"It's a fair prospect." "Pretty enough, I grant you." "It's nothing to Pemberley, I know." "But I must settle somewhere." "Have I your approval?" " You'll find the society something savage." " Country manners?" "I think they're charming." " Then you'd better take it." " Thank you, I shall." "I shall close with the attorney directly." "I want to wear it today." "Look what you've done to it!" "Mamma, mamma!" "Lydia has torn up my bonnet and says she will wear it to church." "Tell her she shall not!" "I shall wear it, for it's all my own work." "She'd be a fright in it." "She's too plain to look well in it!" " No, you shall not have it!" " Lydia!" "Kitty!" "Girls!" "Would you tear my nerves into shreds?" "Let her have it, Kitty." "But it's mine!" "You let her have everything that is mine!" "Oh, what is to become of us all?" "Jane, Lizzy, where are you?" " Here, mamma." " Coming, mamma." "My dear!" "Mr Bennet!" "Wonderful news!" " Netherfield Park is let at last!" " Is it?" "Yes, it is, for I have just had it from Mrs Long." " Do you not want to know who has taken it?" " You want to tell me." "And I have no objection to hearing it." "Why then." "It is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England." "A single man of large fortune, my dear." "He came down on Monday to see the place." "His name is Bingley and he will be in possession by Michaelmas." "And he has 5,000 a year!" " What a fine thing for our girls!" " How so?" "How can it affect them?" "Mr Bennet, how can you be so tiresome?" "You must know that I'm thinking of his marrying one of them." "For a single man with a good fortune must be in want of a wife." "Yes, he must indeed!" "And who better than one of our five girls?" "Lydia!" " What a fine joke if he chose me!" " Or me!" "So that is his design in settling here?" "To marry one of our daughters?" ""Design"?" "How can you talk such nonsense?" "But you know he may very likey fall in love with one of them." " Therefore you must visit him directly he comes." " No, no, I see no occasion for that." " Mr Bennet!" " Go yourself with the girls." " Still better, send them by themselves." " By themselves?" "!" "Aye, for you're as handsome as any of them." "Mr Bingley might like you best of the party." "Lydia..." "Hill!" "Oh, Hill!" "Hill, I am so distressed!" "Mr Bennet says he will not visit Mr Bingley when he comes." " There, there." " Can't you reason with him?" " I daresay it'll all be well." " No, no." "Iit will not!" " For he is bent on ruining us all." " Mamma, I'm sure he is teasing you." "He will call on Mr Bingley." "He calls on any new neighbour." "Jane, how can you say that?" "You heard him yourself!" " You know your father has a will of iron." " You're in the right, my dear." "But I'll tell you what I'll do." "I shall write to Mr Bingley, informing him that I have five daughters, and he is welcome to any of them that he chooses." "They're all silly and ignorant, like other girls." "Well, Lizzy has a bit of more wit than the rest." "But he may prefer a stupid wife, as others have done before him." " There, will that do?" " No, no!" "I beg you will not write if you..." "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've been my old friends these 20 years at least." " You don't know what I suffer." " Well, I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of 5,000 a year come into the neighborhood." "It will be no use to us if 20 such should come since you will not visit them." "Depend upon it, my dear." "When there are 20, I'll visit them all." "You see, Jane?" "He won't be prevailed upon." "He'll see us all ruined." "If only we'd been able to have sons!" "Misfortunes, we are told, are sent to test our fortitude, and they often reveal themselves as blessings in disguise." "Lord, I'm so hungry!" "If I could love a man who would love me enough to take me for a mere 50 pounds a year," "I should be very well pleased." "Yes." "But such a man could hardly be sensible and I could never love a man who was out of his wits." "Oh, Lizzy." "A marriage... where either partner cannot love nor respect the other, that cannot be agreeable... to either party." "As we have daily proof." "But beggars, you know, cannot be choosers." "We're not very poor, Lizzy." "With father's estate entailed away from the female line, we have little but our charms to recommend us." "One of