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

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

“	O
My	O
dear	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
his	O
lady	O
to	O
him	O
one	O
day	O
,	O
“	O
have	O
you	O
heard	O
that	O
Netherfield	O
Park	O
is	O
let	EVENT
at	O
last	O
?	O
”	O

Mr.	O
Bennet	O
replied	EVENT
that	O
he	O
had	O
not	O
.	O

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

Mr.	O
Bennet	O
made	O
no	O
answer	O
.	O

“	O
Do	O
you	O
not	O
want	O
to	O
know	O
who	O
has	O
taken	O
it	O
?	O
”	O

cried	EVENT
his	O
wife	O
impatiently	O
.	O

“	O
_	O
You	O
_	O
want	O
to	O
tell	O
me	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
have	O
no	O
objection	O
to	O
hearing	O
it	O
.	O
”	O

This	O
was	O
invitation	EVENT
enough	O
.	O

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

“	O
What	O
is	O
his	O
name	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Bingley	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Is	O
he	O
married	O
or	O
single	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Oh	O
!	O

Single	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
sure	O
!	O

A	O
single	O
man	O
of	O
large	O
fortune	O
;	O
four	O
or	O
five	O
thousand	O
a	O
year	O
.	O

What	O
a	O
fine	O
thing	O
for	O
our	O
girls	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
How	O
so	O
?	O

How	O
can	O
it	O
affect	O
them	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
My	O
dear	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
,	O
”	O
replied	EVENT
his	O
wife	O
,	O
“	O
how	O
can	O
you	O
be	O
so	O
tiresome	O
!	O

You	O
must	O
know	O
that	O
I	O
am	O
thinking	O
of	O
his	O
marrying	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Is	O
that	O
his	O
design	O
in	O
settling	O
here	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
Design	O
!	O

Nonsense	O
,	O
how	O
can	O
you	O
talk	O
so	O
!	O

But	O
it	O
is	O
very	O
likely	O
that	O
he	O
_	O
may	O
_	O
fall	O
in	O
love	O
with	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
,	O
and	O
therefore	O
you	O
must	O
visit	O
him	O
as	O
soon	O
as	O
he	O
comes	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
see	O
no	O
occasion	O
for	O
that	O
.	O

You	O
and	O
the	O
girls	O
may	O
go	O
,	O
or	O
you	O
may	O
send	O
them	O
by	O
themselves	O
,	O
which	O
perhaps	O
will	O
be	O
still	O
better	O
,	O
for	O
as	O
you	O
are	O
as	O
handsome	O
as	O
any	O
of	O
them	O
,	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
may	O
like	O
you	O
the	O
best	O
of	O
the	O
party	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
My	O
dear	O
,	O
you	O
flatter	EVENT
me	O
.	O

I	O
certainly	O
_	O
have	O
_	O
had	O
my	O
share	O
of	O
beauty	O
,	O
but	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
pretend	O
to	O
be	O
anything	O
extraordinary	O
now	O
.	O

When	O
a	O
woman	O
has	O
five	O
grown-up	O
daughters	O
,	O
she	O
ought	O
to	O
give	O
over	O
thinking	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
beauty	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
In	O
such	O
cases	O
,	O
a	O
woman	O
has	O
not	O
often	O
much	O
beauty	O
to	O
think	O
of	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
But	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
,	O
you	O
must	O
indeed	O
go	O
and	O
see	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
when	O
he	O
comes	O
into	O
the	O
neighbourhood	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
It	O
is	O
more	O
than	O
I	O
engage	O
for	O
,	O
I	O
assure	O
you	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
But	O
consider	O
your	O
daughters	O
.	O

Only	O
think	O
what	O
an	O
establishment	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
for	O
one	O
of	O
them	O
.	O

Sir	O
William	O
and	O
Lady	O
Lucas	O
are	O
determined	O
to	O
go	O
,	O
merely	O
on	O
that	O
account	O
,	O
for	O
in	O
general	O
,	O
you	O
know	O
,	O
they	O
visit	O
no	O
newcomers	O
.	O

Indeed	O
you	O
must	O
go	O
,	O
for	O
it	O
will	O
be	O
impossible	O
for	O
_	O
us	O
_	O
to	O
visit	O
him	O
if	O
you	O
do	O
not	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
You	O
are	O
over-scrupulous	O
,	O
surely	O
.	O

