Chapter 5

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family the Bennets knew very well. Sir William Lucas had once been in trade in Meryton. He had made a fair fortune there, and had risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king while he was mayor. Perhaps he had felt that distinction too strongly. It had given him a dislike of his business and of his home in a small market town. So he gave up both, and moved with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton. From that time the house was called Lucas Lodge. There Sir William could think with pleasure of his own importance. Free of business, he could spend himself entirely on being civil to all the world. Though his rank made him proud, it did not make him look down on others. On the contrary, he was all attention to everybody. By nature he was harmless, friendly, and obliging. After his presentation to the king at St. James's, he was courteous as well.

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman. She was not too clever, which made her a fine neighbour for Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest, Charlotte, was a sensible, intelligent young woman of about twenty-seven. She was also Elizabeth's close friend.

That the Miss Lucases and the Miss Bennets should meet to talk over a ball was only natural. So the morning after the assembly brought the Lucas girls to Longbourn, to hear and to tell.

"You began the evening well, Charlotte," said Mrs. Bennet to Miss Lucas, with careful civility. "You were Mr. Bingley's first choice."

"Yes, but he seemed to like his second better."

"Oh, you mean Jane, I suppose, because he danced with her twice. To be sure, that did seem as if he admired her. Indeed, I rather believe he did. I heard something about it, but I hardly know what. Something about Mr. Robinson."

"Perhaps you mean what I overheard between him and Mr. Robinson. Did I not tell you about it? Mr. Robinson asked him how he liked our Meryton assemblies, and whether he thought there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest. And to the last question he answered at once, 'Oh, the eldest Miss Bennet, beyond a doubt. There cannot be two opinions on that point.'"

"Upon my word! Well, that was very decided, indeed. That does seem as if — but, however, it may all come to nothing, you know."

"My overhearings were more to the purpose than yours, Eliza," said Charlotte. "Mr. Darcy is not so well worth listening to as his friend, is he? Poor Eliza! To be only just tolerable."

"I beg you will not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed by his ill treatment. He is such a disagreeable man that it would be quite a misfortune to be liked by him. Mrs. Long told me last night that he sat close to her for half an hour without once opening his lips."

"Are you quite sure, Mother? Is there not a little mistake?" said Jane. "I certainly saw Mr. Darcy speaking to her."

"Ay, because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he could not help answering her. But she said he seemed very angry at being spoken to."

"Miss Bingley told me," said Jane, "that he never speaks much unless he is among his close friends. With them he is remarkably agreeable."

"I do not believe a word of it, my dear. If he had been so very agreeable, he would have talked to Mrs. Long. But I can guess how it was. Everybody says that he is eaten up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs. Long does not keep a carriage, and had to come to the ball in a hired chaise."

"I do not mind his not talking to Mrs. Long," said Miss Lucas, "but I wish he had danced with Eliza."

"Another time, Lizzy," said her mother, "I would not dance with him, if I were you."

"I believe, Mother, I may safely promise you never to dance with him."

"His pride," said Miss Lucas, "does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud."

"That is very true," replied Elizabeth, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."

"Pride," observed Mary, who prided herself on the solidity of her reflections, "is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed. Human nature is particularly prone to it, and there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self satisfaction on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used to mean the same. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves; vanity, to what we would have others think of us."

"If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy," cried a young Lucas, who had come with his sisters, "I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine every day."

"Then you would drink a great deal more than you ought," said Mrs. Bennet, "and if I were to see you at it, I should take your bottle away directly."

The boy protested that she should not. She went on declaring that she would. And the argument ended only with the visit.