Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledged,thatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortune,mustbeinwantofawife.Howeverlittleknownthefeelingsorviewsofsuchamanmaybeonhisenteringaneighbourhood,thistruthissowellfixedinthemindsofthesurroundingfamilies,thatheisconsideredastherightfulpropertyofsomeoneorotheroftheirdaughters.“MydearMr.Bennet,”saidhisladytohimoneday,“haveyouheardthatNetherfieldParkisletatlast?”
Mr.Bennetrepliedthathehadnot.“Butitis,”returnedshe,“forMrs.Longhasjustbeenhere,andshetoldmeallaboutit.”Mr.Bennetmadenoanswer.“Donotyouwanttoknowwhohastakenit?”“Youwanttotellme,andIhavenoobjectiontohearingit.”Thiswasinvitationenough.“Why,mydear,youmustknow,
Mrs.LongsaysthatNetherfieldistakenbyayoungmanoflargefortunefromthenorthofEngland;thathecamedownonMondayinachaiseandfourtoseetheplace,andwassomuchdelightedwithitthatheagreedwithMr.Morrisimmediately;thatheistotakepossessionbeforeMichaelmas,andsomeofhisservantsaretobeinthehousebytheendofnextweek.”“Whatishisname?”“Bingley.”“Ishemarriedorsingle?”“Oh,single,mydear,tobesure!
Asinglemanoflargefortune;fourorfivethousandayear.Whatafinethingforourgirls!”“Howso?Howcanitaffectthem?”“MydearMr.Bennet,”repliedhiswife,“howcanyoubesotiresome!YoumustknowthatIamthinkingofhismarryingoneofthem.”“Isthathisdesigninsettlinghere?”“Design!Nonsense,howcanyoutalkso!Butitisverylikelythathemayfallinlovewithoneofthem,andthereforeyoumustvisithimassoonashecomes.”
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