Pride and Prejudice title in English. Pride and Prejudice

Until Elizabeth stepped into the Netherfield drawing-room, searching in vain for Mr. Wickham among the assembled red coats, it never occurred to her that he might not show up. The meeting with him seemed so self-evident to her that she did not even think of some of the circumstances that might have prevented him from appearing at Netherfield. She dressed up for the ball with great care and in the most excellent mood prepared to conquer all the remaining unconquered corners of his heart, being sure that this task could be easily accomplished in one evening. But as soon as she entered, she had an ominous suspicion that, to please his friend, Bingley had not included Wickham on the list of officers to be invited to the ball. And although in reality this was not quite the case, Wickham's absence was immediately confirmed by his friend, Mr. Denny, on whom Lydia pounced with impatient inquiries. Informing that Wickham had to leave the day before on business in London and that he had not yet returned, Denny added with a meaningful smile: with a certain gentleman here. This remark hardly reached Lydia's ears, but it was understood by her sister. It proved that Darcy was no less guilty of Wickham's absence than if her initial guess had been confirmed. And, disappointed in all her expectations, Elizabeth felt such dislike for Darcy that with difficulty she forced herself to politely respond to the amiable greeting with which he rushed to meet her. Attention, sympathy, condescension to this man were tantamount to betrayal in relation to Wickham. She so rejected any possibility of talking to Darcy that, turning away from him, she could not overcome her anger even in conversation with Mr. Bingley, whose blind affection for his friend seemed unforgivable to her. However, Elizabeth was not made for melancholy. And although all her hopes associated with the ball were dashed, she could not indulge in gloomy thoughts for too long. Having told her griefs to Charlotte Lucas, whom they had not seen for more than a week, she willingly turned to the story of her extraordinary cousin, presenting him to the attention of her friend. The first dance, however, again plunged her into utter despondency. It was a murderous ceremony. Mr. Collins, important and awkward, doing the wrong steps all the time and apologizing every now and then, instead of watching the dance figures, made her feel all the humiliation and annoyance that an unwanted partner can cause during one dance. The minute she finally got rid of him gave her indescribable relief. After Collins, she danced with one of the officers. She somewhat came to her senses, having talked with him about Wickham and learned that the young man enjoyed universal sympathy. Leaving her beau, she returned to Miss Lucas and, absorbed in conversation, did not immediately notice that Mr. Darcy was addressing her, inviting her to the next dance. In surprise, Elizabeth was confused and in confusion accepted the invitation. Darcy moved away, and she was left alone with her friend, extremely dejected that she did not show sufficient resourcefulness. Charlotte tried to calm her down. “I think he’ll be a pleasant partner.” - God forbid! This would be the greatest misfortune. Find a pleasant person whom you dare to hate! You couldn't wish me anything worse. When the dancing resumed and Darcy approached them, offering her his hand, Charlotte still could not resist and quietly warned her friend that she should behave reasonably and, out of sympathy for Wickham, should not drop herself in the eyes of an incomparably more important person. Elizabeth said nothing and took her place among the dancers, wondering how she deserved to be paired with Mr. Darcy, and noticing the same surprise in the eyes of those around her. They danced in silence for a while. She already began to think that this silence would last until the end of the dance, and at first she wanted not to break it in any way. But, suddenly imagining that she could annoy her partner more if she forced him to speak, she uttered a few words about the performed figure. Darcy answered and fell silent. After a pause of one or two minutes, she turned to him again: “Now, Mr. Darcy, it’s your turn to keep the conversation going. I commented on the dance - you could make any comment about the size of the hall or the number of dancing couples. He smiled and expressed his willingness to say whatever she wanted to hear. “Well that's great,” she replied. - You have said quite enough for the near future. Perhaps, after a while, I will notice that private balls are much more pleasant than public ones. But for now, we may well be silent. - Are you used to talking when you dance? - Yes, from time to time. You have to break the silence sometimes, don't you think? It seems very ridiculous when two people spend half an hour together without saying a word to each other. Still, it will be better for someone if we conduct the conversation in such a way as to say as little to each other as possible. - By saying this, did you assume my desires, or did you mean that it pleases you? “Both,” Elizabeth replied evasively. - I have noticed frequent coincidences in our way of thinking for a long time. Both of us are not very sociable and are not inclined to talk, unless we have an opportunity to say something out of the ordinary - such that can cause amazement to all those present and, like a proverb from mouth to mouth, be passed on to posterity. “As for your character,” he said, “I don’t think you have described it quite accurately. It is not for me to decide how correctly you characterize me. However, you yourself probably find this portrait successful. - I can't judge my own art. Darcy said nothing, and they fell silent again, until, during the next dance, he asked her how often her sisters and she had to visit Meryton. Having answered in the affirmative, she could not refrain from adding: - When we met there the other