Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 21 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 21

Pride and Prejudice

starting the idea of his being gone to London only to

get a large party for the ball; and a report soon followed

that Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve ladies and seven

gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls grieved

over such a number of ladies, but were comforted the

day before the ball by hearing, that instead of twelve he

brought only six with him from London his five sisters

and a cousin. And when the party entered the assembly

room it consisted of only five altogether Mr. Bingley,

his two sisters, the husband of the eldest, and another

young man.

Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike;

he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected

manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of

decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely

looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon

drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person,

handsome features, noble mien, and the report which

was in general circulation within five minutes after

his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The

gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a

man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than

Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration

for about half the evening, till his manners gave a

disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he

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