Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 109 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 109

Pride and Prejudice

to be got to-day. Lydia, my love, ring the bellI must

speak to Hill this moment.”

“It is not Mr. Bingley,” said her husband; “it is a

person whom I never saw in the whole course of my

life.”

This roused a general astonishment; and he had the

pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and

his five daughters at once.

After amusing himself some time with their curios-

ity, he thus explained:

“About a month ago I received this letter; and about

a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of

some delicacy, and requiring early attention. It is from

my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn

you all out of this house as soon as he pleases.”

“Oh! my dear,” cried his wife, “I cannot bear to hear

that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I

do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your

estate should be entailed away from your own children;

and I am sure, if I had been you, I should have tried long

ago to do something or other about it.”

Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain to her the nature

of an entail. They had often attempted to do it before,

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