When the ladies removed after dinner, Elizabeth ran up to her sister,
and seeing her well guarded from cold, attended her into the drawingroom,
where she was welcomed by her two friends with many professions
of pleasure; and Elizabeth had never seen them so agreeable
as they were during the hour which passed before the gentlemen appeared.
Their powers of conversation were considerable. They could
describe an entertainment with accuracy, relate an anecdote with humour,
and laugh at their acquaintance with spirit.
But when the gentlemen entered, Jane was no longer the first object;
Miss Bingley's eyes were instantly turned toward Darcy, and she had
something to say to him before he had advanced many steps. He addressed
himself to Miss Bennet, with a polite congratulation; Mr. Hurst
also made her a slight bow, and said he was "very glad;" but diffuseness
and warmth remained for Bingley's salutation. He was full of joy
and attention. The first half-hour was spent in piling up the fire, lest
she should suffer from the change of room; and she removed at his
desire to the other side of the fireplace, that she might be further from
the door. He then sat down by her, and talked scarcely to anyone else.
Elizabeth, at work in the opposite corner, saw it all with great delight.
When tea was over, Mr. Hurst reminded his sister-in-law of the
card-table-but in vain. She had obtained private intelligence that Mr.
Darcy did not wish for cards; and Mr. Hurst soon found even his open
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petition rejected. She assured him that no one intended to play, and
the silence of the whole party on the subject seemed to justify her. Mr.
Hurst had therefore nothing to do, but to stretch himself on one of the
sofas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book; Miss Bingley did the same;
and Mrs. Hurst, principally occupied in playing with her bracelets and
rings, joined now and then in her brother's conversation with Miss
Bennet.
Miss Bingley's attention was quite as much engaged in watching
Mr. Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she
was perpetually either making some inquiry, or looking at his page.
She could not win him, however, to any conversation; he merely answered
her question, and read on. At length, quite exhausted by the
attempt to be amused with her own book, which she had only chosen
because it was the second volume of his, she gave a great yawn and
said, "How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after
all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires
of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be
YOU ARE READING
Pride and Prejudice
Roman d'amourPride and Prejudice is a novel of manners by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the lande...