withinashortwalkoflongbournlivedafamilywithwhomthebennetswereparticularlyintimate.sirwilliamlucashadbeenformerlyintradeinmeryton,wherehehadmadeatolerablefortuneandrisentothehonourofknighthoodbyanaddresstothekingduringhismayoralty.thedistinctionhadperhapsbeenfelttoostrongly.ithadgivenhimadisgusttohisbusinessandtohisresidenceinasmallmarkettown;andquittingthemboth,hehadremovedwithhisfamilytoahouseaboutamilefrommeryton,denominatedfromthatperiodlucaslodge,wherehecouldthinkwithpleasureofhisownimportance,and,unshackledbybusiness,occupyhimselfsolelyinbeingciviltoalltheworld.forthoughelatedbyhisrank,itdidnotrenderhimsupercilious;onthecontrary,hewasallattentiontoeverybody.bynatureinoffensive,friendlyandobliging,hispresentationatst.james'shadmadehimcourteous.

ladylucaswasaverygoodkindofwoman,nottooclevertobeavaluableneighbourtomrs.bennet.—theyhadseveralchildren.theeldestofthem,asensible,intelligentyoungwoman,abouttwenty-seven,waselizabeth'sintimatefriend.

thatthemisslucasesandthemissbennetsshouldmeettotalkoveraballwasabsolutelynecessary;andthemorningaftertheassemblybroughttheformertolongbourntohearandtocommunicate.

"youbegantheeveningwell,charlotte,"saidmrs.bennetwithcivilself-commandtomisslucas."youweremr.bingley'sfirstchoice."

"yes;—butheseemedtolikehissecondbetter."

"oh!—youmeanjane,isuppose—becausehedancedwithhertwice.tobesurethatdidseemasifheadmiredher—indeediratherbelievehedid—iheardsomethingaboutit—butihardlyknowwhat—somethingaboutmr.robinson."

"perhapsyoumeanwhatioverheardbetweenhimandmr.robinson;didnotimentionittoyou?mr.robinson'saskinghimhowhelikedourmerytonassemblies,andwhetherhedidnotthinktherewereagreatmanyprettywomenintheroom,andwhichhethoughttheprettiest?andhisansweringimmediatelytothelastquestion—"oh!theeldestmissbennetbeyondadoubt,therecannotbetwoopinionsonthatpoint."

"uponmyword!—well,thatwasverydecidedindeed—thatdoesseemasif—but,however,itmayallcometonothing,youknow."

"myoverhearingsweremoretothepurposethanyours,eliza,"saidcharlotte."mr.darcyisnotsowellworthlisteningtoashisfriend,ishe?—pooreliza!—tobeonlyjusttolerable."

"ibegyouwouldnotputitintolizzy'sheadtobevexedbyhisill-treatment;forheissuchadisagreeablemanthatitwouldbequiteamisfortunetobelikedbyhim.mrs.longtoldmelastnightthathesatclosetoherforhalfanhourwithoutonceopeninghislips."

"areyouquitesure,ma'am?—isnottherealittlemistake?"saidjane.—"icertainlysawmr.darcyspeakingtoher."

"aye—becausesheaskedhimatlasthowhelikednetherfield,andhecouldnothelpansweringher;—butshesaidheseemedveryangryatbeingspoketo."

"missbingleytoldme,"saidjane,"thatheneverspeaksmuchunlessamonghisintimateacquaintance.withthemheisremarkablyagreeable."

"idonotbelieveawordofit,mydear.ifhehadbeensoveryagreeable,hewouldhavetalkedtomrs.long.buticanguesshowitwas;everybodysaysthatheisateupwithpride,andidaresayhehadheardsomehowthatmrs.longdoesnotkeepacarriage,andhadcometotheballinahackchaise."

"idonotmindhisnottalkingtomrs.long,"saidmisslucas,"butiwishhehaddancedwitheliza."

"anothertime,lizzy,"saidhermother,"iwouldnotdancewithhim,ifiwereyou."

"ibelieve,ma'am,imaysafelypromiseyounevertodancewithhim."

"hispride,"saidmisslucas,"doesnotoffendmesomuchasprideoftendoes,becausethereisanexcuseforit.onecannotwonderthatsoveryfineayoungman,withfamily,fortune,everythinginhisfavour,shouldthinkhighlyofhimself.ifimaysoexpressit,hehasarighttobeproud."

"thatisverytrue,"repliedelizabeth,"andicouldeasilyforgivehispride,ifhehadnotmortifiedmine."

"pride,"observedmary,whopiquedherselfuponthesolidityofherreflections,"isaverycommonfailingibelieve.byallthatihaveeverread,iamconvincedthatitisverycommonindeed,thathumannatureisparticularlypronetoit,andthatthereareveryfewofuswhodonotcherishafeelingofself-complacencyonthescoreofsomequalityorother,realorimaginary.vanityandpridearedifferentthings,thoughthewordsareoftenusedsynonymously.apersonmaybeproudwithoutbeingvain.priderelatesmoretoouropinionofourselves,vanitytowhatwewouldhaveothersthinkofus."

"ifiwereasrichasmr.darcy,"criedayounglucaswhocamewithhissisters,"ishouldnotcarehowproudiwas.iwouldkeepapackoffoxhounds,anddrinkabottleofwineeveryday."

"thenyouwoulddrinkagreatdealmorethanyouought,"saidmrs.bennet;"andifiweretoseeyouatit,ishouldtakeawayyourbottledirectly."

theboyprotestedthatsheshouldnot;shecontinuedtodeclarethatshewould,andtheargumentendedonlywiththevisit.