CHAPTER TWO

A Young Man of Proud Manners

Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet's visit after afew days. They sat together about ten minutes in thelibrary. Mr. Bingley had hoped to see the daughters.He had heard that they were very beautiful. However,he was only able to see the father,

Mr. Bennet would not tell his daughters about theyoung man. But they had information from Elizabeth'sfriend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte said that Mr.Bingley was very handsome, and he had a very nicepersonality. Most importantly, he was planning to goto the next dance in Meryton. The girls all lookedforward to the dance, for dancing was often a sure steptowards falling in love.

On the night of the dance, Mr. Bingley came withhis single sister, Caroline, his married sister, Mrs.Hurst, and another young man. Charles Bingley wasindeed very good-looking, and had easy, friendlymanners. Everyone was interested in his friend, Mr.Darcy. He was a fine, tall man. His face was handsomeand he seemed very noble. There was a rumor that heowned a large piece of land at Pemberley, inDerbyshire. Later, everyone discovered that he wasproud, rude, and thought that other people were not asgood as him.

Mr. Bingley, on the other hand, was lively andnot shy. He danced every dance, and seemeddisappointed when it was time for the dance to finish.What a difference with his friend! Mr. Darcy onlydanced once with Mr. Bingley's sister; he didn't evenask to be introduced to any other lady.At the dance itwas decided that he was the proudest, mostdisagreeable man in the world.

During the dance, Elizabeth had been to sit downfor two dances. Mr. Darcy had been standing near herand she was able to listen to a conversation between himand Mr. Bingley.

"Come on, Darcy," he said. "Don't stand here byyourself. Wouldn't it be better if you were to dancesome more?"

"Your sisters are dancing with other partners, andyou are dancing with the only beautiful girl in theroom," said Mr. Darcy, looking across at Jane.

"Oh, she is most beautiful! But one of her sistersis sitting behind you, and she is also very pretty. Letme ask Jane to introduce you. "

Darcy turned around and looked at Elizabeth untilElizabeth turned to look at him. Catching her eye, hestopped and coldly said, "She is not pretty enough forme to dance with her. "

Mr. Darcy walked off, leaving Elizabeth feelinghurt. She certainly had no friendly feelings for him.Mrs. Bennet, who had also heard Mr. Darcy'sremark, was very angry.

Still, the whole evening passed very pleasantlyenough for the rest of the family. Mrs. Bennet washappy because her eldest daughter Jane was muchadmired by the Netherfield party. Mary had heardherself mentioned as the most educated girl in theneighborhood; and Kitty and Lydia were alwaysdancing with partners through the evening. Because ofthis, they returned home to Longbourn in good andhappy spirits.

"Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet," cried his wife as sheentered the room, "What a delightful evening! Janewas so admired. Mr. Bingley said she was quitebeautiful. She was the only lady in the room that hedanced with twice. '

Mrs. Bennet then told him about how rude, proudand hurtful Mr. Darcy had been. "I wish you had beenthere to give him a piece of your mind!"

It was easy, during the next few weeks, forElizabeth to know that Mr. Charles Bingley wasbecoming very fond of Jane. Jane, for her part,returned his warm feelings. Because she was busywatching Mr. Bingley pay attention to her sister,Elizabeth was too busy to guess that she was receivingthe attention of Mr. Darcy. Though he had looked ather without any feeling at the dance, he began to noticethe beautiful expression of her dark eyes. They madeher face seem uncommonly intelligent. He was alsoforced to admit that her figure was both light andattractive. Her easy and playful manner was alsoattractive. But Elizabeth remained unaware.

One night Sir William Lucas had a large party athis house. Mr. Darcy was standing near Elizabethwhen Sir William came near.

"What a pleasant thing dancing is for youngpeople," said Sir William. "One must know how todance in order to be part of high-standing society."

"True," replied Mr. Darcy, "but dancing is alsofashionable in other kinds of societies in the world.Even uneducated people can dance."Sir William only smiled at Mr. Darcy's coldremark, At that moment Elizabeth turned around, andhe called to her.

"My dear Miss Elizabeth, why is it you are notdancing? Mr. Darcy, please allow me to introduce thisyoung lady to you as a very pretty and delightfuldancing partner. " Taking her hand, he would havegiven it to Mr. Darcy. But Elizabeth suddenly steppedback.

"Indeed, sir, you must not believe that I amstanding here to look for a partner. In fact I do notwant to dance."

Then Mr. Darcy tried very hard to ask her todance. But Elizabeth would not agree and turned away.Mr. Darcy was still looking at her when she turnedaway.

Suddenly, he found Bingley's sister Miss CarolineBingley beside him. "I'm sure you are thinking howboring it would be if you had to spend all your eveningswith these country people. "

"Actually, you are quite wrong. I was justthinking about how pleasurable it is to see such fineeyes in the face of a pretty woman. "

"Oh!" said Miss Bingley, surprised. "And whichlady has given you such an idea?"

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"How long has she been such a favorite of yours?This is quite unexpected! When can I wish youhappiness together?"

"Sometimes your imagination is too quick,"replied Darcy coldly. "It jumps from high to low, fromlove to marriage in a single moment. "

"Well! You will have a horrible mother-in-law,indeed. She will be perfect for you, indeed." said MissBingley, hatefully.

He paid no attention to her, but continued to lookat Elizabeth across the room.