us at least will have to marry very well." "And since you are quite five times as pretty as the rest of us, and have the sweetest disposition, I fear the task will fall on you to raise our fortunes." "But, Lizzy..." "I would wish..." "I should so much like... to marry for love." "And so you shall, I'm sure." "Only take care you fall in love with a man of good fortune." "Well, I shall try." "To please you." "And you?" "I am determined that nothing but the very deepest love will induce me into matrimony." "So..." "I shall end an old maid, and teach your 10 children to embroider cushions and play their instruments very ill." " Good night, mamma." " My head is very ill tonight." "I said, I wouldn't dance with him if he was the last man in Meryton!" " Good night, Lydia." "Good night, Kitty." " Good night, Lizzy!" "Lizzy!" "Wait till you hear our news!" " Mr Bingley has come!" " Sir William Lucas called on him!" " Save your breath." "I will tell mamma." " I don't wish to know." "Why should we care for Mr Bingley since we are never to be acquainted with him." "But, mamma!" "Don't keep coughing so, Kitty!" "For heaven's sake, have a little compassion on my nerves." " I don't cough for my own amusement." " 40 servants, and he's very handsome and wears a blue coat." " And he declared to Sir William that he loves to dance!" " He said he'd come to the next ball!" " At the Assembly Rooms!" " On Saturday!" " With six ladies and four gentlemen." " It was 12 ladies and seven gentlemen." " Too many ladies." " Lydia, I beg you would stop!" "For we arel never to know Mr Bingley and it pains me to hear of him." "But mamma!" " I am sick of Mr Bingley!" "I'm sorry to hear that." "If I'd known as much this morning, I should never have called on him." "You have called on him?" "!" "I'm afraid we cannot escape the acquaintance now." "My dear Mr Bennet!" "How good you are to us." " Well, well." " Girls, girls, is he not a good father?" "And never to tell us!" "What a good joke!" "And now you shall all dance with Mr Bingley!" "I hope he has a strong constitution, Mamma!" "And a fondness for silly young women." "My dear Mr Bennet, nothing you say shall ever vex me again." "I'm sorry to hear it." "Well, Kitty." "I think you may cough as much as you choose now." " Shall we be quite safe here, Mr Darcy, do you think?" " Damned silly way to spend an evening." "Mr Bingley!" "Allow me the pleasure of welcoming you to our little assembly here." "Sir William, I am very glad to see you." "There is nothing that I love better than a country dance." " Do you know who the two ladies are?" " Mr Bingley's sisters, I understand." "One of them is married to that gentleman, Mr Hurst." " The taller gentleman?" " No, the other." "Better and better!" "Very elegant." "Better pleased with themselves than what they see, I think." "Lizzy!" "Jane!" "Come here!" "You see that gentleman there?" "Lady Lucas has just told me he is Mr Bingley's oldest friend." "His name is Darcy and he has a mighty fortune and a great estate in Derbyshire." "Bingley's wealth is nothing to his!" "10,000 a year!" "At least!" "Don't you think he's the handsomest man you've ever seen, girls?" "I wonder if he'd be quite so handsome if he was not quite so rich." "Oh, Lizzy!" "They're coming over." "Smile, girls!" "Smile!" "Mrs Bennet." "Mr Bingley has expressed to wish to become acquainted with you and your daughters." "Sir, that is very good of you." "This is Jane, my eldest." "And Elizabeth." "And Mary sits over there." "And Kitty and Lydia, my youngest, you see there dancing." " Do you like to dance yourself?" " There is nothing I love better, madam." "And if Miss Bennet is not otherwise engaged, may I be so bold as to claim the next two dances?" " I am not engaged, sir." " Good." "You do us great honour, sir." "Thank the gentleman, Jane." "Mamma." "And you, sir?" "Are you fond of dancing, too?" "Oh, I beg your pardon." "Mrs Bennet, may I present my friend, Mr Darcy?" "You are very welcome to Hertfordshire I am sure, sir." "I hope you have come here eager to dance, as your friend has?" "Thank you, madam." "I rarely dance." "Let this be one of the occasions, sir, for I wager you'll not easily find such lively music or such pretty partners." "Pray, excuse me, ma'am." "Well!" "Did you ever meet such a proud disagreeable man!" " Ma, he will hear you." " I don't