{{prxprp286.jpg}} || 286 PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ||

Elizabeth did not know what to make of it. Had she not

seen him in Derbyshire, she might have supposed him capable

of coming there, with no other view than what was acknowledged;

but she still thought him partial to Jane, and she wavered as to

the greater probability of his coming there with his friend's

permission, or being bold enough to come without it.

'Yet it is hard,' she sometimes thought, 'that this poor man

cannot come to a house, which he has legally hired, without

raising all this speculation! I will leave him to himself.'

In spite of what her sister declared, and really believed to be

her feelings, in the expectation of his arrival, Elizabeth could

easily perceive that her spirits were affected by it. They were

more disturbed, more unequal, than she had often seen

them.

The subject which had been so warmly canvassed between

their parents, about a twelvemonth ago, was now brought forward

again.

'As soon as ever Mr. Bingley comes, my dear,' said Mrs. Bennet,

'you will wait on him of course.'

'No, no. You forced me into visiting him last year, and

promised if I went to see him, he should marry one of my

daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on

a fool's errand again.'

His wife represented to him how absolutely necessary such an

attention would be from all the neighbouring gentlemen, on his

returning to Netherfield.

"Tis an etiquette I despise,' said he. 'If he wants our society,

let him seek it. He knows where we live. I will not spend my

hours in running after my neighbours every time they go away,

and come back again.'

'Well, all I know is, that it will be abominably rude if you do

not wait on him. But, however, that shan't prevent my asking

him to dine here, I am determined. We must have Mrs. Long

and the Gouldings soon. That will make thirteen with ourselves,

so there will be just room at table for him.'

Consoled by this resolution, she was the better able to bear her

husband's incivility; though it was very mortifying to know that

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