mr.bennetwasamongtheearliestofthosewhowaitedonmr.bingley.hehadalwaysintendedtovisithim,thoughtothelastalwaysassuringhiswifethatheshouldnotgo;andtilltheeveningafterthevisitwaspaid,shehadnoknowledgeofit.itwasthendisclosedinthefollowingmanner.observinghisseconddaughteremployedintrimmingahat,hesuddenlyaddressedherwith,

"ihopemr.bingleywilllikeit,lizzy."

"wearenotinawaytoknowwhatmr.bingleylikes,"saidhermotherresentfully,"sincewearenottovisit."

"butyouforget,mama,"saidelizabeth,"thatweshallmeethimattheassemblies,andthatmrs.longhaspromisedtointroducehim."

"idonotbelievemrs.longwilldoanysuchthing.shehastwoniecesofherown.sheisaselfish,hypocriticalwoman,andihavenoopinionofher."

"nomorehavei,"saidmr.bennet;"andiamgladtofindthatyoudonotdependonherservingyou."

mrs.bennetdeignednottomakeanyreply;butunabletocontainherself,beganscoldingoneofherdaughters.

"don'tkeepcoughingso,kitty,forheaven'ssake!havealittlecompassiononmynerves.youtearthemtopieces."

"kittyhasnodiscretioninhercoughs,"saidherfather;"shetimesthemill."

"idonotcoughformyownamusement,"repliedkittyfretfully.

"whenisyournextballtobe,lizzy?"

"tomorrowfortnight."

"aye,soitis,"criedhermother,"andmrs.longdoesnotcomebacktillthedaybefore;soitwillbeimpossibleforhertointroducehim,forshewillnotknowhimherself."

"then,mydear,youmayhavetheadvantageofyourfriend,andintroducemr.bingleytoher."

"impossible,mr.bennet,impossible,wheniamnotacquaintedwithhimmyself;howcanyoubesoteazing?"

"ihonouryourcircumspection.afortnight'sacquaintanceiscertainlyverylittle.onecannotknowwhatamanreallyisbytheendofafortnight.butifwedonotventure,somebodyelsewill;andafterall,mrs.longandherniecesmuststandtheirchance;andtherefore,asshewillthinkitanactofkindness,ifyoudeclinetheoffice,iwilltakeitonmyself."

thegirlsstaredattheirfather.mrs.bennetsaidonly,"nonsense,nonsense!"

"whatcanbethemeaningofthatemphaticexclamation?"criedhe."doyouconsidertheformsofintroduction,andthestressthatislaidonthem,asnonsense?icannotquiteagreewithyouthere.whatsayyou,mary?foryouareayoungladyofdeepreflectioniknow,andreadgreatbooks,andmakeextracts."

marywishedtosaysomethingverysensible,butknewnothow.

"whilemaryisadjustingherideas,"hecontinued,"letusreturntomr.bingley."

"iamsickofmr.bingley,"criedhiswife.

"iamsorrytohearthat;butwhydidnotyoutellmesobefore?ifihadknownasmuchthismorning,icertainlywouldnothavecalledonhim.itisveryunlucky;butasihaveactuallypaidthevisit,wecannotescapetheacquaintancenow."

theastonishmentoftheladieswasjustwhathewished;thatofmrs.bennetperhapssurpassingtherest;thoughwhenthefirsttumultofjoywasover,shebegantodeclarethatitwaswhatshehadexpectedallthewhile.

"howgooditwasinyou,mydearmr.bennet!butiknewishouldpersuadeyouatlast.iwassureyoulovedourgirlstoowelltoneglectsuchanacquaintance.well,howpleasediam!anditissuchagoodjoke,too,thatyoushouldhavegonethismorning,andneversaidawordaboutittillnow."

"now,kitty,youmaycoughasmuchasyouchoose,"saidmr.bennet;and,ashespoke,helefttheroom,fatiguedwiththerapturesofhiswife.

"whatanexcellentfatheryouhave,girls,"saidshe,whenthedoorwasshut."idonotknowhowyouwillevermakehimamendsforhiskindness;ormeeither,forthatmatter.atourtimeoflife,itisnotsopleasanticantellyou,tobemakingnewacquaintanceeveryday;butforyoursakes,wewoulddoanything.lydia,mylove,thoughyouaretheyoungest,idaresaymr.bingleywilldancewithyouatthenextball."

"oh!"saidlydiastoutly,"iamnotafraid;forthoughiamtheyoungest,i'mthetallest."

therestoftheeveningwasspentinconjecturinghowsoonhewouldreturnmr.bennet'svisit,anddeterminingwhentheyshouldaskhimtodinner.