It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.
It is because of this deep truth that when such a man moves into a locality, his new neighbors, though they know nothing of his nature or inner thoughts, regard him as the property of some one of their daughters.
'My dear Mr Bennett,' Mrs Bennett said to her husband one day, 'have you heard?
Netherfield Manor has been taken at last. ' Mr Bennett said he had not.
"Yes, it is," continued Mrs. Bennett. "Mrs. Lang has just been to our house and told me all about it.
Mr Bennett did not respond.
"Aren't you curious who the tenant is?" His wife was getting impatient.
"If you want to talk, I'll listen.
This remark was enough to tempt Mrs. Bennett to continue.
'Well, my dear, you must know, Mrs Lang says, that Netherfield Park is taken by a rich young man from the north of England. On Monday he came down in a chaise and four to see the place; and it was immediately agreed with Mr. Morris that he intended to take possession before Michaelmas, and that some of his servants were to be in it by the end of next week.
"What's his name?" "Bentley."Single or married?
'Oh, single, dear, it's true! A wealthy single man, with an income of four or five thousand a year.
This is a really good thing for our girls."
"Where to begin? What about the girls?
'My dear Mr Bennett,' replied his wife, 'how boring you are! To tell you the truth, I'm thinking of his marrying one of our daughters.
"Is that what he came here for?
"What nonsense are you talking about! But he might like one of them, so you must call on him as soon as he gets here. ' .
"I don't think it's necessary. You can take the girls. Or, better still, let them go by themselves. You are so handsome, perhaps Mr Bingley will take a fancy to you.
"Honey, you're ridiculous. I used to be pretty, but now I have nothing to say about it. A woman with five grown daughters should no longer expect to be beautiful. But my dear, you must go and see Mr Bingley when he comes to live here."
"I must tell you, I can't promise this."
'You must think of the girls! If one of them had married him, they might have had such a good fortune. Sir William and Lady William will certainly go, and that is what they want. You really must go, or we will not see him."
"You really think too much. I am sure Mr Bingley will be very glad to see you. I can send you a letter to tell him that I will give him my consent to marry whichever of my daughters he wishes. But I'll say a good word for my little Lizzie."
"You mustn't do that. Rikki is no better than the other girls. In beauty, she was not half Jane; In character, she was nothing like Lydia. But you always gave her the preference."
"None of them had much to say." 'replied Mr Bennett.' Silly and silly like any other girl, but Lizzy is much cleverer. '
'Mr Bennett, how can you treat your own child in such a cruel way? You're trying to be mad at me,There was no consideration for my delicate nerves."
"You misunderstand me, my dear. I have a lot of respect for your nerves. They are my old friends.
For twenty years at least, I've heard you talk seriously about them." "Alas! You don't understand what I go through.
'I hope you will live through it and see a good many single men of four or five thousand pounds come here.
"What is the use of twenty such men coming in, if you will not visit them?
"You may depend upon it, my dear, that when twenty do come, I promise to call on them one by one.
Mr. Bennett was an odd man, at once humorous and sarcastic, and unpredictable, whose wife had lived with him for twenty-three years without ever knowing what he was like. The mind of this lady was not so hard to guess. She had little understanding, little information, and was capricious, and when things went wrong, she thought she was mad. Marrying her daughter was the business of her life, and visiting friends and relatives, and seeking news, was one of the great pleasures of her life.