CHAPTER TWO

A Young Man of Proud Manners

Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet's visit after afew days. They sat together about ten minutes in thelibrary. Mr. Bingley had hoped to see the daughters.He had heard that they were very beautiful. However,he was only able to see the father,

Mr. Bennet would not tell his daughters about theyoung man. But they had information from Elizabeth'sfriend, Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte said that Mr.Bingley was very handsome, and he had a very nicepersonality. Most importantly, he was planning to goto the next dance in Meryton. The girls all lookedforward to the dance, for dancing was often a sure steptowards falling in love.

On the night of the dance, Mr. Bingley came withhis single sister, Caroline, his married sister, Mrs.Hurst, and another young man. Charles Bingley wasindeed very good-looking, and had easy, friendlymanners. Everyone was interested in his friend, Mr.Darcy. He was a fine, tall man. His face was handsomeand he seemed very noble. There was a rumor that heowned a large piece of land at Pemberley, inDerbyshire. Later, everyone discovered that he wasproud, rude, and thought that other people were not asgood as him.

Mr. Bingley, on the other hand, was lively andnot shy. He danced every dance, and seemeddisappointed when it was time for the dance to finish.What a difference with his friend! Mr. Darcy onlydanced once with Mr. Bingley's sister; he didn't evenask to be introduced to any other lady.At the dance itwas decided that he was the proudest, mostdisagreeable man in the world.

During the dance, Elizabeth had been to sit downfor two dances. Mr. Darcy had been standing near herand she was able to listen to a conversation between himand Mr. Bingley.

"Come on, Darcy," he said. "Don't stand here byyourself. Wouldn't it be better if you were to dancesome more?"

"Your sisters are dancing with other partners, andyou are dancing with the only beautiful girl in theroom," said Mr. Darcy, looking across at Jane.

"Oh, she is most beautiful! But one of her sistersis sitting behind you, and she is also very pretty. Letme ask Jane to introduce you. "

Darcy turned around and looked at Elizabeth untilElizabeth turned to look at him. Catching her eye, hestopped and coldly said, "She is not pretty enough forme to dance with her. "

Mr. Darcy walked off, leaving Elizabeth feelinghurt. She certainly had no friendly feelings for him.Mrs. Bennet, who had also heard Mr. Darcy'sremark, was very angry.

Still, the whole evening passed very pleasantlyenough for the rest of the family. Mrs. Bennet washappy because her eldest daughter Jane was muchadmired by the Netherfield party. Mary had heardherself mentioned as the most educated girl in theneighborhood; and Kitty and Lydia were alwaysdancing with partners through the evening. Because ofthis, they returned home to Longbourn in good andhappy spirits.

"Oh, my dear Mr. Bennet," cried his wife as sheentered the room, "What a delightful evening! Janewas so admired. Mr. Bingley said she was quitebeautiful. She was the only lady in the room that hedanced with twice. '

Mrs. Bennet then told him about how rude, proudand hurtful Mr. Darcy had been. "I wish you had beenthere to give him a piece of your mind!"

It was easy, during the next few weeks, forElizabeth to know that Mr. Charles Bingley wasbecoming very fond of Jane. Jane, for her part,returned his warm feelings. Because she was busywatching Mr. Bingley pay attention to her sister,Elizabeth was too busy to guess that she was receivingthe attention of Mr. Darcy. Though he had looked ather without any feeling at the dance, he began to noticethe beautiful expression of her dark eyes. They madeher face seem uncommonly intelligent. He was alsoforced to admit that her figure was both light andattractive. Her easy and playful manner was alsoattractive. But Elizabeth remained unaware.

One night Sir William Lucas had a large party athis house. Mr. Darcy was standing near Elizabethwhen Sir William came near.

"What a pleasant thing dancing is for youngpeople," said Sir William. "One must know how todance in order to be part of high-standing society."

"True," replied Mr. Darcy, "but dancing is alsofashionable in other kinds of societies in the world.Even uneducated people can dance."Sir William only smiled at Mr. Darcy's coldremark, At that moment Elizabeth turned around, andhe called to her.

"My dear Miss Elizabeth, why is it you are notdancing? Mr. Darcy, please allow me to introduce thisyoung lady to you as a very pretty and delightfuldancing partner. " Taking her hand, he would havegiven it to Mr. Darcy. But Elizabeth suddenly steppedback.

"Indeed, sir, you must not believe that I amstanding here to look for a partner. In fact I do notwant to dance."

Then Mr. Darcy tried very hard to ask her todance. But Elizabeth would not agree and turned away.Mr. Darcy was still looking at her when she turnedaway.

Suddenly, he found Bingley's sister Miss CarolineBingley beside him. "I'm sure you are thinking howboring it would be if you had to spend all your eveningswith these country people. "

"Actually, you are quite wrong. I was justthinking about how pleasurable it is to see such fineeyes in the face of a pretty woman. "

"Oh!" said Miss Bingley, surprised. "And whichlady has given you such an idea?"

"Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

"How long has she been such a favorite of yours?This is quite unexpected! When can I wish youhappiness together?"

"Sometimes your imagination is too quick,"replied Darcy coldly. "It jumps from high to low, fromlove to marriage in a single moment. "

"Well! You will have a horrible mother-in-law,indeed. She will be perfect for you, indeed." said MissBingley, hatefully.

He paid no attention to her, but continued to lookat Elizabeth across the room.