can, you know; and he seemed quite struck with Jane as she was going

down the dance. So he inquired who she was, and got introduced, and

asked her for the two next. Then, the two third he danced with Miss

King, and the two fourth with Maria Lucas, and the two fifth with Jane

again, and the two sixth with Lizzy, and the Boulanger——”
“If he had had any compassion for me,” cried her husband impatiently,

“he would not have danced half so much! For God’s sake, say no more of

his partners. O that he had sprained his ancle in the first dance!”
“Oh, my dear,” continued Mrs. Bennet, “I am quite delighted with him. He

is so excessively handsome! and his sisters are charming women. I never

in my life saw anything more elegant than their dresses. I dare say the

lace upon Mrs. Hurst’s gown——”
Here she was interrupted again. Mr. Bennet protested against any

description of finery. She was therefore obliged to seek another branch

of the subject, and related, with much bitterness of spirit, and some

exaggeration, the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy.
“But I can assure you,” she added, “that Lizzy does not lose much by not

suiting his fancy; for he is a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at

all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited, that there was no enduring

him! He walked here, and he walked there, fancying himself so very

great! Not handsome enough to dance with! I wish you had been there, my

dear, to have given him one of your set-downs. I quite detest the man.{18}”

CHAPTER IV.

WHEN Jane and Elizabeth were alone, the former, who had been cautious in

her praise of Mr. Bingley before, expressed to her sister how very much

she admired him.
“He is just what a young-man ought to be,” said she, “sensible,

good-humoured, lively; and I never saw such happy manners! so much ease,

with such perfect good breeding!”
“He is also handsome,” replied Elizabeth, “which a young man ought

likewise to be if he possibly can. His character is thereby complete.”