Free Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Vivien Jones, Tony Tanner Page A

there cannot be two opinions on that point.”
    “Upon my word!—Well, that was 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
.”
    “I beg you would not put it into Lizzy’s head to be vexed by his ill-treatment; 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 very angry at being spoke to.”
    “Miss Bingley told me,” said Jane, “that he never speaks much unless among his intimate acquaintance. With
them
he is remarkably agreeable.”
    “I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very agreeable he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it was; every body says that he is ate up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to the ball in a hack chaise.” 3
    “I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long,” said Miss Lucas, “but I wish he had danced with Eliza.”
    “Another time, Lizzy,” said her mother, “I would not dance with
him
, if I were you.”
    “I believe, Ma’am, I may safely promise you
never
to dance with him.”
    “His pride,” said Miss Lucas, “does not offend
me
so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, every thing in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a
right
to be proud.”
    “That is very true,” replied Elizabeth, “and I could easily forgive
his
pride, if he had not mortified
mine
.”
    “Pride,” observed Mary, who piqued herself upon the solidity of her reflections, “is a very common failing I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonimously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.”
    “If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy,” cried a young Lucas who came with his sisters, “I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, 4 and drink a bottle of wine every day.”
    “Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought,” said Mrs. Bennet; “and if I were to see you at it I should take away your bottle directly.”
    The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

CHAPTER VI
    The ladies of Longbourn soon waited on 1 those of Netherfield. The visit was returned in due form. Miss Bennet’s pleasing manners grew on the good will of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and though the mother was found to be intolerable and the younger sisters not worth speaking to, a wish of being better acquainted with
them
, was expressed towards the two eldest. By Jane this attention was received with the greatest pleasure; but Elizabeth still saw superciliousness in their treatment of every body, hardly excepting even her sister, and could not like them; though their kindness to Jane, such as it was, had a value as arising in all probability from the influence of their brother’s admiration. It was generally evident whenever they met, that