Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 239 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 239

Pride and Prejudice

culty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and

within view of his own warehouses, could have been so

well-bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was sev-

eral years younger than Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Phillips,

was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a

great favourite with all her Longbourn nieces. Between

the two eldest and herself especially, there subsisted

a particular regard. They had frequently been staying

with her in town. The first part of Mrs. Gardiner’s

business on her arrival was to distribute her presents

and describe the newest fashions. When this was done

she had a less active part to play. It became her turn to

listen. Mrs. Bennet had many grievances to relate, and

much to complain of. They had all been very ill-used

since she last saw her sister. Two of her girls had been

upon the point of marriage, and after all there was

nothing in it.

“I do not blame Jane,” she continued, “for Jane would

have got Mr. Bingley if she could. But Lizzy! Oh, sister!

It is very hard to think that she might have been

Mr. Collins’s wife by this time, had it not been for her

own perverseness. He made her an offer in this very

room, and she refused him. The consequence of it is,

that Lady Lucas will have a daughter married before

I have, and that the Longbourn estate is just as much

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