mr.bennet'spropertyconsistedalmostentirelyinanestateoftwothousandayear,which,unfortunatelyforhisdaughters,wasentailed,indefaultofheirsmale,onadistantrelation;andtheirmother'sfortune,thoughampleforhersituationinlife,couldbutillsupplythedeficiencyofhis.herfatherhadbeenanattorneyinmeryton,andhadleftherfourthousandpounds.

shehadasistermarriedtoamr.phillips,whohadbeenaclerktotheirfather,andsucceededhiminthebusiness,andabrothersettledinlondoninarespectablelineoftrade.

thevillageoflongbournwasonlyonemilefrommeryton;amostconvenientdistancefortheyoungladies,whowereusuallytemptedthitherthreeorfourtimesaweek,topaytheirdutytotheiraunt,andtoamilliner'sshopjustovertheway.thetwoyoungestofthefamily,catherineandlydia,wereparticularlyfrequentintheseattentions;theirmindsweremorevacantthantheirsisters',andwhennothingbetteroffered,awalktomerytonwasnecessarytoamusetheirmorninghoursandfurnishconversationfortheevening;andhoweverbareofnewsthecountryingeneralmightbe,theyalwayscontrivedtolearnsomefromtheiraunt.atpresent,indeed,theywerewellsuppliedbothwithnewsandhappinessbytherecentarrivalofamilitiaregimentintheneighbourhood;itwastoremainthewholewinter,andmerytonwastheheadquarters.

theirvisitstomrs.philipswerenowproductiveofthemostinterestingintelligence.everydayaddedsomethingtotheirknowledgeoftheofficers'namesandconnections.theirlodgingswerenotlongasecret,andatlengththeybegantoknowtheofficersthemselves.mr.philipsvisitedthemall,andthisopenedtohisniecesasourceoffelicityunknownbefore.theycouldtalkofnothingbutofficers;andmr.bingley'slargefortune,thementionofwhichgaveanimationtotheirmother,wasworthlessintheireyeswhenopposedtotheregimentalsofanensign.

afterlisteningonemorningtotheireffusionsonthissubject,mr.bennetcoollyobserved,

"fromallthaticancollectbyyourmanneroftalking,youmustbetwoofthesilliestgirlsinthecountry.ihavesuspecteditsometime,butiamnowconvinced."

catherinewasdisconcerted,andmadenoanswer;butlydia,withperfectindifference,continuedtoexpressheradmirationofcaptaincarter,andherhopeofseeinghiminthecourseoftheday,ashewasgoingthenextmorningtolondon.

"iamastonished,mydear,"saidmrs.bennet,"thatyoushouldbesoreadytothinkyourownchildrensilly.ifiwishedtothinkslightinglyofanybody'schildren,itshouldnotbeofmyown,however."

"ifmychildrenaresillyimusthopetobealwayssensibleofit."

"yes—butasithappens,theyareallofthemveryclever."

"thisistheonlypoint,iflattermyself,onwhichwedonotagree.ihadhopedthatoursentimentscoincidedineveryparticular,butimustsofardifferfromyouastothinkourtwoyoungestdaughtersuncommonlyfoolish."

"mydearmr.bennet,youmustnotexpectsuchgirlstohavethesenseoftheirfatherandmother.—whentheygettoourage,idaresaytheywillnotthinkaboutofficersanymorethanwedo.irememberthetimewhenilikedaredcoatmyselfverywell—andindeed,soidostillatmyheart;andifasmartyoungcolonel,withfiveorsixthousandayear,shouldwantoneofmygirls,ishallnotsaynaytohim;andithoughtcolonelforsterlookedverybecomingtheothernightatsirwilliam'sinhisregimentals."

"mama,"criedlydia,"myauntsaysthatcolonelforsterandcaptaincarterdonotgosooftentomisswatson'sastheydidwhentheyfirstcame;sheseesthemnowveryoftenstandinginclarke'slibrary."

mrs.bennetwaspreventedreplyingbytheentranceofthefootmanwithanoteformissbennet;itcamefromnetherfield,andtheservantwaitedforananswer.mrs.bennet'seyessparkledwithpleasure,andshewaseagerlycallingout,whileherdaughterread,

"well,jane,whoisitfrom?whatisitabout?whatdoeshesay?well,jane,makehasteandtellus;makehaste,mylove."

"itisfrommissbingley,"saidjane,andthenreaditaloud.

"mydearfriend,

ifyouarenotsocompassionateastodinetodaywithlouisaandme,weshallbeindangerofhatingeachotherfortherestofourlives,forawholeday'stête-à-têtebetweentwowomencanneverendwithoutaquarrel.comeassoonasyoucanonthereceiptofthis.mybrotherandthegentlemenaretodinewiththeofficers.yoursever,

carolinebingley."

"withtheofficers!"criedlydia."iwondermyauntdidnottellusofthat."

"diningout,"saidmrs.bennet,"thatisveryunlucky."

"canihavethecarriage?"saidjane.

"no,mydear,youhadbettergoonhorseback,becauseitseemslikelytorain;andthenyoumuststayallnight."

"thatwouldbeagoodscheme,"saidelizabeth,"ifyouweresurethattheywouldnotoffertosendherhome."

"oh!butthegentlemenwillhavemr.bingley'schaisetogotomeryton;andthehurstshavenohorsestotheirs."