WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.759 Chapter 7 Mr. Bennet's property consisted almost 00:00:04.759 --> 00:00:07.719 entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, 00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:11.660 which, unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, 00:00:11.939 --> 00:00:15.199 in default of heir's mail, on a distant relation, 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:18.260 and their mother's fortune, though ample for 00:00:18.260 --> 00:00:21.420 her situation in life, could but ill supply the 00:00:21.420 --> 00:00:25.039 deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:28.120 in Meryton, and had left her four thousand pounds. 00:00:28.519 --> 00:00:31.600 She had a sister married to a Mr. Phillips who 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:34.020 had been a clerk to their father and succeeded 00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:36.740 him in the business, and a brother settled in 00:00:36.740 --> 00:00:40.240 London in a respectable line of trade. The village 00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:43.100 of Longbourn was only one mile from Merryton, 00:00:43.539 --> 00:00:46.000 a most convenient distance for the young ladies, 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:48.640 who were usually tempted thither three or four 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.359 times a week to pay their duty to their aunt 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:55.500 and to a milliner's shop just over the way. The 00:00:55.500 --> 00:00:58.179 two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia, 00:00:58.380 --> 00:01:00.899 were particularly frequent in these attentions. 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:04.379 Their minds were more vacant than their sister's, 00:01:04.519 --> 00:01:07.359 and when nothing better offered, a walk to Meryton 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.219 was necessary to amuse their morning hours and 00:01:10.219 --> 00:01:14.140 furnish conversation for the evening. And, however 00:01:14.140 --> 00:01:16.599 bare of news the country in general might be, 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:19.760 they always contrived to learn some from their 00:01:19.760 --> 00:01:24.060 aunt. At present, indeed, they were well supplied 00:01:24.060 --> 00:01:27.500 both with news and happiness, by the recent arrival 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.540 of a militia regiment in the neighborhood. It 00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:33.480 was to remain the whole winter, and Meryton was 00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:36.420 the headquarters. Their visits to Mrs. Phillips 00:01:36.420 --> 00:01:39.319 were now productive of the most interesting intelligence. 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:42.040 Every day added something to their knowledge 00:01:42.040 --> 00:01:45.239 of the officers' names and connections. Their 00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:48.299 lodgings were not long a secret, and at length 00:01:48.299 --> 00:01:52.280 they began to know the officers themselves. Mr. 00:01:52.420 --> 00:01:55.079 Phillips visited them all. and this opened to 00:01:55.079 --> 00:01:58.219 his nieces a store of felicity unknown before. 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:01.939 They could talk of nothing but officers, and 00:02:01.939 --> 00:02:05.180 Mr. Bingley's large fortune, the mention of which 00:02:05.180 --> 00:02:07.879 gave animation to their mother, was worthless 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:10.439 in their eyes when opposed to the regimentals 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:13.439 of an ensign. After listening one morning to 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:16.719 their effusions on this subject, Mr. Bennet coolly 00:02:16.719 --> 00:02:19.939 observed, From all that I can collect by your 00:02:19.939 --> 00:02:23.509 manner of talking, You must be two of the silliest 00:02:23.509 --> 00:02:26.830 girls in the country. I have suspected it some 00:02:26.830 --> 00:02:30.310 time, but I am now convinced." Catherine was 00:02:30.310 --> 00:02:33.909 disconcerted, and made no answer, but Lydia, 00:02:34.050 --> 00:02:36.990 with perfect indifference, continued to express 00:02:36.990 --> 00:02:39.889 her admiration of Captain Carter, and her hope 00:02:39.889 --> 00:02:42.310 of seeing him in the course of the day, as he 00:02:42.310 --> 00:02:52.199 was going the next morning to London. If I wished 00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:55.000 to think slightingly of anybody's children, it 00:02:55.000 --> 00:02:58.360 should not be of my own, however. If my children 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:01.520 are silly, I must hope to be always sensible 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:05.479 of it. Yes, but as it happens they are all of 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:09.039 them very clever. This is the only point, I flatter 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.639 myself, on which we do not agree. I had hoped 00:03:12.639 --> 00:03:15.379 that our sentiments coincided in every particular. 