—fromPrideandPrejudice(Chapter1)
JaneAusten
Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledged, thatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortunemustbeinwantofawife.
Howeverlittleknownthefeelingsorviewsofsuchamanmaybeonhisfirstenteringaneighbourhood, thistruthissowellfixedinthemindsofthesurroundingfamilies, thatheisconsideredastherightfulpropertyofsomeoneorotheroftheirdaughters.
“,”saidhisladytohimoneday, “haveyouheardthatNetherfieldParkisletatlast?”
.
“Butitis,”returnedshe; “, andshetoldmeallaboutit.”
.
“Donotyouwanttoknowwhohastakenit?”criedhiswifeimpatiently.
“Youwanttotellme, andIhavenoobjectiontohearingit.”
Thiswasinvitationenough.
“Why, mydear, youmustknow, ; thathecamedownonMondayinachaiseandfourtoseetheplace, ; thatheistotakepossessionbeforeMichaelmas, andsomeofhisservantsaretobeinthehousebytheendofnextweek.”
“Whatishisname?”
“Bingley.”
“Ishemarriedorsingle?”
“Oh! single, mydear, tobesure! Asinglemanoflargefortune; !”
“Howso? Howcanitaffectthem?”
“,”repliedhiswife, “howcanyoubesotiresome! YoumustknowthatIamthinkingofhismarryingoneofthem.”
“Isthathisdesigninsettlinghere?”
“Design! Nonsense, howcanyoutalkso! Butitisverylikelythathemayfallinlovewithoneofthem, andthereforeyoumustvisithimassoonashecomes.”
“, oryoumaysendthembythemselves, whichperhapswillbestillbetter; for, asyouareashandsomeasanyofthem, .”
“Mydear, , , sheoughttogiveoverthinkingofherownbeauty.”
“Insuchcases, awomanhasnotoftenmuchbeautytothinkof.”
“But, mydear, .”
“ItismorethanIengagefor, Iassureyou.”