I	O
dare	O
say	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
will	O
be	O
very	O
glad	O
to	O
see	O
you	O
;	O
and	O
I	O
will	O
send	O
a	O
few	O
lines	O
by	O
you	O
to	O
assure	O
him	O
of	O
my	O
hearty	O
consent	O
to	O
his	O
marrying	O
whichever	O
he	O
chooses	O
of	O
the	O
girls	O
;	O
though	O
I	O
must	O
throw	O
in	O
a	O
good	O
word	O
for	O
my	O
little	O
Lizzy	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
desire	O
you	O
will	O
do	O
no	O
such	O
thing	O
.	O

Lizzy	O
is	O
not	O
a	O
bit	O
better	O
than	O
the	O
others	O
;	O
and	O
I	O
am	O
sure	O
she	O
is	O
not	O
half	O
so	O
handsome	O
as	O
Jane	O
,	O
nor	O
half	O
so	O
good-humoured	O
as	O
Lydia	O
.	O

But	O
you	O
are	O
always	O
giving	O
_	O
her	O
_	O
the	O
preference	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
They	O
have	O
none	O
of	O
them	O
much	O
to	O
recommend	O
them	O
,	O
”	O
replied	EVENT
he	O
;	O
“	O
they	O
are	O
all	O
silly	O
and	O
ignorant	O
like	O
other	O
girls	O
;	O
but	O
Lizzy	O
has	O
something	O
more	O
of	O
quickness	O
than	O
her	O
sisters	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
,	O
how	O
_	O
can	O
_	O
you	O
abuse	EVENT
your	O
own	O
children	O
in	O
such	O
a	O
way	O
?	O

You	O
take	O
delight	O
in	O
vexing	O
me	O
.	O

You	O
have	O
no	O
compassion	O
for	O
my	O
poor	O
nerves	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
You	O
mistake	O
me	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
.	O

I	O
have	O
a	O
high	O
respect	O
for	O
your	O
nerves	O
.	O

They	O
are	O
my	O
old	O
friends	O
.	O

I	O
have	O
heard	O
you	O
mention	O
them	O
with	O
consideration	O
these	O
last	O
twenty	O
years	O
at	O
least	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Ah	O
,	O
you	O
do	O
not	O
know	O
what	O
I	O
suffer	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
But	O
I	O
hope	O
you	O
will	O
get	O
over	O
it	O
,	O
and	O
live	O
to	O
see	O
many	O
young	O
men	O
of	O
four	O
thousand	O
a	O
year	O
come	O
into	O
the	O
neighbourhood	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
It	O
will	O
be	O
no	O
use	O
to	O
us	O
,	O
if	O
twenty	O
such	O
should	O
come	O
,	O
since	O
you	O
will	O
not	O
visit	O
them	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Depend	O
upon	O
it	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
,	O
that	O
when	O
there	O
are	O
twenty	O
,	O
I	O
will	O
visit	O
them	O
all	O
.	O
”	O

Mr.	O
Bennet	O
was	O
so	O
odd	O
a	O
mixture	O
of	O
quick	O
parts	O
,	O
sarcastic	O
humour	O
,	O
reserve	O
,	O
and	O
caprice	O
,	O
that	O
the	O
experience	O
of	O
three-and-twenty	O
years	O
had	O
been	O
insufficient	O
to	O
make	O
his	O
wife	O
understand	O
his	O
character	O
.	O

_	O
Her	O
_	O
mind	O
was	O
less	O
difficult	O
to	O
develop	O
.	O

She	O
was	O
a	O
woman	O
of	O
mean	O
understanding	O
,	O
little	O
information	O
,	O
and	O
uncertain	O
temper	O
.	O

When	O
she	O
was	O
discontented	O
,	O
she	O
fancied	O
herself	O
nervous	O
.	O

The	O
business	O
of	O
her	O
life	O
was	O
to	O
get	O
her	O
daughters	O
married	O
;	O
its	O
solace	O
was	O
visiting	O
and	O
news	O
.	O

Chapter	O
2	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
was	O
among	O
the	O
earliest	O
of	O
those	O
who	O
waited	EVENT
on	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
.	O

He	O
had	O
always	O
intended	O
to	O
visit	O
him	O
,	O
though	O
to	O
the	O
last	O
always	O
assuring	O
his	O
wife	O
that	O
he	O
should	O
not	O
go	O
;	O
and	O
till	O
the	O
evening	O
after	O
the	O
visit	EVENT
was	O
paid	O
she	O
had	O
no	O
knowledge	O
of	O
it	O
.	O