care if he does." "And his friend disposed to be so agreeable and everything charming." "Who is he to think himself so far above his company?" "Well, the very rich can afford to give offence wherever they go." " We need not care for his good opinion." " No, indeed!" "Perhaps he is not so very handsome after all?" "No, indeed!" "Quite ill-favoured." "Certainly nothing at all to Mr Bingley!" "I'll show them!" "I wonder at Kitty and Lydia..." "they are so fond of dancing." "I take little pleasure in a ball." "I would take more pleasure in this if there were enough partners as agreeable as Jane's." "I believe the rewards of observation and reflection are much greater." "And so they are when there are none others to be had." "We shall have to be philosophers, Mary." "Come, Darcy." "I must have you dance!" "I must." "I hate to see you standing about in this stupid manner!" "Come!" "You had much better dance!" "I certainly shall not." "At an assembly such as this?" "It would be insupportable." "Your sisters are engaged at the present." "You know perfectly well it would be a punishment for me to stand up with any other woman in the room." "Good God, Darcy!" "I wouldn't be as fastidious as you are for a kingdom!" "Upon my honour, I never met so many pleasant girls in my life!" "Several of them uncommonly pretty." "You have been dancing with the only handsome girl in the room." "Darcy, she is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld." "Look, look!" "There's one of her sisters." "She's very pretty too." "I daresay very agreeable." "She's tolerable, I suppose." "But she's not handsome enough to tempt me." "Bingley, I'm in no humour to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." "Go back to your partner." "Enjoy her smiles." "You're wasting your time on me." "Jane was so admired!" "There was nothing like it!" " Oh, Lord!" "I'm so fagged!" " Lydia and I danced every dance." "And Mary none!" "And Mr Bingley favoured Jane above every other girl." "For he danced the first two with her, and then the next with Charlotte Lucas, which vexed me greatly, but lo, there in the very next nothing would please him but to stand up with Jane again." "And then, you know, he danced with Lizzy, and then what do you think he did next?" "Enough!" "Enough, madam!" "For God's sake!" "Let's hear no more of his partners!" "Would he had sprained his ankle in the first dance!" "And his sisters!" "Oh, such charming women!" "So elegant and obliging!" "Oh I wish you had seen them." " I daresay the lace on Mrs Hurst's gown..." " No lace." "No lace, Mrs Bennet, I beg you." "But the man he brought with him!" "'Mr Darcy', as he calls himself, is not worth our concern, though he may be the richest man in Derbyshire." "The proudest, the most horrid, disobliging..." "He slighted poor Lizzy, and flatly refused to stand up with her." "Slighted my Lizzy, did he?" "I didn't care for him either, father." "So it's of little matter." "Another time, Lizzy, I would not dance with him if he should ask you." "I believe, mom, I may safely promise you, never to dance with Mr Darcy." "And so none of the Hertfordshire ladies could please you, Mr Darcy?" "Not even the famous Miss Bennets?" "Well, I never met with pleasanter people or prettier girls in my life!" "Bingley, you astonish me." "I saw little beauty and no breeding at all." "The eldest Miss Bennet is, I grant you, very pretty." "A fine concession!" "Come man." "Admit it." "She's an angel!" " She smiles too much." " Jane Bennet is a sweet girl." "But the mother!" "I heard Eliza Bennet described as a famous local beauty." " What do you say to that, Mr Darcy?" " I should as soon call her mother a wit." "Oh, Mr Darcy." "That's too cruel!" "Darcy, I shall never understand why you go through the world determined to be displeased with everything and everyone in it." "And I will never understand why you are in such a rage to approve of everything and everyone that you meet." "Well, you shall not make me think ill of Miss Bennet, Darcy." "Indeed he shall not!" "I shall dare his disapproval and declare she is a dear sweet girl, despite her unfortunate relations, and I should not be sorry to know her better!" "No, nor I!" "You see, Mr Darcy, we are not afraid of you." "I would not have you so." "What?" "Aye, very true." "Damned tedious waste of an evening." "He's just what