Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 8

At five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six

Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquiries which then

poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing

the much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley's, she could not make a

very favourable answer. Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on

hearing this, repeated three or four times how much they were grieved,

how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively they

disliked being ill themselves; and then thought no more of the matter:

and their indifference towards Jane when not immediately before them

restored Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her former dislike.

Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she

could regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane was evident,

and his attentions to herself most pleasing, and they prevented her

feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered

by the others. She had very little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley

was engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for

Mr. Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived

only to eat, drink, and play at cards; who, when he found her to prefer

23

a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.

When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley

began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners

were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and

impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst

thought the same, and added:

"She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent

walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really

looked almost wild."

"She did, indeed, Louisa. I could hardly keep my countenance.

Very nonsensical to come at all! Why must she be scampering about the

country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair, so untidy, so blowsy!"

"Yes, and her petticoat; I hope you saw her petticoat, six inches

deep in mud, I am absolutely certain; and the gown which had been

let down to hide it not doing its office."

"Your picture may be very exact, Louisa," said Bingley; "but this

was all lost upon me. I thought Miss Elizabeth Bennet looked remarkably

well when she came into the room this morning. Her dirty petticoat

quite escaped my notice."

"You observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure," said Miss Bingley; "and I

am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make

such an exhibition."

"Certainly not."