5. Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen

Within a short walk of Longbourn lived a family with whom the Bennetts were particularly intimate. 

Mr William Lucas had been formerly in trade in Meryton, where he had made a tolerable fortune, and risen to the honour of knighthood by an address to the king during his mayorality.   The distinction had perhaps been felt too strongly.   It had given him a disgust to his business, and to his residence in a small market town: and in quitting them both, he had moved with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, denominated from that period Lucas Lodge, where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and unshackled business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world.  For though elated by his rank, it did not render him supercilious; on the contrary, he was all attention to everybody.  By nature inoffensive, friendly and obliging, his presentation at St James's had made him courteous. 

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbour to Mrs Bennett.  They had several children.  The eldest of them, a sensible intelligent young woman about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth's intimate friend. 

That the Miss Lucases and Miss Bennetts should meet to talk over a ball was absolutely necessary; and the morning after the assembly brought the former to Longbourn to hear and communicate. 

"YOU began the evening well, Charlotte," said Mrs Bennett with civil self-command to Miss Lucas.  "YOU were Mr Bingley's first choice."  T

"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 not I mention it to you? Mr Robinson's asking him how he liked our Meryton assemblies; and whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and WHICH he thought the prettiest?  and his answering immediately to the last question: 'Oh! the eldest Miss Bennett, beyond doubt; there cannot be two opinion on the point.'" 

"Upon my word!  Well, that is very decided indeed -- that did 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 would not put it into Lizzy's head to be vexed by his ill-treatment, for 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 ma'am? -- is not there a little mistake?" said Jane.  "I certainly saw Mr Darcy speaking to her."

"Aye, because she asked him at last how he liked Netherfield, and he could not help answering her; but she said he seemed quite angry at being spoke to."

"Miss Bingley told me," said Jane, "that he never speaks much, unless among his intimate acquaintances.  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 eat up with pride, and I dare say he had heard somehow that Mrs Long does not keep a carriage, and had come to hall in a hack Chaise ." 

"I do not mind his 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, it I were you."

"I believe ma'am, I am 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 him, if I may so express it, he has a right to be proud."

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

"Pride," observed Mary, who piqued herself upon 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; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary.  Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously.  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 young Lucas, who came with her sisters, "I should not care how proud I was.  I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine a day."

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

Miss Lucas protested that she should not, Mrs Bennett continued that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

The Chapter Ended 

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