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Read book online ยซPride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (best ereader for students txt) ๐Ÿ“•ยป.   Author   -   Jane Austen



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country, because her sister had a cold? Her hair so untidy, so blowsy!โ€

โ€œYes, 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.โ€

โ€œYour picture may be very exact, Louisa,โ€ said Bingley; โ€œbut 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.โ€

โ€œYou observed it, Mr. Darcy, I am sure,โ€ said Miss Bingley; โ€œand I am inclined to think that you would not wish to see your sister make such an exhibition.โ€

โ€œCertainly not.โ€

โ€œTo walk three miles, or four miles, or five miles, or whatever it is, above her ankles in dirt, and alone, quite alone! what could she mean by it? It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence, a most country town indifference to decorum.โ€

โ€œIt shows an affection for her sister that is very pleasing,โ€ said Bingley.

โ€œI am afraid, Mr. Darcy,โ€ observed Miss Bingley, in a half whisper, โ€œthat this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.โ€

โ€œNot at all,โ€ he replied; โ€œthey were brightened by the exercise.โ€โ โ€”A short pause followed this speech, and Mrs. Hurst began again.

โ€œI have an excessive regard for Jane Bennet, she is really a very sweet girl, and I wish with all my heart she were well settled. But with such a father and mother, and such low connections, I am afraid there is no chance of it.โ€

โ€œI think I have heard you say, that their uncle is an attorney in Meryton.โ€

โ€œYes; and they have another, who lives somewhere near Cheapside.โ€

โ€œThat is capital,โ€ added her sister, and they both laughed heartily.

โ€œIf they had uncles enough to fill all Cheapside,โ€ cried Bingley, โ€œit would not make them one jot less agreeable.โ€

โ€œBut it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world,โ€ replied Darcy.

To this speech Bingley made no answer; but his sisters gave it their hearty assent, and indulged their mirth for some time at the expense of their dear friendโ€™s vulgar relations.

With a renewal of tenderness, however, they repaired to her room on leaving the dining-parlour, and sat with her till summoned to coffee. She was still very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her at all, till late in the evening, when she had the comfort of seeing her asleep, and when it appeared to her rather right than pleasant that she should go downstairs herself. On entering the drawing-room she found the whole party at loo, and was immediately invited to join them; but suspecting them to be playing high she declined it, and making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse herself for the short time she could stay below with a book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

โ€œDo you prefer reading to cards?โ€ said he; โ€œthat is rather singular.โ€

โ€œMiss Eliza Bennet,โ€ said Miss Bingley, โ€œdespises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else.โ€

โ€œI deserve neither such praise nor such censure,โ€ cried Elizabeth; โ€œI am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.โ€

โ€œIn nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure,โ€ said Bingley; โ€œand I hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well.โ€

Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards a table where a few books were lying. He immediately offered to fetch her others; all that his library afforded.

โ€œAnd I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever look into.โ€

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

โ€œI am astonished,โ€ said Miss Bingley, โ€œthat my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!โ€

โ€œIt ought to be good,โ€ he replied, โ€œit has been the work of many generations.โ€

โ€œAnd then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books.โ€

โ€œI cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.โ€

โ€œNeglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley.โ€

โ€œI wish it may.โ€

โ€œBut I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire.โ€

โ€œWith all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it.โ€

โ€œI am talking of possibilities, Charles.โ€

โ€œUpon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation.โ€

Elizabeth was so much caught by what passed, as to leave her very little attention for her book; and soon laying it wholly aside, she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, to observe the game.

โ€œIs Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?โ€ said Miss Bingley; โ€œwill she be as tall as I am?โ€

โ€œI think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennetโ€™s height, or rather taller.โ€

โ€œHow I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! and so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite.โ€

โ€œIt is amazing to me,โ€ said Bingley, โ€œhow young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished, as they all are.โ€

โ€œAll young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?โ€

โ€œYes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.โ€

โ€œYour list of the common extent of accomplishments,โ€ said Darcy, โ€œhas too much truth. The word is applied

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