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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 9

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ELIZABETH passed the chief of the night in her sister's room, and in
the morning had the pleasure of being able to send a tolerable answer
to the enquiries which she very early received from Mr. Bingley by a
housemaid, and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who
waited on his sisters. In spite of this amendment, however, she requested
to have a note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane,
and form her own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately
dispatched, and its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet,
accompanied by her two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after
the family breakfast.

Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been
very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her, that her illness
was not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as
her restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield.
She would not listen therefore to her daughter's proposal of being carried
home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think
it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss
Bingley's appearance and invitation the mother and three daughters all
attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes
that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.


"Indeed I have, Sir," was her answer. "She is a great deal too
ill to be moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We
must trespass a little longer on your kindness."


"Removed!" cried Bingley. "It must not be thought of. My sister,
I am sure, will not hear of her removal."


"You may depend upon it, Madam," said Miss Bingley, with cold civility,
"that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she
remains with us."


Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.


"I am sure," she added, "if it was not for such good friends I
do not know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and
suffers a vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world
-- which is always the way with her, for she has, without exception,
the sweetest temper I ever met with. I often tell my other girls they
are nothing to her. You have a sweet room here, Mr. Bingley, and a charming
prospect over that gravel walk. I do not know a place in the country
that is equal to Netherfield. You will not think of quitting it in a
hurry I hope, though you have but a short lease."


"Whatever I do is done in a hurry," replied he; "and therefore
if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in
five minutes. At present, however, I consider myself as quite fixed
here."


"That is exactly what I should have supposed of you," said Elizabeth.


"You begin to comprehend me, do you?" cried he, turning towards
her.


"Oh! yes -- I understand you perfectly."


"I wish I might take this for a compliment; but to be so easily seen
through I am afraid is pitiful."


"That is as it happens. It does not necessarily follow that a deep,
intricate character is more or less estimable than such a one as yours."


"Lizzy," cried her mother, "remember where you are, and do not
run on in the wild manner that you are suffered to do at home."


"I did not know before," continued Bingley immediately, "that you
were a studier of character. It must be an amusing study."


"Yes; but intricate characters are the most amusing. They have at
least that advantage."


"The country," said Darcy, "can in general supply but few subjects
for such a study. In a country neighbourhood you move in a very confined
and unvarying society."


"But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new
to be observed in them for ever."


"Yes, indeed," cried Mrs. Bennet, offended by his manner of mentioning
a country neighbourhood. "I assure you there is quite as much of that
going on in the country as in town."


Every body was surprised; and Darcy, after looking at her for a moment,
turned silently away. Mrs. Bennet, who fancied she had gained a complete
victory over him, continued her triumph.


"I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country
for my part, except the shops and public places. The country is a vast
deal pleasanter, is not it, Mr. Bingley?"


"When I am in the country," he replied, "I never wish to leave
it; and when I am in town it is pretty much the same. They have each

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