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1"With the officers!" cried Lydia: "I wonder my aunt did not tell us of that." "Dining out," said Mrs. Bennet; "that is
2very unlucky." "Can I have the carriage?" said Jane. "No, my dear, you had better go on horseback, because it seems
3likely to rain; and then you must stay all night." "That would be a good scheme," said Elizabeth, "if you were sure that
4they would not offer to send her home." "Oh, but the gentlemen will have Mr. Bingley's chaise to go to Meryton; and the
5Hursts have no horses to theirs." "I had much rather go in the coach." "But, my dear, your father cannot spare the
6horses, I am sure. They are wanted in the farm, Mr. Bennet, are not they?" [Illustration: Cheerful prognostics] "They
7are wanted in the farm much oftener than I can get them." "But if you have got them to-day," said Elizabeth, "my
8mother's purpose will be answered." She did at last extort from her father an acknowledgment that the horses were
9engaged; Jane was therefore obliged to go on horseback, and her mother attended her to the door with many cheerful
10prognostics of a bad day. Her hopes were answered; Jane had not been gone long before it rained hard. Her sisters were
11uneasy for her, but her mother was delighted. The rain continued the whole evening without intermission; Jane certainly
12could not come back. "This was a lucky idea of mine, indeed!" said Mrs. Bennet, more than once, as if the credit of
13making it rain were all her own. Till the next morning, however, she was not aware of all the felicity of her
14contrivance. Breakfast was scarcely over when a servant from Netherfield brought the following note for Elizabeth:-- /
15NIND "My dearest Lizzie, */ "I find myself very unwell this morning, which, I suppose, is to be imputed to my getting
16wet through yesterday. My kind friends will not hear of my returning home till I am better. They insist also on my
17seeing Mr. Jones--therefore do not be alarmed if you should hear of his having been to me--and, excepting a sore throat
18and a headache, there is not much the matter with me. "Yours, etc." "Well, my dear," said Mr. Bennet, when Elizabeth had
19read the note aloud, "if your daughter should have a dangerous fit of illness--if she should die--it would be a comfort
20to know that it was all in pursuit of Mr. Bingley, and under your orders." "Oh, I am not at all afraid of her dying.
21People do not die of little trifling colds. She will be taken good care of. As long as she stays there, it is all very
22well. I would go and see her if I could have the carriage." Elizabeth, feeling really anxious, determined to go to her,
23though the carriage was not to be had: and as she was no horsewoman, walking was her only alternative. She declared her
24resolution. "How can you be so silly," cried her mother, "as to think of such a thing, in all this dirt! You will not be
25fit to be seen when you get there." "I shall be very fit to see Jane--which is all I want." "Is this a hint to me,
26Lizzy," said her father, "to send for the horses?" "No, indeed. I do not wish to avoid the walk. The distance is
27nothing, when one has a motive; only three miles. I shall be back by dinner." "I admire the activity of your
28benevolence," observed Mary, "but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion
29should always be in proportion to what is required." "We will go as far as Meryton with you," said Catherine and Lydia.
30Elizabeth accepted their company, and the three young ladies set off together. "If we make haste," said Lydia, as they
31walked along, "perhaps we may see something of Captain Carter, before he goes." In Meryton they parted: the two youngest
32repaired to the lodgings of one of the officers' wives, and Elizabeth continued her walk alone, crossing field after
33field at a quick pace, jumping over stiles and springing over puddles, with impatient activity, and finding herself at
34last within view of the house, with weary ancles, dirty stockings, and a face glowing with the warmth of exercise. She
35was shown into the breakfast parlour, where all but Jane were assembled, and where her appearance created a great deal
36of surprise. That she should have walked three miles so early in the day in such dirty weather, and by herself, was
37almost incredible to Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley; and Elizabeth was convinced that they held her in contempt for it. She
38was received, however, very politely by them; and in their brother's manners there was something better than
39politeness--there was good-humour and kindness. Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was
40divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion and doubt as to the occasion's
41justifying her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast. Her inquiries after her sister were
42not very favourably answered. Miss Bennet had slept ill, and though up, was very feverish, and not well enough to leave
43her room. Elizabeth was glad to be taken to her immediately; and Jane, who had only been withheld by the fear of giving
44alarm or inconvenience, from expressing in her note how much she longed for such a visit, was delighted at her entrance.
45She was not equal, however, to much conversation; and when Miss Bingley left them together, could attempt little beside
46expressions of gratitude for the extraordinary kindness she was treated with. Elizabeth silently attended her. When
47breakfast was over, they were joined by the sisters; and Elizabeth began to like them herself, when she saw how much
48affection and solicitude they showed for Jane. The apothecary came; and having examined his patient, said, as might be
49supposed, that she had caught a violent cold, and that they must endeavour to get the better of it; advised her to
50return to bed, and promised her some draughts. The advice was followed readily, for the feverish symptoms increased, and
51her head ached acutely. Elizabeth did not quit her room for a moment, nor were the other ladies often absent; the
52gentlemen being out, they had in fact nothing to do elsewhere. When the clock struck three, Elizabeth felt that she must
53go, and very unwillingly said so. Miss Bingley offered her the carriage, and she only wanted a little pressing to accept
54it, when Jane testified such concern at parting with her that Miss Bingley was obliged to convert the offer of the
55chaise into an invitation to remain at Netherfield for the present. Elizabeth most thankfully consented, and a servant
56was despatched to Longbourn, to acquaint the family with her stay, and bring back a supply of clothes. [Illustration:
57"The Apothecary came" ] [Illustration: "covering a screen" ] CHAPTER VIII. [Illustration] At five o'clock the two ladies
58retired to dress, and at half-past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. To the civil inquiries which then poured in,
59and amongst which she had the pleasure of distinguishing the much superior solicitude of Mr. Bingley, she could not make
60a very favourable answer. Jane was by no means better. The sisters, on hearing this, repeated three or four times how
61much they were grieved, how shocking it was to have a bad cold, and how excessively they disliked being ill themselves;
62and then thought no more of the matter: and their indifference towards Jane, when not immediately before them, restored
63Elizabeth to the enjoyment of all her original dislike. Their brother, indeed, was the only one of the party whom she
64could regard with any complacency. His anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing; and
65they prevented her feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered by the others. She had very
66little notice from any but him. Miss Bingley was engrossed by Mr. Darcy, her sister scarcely less so; and as for Mr.
67Hurst, by whom Elizabeth sat, he was an indolent man, who lived only to eat, drink, and play at cards, who, when he
68found her prefer a plain dish to a ragout, had nothing to say to her. When dinner was over, she returned directly to
69Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. Her manners were pronounced to be very bad
70indeed,--a mixture of pride and impertinence: she had no conversation, no style, no taste, no beauty. Mrs. Hurst thought
71the same, and added,-- "She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget
72her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild."
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