Gay Pride and Prejudice Read Online Free

she seconded most of his opinions, except perhaps with regards to Miss Bennet, whom she had admired and liked; Mrs. Hurst agreed with her, and pronounced Miss Bennet to be a sweet girl, one whom she also would not object to knowing more of. Miss Bennet was therefore established as a sweet girl, and Bingley felt authorized by such commendation to think of her as he chose.

Chapter Five
    W ITHIN A SHORT WALK OF L ONGBOURN lived the Lucases, a family with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate. Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his residence in a small market town; and, in quitting them both, he had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world. For, though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive, friendly, and obliging, his presentation at St. James’s had made him courteous.
    Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, Charlotte, a sensible, intelligent young woman of twenty-five, had been Elizabeth’s intimate friend for a number of years, and somewhat more these past two; though of late, they had appeared to look for fewer excuses to spend time in one another’s company as they had once readily found.
    That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and to communicate.
    “ You began the evening well, Charlotte,” said Mrs. Bennet with civil self-command to Miss Lucas. “You were Mr. Bingley’s first choice.”
    “Yes; but he seemed to like his second better.”
    “You mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure that did seem as if he admired her—indeed I rather believe he did—I heard something about it—but I hardly know what—something about Mr. Robinson.”
    “Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson; did not I mention it to you? Mr. Robinson’s asking him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? And his answering immediately to the last question: ‘The eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt; there cannot be two opinions on that point.’“
    “Upon my word! Well, that is very decided indeed—that does seem as if—but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know.”
    “My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza,” said Charlotte. “Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Eliza—to be only just tolerable .”
    To Charlotte alone had Elizabeth confessed Miss Bingley’s part in the rejection. She gazed upon her friend now, silently entreating her to maintain her vow of secrecy.
    “I beg you would not put it into Lizzy’s head to be vexed by Mr. Darcy’s ill-treatment,” Mrs. Bennett said, “for he is such a disagreeable man, that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half-an-hour without once opening his lips.”
    “Are you quite sure, Ma’am? Is not there a little mistake?” said Jane. “I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her.”
    “Aye—because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he could not help answering her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoke to.”
    “Miss Bingley told me,” said Jane, “that he never speaks much,