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 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 now. When a woman has five grown-up 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 newcomers. 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-humoured 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 for 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 last 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."