmypartnertointroduceyou."

"whichdoyoumean?"andturninground,helookedforamomentatelizabeth,tillcatchinghereye,hewithdrewhisownandcoldlysaid,"sheistolerable;butnothandsomeenoughtotemptme;andiaminnohumouratpresenttogiveconsequencetoyoungladieswhoareslightedbyothermen.youhadbetterreturntoyourpartnerandenjoyhersmiles,foryouarewastingyourtimewithme."

mr.bingleyfollowedhisadvice.mr.darcywalkedoff;andelizabethremainedwithnoverycordialfeelingstowardshim.shetoldthestoryhoweverwithgreatspiritamongherfriends;forshehadalively,playfuldisposition,whichdelightedinanythingridiculous.

theeveningaltogetherpassedoffpleasantlytothewholefamily.mrs.bennethadseenhereldestdaughtermuchadmiredbythenetherfieldparty.mr.bingleyhaddancedwithhertwice,andshehadbeendistinguishedbyhissisters.janewasasmuchgratifiedbythisashermothercouldbe,thoughinaquieterway.elizabethfeltjane'spleasure.maryhadheardherselfmentionedtomissbingleyasthemostaccomplishedgirlintheneighbourhood;andcatherineandlydiahadbeenfortunateenoughtobeneverwithoutpartners,whichwasallthattheyhadyetlearnttocareforataball.theyreturnedtherefore,ingoodspiritstolongbourn,thevillagewheretheylived,andofwhichtheyweretheprincipalinhabitants.theyfoundmr.bennetstillup.withabook,hewasregardlessoftime;andonthepresentoccasionhehadagooddealofcuriosityastotheeventofaneveningwhichhadraisedsuchsplendidexpectations.hehadratherhopedthatallhiswife'sviewsonthestrangerwouldbedisappointed;buthesoonfoundthathehadaverydifferentstorytohear.

"oh!mydearmr.bennet,"assheenteredtheroom,"wehavehadamostdelightfulevening,amostexcellentball.iwishyouhadbeenthere.janewassoadmired,nothingcouldbelikeit.everybodysaidhowwellshelooked;andmr.bingleythoughtherquitebeautiful,anddancedwithhertwice.onlythinkofthatmydear;heactuallydancedwithhertwice;andshewastheonlycreatureintheroomthatheaskedasecondtime.firstofall,heaskedmisslucas.iwassovexedtoseehimstandupwithher;but,however,hedidnotadmireheratall:indeed,nobodycan,youknow;andheseemedquitestruckwithjaneasshewasgoingdownthedance.so,heenquiredwhoshewas,andgotintroduced,andaskedherforthetwonext.then,thetwothirdhedancedwithmissking,andthetwofourthwithmarialucas,andthetwofifthwithjaneagain,andthetwosixthwithlizzy,andtheboulanger—"

"ifhehadhadanycompassionforme,"criedherhusbandimpatiently,"hewouldnothavedancedhalfsomuch!forgod'ssake,saynomoreofhispartners.oh!thathehadsprainedhisankleinthefirstdance!"

"oh!mydear,"continuedmrs.bennet,"iamquitedelightedwithhim.heissoexcessivelyhandsome!andhissistersarecharmingwomen.ineverinmylifesawanythingmoreelegantthantheirdresses.idaresaythelaceuponmrs.hurst'sgown—"

hereshewasinterruptedagain.mr.bennetprotestedagainstanydescriptionoffinery.shewasthereforeobligedtoseekanotherbranchofthesubject,andrelated,withmuchbitternessofspiritandsomeexaggeration,theshockingrudenessofmr.darcy.

"buticanassureyou,"sheadded,"thatlizzydoesnotlosemuchbynotsuitinghisfancy;forheisamostdisagreeable,horridman,notatallworthpleasing.sohighandsoconceitedthattherewasnoenduringhim!hewalkedhere,andhewalkedthere,fancyinghimselfsoverygreat!nothandsomeenoughtodancewith!iwishyouhadbeenthere,mydear,tohavegivenhimoneofyoursetdowns.iquitedetesttheman."