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Chapter V

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family

with whom the Bennets were particularly intimate.

Sir William Lucas had been formerly in trade in

Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen

to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king dur-

ing his mayoralty. The distinction had, perhaps, been felt

too strongly. It had given him a disgust to his business and

to his residence in a small market town; and, quitting them

both, he had removed with his family to a house about a

mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas

Lodge; where he could think with pleasure of his own im-

portance and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely

in being civil to all the world. For, though elated by his

rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he

was all attention to everybody. By nature inoffensive,

friendly, and obliging, his presentation at St. James's had

made him courteous.

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever

to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs. Bennet. They had sev-

eral children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent

young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's inti-

mate friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet

to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morn-

ing after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to

hear and to communicate.

_'You_ began the evening well, Charlotte,' said Mrs. Bennet,

with civil self-command, to Miss Lucas. _'You_ were Mr.

Bingley's first choice.'

'Yes; but he seemed to like his second better.'

'Oh, you mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with

her twice. To be sure that _did_ seem as if he admired her --

indeed, I rather believe he _did_ -- I heard something about it --

but I hardly know what -- something about Mr. Robinson.'

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