00:03:15.849 --> 00:03:18.870 but I must so far differ from you as to think 00:03:18.870 --> 00:03:21.909 our two youngest daughters uncommonly foolish. 00:03:22.750 --> 00:03:26.050 My dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect such 00:03:26.050 --> 00:03:28.250 girls to have the sense of their father and mother. 00:03:28.849 --> 00:03:31.550 When they get to our age, I dare say they will 00:03:31.550 --> 00:03:34.050 not think about officers any more than we do. 00:03:34.729 --> 00:03:37.430 I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself 00:03:37.430 --> 00:03:41.629 very well, and indeed, so I do still at my heart. 00:03:41.979 --> 00:03:45.080 And if a smart young Colonel, with five or six 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:47.699 thousand a year, should want one of my girls, 00:03:48.139 --> 00:03:51.639 I shall not say nay to him." And I thought Colonel 00:03:51.639 --> 00:03:53.719 Forster looked very becoming the other night 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:57.300 at Sir William's in his regimentals. "'Mama,' 00:03:57.300 --> 00:04:00.259 cried Lydia, "'my aunt says that Colonel Forster 00:04:00.259 --> 00:04:03.259 and Captain Carter do not go so often to Miss 00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:06.060 Watson's as they did when they first came. She 00:04:06.060 --> 00:04:08.919 sees them now very often standing in Clark's 00:04:08.919 --> 00:04:12.159 library." Mrs. Bennet was prevented replying 00:04:12.159 --> 00:04:14.219 by the entrance of the footman with a note for 00:04:14.219 --> 00:04:17.420 Miss Bennet. It came from Netherfield, and the 00:04:17.420 --> 00:04:21.100 servant waited for an answer. Mrs. Bennet's eyes 00:04:21.100 --> 00:04:23.899 sparkled with pleasure, and she was eagerly calling 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:27.459 out while her daughter read, Well, Jane, who 00:04:27.459 --> 00:04:30.660 is it from? What is it about? What does he say? 00:04:31.480 --> 00:04:34.600 Well, Jane, make haste and tell us. Make haste, 00:04:34.639 --> 00:04:37.759 my love. It is from Miss Bingley, said Jane, 00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:41.879 and then read it aloud. My dear friend, if you 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:44.500 are not so compassionate as to dine today with 00:04:44.500 --> 00:04:47.319 Louisa and me, we shall be in danger of hating 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:49.939 each other for the rest of our lives, for a whole 00:04:49.939 --> 00:04:52.699 day's tete -a -tete between two women can never 00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:56.160 end without a quarrel. Come as soon as you can 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:59.379 on receipt of this. My brother and the gentleman 00:04:59.379 --> 00:05:03.579 are to dine with the officers. Yours ever, Caroline 00:05:03.579 --> 00:05:09.279 Bingley." I wonder my aunt did not tell us of 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:12.959 that?" "'Dining out,' said Mrs. Bennet. That 00:05:12.959 --> 00:05:16.500 is very unlucky." "'Can I have the carriage?' 00:05:16.500 --> 00:05:20.379 said Jane. "'No, my dear. You had better go on 00:05:20.379 --> 00:05:23.620 horseback, because it seems likely to rain, and 00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:26.620 then you must stay all night.' "'That would be 00:05:26.620 --> 00:05:29.339 a good scheme,' said Elizabeth, if you were sure 00:05:29.339 --> 00:05:32.220 that they would not offer to send her home. "'Oh, 00:05:32.220 --> 00:05:34.279 but the gentleman will have Mr. Bingley's chaise 00:05:34.279 --> 00:05:36.959 to go to Meryton.' And the hearths have no horses 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:40.279 to theirs. I had much rather go in the coach. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:44.040 But, my dear, your father cannot spare the horses, 00:05:44.120 --> 00:05:47.379 I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, 00:05:47.500 --> 00:05:50.639 are they not? They are wanted in the farm much 00:05:50.639 --> 00:05:53.339 oftener than I can get them. But if you have 00:05:53.339 --> 00:05:56.199 got them today," said Elizabeth, my mother's 00:05:56.199 --> 00:05:59.319 purpose will be answered. She did at last extort 00:05:59.319 --> 00:06:01.500 from her father an acknowledgment that the horses 00:06:01.500 --> 00:06:05.480 were engaged. Jane was therefore obliged to go 00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:07.920 on horseback, and her mother attended her to 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.620 the door with many cheerful prognostics of a 00:06:10.620 --> 00:06:15.279 bad day. Her hopes were answered. Jane had not 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:18.839 been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters 00:06:18.839 --> 00:06:21.740 were uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. 