atfiveo'clockthetwoladiesretiredtodress,andathalfpastsixelizabethwassummonedtodinner.tothecivilenquirieswhichthenpouredin,andamongstwhichshehadthepleasureofdistinguishingthemuchsuperiorsolicitudeofmr.bingley's,shecouldnotmakeaveryfavourableanswer.janewasbynomeansbetter.thesisters,onhearingthis,repeatedthreeorfourtimeshowmuchtheyweregrieved,howshockingitwastohaveabadcold,andhowexcessivelytheydislikedbeingillthemselves,andthenthoughtnomoreofthematter;andtheirindifferencetowardsjane,whennotimmediatelybeforethem,restoredelizabethtotheenjoymentofallheroriginaldislike.

theirbrother,indeed,wastheonlyoneofthepartywhomshecouldregardwithanycomplacency.hisanxietyforjanewasevident,andhisattentionstoherselfmostpleasing,andtheypreventedherfeelingherselfsomuchanintruderasshebelievedshewasconsideredbytheothers.shehadverylittlenoticefromanybuthim.missbingleywasengrossedbymr.darcy,hersisterscarcelylessso;andasformr.hurst,bywhomelizabethsat,hewasanindolentman,wholivedonlytoeat,drink,andplayatcards,who,whenhefoundherpreferaplaindishtoaragout,hadnothingtosaytoher.

whendinnerwasover,shereturneddirectlytojane,andmissbingleybeganabusingherassoonasshewasoutoftheroom.hermannerswerepronouncedtobeverybadindeed,amixtureofprideandimpertinence;shehadnoconversation,nostile,notaste,nobeauty.mrs.hurstthoughtthesame,andadded,"shehasnothing,inshort,torecommendher,butbeinganexcellentwalker.ishallneverforgetherappearancethismorning.shereallylookedalmostwild."

"shedidindeed,louisa.icouldhardlykeepmycountenance.verynonsensicaltocomeatall!whymustshebescamperingaboutthecountry,becausehersisterhadacold?herhairsountidy,soblowsy!"

"yes,andherpetticoat;ihopeyousawherpetticoat,sixinchesdeepinmud,iamabsolutelycertain;andthegownwhichhadbeenletdowntohideitnotdoingitsoffice."

"yourpicturemaybeveryexact,louisa,"saidbingley;"butthiswasalllostuponme.ithoughtmisselizabethbennetlookedremarkablywell,whenshecameintotheroomthismorning.herdirtypetticoatquiteescapedmynotice."

"youobservedit,mr.darcy,iamsure,"saidmissbingley,"andiaminclinedtothinkthatyouwouldnotwishtoseeyoursistermakesuchanexhibition."

"certainlynot."

"towalkthreemiles,orfourmiles,orfivemiles,orwhateveritis,aboveheranclesindirt,andalone,quitealone!whatcouldshemeanbyit?itseemstometoshewanabominablesortofconceitedindependence,amostcountrytownindifferencetodecorum."

"itshewsanaffectionforhersisterthatisverypleasing,"saidbingley.

"iamafraid,mr.darcy,"observedmissbingleyinahalfwhisper,"thatthisadventurehasratheraffectedyouradmirationofherfineeyes."

"notatall,"hereplied;"theywerebrightenedbytheexercise."—ashortpausefollowedthisspeech,andmrs.hurstbeganagain.

"ihaveanexcessiveregardforjanebennet,sheisreallyaverysweetgirl,andiwishwithallmyheartshewerewellsettled.butwithsuchafatherandmother,andsuchlowconnections,iamafraidthereisnochanceofit."

"ithinkihaveheardyousay,thattheiruncleisanattorneyinmeryton."

"yes;andtheyhaveanother,wholivessomewherenearcheapside."

"thatiscapital,"addedhersister,andtheybothlaughedheartily.

"iftheyhadunclesenoughtofillallcheapside,"criedbingley,"itwouldnotmakethemonejotlessagreeable."

"butitmustverymateriallylessentheirchanceofmarryingmenofanyconsiderationintheworld,"replieddarcy.

tothisspeechbingleymadenoanswer;buthissistersgaveittheirheartyassent,andindulgedtheirmirthforsometimeattheexpenseoftheirdearfriend'svulgarrelations.

witharenewaloftenderness,however,theyrepairedtoherroomonleavingthedining-parlour,andsatwithhertillsummonedtocoffee.shewasstillverypoorly,andelizabethwouldnotquitheratalltilllateintheevening,whenshehadthecomfortofseeingherasleep,andwhenitappearedtoherratherrightthanpleasantthatsheshouldgodownstairsherself.onenteringthedrawing-roomshefoundthewholepartyatloo,andwasimmediatelyinvitedtojointhem;butsuspectingthemtobeplayinghighshedeclinedit,andmakinghersistertheexcuse,saidshewouldamuseherselffortheshorttimeshecouldstaybelowwithabook.mr.hurstlookedatherwithastonishment.

"doyoupreferreadingtocards?"saidhe;"thatisrathersingular."

"misselizabennet,"saidmissbingley,"despisescardssheisagreatreaderandhasnopleasureinanythingelse."

"ideserveneithersuchpraisenorsuchcensure,"criedelizabeth;"iamnotagreatreader,andihavepleasureinmanythings."

"innursingyoursisteriamsureyouhavepleasure,"saidbingley;"andihopeitwillsoonbeincreasedbyseeingherquitewell."

elizabeththankedhimfromherheart,andthenwalkedtowardsatablewhereafewbookswerelying.heimmediatelyofferedtofetchherothers;allthathislibraryafforded.

"andiwishmycollectionwerelargerforyourbenefitandmyowncredit;butiamanidlefellow,andthoughihavenotmany,ihavemorethanieverlookinto."

elizabethassuredhimthatshecouldsuitherselfperfectlywiththoseintheroom.

"iamastonished,"saidmissbingley,"thatmyfathershouldhaveleftsosmallacollectionofbooks.—whatadelightfullibraryyouhaveatpemberley,mr.darcy!"

"itoughttobegood,"hereplied,"ithasbeentheworkofmanygenerations."