Chapter 2

MR. BENNET was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go; and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with,—

Mr. Bennet was among the first to visit Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit, though he kept assuring his wife until the last moment that he would not go. She knew nothing of his visit until the following evening. She found out in this way. Noticing his second daughter decorating a hat, he suddenly said to her:

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.”

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy.”

“We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes,” said her mother, resentfully, “since we are not to visit.”

“We have no way of knowing what Mr. Bingley likes,” her mother said resentfully, “since we’re not going to visit.”

“But you forget, mamma,” said Elizabeth, “that we shall meet him at the assemblies, and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him.”

“But you forget, Mom,” said Elizabeth, “we’ll meet him at the dances. And Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him.”

“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her.”

“I don’t believe Mrs. Long will do anything like that. She has two nieces of her own. She’s a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I don’t think much of her.”

“No more have I,” said Mr. Bennet; “and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.”

“Neither have I,” said Mr. Bennet. “And I’m glad to hear you aren’t counting on her to help you.”

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply; but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters.

Mrs. Bennet did not bother to reply. But she could not contain herself and began scolding one of her daughters.

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven’s sake! Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces.”

“Stop coughing like that, Kitty, for heaven’s sake! Have a little sympathy for my nerves. You’re tearing my nerves to pieces.”

“Kitty has no discretion in her coughs,” said her father; “she times them ill.”

“Kitty has no sense of when to cough,” said her father. “She always picks the wrong moment.”

“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kitty, fretfully. “When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?”

“I don’t cough for fun,” Kitty replied irritably. “When is your next ball, Lizzy?”

“To-morrow fortnight.”

“Two weeks from tomorrow.”

“Ay, so it is,” cried her mother, “and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before; so, it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself.”

“Yes, that’s right,” her mother exclaimed, “and Mrs. Long won’t be back until the day before. So she won’t be able to introduce him, because she won’t have met him herself.”

“Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to her.”

“Then, my dear, you may have an advantage over your friend and introduce Mr. Bingley to her.”

“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing?”

“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I don’t know him myself! How can you tease me like this?”

“I honour your circumspection. A fortnight’s acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if we do not venture, somebody else will; and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself.”

“I respect your caution. Knowing someone for two weeks is certainly very little. You cannot know what a man is really like after only two weeks. But if we do not take the risk, somebody else will. And after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must take their chances. So, since she will see it as a kindness, I will do the job myself if you refuse.”

The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, “Nonsense, nonsense!”

The girls stared at their father. All Mrs. Bennet said was, “Nonsense, nonsense!”

“What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?” cried he. “Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know, and read great books, and make extracts.”

“What do you mean by that forceful exclamation?” he cried. “Do you think formal introductions, and all the importance placed on them, are nonsense? I can’t quite agree with you there. What do you think, Mary? Because I know you’re a young lady who thinks deeply, reads serious books, and copies out passages.”

Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how.

Mary wanted to say something very sensible, but she didn’t know how.

“While Mary is adjusting her ideas,” he continued, “let us return to Mr. Bingley.”

“While Mary is sorting out her thoughts,” he continued, “let’s get back to Mr. Bingley.”

“I am sick of Mr. Bingley,” cried his wife.

“I’m sick of Mr. Bingley,” his wife exclaimed.

“I am sorry to hear that; but why did you not tell me so before? If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him. It is very unlucky; but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. But why didn’t you tell me before? If I’d known this morning, I certainly wouldn’t have visited him. It’s very unfortunate. But since I’ve already visited him, we can’t avoid knowing him now.”

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished—that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest; though when the first tumult of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while.

The ladies were just as astonished as he had hoped. Mrs. Bennet was perhaps more astonished than any of the others. But once her first burst of joy had passed, she began declaring she had expected it all along.

“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I should persuade you at last. I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! And it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”

“How kind of you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I would persuade you in the end. I was sure you loved your girls too much to miss the chance to make such an acquaintance. Well, I’m so pleased! And what a good joke, too! You went this morning and never said a word about your visit until now.”

“Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose,” said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife.

“Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you like,” said Mr. Bennet. As he spoke, he left the room, worn out by his wife’s delight.

“What an excellent father you have, girls,” said she, when the door was shut. “I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness; or me either, for that matter. At our time of life, it is not so pleasant, I can tell you, to be making new acquaintances every day; but for your sakes we would do anything. Lydia, my love, though you are the youngest, I dare say Mr. Bingley will dance with you at the next ball.”

“What a wonderful father you have, girls,” she said when the door was shut. “I don’t know how you’ll ever repay him for his kindness. Or me either, for that matter. At our age, I can tell you, meeting new people every day isn’t so pleasant. But we would do anything for your sake. Lydia, my love, though you are the youngest, I expect Mr. Bingley will dance with you at the next ball.”

“Oh,” said Lydia, stoutly, “I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I’m the tallest.”

“Oh,” said Lydia confidently, “I’m not afraid, because although I am the youngest, I’m the tallest.”

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr. Bennet’s visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.

They spent the rest of the evening guessing how soon he would visit Mr. Bennet in return. They also decided when to invite him to dinner.