a young man ought to be, Lizzy." "Sensible, lively, and I never saw such happy manners!" "Handsome too, which a young man ought to be if he possibly can." "And he seems to like you very much." "Which shows good judgement." "No, I give you leave to like him." "You've liked many a stupider person." "Dear Lizzy!" "He could be happier in his choice of sisters and friends." " But the sisters he cannot help." " Did you not like them?" "Not at all." "Their manners are quite different from his." "At first, perhaps, but after a while I found them very pleasing." "Miss Bingley is to keep house for her brother." "And I'm sure will be very charming neighbours." " One of them maybe." " No, Lizzy, I'm sure you're wrong." "And even Mr Darcy, you know, may improve on closer acquaintance." "Do you mean to be in humour to consider young ladies who are slighted by other men?" "Never!" ""She is tolerable, I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me."" " It was very wrong of him to speak so." " Huh!" "Indeed it was!" "Capital offence!" "Oh, look!" "Charlotte has come." "Charlotte!" "Lizzy!" "My father is to give a party at Lucas Lodge and you are all invited!" "This will be the first of many occasions when Lucas Lodge will be graced with your presence." "Here, you see, we are all easy with no awkwardness or ceremony." "Quite." "Oh, yes, my dear. 5,000 a year!" "Don't they look well together?" "A most agreeable young man!" "And he would dance every dance with Jane." "Nothing else would do!" "And are you pleased with Hertfordshire, Colonel Forster?" "Very much so, Lady Lucas." "Another more so than this evening." "A regiment of infantry doesn't find a ready welcome everywhere, I fear." "I think your officers will be very well pleased with Meryton." "Denny and Sanderson seem well pleased already!" "No doubt you attend assemblies at St. James's Court, Miss Bingley?" " We go but rarely, sir." " Indeed!" "I am surprised." "I should be happy to introduce you there at any time when I'm in town." "You're too kind, sir." "Well!" "Well!" "Good, good." "Capital!" "Capital!" "Insufferable conceit!" "To imagine that we would need his assistance in society." "I am sure he is a very good sort of man, Caroline." "And I am sure he kept a very good sort of shop before his elevation to the Knighthood." "Poor Darcy." "What agonies he must be suffering." "Are you in Meryton to subdue the discontented populace, sir, or do you defend Hertfordshire against the French?" "Neither, ma'am, I trust." "We hope to winter very peacefully at Meryton." "My soldiers are in great need of training and my officers in ever great need of society." "Then as soon as you are settled, I hope you will give a ball." " Oh, yes, my dear, do!" " You think a ball would be well received?" "A ball?" "Who's giving a ball?" "I long for a ball, and so does Denny!" " And Sanderson." "Don't you, Sanderson?" " I d-do indeed." " Most passionately." " Little Sanderson, I knew you would!" "Make him give a ball, Mrs Forster!" "We'll dance with all the officers." "If Mary would only play something, we could dance with them now!" "Mary, let's have no more of that dull stuff." "Play something jolly." "We want to dance!" "But there are still two movements." "Mamma!" "Tell them it isn't fair!" "Oh, play a jig, Mary." "No one wants your concertos here." "I fear their taste is not as fine as yours and mine, Mary, but let us oblige them this once, eh." "For there is no one here who plays as well as you!" "Very well." "Though you know it gives me little pleasure." " Jane, Mr Bingley, come and dance with us!" " Not now, Lydia." "Capital!" "Capital!" "I see that Mr Bingley continues his attentions to Jane, Lizzy." " I'm very happy for her, Charlotte." " She does seem very well pleased with him." "And if he continues so, she's in a fair way to be very much in love with him." "And Mr Bingley?" "Do you think he is in love?" " It is clear that he likes her very much." " Then she should leave him in no doubt of her heart." "She should show more affection, even than she feels, not less, if she is to secure him." " "Secure him"?" "Charlotte." " Yes, she should secure him soon as may be!" "Before she is sure of his character?" "Before she is even certain of her own regard for him?" "But of course!" "Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance, you know." "There