{{prxprp295.jpg}} || PRIDE AND PREJUDICE 295 ||

joined by him, when all her views were overthrown, by seeing

him fall a victim to her mother's rapacity for whist players, and

in a few moments after seated with the rest of the party. She

now lost every expectation of pleasure. They were confined for

the evening at different tables, and she had nothing to hope, but

that his eyes were so often turned towards her side of the room, as

to make him play as unsuccessfully as herself

Mrs. Bennet had designed to keep the two Netherfield gentlemen

to supper; but their carriage was unluckily ordered before any of

the others, and she had no opportunity of detaining them.

'Well, girls,' said she, as soon as they were left to themselves,

'what say you to the day? I think everything has passed off

uncommonly well, I assure you. The dinner was as well dressed

as any I ever saw. The venison was roasted to a turn -- and

every body said, they never saw so fat a haunch. The soup was

fifty times better than what we had at the Lucases last week; and

even Mr. Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably

well done; and I suppose he has two or three French cooks at

least. And, my dear Jane, I never saw you look in greater beauty.

Mrs. Long said so too, for I asked her whether you did not. And

what do you think she said besides?

'"Ah! Mrs. Bennet, we shall have her at Netherfield at last."

She did indeed. I do think Mrs. Long is as good a creature as

ever lived -- and her nieces are very pretty behaved girls, and

not at all handsome: I like them prodigiously.'

Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen

enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane, to be convinced that she

would get him at last; and her expectations of advantage to her

family, when in a happy humour, were so far beyond reason, that

she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next

day, to make his proposals.

'It has been a very agreeable day,' said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth.

'The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other.

I hope we may often meet again.'

Elizabeth smiled.

'Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It

mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his

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