Pride and Prejudice — Chapter Three (Abridged)

Mrs. Bennet and her daughters were eager to learn everything they could about Mr. Bingley, but Mr. Bennet refused to satisfy their curiosity. No matter how many direct questions, guesses, or hints they used, he would not give them a clear description. At last they had to depend on information from Lady Lucas, whose report was very favorable. Sir William Lucas had been delighted with Mr. Bingley. He was said to be young, handsome, agreeable, and determined to attend the next assembly with a large party. Since a love of dancing was often thought to lead toward love itself, the Bennet family began to form lively hopes about him.

Mrs. Bennet declared that if she could only see one of her daughters happily settled at Netherfield, and the others equally well married, she would have nothing more to wish for. Soon afterward, Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet’s visit and spent a short time with him in the library. He had hoped perhaps to see the young ladies, whose beauty had already been spoken of, but he saw only their father. The ladies, however, managed to observe from an upstairs window that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse.

An invitation to dinner was sent to Netherfield soon after, and Mrs. Bennet had already planned an excellent meal before Mr. Bingley’s answer arrived. He was obliged to go to town the next day and therefore could not accept. Mrs. Bennet was greatly disappointed and began to fear that he would always be hurrying from one place to another instead of settling properly at Netherfield. Lady Lucas comforted her by suggesting that he had gone to London only to bring a large party to the ball. A report soon spread that he would arrive with twelve ladies and seven gentlemen. The girls were unhappy at the thought of so many ladies, but their fears were lessened when they heard that he would bring only his five sisters and a cousin. In fact, when the party entered the assembly room, it consisted only of Mr. Bingley, his two sisters, his brother-in-law Mr. Hurst, and another gentleman, Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Bingley was good-looking, pleasant, and easy in his manners. His sisters were fashionable, and Mr. Hurst looked like a gentleman. But it was Mr. Darcy who first attracted the greatest attention. He was tall, handsome, and noble in appearance, and it was soon reported that he had ten thousand a year. For half the evening, everyone admired him greatly. Then his manners ruined everything. He was discovered to be proud, distant, and above the company around him. Before long, people considered him the most disagreeable man in the room.

Mr. Bingley, by contrast, quickly made himself liked by everyone. He danced every dance, spoke cheerfully, and seemed delighted with the evening. Mr. Darcy danced only twice, once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, refused to be introduced to any other lady, and spent much of the ball walking about the room. Mrs. Bennet especially disliked him because he had slighted Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had been forced to sit down for two dances because there were not enough gentlemen. During one of those times, Mr. Bingley urged his friend to dance.

“Come, Darcy,” said he, “I must have you dance. I hate to see you standing about in this stupid manner.”

Darcy replied that he hated dancing unless he knew his partner well. At such an assembly, he said, it would be unbearable. Bingley answered that he had never seen so many pleasant girls in his life. Darcy observed that Bingley was dancing with the only handsome girl in the room, meaning Jane Bennet. Bingley then pointed out Elizabeth, sitting just behind him, and suggested that she was pretty and likely agreeable. He offered to ask for an introduction.

Darcy turned, looked at Elizabeth, and then said coldly, “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me.” He added that he was not in the mood to pay attention to young ladies neglected by other men. Elizabeth heard the remark and naturally did not feel warmly toward him, though her lively temper allowed her to repeat the story playfully among her friends later.

The evening as a whole was a happy one for the Bennet family. Jane had been greatly admired and had danced twice with Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth shared Jane’s pleasure. Mary was pleased to be called accomplished, and Kitty and Lydia cared only that they had never lacked partners. When they returned home, Mrs. Bennet eagerly told Mr. Bennet every detail. She praised Mr. Bingley’s admiration of Jane and his handsome appearance, but reserved all her bitterness for Mr. Darcy, whom she declared to be proud, conceited, and not worth pleasing at all.