will always be vexation and grief." "And it's better to know in advance as little as possible of the defects of your marriage partner." "Is it not now?" " You know it is not sound." "You would never act like that yourself!" " Well, it seems that Jane will not." "So we must hope that Mr Bingley will." "I think he gets little encouragement from his sisters." "Or his friend." " Mr Darcy looks at you a great deal, Lizzy." " I can't think why!" "Unless he means to frighten me with his contempt." "I wish he would not come into society." "He only makes people uneasy." "What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr Darcy!" "Nothing like dancing, you know!" "One of the refinements of every polished society." " And every unpolished society." " Sir?" "Every savage can dance." "Oh, yes." "Yes, quite." "I think I should speak to my sister before she exposes us all to ridicule." "Capital!" "Capital!" "Miss Eliza!" "Why are you not dancing?" "Mr Darcy, allow me to present this young lady to you as a very desirable partner." "You cannot refuse to dance, I'm sure, when so much beauty is before you." "Indeed, sir." "I have not the least intention of dancing." "Please don't suppose that I moved this way in order to beg for a partner." "I would be very happy if you would do me the honor of dancing with me, Miss Bennet." "Thank you." "But excuse me, I... am not inclined to dance." "Come, come." "Why not?" "When you see Mr Darcy has no objection?" "Although he dislikes the amusement so much in general." " Mr Darcy is all politeness." " He is!" "He is!" "And why should he not be, considering the inducement?" "For who could object to such a partner?" "Eh, Darcy?" "I beg you would excuse me." "Well, well..." "Oh, Capital, Lydia!" "Capital!" "I believe I can guess your thoughts at this moment." "I should imagine not." "You are thinking how insupportable it would be to spend many evenings in such tedious company." "No, indeed." "My mind was more agreeably engaged." "I've been meditating on the very great pleasure, which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow." "And may one dare ask whose are the eyes that inspired these reflections?" "Miss Elizabeth Bennet's." "Miss Elizabeth Bennet?" "I am all astonishment." "From Netherfield!" "Oh, Jane!" "Well, what does it say?" " It is from Miss Bingley." " Oh!" "Oh well, that is a good sign, too." "Give it to me." ""My dear friend!"" "There now!" ""Dine with Louisa and me today..."" "La di da, la di da, la di da, la di da..." ""...as the gentlemen are to dine with the officers." That's unlucky!" "Still, you must go and make what you can of it." ""Yours ever, Caroline Bingley." Very elegant hand!" " May I have the carriage, father?" " The carriage!" "No, indeed." "You must go on horseback, for it looks like rain." " Then you will have to stay the night." " Mother!" "Oh why do you look at me like that?" "Would you go all the way to Netherfield and back without seeing Mr Bingley?" "No, indeed." "You will go on Nellie." "That will do very well indeed!" "There, Lizzy." "You see?" "It is all exactly as I planned." "Now..." "let me see if I've got this right, Jane." "Your mother's sister is named Mrs Philips?" " Yes." " And Mr Philips' estate is...?" "He lives in Meryton." "He's an attorney." "And your mother's brother lives in London?" "Yes." "In Gracechurch Street." "In which part of London is Gracechurch Street, Jane?" "I um..." "Forgive me, I..." "Fosset, get help." "Miss Bennet is unwell." "Well, my dear, if Jane should die of this fever, it will be comfort to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr Bingley and under your orders." "Oh, nonsense!" "People do not die of little trifling colds." " She will be very well taken care of." " Mamma, I think I must go to Netherfield." "Go to netherfield?" "No, there's no call for that!" "Jane is very well where she is." "And you know there is nothing for you in Netherfield." "You had much better go to Meryton with your sisters and meet the officers." "Aye, Lizzy, for there are more than enough to go around." "I know that Jane would wish me to be with her." "I suppose that is a hint for me to send for the carriage." "No indeed, father." "For I'd much rather walk." "It is barely three miles to Netherfield and I'll be back for dinner." "Walk three miles in all that dirt?" "You'll not be