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Pride and Prejudice
Chapter One
IT IS A TRUTH universally
acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune
must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings
or views of such a man may be on his first entering a
neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the
surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful
property of some one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” said his
lady
to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park
is
let
at last?”
Mr. Bennet replied that he had
not. “But it is,” returned she, “for Mrs. Long has just been
here, and she told me all about it.”
Mr. Bennet made no answer.
“Do you not want to know who has
taken it?” cried his wife, impatiently.
“You want to tell me, and I have
no objection to hearing it.”
This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is
taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England;
that he came down on Monday in a
chaise-and-four
to see the place, and was so much delighted with it that he
agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to
take possession before
Michaelmas,
and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of
next week.”
“What is his name?”
“Bingley.”
“Is he married or single?”
“Oh, single, my dear, to be sure!
A single man of large fortune—four or five thousand a year. What
a fine thing for our girls!”
“How so? How can it affect them?”
“My dear Mr. Bennet,” replied his
wife, “how can you be so tiresome? You must know that I am
thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“Is that his design
in settling here?”
“Design? Nonsense, how can you
talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one
of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
“I see no occasion for that. You
and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which
perhaps will be still better; for as you are as handsome as any
of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party.”
“My dear, you flatter me. I
certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to
be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five grownup
daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.”
“In such cases a woman has not
often much beauty to think of.”
“But, my dear, you must indeed go
and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.”
“It is more than I engage for,
I assure you.”
“But consider your daughters.
Only think what an establishment
it would be for one of them! Sir William and Lady Lucas
are determined to go, merely on that account; for in general,
you know, they visit no new-comers. Indeed, you must go, for it
will be impossible for us to visit him, if you do not.”
“You are over-scrupulous,
surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and
I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty
consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls;
though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.”
“I desire you will do no such
thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure
she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humored as
Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.”
“They have none of them much to
recommend them,” replied he. “They are all silly and ignorant
like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness
than her sisters.”
“Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse
your own children in such a way? You take delight in
vexing
me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.”
“You mistake me, my dear. I have
a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have
heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at
least.”
“Ah, you do not know what I
suffer!”
“But I hope you will get over it,
and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into
the neighbourhood.”
“It will be no use to us if
twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”
“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will
visit them all.” Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts,
sarcastic humor, reserve,
and
caprice,
that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been
insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind
was less difficult to develop.
She was a woman of mean understanding,
little information,
and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, she fancied
herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her
daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.
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Summary of Chapter One
Mrs Bennet learns that Netherfield
Park, a large country estate, is being rented by a rich,
young man called Mr Bingley. She tries to persuade her
husband to visit Mr Bingley, hoping that this introduction
will lead to him getting to know the family and perhaps
marrying one of her daughters.
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