Nodiver d.o.o. · Pride & Prejudice · page 63 of 640

Pride & Prejudice – page 63

Chapter 8

At five o’clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at

half-past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To

the civil inquiries which then poured in, and amongst

which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the much

superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley’s, she could not make

a very favourable answer. Jane was by no means better.

The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times

how much they were grieved, how shocking it was

to have a bad cold, and how excessively they disliked

being ill themselves; and then thought no more of

the matter: and their indifference towards Jane when

not immediately before them restored Elizabeth to the

enjoyment of all her former dislike.

Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party

whom she could regard with any complacency. His

anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to

herself most pleasing, and they prevented her feeling