fit to be seen." "I shall be fit to see Jane, which is all I want." "I'm quite determined, mother." "I know, Lizzy!" "Lydia and I will set you as far as Meryton." "Aye, let's call on Denny early before he is dressed." "What a shock he will get!" " Ammm!" " Our life holds few distinctions, Mrs Bennet, but I think we may safely boast that here sit two of the silliest girls in the country." " Bye, Lizzy!" " Look!" "Isn't that Captain Carter?" "Come on!" "Make haste!" " Miss Bennet." " Mr Darcy." "I am come to enquire after my sister." " On foot?" " As you see." "Would you be so kind as to take me to her?" "Well, we must allow her to be an excellent walker, I suppose." "But her appearance this morning!" "She really looked almost wild!" "I could hardly keep my countenance!" "What does she mean by scampering about the country because her sister has a cold!" "Her hair, Louisa!" "Her petticoat!" "I hope you saw that petticoat, brother." "Six inches deep in mud, I'm absolutely certain!" "I must confess it quite escaped my notice." "I thought she looked remarkably well." " You observed it, I'm sure, Mr Darcy." " I did." "I'm inclined to think you wouldn't wish your sister to make such an exhibition." "Certainly not." "It seems to me to show an abominable sort of conceited independence." "It shows an affection for her sister." "It is very pleasing." "I'm afraid Mr Darcy, that this escapade may have affected your admiration for her fine eyes?" "Not at all." "They were brightened by the exercise." "But Jane Bennet is a sweet girl!" "It is very sad she has such an unfortunate family, such low connections." "Their uncle, she told us, is in trade, and lives in Cheapside!" "Perhaps we should call, when we are next in town." "They would be just as agreeable to me, had they uncles enough to fill all Cheapside!" "With such connections they can have very little chance of marrying well, Bingley." "That is the material point." "Miss Bennet, how does your sister do?" "Is she any better?" " I'm afraid that she is quite unwell." " Let me send for Mr Jones." " And you must stay until your sister is recovered." " Oh, I would not wish to inconvenience you." "I won't hear of anything else." "I'll send to Longbourn for your clothes directly." "You're very kind, sir." "Is there any sport today, or not?" "Get in there!" "There." "Shall I disgrace you, do you think?" "You look very pretty, Lizzy, as you are well aware." "Oh, Jane." "I'd much rather stay here with you." "The Superior Sisters wish me miles away." "Only your Mr Bingley is civil and attentive." " He's not my Mr Bingley, Lizzy." " Oh, I think he is." "Or he very soon will be." "I believe you will find Mr Bingley is in the drawing room, ma'am." "Thank you." "Oh Mr Darcy, come and advise me." "Mr Hurst carries all before him!" " Ha!" " Ooh!" "May I enquire after your sister, Miss Bennet?" " Thank you." "I believe she's a little better." " I am very glad to hear it." " Mr Hurst, I'm quite undone!" "Should have played the deuce." "He's undone us all, Mr Darcy!" " Will you join us, Miss Bennet?" " I thank you, no." "You prefer reading to cards?" "Singular!" "Lizzy Bennet despises cards." "She's a great reader and has no pleasure in anything else." "I deserve neither such praise nor such censure." "I am not a great reader and take pleasure in many things." "And what do you do so secretly, sir?" "It is no secret." "I'm writing to my sister." "Oh." "Dear Georgiana!" "I long to see her!" "Is she much grown since the Spring?" "Is she as tall as me?" "She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or a little taller." "And so accomplished!" "Her performance at the pianoforte is exquisite!" " Do you play, Miss Bennet?" " Aye, but very ill indeed." "But all young ladies are accomplished!" "They sing, they draw, they dance, speak French and German, cover screens, and I know not what!" "There are not half a dozen who would satisfy my notion of an accomplished woman." "Certainly!" "No woman can be really esteemed accomplished, who does not also possess a certain something in her air, in the manner of walking, in the tone of her voice, her address and expressions." "And to all this, she must yet add something more substantial... in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." "I'm no longer surprised at you knowing only six accomplished women, Mr