day, we just made a new acquaintance on the street. The effect of these words was immediate. A haughty look came over Darcy's face. But he said nothing, and Elizabeth, no matter how she scolded herself for her cowardice, did not have the resolve to go further. After a while Darcy remarked coldly, “Mr. Wickham has such a happy manners and good looks that he makes friends very easily. Whether he is able to preserve them enough is what seems more doubtful to me. “He had the misfortune of losing your friendship,” Elizabeth pointedly pointed out. - Perhaps it will leave a heavy imprint on his whole life. Darcy said nothing, but it was clear that he wanted to change the subject of the conversation. At that moment, William Lucas appeared next to them, making his way through the crowd of dancing to the opposite side. When he saw Mr. Darcy, he bowed to him with the utmost courtesy, and was immediately full of compliments on his manner of dancing and the beauty of his lady. - I have received, dear sir, the highest pleasure. How rare is it to be seen dancing with such grace. Your high society is striking. But let me say that the lovely lady with whom you are now dancing seems to me quite worthy of her partner, and I hope to receive such pleasure now especially often. Of course, after the certain and, of course, so desired, has happened - isn't it, dear Miss Eliza? - event! As he did so, he looked towards Bingley and Jane. - How many congratulations it will cause! But - I turn to Mr. Darcy - don't let me hold you back, sir. You will not thank me for interfering with your conversation with a charming young lady, whose sparkling eyes are already beginning to look at me with obvious reproach. The last part of this tirade was hardly heard by Darcy. But Sir William's suggestion about his friend had a profound effect on him. His face took on a very serious expression, and he gazed at Bingley and Jane dancing nearby. Recovering, however, he turned to his lady and said: “Sir William's intervention has made me lose the thread of our conversation. - In my opinion, we did not speak at all. Sir William could hardly have found two dancers in this hall who would like to say so little to each other. We have tried unsuccessfully to touch on several topics. And it doesn't even occur to me what we could talk about now. - What do you think about books? he asked with a smile. - About books? Oh no, I'm sure you and I haven't read the same books. And, in any case, they did not experience the same feelings when reading. “I'm sorry you think so. But even if you were right, the easier it would be for us to find a topic for conversation. We could compare different opinions. - No, I am not able to talk about books during the ball. Here other thoughts come to my mind. - They always relate to what surrounds you, don't they? he said doubtfully. “Yes, yes, always,” Elizabeth replied mechanically. In fact, her thoughts wandered very far from the subject of the conversation, which was soon confirmed by a sudden remark: - I remember, Mr. Darcy, you admitted that you hardly forgiven anyone in your life. According to you, whoever once caused your displeasure cannot hope for leniency. You must be careful enough not to get angry for no reason? “Oh, yes, of course,” Darcy replied confidently. - And never fall prey to prejudice? - I hope no. - For those who do not compromise their opinion, it is especially important to judge everything sensibly from the very beginning. - May I know what you mean? “Oh, I'm just trying to figure out your nature,” she replied, trying to keep a relaxed expression on her face. - And you manage it? She shook her head. “Alas, not in the least. I have heard so different opinions about you that I am simply lost in conjecture. “Well, I can imagine that the information you received is very contradictory,” he said very seriously. “I would prefer, Miss Bennett, that you haven’t been imagining my spirituality just yet.” Otherwise, the picture you received will do no honor to you or me. “But if I don’t notice the most important thing now, perhaps I will never get another chance. “I would not want to deprive you of any pleasure,” said Darcy coldly. She said nothing. And after finishing the dance, they silently parted with a feeling of mutual dislike. However, Mr. Darcy already had in his heart a rather strong affinity for Elizabeth, thanks to which he quickly found an excuse for her, focusing his anger on another face. Shortly thereafter, Miss Bingley approached Elizabeth and spoke to her with a kindly arrogant air: “So, Miss Eliza, you are in awe of George Wickham, are you not? I heard about it from Jane. She literally bombarded me with questions about your new friend. However, I understood from her words that, among his other messages, the young man forgot to tell you that he was the son of old Wickham, who served as butler to the late Mr. Darcy. I would still like to warn you in a friendly way that you do not really trust his statements. Everything he says about Mr. Darcy's mistreatment of him is pure fiction. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, showed an extraordinary nobility. On the other hand, George Wickham behaved in the most dishonorable way towards Mr. Darcy. I am not familiar with the details, but I am well aware that Mr. Darcy can hardly be reproached with anything. No wonder he can't even bear the mention of George Wickham! And although it seemed impossible for my brother to exclude Wickham from the list of invited officers, he was very glad to learn that he himself had declined the invitation. The appearance of Wickham in these places is unheard of insolence. It is not clear how he could dare to do this! I am very sorry, Miss Eliza, that I had to expose the vice of your new acquaintance. But, perhaps, given his origins, one could hardly expect anything better from him. “From your words, madam, I understand that Mr. Wickham's vice is in his origin,” Elizabeth replied sharply. “You couldn't blame him for anything, except