and some time afterwards from the two elegant ladies who waited on his

sisters. In spite of this amendment,{54} however, she requested to have a

note sent to Longbourn, desiring her mother to visit Jane, and form her

own judgment of her situation. The note was immediately despatched, and

its contents as quickly complied with. Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her

two youngest girls, reached Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.
Had she found Jane in any apparent danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been

very miserable; but being satisfied on seeing her that her illness was

not alarming, she had no wish of her recovering immediately, as her

restoration to health would probably remove her from Netherfield. She

would not listen, therefore, to her daughter’s proposal of being carried

home; neither did the apothecary, who arrived about the same time, think

it at all advisable. After sitting a little while with Jane, on Miss

Bingley’s appearance and invitation, the mother and three daughters all

attended her into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes

that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.
“Indeed I have, sir,” was her answer. “She is a great deal too ill to be

moved. Mr. Jones says we must not think of moving her. We must trespass

a little longer on your kindness.”
“Removed!” cried Bingley. “It must not be thought of. My sister, I am

sure, will not hear of her removal.”
“You may depend upon it, madam,” said Miss Bingley, with cold civility,

“that Miss Bennet shall receive every possible attention while she

remains with us.”
Mrs. Bennet was profuse in her acknowledgments.
“I am sure,” she added, “if it was not for such good friends, I do not

know what would become of her, for she is very ill indeed, and suffers a

vast deal, though with the greatest patience in the world, which is

always{55} the way with her, for she has, without exception, the sweetest