It	O
was	O
then	O
disclosed	EVENT
in	O
the	O
following	O
manner	O
.	O

Observing	EVENT
his	O
second	O
daughter	O
employed	O
in	O
trimming	EVENT
a	O
hat	O
,	O
he	O
suddenly	O
addressed	EVENT
her	O
with	O
:	O
“	O
I	O
hope	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
will	O
like	O
it	O
,	O
Lizzy	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
We	O
are	O
not	O
in	O
a	O
way	O
to	O
know	O
_	O
what	O
_	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
likes	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
her	O
mother	O
resentfully	O
,	O
“	O
since	O
we	O
are	O
not	O
to	O
visit	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
But	O
you	O
forget	O
,	O
mamma	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
Elizabeth	O
,	O
“	O
that	O
we	O
shall	O
meet	O
him	O
at	O
the	O
assemblies	O
,	O
and	O
that	O
Mrs.	O
Long	O
promised	O
to	O
introduce	O
him	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
believe	O
Mrs.	O
Long	O
will	O
do	O
any	O
such	O
thing	O
.	O

She	O
has	O
two	O
nieces	O
of	O
her	O
own	O
.	O

She	O
is	O
a	O
selfish	O
,	O
hypocritical	O
woman	O
,	O
and	O
I	O
have	O
no	O
opinion	O
of	O
her	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
No	O
more	O
have	O
I	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
;	O
“	O
and	O
I	O
am	O
glad	O
to	O
find	O
that	O
you	O
do	O
not	O
depend	O
on	O
her	O
serving	O
you	O
.	O
”	O

Mrs.	O
Bennet	O
deigned	O
not	O
to	O
make	O
any	O
reply	O
,	O
but	O
,	O
unable	O
to	O
contain	O
herself	O
,	O
began	O
scolding	EVENT
one	O
of	O
her	O
daughters	O
.	O

“	O
Do	O
n't	O
keep	O
coughing	EVENT
so	O
,	O
Kitty	O
,	O
for	O
Heaven	O
's	O
sake	O
!	O

Have	O
a	O
little	O
compassion	O
on	O
my	O
nerves	O
.	O

You	O
tear	EVENT
them	O
to	O
pieces	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Kitty	O
has	O
no	O
discretion	O
in	O
her	O
coughs	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
her	O
father	O
;	O
“	O
she	O
times	O
them	O
ill	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
cough	O
for	O
my	O
own	O
amusement	O
,	O
”	O
replied	EVENT
Kitty	O
fretfully	O
.	O

“	O
When	O
is	O
your	O
next	O
ball	O
to	O
be	O
,	O
Lizzy	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
To-morrow	O
fortnight	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Aye	O
,	O
so	O
it	O
is	O
,	O
”	O
cried	EVENT
her	O
mother	O
,	O
“	O
and	O
Mrs.	O
Long	O
does	O
not	O
come	O
back	O
till	O
the	O
day	O
before	O
;	O
so	O
it	O
will	O
be	O
impossible	O
for	O
her	O
to	O
introduce	O
him	O
,	O
for	O
she	O
will	O
not	O
know	O
him	O
herself	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Then	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
,	O
you	O
may	O
have	O
the	O
advantage	O
of	O
your	O
friend	O
,	O
and	O
introduce	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
to	O
_	O
her	O
_	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Impossible	O
,	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
,	O
impossible	O
,	O
when	O
I	O
am	O
not	O
acquainted	O
with	O
him	O
myself	O
;	O
how	O
can	O
you	O
be	O
so	O
teasing	O
?	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
honour	O
your	O
circumspection	O
.	O

A	O
fortnight	O
's	O
acquaintance	O
is	O
certainly	O
very	O
little	O
.	O

One	O
can	O
not	O
know	O
what	O
a	O
man	O
really	O
is	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
a	O
fortnight	O
.	O

But	O
if	O
_	O
we	O
_	O
do	O
not	O
venture	O
somebody	O
else	O
will	O
;	O
and	O
after	O
all	O
,	O
Mrs.	O
Long	O
and	O
her	O
neices	O
must	O
stand	O
their	O
chance	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
therefore	O
,	O
as	O
she	O
will	O
think	O
it	O
an	O
act	O
of	O
kindness	O
,	O
if	O
you	O
decline	O
the	O
office	O
,	O
I	O
will	O
take	O
it	O
on	O
myself	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
girls	O
stared	EVENT
at	O
their	O
father	O
.	O

Mrs.	O
Bennet	O
said	EVENT
only	O
,	O
“	O
Nonsense	O
,	O
nonsense	O
!	O
”	O

“	O
What	O
can	O
be	O
the	O
meaning	O
of	O
that	O
emphatic	O
exclamation	O
?	O
”	O

cried	EVENT
he	O
.	O

“	O
Do	O
you	O
consider	O
the	O
forms	O
of	O
introduction	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
stress	O
that	O
is	O
laid	O
on	O
them	O
,	O
as	O
nonsense	O
?	O