that his father was Mr. Darcy's butler. But this, I dare to assure you, he told me himself. “I beg your pardon,” Miss Bingley said sarcastically as she walked away from her. - Sorry for the interference - I was guided by the best intentions. "What impudence!" Elizabeth said to herself. She immediately tracked down Jane, who had already had time to talk about a topic of interest to Mr. Bingley. The sister greeted her with a radiant smile, which testified to how much joy this evening brought her. Guessing Jane's thoughts from the expression on her face, Elizabeth realized that all her sympathy for Mr. Wickham's failures, her resentment against his enemies, and so on, meant very little compared to the hope of her sister's future happiness. “Of course I would like to know,” she said with an equally affable smile, “if you have been able to find out anything about Mr. Wickham. But maybe you had such a pleasant time that you could think of only one person? I won't be offended by you. "I haven't forgotten about him at all, Lizzie," Jane replied. - But, alas, I cannot tell you anything comforting. Mr. Bingley is not familiar with this story. What exactly Mr. Wickham is to blame before Mr. Darcy, he does not know. But he is ready to vouch for the decency, honesty and nobility of his friend. And he is convinced that Mr. Wickham did not even deserve the care that Mr. Darcy showed towards him. It saddens me, but from his words, as well as from the words of Miss Bingley, it follows that Mr. Wickham cannot be considered a decent man. I am afraid he was being too imprudent, and by doing so, he was deservedly deprived of Mr. Darcy's respect. "Does Mr. Bingley know Mr. Wickham?" - No, he had never seen him before meeting in Meryton. "Then his views on Wickham borrowed from Mr. Darcy?" Well, I'm quite satisfied. Well, what information does he have about the church parish? - He does not remember exactly the circumstances, although he heard about them from his friend more than once. The parish, it seems, was reserved for Wickham only conditionally. “I have no doubt about Mr. Bingley's sincerity,” Elizabeth said as gently as possible. - But excuse me if I am not satisfied with general phrases. Mr. Bingley, of course, must defend his friend's interests in good faith. But since some parts of this story are unknown to him, and with the rest he knows only from the words of Mr. Darcy himself, I will allow myself to treat both young people as before. After that, she turned the conversation to a much more pleasant topic, which did not cause any differences between them. She was delighted to hear from Jane how happy and at the same time timid hopes the courtship of Mr. Bingley aroused in her. And Elizabeth expressed everything that was possible to support these hopes in her. When Mr. Bingley joined the sisters, Elizabeth stepped aside and found Miss Lucas. She had barely had time to answer a friend's question about whether she liked the latest dance partner when Mr. Collins approached them and, in extreme excitement, announced that he had just had the pleasure of making a major discovery. “By pure chance,” he said, “I found a close relative of my patroness in this room. I was fortunate to hear him, in a conversation with the young lady who is the adornment of this house, mention the names of his cousin Miss de Boer and her mother Lady Catherine. Such miracles happen in the world! Who would have thought that here, at this ball, I would meet almost Lady Catherine's nephew? I thank heaven for opening my eyes in time and I can pay him my respects! Of course, I will not fail to do this this very minute. And I hope that he will forgive me the slowness, which is justified only by my ignorance. "Are you going to introduce yourself to Mr. Darcy?" - Of course. I will humbly apologize to him for not doing this earlier. I think he really is Lady Catherine's nephew. And I will be able to assure him that only a week ago, her ladyship's health left nothing to be desired. Elizabeth tried as much as possible to restrain Mr. Collins from taking this step. She argued that Darcy would consider the appeal of a stranger to him rather an impermissible liberty than a tribute to his aunt, that here they may well ignore each other, and, finally, that even if this was necessary, then the first step Mr. Darcy, who occupies a higher position in society, should have made the acquaintance. Mr. Collins listened to her with the air of a man determined to do his own thing, and when she was silent, he replied: - My dear Miss Elizabeth! I hold the highest opinion about your excellent ability to judge things in which you are well versed. But let me say that there is a profound difference between the norms of human relations adopted among the laity and those that govern the behavior of the clergy. I must add to this that I place the ministry of the church, in the sense of honor, on a par with the highest duties in the kingdom - unless, of course, you forget that this ministry must be carried out with appropriate humility. Therefore, allow me to follow in this case the voice of conscience, which calls me to do what I consider my duty. Forgive me for not wanting to take advantage of your advice, which I am ready to follow in any other matter. But under the circumstances, I consider myself, by education and experience, more capable of judging the correctness of my behavior than a young lady like you. With a deep bow, Mr. Collins left Elizabeth and went straight to Mr. Darcy. She began to watch with dismay what effect this unexpected conversion would have on Darcy. At the first words of his cousin, Darcy was clearly surprised. Mr. Collins began with a solemn bowing, and although his speech did not reach her, she seemed to hear phrase after phrase as she read the words he uttered from the movement of his lips: "apology", "Hunsford" and "lady Catherine de Boer ". She was extremely annoyed to see her relative speaking to Mr. Darcy in such a comic role. The latter looked at Collins