"Pride and Prejudice"
by Jane Austen

  Previous Page   Next Page   Speaker On

     Mrs. Bennet, in short, was in very great spirits; she had seen enough of Bingley's behaviour to Jane, to be convinced that she would get him at last; and her expectations of advantage to her family, when in a happy humour, were so far beyond reason, that she was quite disappointed at not seeing him there again the next day, to make his proposals.

     "It has been a very agreeable day," said Miss Bennet to Elizabeth. "The party seemed so well selected, so suitable one with the other. I hope we may often meet again."

     Elizabeth smiled.

 

     "Lizzy, you must not do so. You must not suspect me. It mortifies me. I assure you that I have now learnt to enjoy his conversation as an agreeable and sensible young man, without having a wish beyond it. I am perfectly satisfied, from what his manners now are, that he never had any design of engaging my affection. It is only that he is blessed with greater sweetness of address, and a stronger desire of generally pleasing, than any other man."

     "You are very cruel," said her sister, "you will not let me smile, and are provoking me to it every moment."

     "How hard it is in some cases to be believed!"

 
Text provided by Project Gutenberg.
Audio by LibriVox and performed by Karen Savage.
Web page presentation by LoudLit.org.