Pride and Prejudice — Chapter Fifty-Three (Abridged )

After the wedding, Lydia and Wickham left Longbourn for Newcastle, far in the north, where Wickham's regiment was stationed. Mrs. Bennet said a tearful goodbye to her daughter.

Wickham's farewells were warmer than his wife's. He smiled, looked handsome, and said many pretty things. But as soon as the carriage was gone, Mr. Bennet said, "He is as fine a fellow as ever I saw. He simpers and smirks, and makes love to us all." Elizabeth knew her father was being sarcastic.

Mrs. Bennet was gloomy for several days. But soon a piece of gossip cheered her up. The housekeeper at Netherfield had received orders to prepare for her master. Mr. Bingley was coming back, to shoot in the countryside for several weeks.

Mrs. Bennet could not contain her excitement. Although she pretended not to care, she told her sister all about it. "He is nothing to us, you know," she said. "But he is very welcome to come to Netherfield, if he likes it. And who knows what may happen?"

Jane heard the news without changing her expression, but Elizabeth could see that she was disturbed. In private, Jane said, "I assure you the news does not affect me. I am glad of one thing, that he comes alone. Not that I am afraid of myself, but I dread other people's remarks."

Then Mr. and Mrs. Bennet argued about it again. "As soon as ever Mr. Bingley comes, my dear," said Mrs. Bennet, "you will wait on him, of course." "No, no," answered her husband. "You forced me into visiting him last year, and promised he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again."

"I begin to be sorry that he comes at all," Jane told Elizabeth. "My mother means well; but she does not know how much I suffer from what she says. Happy shall I be when his stay at Netherfield is over!"

At last Mr. Bingley arrived. On the third morning, Mrs. Bennet saw him from her window, riding towards the house — and he was not alone. Mr. Darcy was with him. Elizabeth went to the window, saw Darcy, and quickly sat down again. Mrs. Bennet declared that any friend of Mr. Bingley's would always be welcome, but she hated the very sight of Mr. Darcy.

Both sisters felt uncomfortable. Elizabeth felt even worse than Jane, because Jane did not know the whole truth: it was Darcy who had saved Lydia from ruin, by finding Wickham and paying for the wedding. Elizabeth's feelings towards him had changed completely since she read his letter.

When the gentlemen came in, Jane received them calmly. Darcy looked serious. He asked after Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, and then said scarcely anything more. Elizabeth noticed that he often looked at Jane. She was disappointed, and angry with herself for being so.

Mrs. Bennet talked a great deal, to the embarrassment of her daughters. She told Bingley all about Lydia's wedding. Elizabeth was too ashamed to lift her eyes.

Then Elizabeth saw something that gave her hope. At first Bingley had spoken little to Jane, but every few minutes he gave her more of his attention. His admiration for her seemed to grow again.

When the gentlemen rose to leave, Mrs. Bennet invited them to dine at Longbourn in a few days. She reminded Bingley of his broken promise to dine with them last winter. She had wanted to ask them to stay that day, but she decided that nothing less than two courses would be good enough for a man with ten thousand a year.