with undisguised amazement, and when he finally allowed Darcy to speak, he answered him very coldly. This, however, did not in the least discourage Mr. Collins or deter him from another tirade, the duration of which seemed to further increase Mr. how Collins returned to Elizabeth. “Believe me, I am not in the least disappointed with the reception given to me,” he said, coming up. “Mr. Darcy is very pleased with my respect. He spoke to me with extraordinary courtesy and even paid me a compliment, saying that he knew enough of Lady Catherine's discernment and did not doubt that only truly worthy people could enjoy her favor. How beautifully said! Really, I liked him very much. Since Elizabeth herself had nothing to expect from the ball, she concentrated almost all her attention on her sister and Mr. Bingley. This led her to the most pleasant thoughts, which made her feel almost as happy as Jane. In her imagination, she already saw her sister as the mistress of this house, living in the contentment and happiness that can only arise in a marriage based on true love ... Under such circumstances, she considered herself even capable of falling in love with Mr. Bingley's sisters. It was obvious that Mrs. Bennett's thoughts were focused on the same, and Elizabeth was determined to keep her distance from her, fearing that her mother might say something unnecessary to her. However, as she sat down at the table, Elizabeth, to her chagrin, found herself almost beside Mrs. Bennett. With annoyance she heard that her mother's incessant, loud conversation with the most inappropriate person - Lady Lucas - was devoted to nothing more than Mr. Bingley's impending marriage to Jane. The topic was so exciting that Mrs. Bennett was completely tireless in her enumeration of the advantages of the future party. First of all, she congratulated herself on the fact that Bingley was such a sweet young man, that he was so rich and lived only three miles from Longbourn. Then she spoke with enthusiasm of how the sisters of Mr. Bingley had become attached to Jane and how they should rejoice at the opportunity to become mutually related. Moreover, how much good this event bodes for her younger daughters, who, after Jane's marriage, will be in the sight of other rich men. And, finally, how convenient it will be for her, at her age, to leave her unmarried daughters in the care of a married sister and appear in society only when she pleases - a circumstance that, in accordance with generally accepted views, should certainly be passed off as pleasant, although it was difficult find someone less willing to stay at home than Mrs. Bennett. In conclusion, many wishes were expressed that Lady Lucas would be just as happy in the near future, although with her whole appearance Mrs. Bennett clearly and triumphantly made it clear that she considered this completely incredible. In vain did the daughter try to calm the flow of maternal eloquence, or at least beg her mother to express her delight in a less loud whisper, for, as Elizabeth noticed to her unspeakable annoyance, it almost completely reached the ears of Mr. Darcy, who was sitting opposite. The mother was only angry with her, saying that she was talking nonsense. “Who is your Mr. Darcy to me to fear him?” Are we indebted to him for being kind enough to try not to tell him something that is not to his liking? - Mom, for heaven's sake, try to speak more quietly. Why insult Mr. Darcy? Do you really recommend yourself in front of his friend? The persuasion, however, had no effect on the mother. Mrs. Bennett continued to rant out loud about the hopes she had nurtured, and Elizabeth had to blush with shame and annoyance every now and then. It was difficult for her to refrain from glancing at Darcy from time to time, each time convinced of how deeply her fears were. Although Darcy did not always look in the direction of Mrs. Bennet, she was convinced that his attention was focused on her. At the same time, the expression on his face gradually changed: if at first it was written with indignant contempt, then in the end it was filled with gloomy and unswerving determination. Eventually, however, Mrs. Bennett's eloquence dwindled, and Lady Lucas, who repeatedly stifled yawns during these enthusiastic outpourings, which she scarcely shared, was finally able to concentrate calmly on chicken and ham. Elizabeth was beginning to come to her senses. However, the respite was short. When dinner was over, they started talking about music, and she had to endure another humiliation, seeing how Mary, after a little persuasion, prepared to please the audience with her art. Elizabeth tried with a glance to prevent such dedication on her part, but in vain. Rejoicing at the opportunity to show herself in all her brilliance, Mary did not want to understand anything and immediately sat down at the piano. With extreme annoyance, Elizabeth, without taking her eyes, watched her sister and watched impatiently as she moved from verse to verse. The end of the song, however, did not bring relief - catching among the cheers of approval a hint of a request to prolong the pleasure she had received, the sister immediately set to work on a new one. Mary did not have any data for performing in front of an audience: her voice was weak, her manner of performance was tortured. Elizabeth was desperate. She looked at her older sister to find out how Jane was going through the same torment. But Jane chatted very nicely with Bingley. Elizabeth glanced at his sisters and saw that they were making mocking gestures to each other and to Mr. Darcy, who, however, kept an impenetrable grim expression. Finally she glanced at her father, begging him to intervene, otherwise Mary could have continued her singing until morning. He understood her, and when Mary finished the second song, he said loudly: - This is quite enough, my child. You have delighted our ears long enough. Now let other young girls show you yourself. Although Mary pretended that his words