wanted a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified such concern

at parting with her that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer

of the chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the

present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant was

despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring

back a supply of clothes.
{45}

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CHAPTER VIII.

AT five o’clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six

Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquiries which then

poured in, and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the

much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley, she could not make a very

favourable answer.{46} Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on hearing

this, repeated three or four times how much they were grieved, how

shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively they disliked

being ill themselves; and then thought no more of the matter: and their

indifference towards Jane, when not immediately before them, restored

Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her original dislike.
Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she could

regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane was evident, and his

attentions to herself most pleasing; and they prevented her feeling

herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered by the

others. She had very little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley was

engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for Mr.

Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to

eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he found her prefer a plain

dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her.
When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley

began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were

pronounced to be very bad indeed,—a mixture of pride and impertinence: