Pride and Predjudice: Hetalia Edition(England X Reader)

~Chapter 5~

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennets were very close. Sir William Lucas used to be in trade in Meryton, where he had made a decent fortune, and risen to the honor of knighthood during his time as the mayor. He had probably liked the distinction too much. It had given him a disgust for his business, and to his house in a small market town; and so he quit them both, and he moved with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, named Lucas Lodge from then on, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, free from business, occupy himself solely in being polite to the whole world. For, though delighted by his rank, it did not make him arrogant; on the contrary, he paid attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and helpful, his presentation at St. James's had made him considerate.

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, and is a valuable source of gossip to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was (Y/N)'s best friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly, the Lucases went to Longbourn to do just that.

"You began the evening well, Elizabeta," said Mrs. Bennet with polite self-control to Miss Lucas. "You were Mr. Jones' first choice."

"Yes; but he seemed to like his second better."

"Oh, you mean Sakura, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. That definitely did seem as if he admired her—indeed I rather believe he did—I heard something about it—but I don't really know what—something about Mr. Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson; didn't I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson was asking him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he thought there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest. He answered immediately to the last question: 'Oh, the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point.'"

"Upon my word! Well, that is very definite indeed—that does seem as if—but, however, it may all amount to nothing, you know."

"My overhearings were more useful than yours, (N/N)," said Elizabeta. "Mr. Kirkland is not as worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor (N/N)—to be only just tolerable."

"I beg you not put it into (N/N)'s head to be upset by his mistreatment, for he is such a rude man, that it would be quite a tragedy to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once opening his lips."

"Are you quite sure, ma'am? Is not there a little mistake?" said Sakura. "I certainly saw Mr. Kirkland speaking to her."

"Yes, because she finally asked him how he liked Netherfield, and he had to answer her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoken to."

"Miss Jones told me," said Sakura, "that he never speaks much, unless he is among his closest friends. With them he is exceptionally pleasant."

"I don't believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very pleasant, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it was; everybody says that he is filled with pride, and I believe he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hired one."

"I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long," said Miss Lucas, "but I wish he had danced with (N/N)."

"Another time, (N/N)," said her mother, "I would not dance with him, if I were you."

"I believe, ma'am, I may safely promise you never to dance with him."

"His pride," said Miss Lucas, "doesn't offend me as much as pride usually does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot be surprised that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favor, should think highly of himself. If I may say so, he has a right to be proud."

"That is very true," replied (Y/N), "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not wounded mine."

"Pride," observed Lili, who was happy with herself because of the reliability of her thoughts, "is a very common fault, I believe. According to everything that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not possess a feeling of self-satisfaction because of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used to mean the same thing. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

"If I were as rich as Mr. Kirkland," cried a young Lucas, who came with his sisters, "I wouldn't care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine a day."

"Then you would drink a great deal more than you should," said Mrs. Bennet; "and if I were to see you at it, I would take away your bottle immediately."

The boy protested that she would not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.