did not reach her, she was still somewhat embarrassed by them. And Elizabeth, feeling hurt for her sister and annoyed with her father, felt that her intervention only made matters worse. Meanwhile, they began to look for a new performer. “If I,” said Mr. Collins, “were fortunate enough to have musical talent, I would undoubtedly consider it a pleasure to please society with some kind of aria. For I find music to be the most innocent entertainment, quite compatible with the position of a minister of the church. Of course, I do not think that we have the right to devote too much time to music - there are so many things that require our attention. If you only knew how many responsibilities a parish pastor has! First, he needs to distribute tithing while taking care of his own interests and not violating the interests of his patron at the same time. Next, he needs to compose sermons. The rest of the time is barely enough to perform church rituals and take care of improving his home, the comfort of which he in no way has the right to neglect. It is just as important for him to show attention and participation to everyone around him, and especially to those of them to whom he owes his position. And I by no means relieve myself of such a duty, just as I would not think well of a person who misses the opportunity to express respect to any person who is in a kinship with his patron! And he concluded his speech, delivered in such a loud voice that half of the assembled company heard it, with a bow in the direction of Mr. Darcy. Some of those present looked intently at Mr. Collins, some smiled. But no one was more amused by his speech than Mr. Bennett, while Mrs. Bennett quite seriously approved of her, telling her neighbor Lady Lucas in a low voice that Mr. Collins was an unusually intelligent and dignified young man. It seemed to Elizabeth that if all the members of her family conspired to flaunt their shortcomings that evening, they would hardly be able to do it with greater brilliance and achieve more significant success. Fortunately for Mr. Bingley and Jane, some of the pieces in this play seem to have escaped the attention of a young man who was not overly sensitive to human stupidity. However, it was bad enough that his sisters and Mr. Darcy had a great opportunity to ridicule her family. And Elizabeth could not decide what was for her. more unbearable: the defiant smiles of two ladies, or the silent contempt of a gentleman. The rest of the evening did little to please her. She continued to be tormented by Mr. Collins, who followed her incessantly. Unable to persuade her to dance, by his presence he deprived her of the opportunity to accept an invitation from some other gentleman. In vain she persuaded him to take advantage of the company of other young ladies, offering to introduce him to any of those present at the ball. Mr. Collins claimed that he was indifferent to dancing and that most of all he would like to express his attention to his dear cousin, hoping thereby to establish himself as best as possible in her eyes. For this reason, he would have preferred not to be separated from her until the end of the ball. It was difficult to object to such a desire. So Elizabeth was grateful to Miss Lucas for coming up to them frequently and for taking the selfless labor of keeping up a conversation with Mr. Collins. Elizabeth, at least, was glad to get rid of the courtesies from Mr. Darcy, who, although he often walked around without doing anything, no longer tried to speak to her. It was pleasant to suppose that she had accomplished this by hinting at Mr. Wickham. The Longbourn guests were the last to leave. Thanks to a special trick of Mrs. Bennett, their carriage was brought in a quarter of an hour after all the other invitees had already left. This gave them the opportunity to notice with what impatience some of the inhabitants of Netherfield awaited their departure. Mrs. Hurst and her sister only opened their mouths to complain about their tiredness, showing with all their appearance how much they wanted to finally be alone. By dodging Mrs. Bennett's attempts to strike up a conversation, they numbed everyone present. This scene was faintly enlivened by Mr. Collins' lengthy discourses, full of compliments to Mr. Bingley and his sisters, on the sophistication of the evening just ended and the courtesy and hospitality of the hosts. Mr. Darcy said nothing at all. Mr. Bennett was also silent, savoring the sight unfolding before him. Mr. Bingley and Jane, standing somewhat at a distance from the others, spoke only to each other. Elizabeth was as stubbornly silent as Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley. And even Lydia was so tired that she did not utter a word, except for fragmentary exclamations like: "God, how tired I am!" - accompanied by an energetic yawn. When at last they all made their way out, Mrs. Bennett kindly expressed her indispensable desire to see the Netherfield Company in Longbourn soon. Speaking mainly to Mr. Bingley, she said that her family would be happy to share a modest dinner with him and those close to him at any time — without ceremony or formal invitations. Mr. Bingley thanked her sincerely and readily promised to visit them at the first opportunity after returning from a short business trip to London, where he was due to leave the next morning. Mrs. Bennet was quite satisfied. Leaving Netherfield, she had the happy confidence that her daughter would move here after three or four months, which would be necessary to acquire new carriages and furnishings and prepare wedding dresses. To the same extent, she was convinced of the imminent marriage of her second daughter. The hope of this marriage also gave her considerable pleasure, although not as strong as the anticipation of Jane's marriage. Mrs Bennett loved Elizabeth less than the other daughters. And although she had nothing against Collins and his parsonage, they certainly were no match for Mr. Bingley and Netherfield.

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

Title: Pride and Prejudice

Release Date: August 26, 2008
Last Updated: November 5, 2012

Language: English

Produced by Anonymous Volunteers, and David Widger

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

By Jane Austen

CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61

Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day,"have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last"

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it. "

This was invitation enough.

"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England;that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately;that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week. "

"What is his name?"

"Bingley."

"Is he married or single?"

"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls! "

"How so? How can it affect them?"

"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome!

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen

Title: Pride and Prejudice

Release Date: August 26, 2008
Last Updated: November 5, 2012

Language: English

Produced by Anonymous Volunteers, and David Widger

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

By Jane Austen

CONTENTS
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61

Chapter 1

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day,"have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last"

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.

"But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."

Mr. Bennet made no answer.

"Do you not want to know who has taken it?" cried his wife impatiently.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it. "

This was invitation enough.

"What is his name?"

"Bingley."

"Is he married or single?"

"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for our girls! "

"How so? How can it affect them?"

"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome!

Chapter 1.
Chapter 1.

It is a truth universally acknowledged,
Everybody knows,

that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
that a young man with the means must look for a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood,
No matter how little the intentions and views of such a person are known after he settled in a new place,

this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families,
this truth so firmly takes possession of the minds of nearby living families,

that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
that they immediately begin to look at him as the legitimate prey of this or that neighbor's daughter.

"My dear Mr. Bennet," said his lady to him one day,
“Dear Mr. Bennet,” Mrs. Bennet once said to her husband,

"have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?"
- have you heard that Netherfield Park will finally no longer be empty?

Mr. Bennet replied that he had not.
Mr. Bennett replied that he did not hear it.

"But it is," returned she;
“Nevertheless, it is so,” she continued.

"for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it."
“Mrs. Long just came in and told me the news!

Mr. Bennet made no answer.
Mr Bennet said nothing.

"Do you not want to know who has taken it?"
- Would you like to know who will be our new neighbor?

cried his wife impatiently.
His wife asked impatiently.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it."
- I am ready to listen to you if you really want to tell me about it.

This was invitation enough.
More was required of him.

"Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs.
“Well, listen, my dear,” Mrs. Bennett went on.

Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England;
“Netherfield, according to Mrs. Long, was filmed by a very wealthy young man from Northern England.

that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it,
On Monday he came there in a carriage drawn by four horses, looked around the estate and was so delighted,

that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately;
that he immediately agreed on everything with Mr. Morris.

that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week. "
He is moving to Mikhailov Day, and at the end of next week some of his servants will arrive there.

"What is his name?"- And what is his name?

"Bingley."- Bingley.

"Is he married or single?"- Is he married or single?

"Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure!- Single, dear, the fact of the matter is that he is single!

A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.
A young bachelor with an income of four or five thousand a year!

What a fine thing for our girls! "
Isn't it a lucky chance for our girls?

"How so? How can it affect them?"
- How so? Does this have anything to do with them?

"My dear Mr. Bennet," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome!
“Dear Mr. Bennet,” his wife replied, “you are simply unbearable today.

You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them. "
Of course, you understand that I mean his marriage to one of them.

"Is that his design in settling here?"
“Um, are these his plans?

"Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so!
- Plans! My God, you say sometimes!

But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them,
But it may well happen that he falls in love with one of them.

and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes. "
Therefore, as soon as he arrives, you will need to pay him a visit.

"I see no occasion for that.
- I confess that I do not see sufficient grounds for this.

You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better,
Go yourself with the girls. Or send them alone - it might be even better.

for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr. Bingley may like you the best of the party. "
Not that suddenly he will decide to fall in love with you - after all, you are no less attractive than any of our daughters.

"My dear, you flatter me.
“You flatter me, dear.

I certainly have had my share of beauty,
Once upon a time, I really was not without attractiveness.

but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now.
But now, alas, I no longer pretend to be known as a beauty.

When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty. "
A woman who has five grown daughters shouldn't think too much about her own beauty.

"In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of."
- In these circumstances, a woman does not often have so much beauty that she has to think about her especially a lot.

But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr. Bingley when he comes into the neighborhood. "
“But, my friend, you should definitely visit Mr. Bingley as soon as he appears.

"It is more than I engage for, I assure you."
“I’ll hardly undertake this.

"But consider your daughters.
“But think about our girls.

Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them.
Just imagine how well one of them will be arranged.

Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general,
You will see that Sir William and Lady Lucas will hurry to Netherfield at once. And for what do you think? Of course, for the sake of her Charlotte

you know, they visit no newcomers.
- you know, they don't really like to visit strangers.

Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not. "
You must certainly go - after all, we ourselves cannot visit him without it.

"You are over-scrupulous, surely.
- You are too scrupulous.

I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you;
I trust Mr. Bingley will be glad to see you.

and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls;
Do you want me to give you a note for him promising to marry him any of my daughters that he likes best?

though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy. "
Perhaps it will only be necessary to put in a word in favor of my baby Lizzie.

"I desire you will do no such thing.
“I hope you don’t.”

Lizzy is not a bit better than the others;
Lizzie is no better than your other daughters.

and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humored as Lydia.
I'm sure she's not half as beautiful as Jane and much less good-natured than Lydia.

But you are always giving her the preference. "
But for some reason you always give preference to her!

"They have none of them much to recommend them," replied he;
“None of my daughters are particularly remarkable,” he replied.

"they are all silly and ignorant like other girls;
“They are as stupid and ignorant as all other girls at this age.

but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters. "
It's just that Lizzie is a little more useful than her sisters.

"Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way?
Bennett, how dare you insult your own children like that?

You take delight in vexing me.
It gives you pleasure to harass me.

You have no compassion for my poor nerves. "
Of course, you don't care about my torn nerves.

"You mistake me, my dear.“You are wrong, my dear.

I have a high respect for your nerves.
I have long been accustomed to reckon with them.

They are my old friends.
After all, they are my old friends.

I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least. "
No wonder you have been talking to me about them for at least twenty years.

"Ah, you do not know what I suffer."
- Oh, you can’t even imagine how I suffer.

"But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighborhood."
“I hope you will still live to see the time when a lot of young people with an income of at least four thousand a year will appear in the vicinity.

"It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them."
- Even if there are twenty of them, what is the use of them, since you still refuse to go to them?

"Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all."
- Well, if there are twenty of them, my dear, then, of course, I will get myself together and go round them all in a row.

Mr. Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humor, reserve, and caprice,
In the character of Mr. Bennett, the liveliness of the mind and the penchant for irony, isolation and eccentricity were so intricately combined,

that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.
that in twenty-three years of marriage, his wife still had not been able to adapt to him.

Her mind was less difficult to develop.
It was much easier to understand her nature.

She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper. She was an ignorant woman with a lack of intelligence and an unstable mood.

When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous.
Whenever she was dissatisfied with something, she believed that her nerves were out of order.

The business of her life was to get her daughters married;
The purpose of her life was to marry her daughters.

its solace was visiting and news.
Her only entertainments were visits and news.

Translated by I. Marshak

Language level: beginner intermediate and higher.

Audiobook "Pride and Prejudice “, Which we are considering in this article, is written on the basis of the famous novel of the same name from the genius author Jane Austen , first published in 1813 in Great Britain. Book “Pride and Prejudice” by all means is on the very first lines of polls of modern readers of English-language literature in terms of popularity. Despite the fact that the novel was created at the very beginning of the 19th century, its ideas and problems remain extremely relevant today.

Now I suggest you familiarize yourself with brief overview novel " Pride and Prejudice" in English:

Pride and prejudice is a novel of manners by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story follows the main character Elizabeth Bennet as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of early 19th-century England. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman living near the fictional town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, near London.

Though the story is set at the turn of the 19th century, it retains a fascination for modern readers, continuing near the top of lists of “ most loved books”Such as The big read... It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature and receives considerable attention from literary scholars. Modern interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen’s memorable characters or themes. To date, the book has sold some 20 million copies worldwide.

The novel centers on Elizabeth bennet , the second of the five daughters of a country gentleman. Mr Bennet is a bookish man, and somewhat neglectful of his responsibilities. Mrs Bennet is a woman lacking in social graces and primarily concerned with finding suitable husbands for her five daughters. Jane bennet , the eldest daughter, is distinguished by the kindness of her attitudes and her beauty; Elizabeth bennet , the second daughter, shares her father's keen wit and occasionally sarcastic outlook; Mary is not pretty, but is studious, devout and musical albeit lacking in taste; Kitty , the fourth sister follows where her younger sister leads, while Lydia is flirtatious and unrestrained.

Many critics take the novel's title as a starting point when analysing the major themes of Pride and prejudice ; however, Robert Fox cautions against reading too much into the title because commercial factors may have played a role in its selection. “After the success of Sense and Sensibility , nothing would have seemed more natural than to bring out another novel of the same author using again the formula of antithesis and alliteration for the title. It should be pointed out that the qualities of the title are not exclusively assigned to one or the other of the protagonists; both Elizabeth and Darcy display pride and prejudice. "

A major theme in much of Austen’s work is the importance of environment and upbringing on the development of young people’s character and morality. Social standing and wealth are not necessarily advantages in her world, and a further theme common to Jane austen ’S work is ineffectual parents. In Pride and prejudice , the failure of Mr and Mrs Bennet as parents is blamed for Lydia’s lack of moral judgment ; Darcy, on the other hand, has been taught to be principled and scrupulously honorable , but he is also proud and overbearing.Kitty, rescued from Lydia’s bad influence and spending more time with her older sisters after they marry, is said to improve greatly in their superior society .

(Summary from Wikipedia)

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I wish you a true delight in the masterpiece of English literature!

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