Darcy." "I rather wonder at your knowing any." "You are very severe upon your sex, Miss Bennet." "I must speak as I find." "Perhaps you have not had the advantage, Miss Bennet, of moving in society enough." "There are many very accomplished young ladies amongst our acquaintance." "Come, come!" "This is a fine way to play cards!" "You're all light!" "Look, girls!" "Is it not a fair prospect?" "And now the mother!" "Are we to be invaded by every Bennet in the country?" "Perhaps too much to be borne!" "Mrs Bennet!" "You are very welcome!" "I hope you do not find Miss Bennet worse than you expected." "Indeed I do, sir!" "She is very ill indeed, and suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world, for she has the sweetest temper, Mr Bingley." "But she is a great deal too ill to be moved." "We must trespass a little longer on your kindness." "But of course!" "Miss Bennet will receive every possible attention, Ma'am." "I assure you." "You are very good." "Well, you have a sweet room here!" "I think you will never want to leave Netherfield now you have come here." "I believe I should be happy to live in the country forever." "Wouldn't you, Darcy?" "You would?" "You don't find the society somewhat confined and unvarying for your taste?" "Confined and unvarying?" "Indeed it is not, sir!" "The country is a vast deal pleasanter than town, whatever you may say about it!" "Mamma, you mistake Mr Darcy's meaning." "Do I?" "Do I?" "He seems to think the country nothing at all!" " Mamma." " Confined, unvarying!" "I would have him know we dine with four and twenty families!" "Mamma?" "Have you seen Charlotte Lucas since I came away?" "Yes, she called yesterday with Sir William." "What an agreeable man he is!" "That is my idea of a good breeding." "And those persons who fancy themselves very important, and never open their mouths, quite mistake the matter." "Mr Bingley, did you not promise to give a ball at Netherfield as soon as you were settled here?" "It will be a great scandal if you don't keep your word." "I am perfectly ready to keep my engagement." "And when your sister is recovered, you shall name the day of the ball, if you please." "There, now, Lydia!" "That's a fair promise for you!" "That's generosity for you!" "That's what I call gentlemanly behaviour!" "Miss Eliza Bennet." "Let me persuade you to follow my example and take a turn about the room." "It's so refreshing!" "Will you not join us, Mr Darcy?" " That would defeat the object." " What do you mean, sir?" " What on earth can he mean?" " I think we would do better not to enquire." "Nay, we insist on knowing your meaning, sir!" "Well, that your figures appear to best advantage when walking, and that I might best admire them from my present position." "Shocking!" "Abominable reply!" " How shall we punish him, Miss Eliza?" " Nothing so easy." "Tease him." " Laugh at him." " Laugh at Mr Darcy?" "Impossible!" " He is a man without fault." " Is he indeed?" "A man without fault?" "That is not possible for anyone." "But it has been my study to avoid those weaknesses which exposes strong understanding to ridicule." "Such as vanity, perhaps, and pride?" "Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed." "But pride..." "Where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will always be under good regulation." "I have faults enough, Miss Bennet." "But I hope they're not of understanding." "My temper I cannot vouch for." "It might be called resentful." "My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever." "That is a failing indeed, but I cannot laugh at it." "I believe every disposition has a tendency to some particular evil." " Your defect is a propensity to hate everyone." " Well, yours is wilfully to misunderstand them." "Shall we have some music?" "Hmmm?" "Give your parents my warmest salutations." "And tell your father he is most welcome to shoot with us at any time convenient." "Thank you, sir." "You are very kind." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Drive on, Rossiter." "How pleasant it is to have one's house to oneself again!" "But I fear Mr Darcy is mourning the loss of Miss Eliza Bennet's pert opinions and fine eyes." "Quite the contrary, I assure you." "Oh, Jane!" "I'm sorry to say it, but notwithstanding your excellent Mr Bingley," "I've never been so happy to leave a place in my life!"