“I was very much flattered by his asking me to dance a second time. I

did not expect such a compliment.”
“Did not you? I did for you. But that is one great difference between

us. Compliments always take you by surprise, and me never. What

could be more natural than his asking you again? He could not help

seeing that you{19} were about five times as pretty as every other woman in

the room. No thanks to his gallantry for that. Well, he certainly is

very agreeable, and I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a

stupider person.”
“Dear Lizzy!”
“Oh, you are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general.

You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable

in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in my life.”
“I would wish not to be hasty in censuring anyone; but I always speak

what I think.”
“I know you do: and it is that which makes the wonder. With your

good sense, to be so honestly blind to the follies and nonsense of

others! Affectation of candour is common enough; one meets with it

everywhere. But to be candid without ostentation or design,—to take the

good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing

of the bad,—belongs to you alone. And so, you like this man’s sisters,

too, do you? Their manners are not equal to his.”
“Certainly not, at first; but they are very pleasing women when you

converse with them. Miss Bingley is to live with her brother, and keep

his house; and I am much mistaken if we shall not find a very charming

neighbour in her.”
Elizabeth listened in silence, but was not convinced: their behaviour at

the assembly had not been calculated to please in general; and with more

quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and

with a judgment, too, unassailed by any attention to herself, she was

very little disposed to approve them. They were, in fact, very fine