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| 1 | +PRIDE AND PREJUDICE |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +By Jane Austen |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | + |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +Chapter 1 |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | + |
| 10 | +It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession |
| 11 | +of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his |
| 14 | +first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds |
| 15 | +of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property |
| 16 | +of some one or other of their daughters. |
| 17 | + |
| 18 | +"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that |
| 19 | +Netherfield Park is let at last?" |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +Mr. Bennet replied that he had not. |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she |
| 24 | +told me all about it." |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +Mr. Bennet made no answer. |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently. |
| 29 | + |
| 30 | +"_You_ want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it." |
| 31 | + |
| 32 | +This was invitation enough. |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken |
| 35 | +by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came |
| 36 | +down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much |
| 37 | +delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he |
| 38 | +is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to |
| 39 | +be in the house by the end of next week." |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +"What is his name?" |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +"Bingley." |
| 44 | + |
| 45 | +"Is he married or single?" |
| 46 | + |
| 47 | +"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or |
| 48 | +five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls!" |
| 49 | + |
| 50 | +"How so? How can it affect them?" |
| 51 | + |
| 52 | +"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You |
| 53 | +must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them." |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +"Is that his design in settling here?" |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he |
| 58 | +_may_ fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as |
| 59 | +soon as he comes." |
| 60 | + |
| 61 | +"I see no occasion for that. You and the girls may go, or you may send |
| 62 | +them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are |
| 63 | +as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the |
| 64 | +party." |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +"My dear, you flatter me. I certainly _have_ had my share of beauty, but |
| 67 | +I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now. When a woman has five |
| 68 | +grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty." |
| 69 | + |
| 70 | +"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of." |
| 71 | + |
| 72 | +"But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into |
| 73 | +the neighbourhood." |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | +"It is more than I engage for, I assure you." |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +"But consider your daughters. Only think what an establishment it would |
| 78 | +be for one of them. Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to |
| 79 | +go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no |
| 80 | +newcomers. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for _us_ to |
| 81 | +visit him if you do not." |
| 82 | + |
| 83 | +"You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very |
| 84 | +glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my |
| 85 | +hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though |
| 86 | +I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy." |
| 87 | + |
| 88 | +"I desire you will do no such thing. Lizzy is not a bit better than the |
| 89 | +others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so |
| 90 | +good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving _her_ the preference." |
| 91 | + |
| 92 | +"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he; "they are |
| 93 | +all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of |
| 94 | +quickness than her sisters." |
| 95 | + |
| 96 | +"Mr. Bennet, how _can_ you abuse your own children in such a way? You |
| 97 | +take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves." |
| 98 | + |
| 99 | +"You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They |
| 100 | +are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration |
| 101 | +these last twenty years at least." |
| 102 | + |
| 103 | +"Ah, you do not know what I suffer." |
| 104 | + |
| 105 | +"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four |
| 106 | +thousand a year come into the neighbourhood." |
| 107 | + |
| 108 | +"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not |
| 109 | +visit them." |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them |
| 112 | +all." |
| 113 | + |
| 114 | +Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, |
| 115 | +reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had |
| 116 | +been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. _Her_ mind |
| 117 | +was less difficult to develop. She was a woman of mean understanding, |
| 118 | +little information, and uncertain temper. When she was discontented, |
| 119 | +she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get her |
| 120 | +daughters married; its solace was visiting and news. |
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