00:06:23.240 --> 00:06:25.759 The rain continued the whole evening without 00:06:25.759 --> 00:06:29.100 intermission. Jane certainly could not come back. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:32.620 This was a lucky idea of mine indeed, said Mrs. 00:06:32.779 --> 00:06:35.439 Bennet more than once, as if the credit of making 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:39.079 it rain were all her own. Till the next morning, 00:06:39.259 --> 00:06:41.939 however, she was not aware of all the felicity 00:06:41.939 --> 00:06:45.639 of her contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over 00:06:45.639 --> 00:06:48.100 when a servant from Netherfield brought the following 00:06:48.100 --> 00:06:52.180 note for Elizabeth. My dearest Lizzie, I find 00:06:52.180 --> 00:06:55.420 myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, 00:06:55.899 --> 00:06:58.779 is to be imputed to my getting wet through yesterday. 00:06:59.420 --> 00:07:02.379 My kind friends will not hear of my returning 00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:05.939 till I am better. They insist also on my seeing 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:10.120 Mr. Jones. Therefore, do not be alarmed if you 00:07:10.120 --> 00:07:14.000 should hear of his having been to me. And, excepting 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.800 a sore throat and headache, there is not much 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:21.360 the matter with me. Yours, etc." Well, my dear," 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:23.600 said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had read the 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:26.839 note aloud, if your daughter should have a dangerous 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:30.230 fit of illness, If she should die, it would be 00:07:30.230 --> 00:07:32.509 a comfort to know that it was all in pursuit 00:07:32.509 --> 00:07:36.209 of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders. Oh, I 00:07:36.209 --> 00:07:38.930 am not afraid of her dying. People do not die 00:07:38.930 --> 00:07:42.370 of little trifling colds. She will be taken good 00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:45.230 care of. As long as she stays there, it is all 00:07:45.230 --> 00:07:48.290 very well. I would go and see her if I could 00:07:48.290 --> 00:07:51.389 have the carriage. Elizabeth, feeling really 00:07:51.389 --> 00:07:53.970 anxious, was determined to go to her, though 00:07:53.970 --> 00:07:56.519 the carriage was not to be had. and as she was 00:07:56.519 --> 00:07:59.339 no horsewoman, walking was her only alternative. 00:07:59.899 --> 00:08:03.600 She declared her resolution. How can you be so 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.540 silly, cried her mother, as to think of such 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:09.939 a thing, in all this dirt? You will not be fit 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:13.180 to be seen when you get there. I shall be very 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:17.300 fit to see Jane, which is all I want. Is this 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:20.300 a hint to me, Lizzy, said her father, to send 00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:23.959 for the horses? No, indeed. I do not wish to 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:26.610 avoid the walk. The distance is nothing when 00:08:26.610 --> 00:08:30.189 one has a motive. Only three miles. I shall be 00:08:30.189 --> 00:08:33.210 back by dinner. I admire the activity of your 00:08:33.210 --> 00:08:36.830 benevolence," observed Mary. But every impulse 00:08:36.830 --> 00:08:39.789 of feeling should be guided by reason, and, in 00:08:39.789 --> 00:08:42.950 my opinion, exertion should always be in proportion 00:08:42.950 --> 00:08:46.049 to what is required. We will go as far as Meryton 00:08:46.049 --> 00:08:49.429 with you," said Catherine and Lydia. Elizabeth 00:08:49.429 --> 00:08:52.110 accepted their company, and the three young ladies 00:08:52.110 --> 00:08:55.629 set off together. "'If we make haste,' said Lydia 00:08:55.629 --> 00:08:58.389 as they walked along, "'perhaps we may see something 00:08:58.389 --> 00:09:01.610 of Captain Carter before he goes.' In Meryton 00:09:01.610 --> 00:09:04.690 they parted. The two youngest repaired to the 00:09:04.690 --> 00:09:07.549 lodgings of one of the officer's wives, and Elizabeth 00:09:07.549 --> 00:09:10.789 continued her walk alone, crossing field after 00:09:10.789 --> 00:09:13.990 field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and 