I	O
can	O
not	O
quite	O
agree	O
with	O
you	O
_	O
there	O
_	O
.	O

What	O
say	O
you	O
,	O
Mary	O
?	O

For	O
you	O
are	O
a	O
young	O
lady	O
of	O
deep	O
reflection	O
,	O
I	O
know	O
,	O
and	O
read	O
great	O
books	O
and	O
make	O
extracts	O
.	O
”	O

Mary	O
wished	O
to	O
say	O
something	O
sensible	O
,	O
but	O
knew	O
not	O
how	O
.	O

“	O
While	O
Mary	O
is	O
adjusting	EVENT
her	O
ideas	O
,	O
”	O
he	O
continued	EVENT
,	O
“	O
let	O
us	O
return	O
to	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
I	O
am	O
sick	O
of	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
,	O
”	O
cried	EVENT
his	O
wife	O
.	O

“	O
I	O
am	O
sorry	EVENT
to	O
hear	EVENT
_	O
that	O
_	O
;	O
but	O
why	O
did	O
not	O
you	O
tell	O
me	O
that	O
before	O
?	O

If	O
I	O
had	O
known	O
as	O
much	O
this	O
morning	O
I	O
certainly	O
would	O
not	O
have	O
called	EVENT
on	O
him	O
.	O

It	O
is	O
very	O
unlucky	O
;	O
but	O
as	O
I	O
have	O
actually	O
paid	EVENT
the	O
visit	O
,	O
we	O
can	O
not	O
escape	O
the	O
acquaintance	O
now	O
.	O
”	O

The	O
astonishment	EVENT
of	O
the	O
ladies	O
was	O
just	O
what	O
he	O
wished	O
;	O
that	O
of	O
Mrs.	O
Bennet	O
perhaps	O
surpassing	O
the	O
rest	O
;	O
though	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
first	O
tumult	O
of	O
joy	EVENT
was	O
over	O
,	O
she	O
began	O
to	O
declare	EVENT
that	O
it	O
was	O
what	O
she	O
had	O
expected	O
all	O
the	O
while	O
.	O

“	O
How	O
good	O
it	O
was	O
in	O
you	O
,	O
my	O
dear	O
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
!	O

But	O
I	O
knew	O
I	O
should	O
persuade	O
you	O
at	O
last	O
.	O

I	O
was	O
sure	O
you	O
loved	O
your	O
girls	O
too	O
well	O
to	O
neglect	O
such	O
an	O
acquaintance	O
.	O

Well	O
,	O
how	O
pleased	O
I	O
am	O
!	O

and	O
it	O
is	O
such	O
a	O
good	O
joke	O
,	O
too	O
,	O
that	O
you	O
should	O
have	O
gone	EVENT
this	O
morning	O
and	O
never	O
said	O
a	O
word	O
about	O
it	O
till	O
now	O
.	O
”	O

“	O
Now	O
,	O
Kitty	O
,	O
you	O
may	O
cough	O
as	O
much	O
as	O
you	O
choose	O
,	O
”	O
said	EVENT
Mr.	O
Bennet	O
;	O
and	O
,	O
as	O
he	O
spoke	EVENT
,	O
he	O
left	EVENT
the	O
room	O
,	O
fatigued	O
with	O
the	O
raptures	EVENT
of	O
his	O
wife	O
.	O

“	O
What	O
an	O
excellent	O
father	O
you	O
have	O
,	O
girls	O
!	O
”	O

said	EVENT
she	O
,	O
when	O
the	O
door	O
was	O
shut	EVENT
.	O

“	O
I	O
do	O
not	O
know	O
how	O
you	O
will	O
ever	O
make	O
him	O
amends	O
for	O
his	O
kindness	O
;	O
or	O
me	O
,	O
either	O
,	O
for	O
that	O
matter	O
.	O

At	O
our	O
time	O
of	O
life	O
it	O
is	O
not	O
so	O
pleasant	O
,	O
I	O
can	O
tell	O
you	O
,	O
to	O
be	O
making	O
new	O
acquaintances	O
every	O
day	O
;	O
but	O
for	O
your	O
sakes	O
,	O
we	O
would	O
do	O
anything	O
.	O

Lydia	O
,	O
my	O
love	O
,	O
though	O
you	O
_	O
are	O
_	O
the	O
youngest	O
,	O
I	O
dare	O
say	O
Mr.	O
Bingley	O
will	O
dance	O
with	O
you	O
at	O
the	O
next	O
ball	O
.	O
”	O