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Pride & Prejudice – page 67

Pride and Prejudice

mirth for some time at the expense of their dear friend’s

vulgar relations.

With a renewal of tenderness, however, they

returned to her room on leaving the dining-parlour,

and sat with her till summoned to coffee. She was still

very poorly, and Elizabeth would not quit her at all,

till late in the evening, when she had the comfort of

seeing her sleep, and when it seemed to her rather right

than pleasant that she should go downstairs herself. On

entering the drawing-room she found the whole party

at loo, and was immediately invited to join them; but

suspecting them to be playing high she declined it, and

making her sister the excuse, said she would amuse

herself for the short time she could stay below, with a

book. Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

“Do you prefer reading to cards?” said he; “that is

rather singular.”

“Miss Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, “despises

cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in

anything else.”

“I deserve neither such praise nor such censure,”

cried Elizabeth; “I am not a great reader, and I have

pleasure in many things.”

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