00:09:13.990 --> 00:09:16.389 springing over puddles with impatient activity, 00:09:16.850 --> 00:09:19.509 and finding herself at last within view of the 00:09:19.509 --> 00:09:23.429 house, with weary ankles, dirty stockings, and 00:09:23.429 --> 00:09:26.809 a face glowing with the warmth of exercise. She 00:09:26.809 --> 00:09:29.190 was shown into the breakfast parlour, where all 00:09:29.190 --> 00:09:31.889 but Jane were assembled, and where her appearance 00:09:31.889 --> 00:09:35.409 created a great deal of surprise. That she should 00:09:35.409 --> 00:09:37.990 have walked three miles so early in the day, 00:09:38.309 --> 00:09:41.870 in such dirty weather, and by herself, was almost 00:09:41.870 --> 00:09:44.950 incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, and 00:09:44.950 --> 00:09:47.289 Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in 00:09:47.289 --> 00:09:51.009 contempt for it. She was received, however, very 00:09:51.009 --> 00:09:53.710 politely by them. And in their brother's manners 00:09:53.710 --> 00:09:56.330 there was something better than politeness, there 00:09:56.330 --> 00:10:00.370 was good humour and kindness. Mr. Darcy said 00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:04.750 very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The 00:10:04.750 --> 00:10:07.149 former was divided between admiration of the 00:10:07.149 --> 00:10:10.049 brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion, 00:10:10.570 --> 00:10:13.230 and doubt as to the occasions justifying her 00:10:13.230 --> 00:10:16.690 coming so far alone. The latter was thinking 00:10:16.690 --> 00:10:19.919 only of his breakfast. Her inquiries after her 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.879 sister were not very favourably answered. Miss 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.820 Bennet had slept ill, and though up, was very 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:28.580 feverish, and not well enough to leave her room. 00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:32.179 Elizabeth was glad to be taken to her immediately, 00:10:32.700 --> 00:10:35.620 and Jane, who had only been withheld by the fear 00:10:35.620 --> 00:10:38.700 of giving alarm or inconvenience, from expressing 00:10:38.700 --> 00:10:41.679 in her note how much she longed for such a visit, 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:46.139 was delighted at her entrance. She was not equal, 00:10:46.179 --> 00:10:49.240 however, to much conversation, and when Miss 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:51.659 Bingley left them together, could attempt little 00:10:51.659 --> 00:10:54.860 besides expressions of gratitude for the extraordinary 00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:58.820 kindness she was treated with. Elizabeth silently 00:10:58.820 --> 00:11:01.820 attended her. When breakfast was over they were 00:11:01.820 --> 00:11:04.620 joined by the sisters, and Elizabeth began to 00:11:04.620 --> 00:11:07.440 like them herself when she saw how much affection 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.179 and solicitude they showed for Jane. The apothecary 00:11:11.179 --> 00:11:14.259 came, and having examined his patient, said, 00:11:14.399 --> 00:11:17.700 as might be supposed, that she had caught a violent 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:20.220 cold, and that they must endeavour to get the 00:11:20.220 --> 00:11:23.860 better of it, advised her to return to bed, and 00:11:23.860 --> 00:11:27.480 promised her some draughts. The advice was followed 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.399 readily, for the feverish symptoms increased, 00:11:30.779 --> 00:11:34.840 and her head ached acutely. Elizabeth did not 00:11:34.840 --> 00:11:37.600 quit her room for a moment, nor were the other 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:40.659 ladies often absent. The gentlemen being out, 00:11:40.779 --> 00:11:44.340 they had, in fact, nothing to do elsewhere. When 00:11:44.340 --> 00:11:46.879 the clock struck three, Elizabeth felt that she 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:51.139 must go, and very unwillingly said so. Miss Bingley 00:11:51.139 --> 00:11:53.559 offered her the carriage, and she only wanted 00:11:53.559 --> 00:11:56.860 a little pressing to accept it, when Jane testified 00:11:56.860 --> 00:11:59.860 such concern in parting with her that Miss Bingley 00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:02.259 was obliged to convert the offer of the chaise 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:04.879 to an invitation to remain at Netherfield for 00:12:04.879 --> 00:12:08.879 the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, 00:12:09.279 --> 00:12:12.039 and a servant was dispatched to Longbourn to 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.399 acquaint the family with her stay, and bring 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.740 back a supply of clothes.