{{prxprp025.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 25 ||

I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well --

and indeed so I do still at my heart; and if a smart young colonel,

with five or six thousand a^year, should want one of my girls,

I shall not say nay to him; and I thought Colonel Forster looked

very becoming the other night at Sir William's in his regimentals.'

'Mamma,' cried Lydia, 'my aunt says that Colonel Forrest and

Captain Carter do not go so often to Miss Watson's as they did

when they first came; she sees them now very often standing in

Clarke's library.'

Mrs. Bennet was prevented replying by the entrance of the

footman with a note for Miss Bennet; it came from Netherfield,

and the servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled

with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling out, while her

daughter read,

'Well, Jane, who is it from? what is it about; what does he

say? well, Jane, make haste and tell us; make haste, my

love.'

'It is from Miss Bingley,' said Jane, and then read it aloud.

> 'My dear Friend,

> 'If you are not so compassionate as to dine fcvday with Louisa and

> me, we shall be in danger of hating each other for the rest of our lives,

> for a whole day's tetca'tete between two women can never end without

> a quarrel. Come as soon as you can on the receipt of this. My brother

> and the gentlemen are to dine with the officers. Yours ever,

> Caroline Bingley.'

'With the officers!' cried Lydia. 'I wonder my aunt did not

tell us of that.'

'Dining out,' said Mrs. Bennet, 'that is very unlucky.*

'Can I have the carriage?' said Jane.

'No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems

likely to rain; and then you must stay all night.'

'That would be a good scheme,' said Elizabeth, 'if you were

sure that they would not offer to send her home.'

'Oh! but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go

to Meryton; and the Hursts have no horses to theirs.'

'I had much rather go in the coach.'

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