'She seems a very pleasant young woman,' said Bingley.

'Oh! dear, yes;--but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas
herself has often said so, and envied me Jane's beauty. I do not like to
boast of my own child, but to be sure, Jane--one does not often see
any body better looking. It is what every body says. I do not trust my
own partiality. When she was only fifteen, there was a gentleman at
my brother Gardiner's in town, so much in love with her, that my
sister-in-law was sure he would make her an offer before we came
away. But however he did not. Perhaps he thought her too young.
However, he wrote some verses on her, and very pretty they were.'

'And so ended his affection,' said Elizabeth impatiently. 'There
has been many a one, I fancy, overcome in the same way. I wonder
who first discovered the efficacy of poetry in driving away love!'

'I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,'^* said
Darcy.

'Of a fine, stout, healthy love it may. Every thing nourishes what is
strong already. But if it be only a slight, thin sort of inclination, I am
convinced that one good sonnet will starve it entirely away.'

Darcy only smiled; and the general pause which ensued made
Elizabeth tremble lest her mother should be exposing herself again.
She longed to speak, but could think of nothing to say; and after a
short silence Mrs. Bennet began repeating her thanks to Mr. Bingley
for his kindness to Jane, with an apology for troubling him also with
Lizzy. Mr. Bingley was unaffectedly civil in his answer, and forced
his younger sister to be civil also, and say what the occasion required.
She performed her part indeed without much graciousness, but Mrs.
Bennet was satisfied, and soon afterwards ordered her carriage.
Upon this signal, the youngest of her daughters put herself forward.
The two girls had been whispering to each other during the whole
visit, and the result of it was, that the youngest should tax Mr.
Bingley with having promised on his first coming into the country to
give a ball at Netherfield.

Lydia was a stout, well-grown girl of fifteen, with a fine com-
plexion and good-humoured countenance; a favourite with her
mother, whose affection had brought her into public at an early age.
She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence,
which the attentions of the officers, to whom her uncle's good din-
ners and her own easy manners recommended her, had increased
into assurance. She was very equal therefore to address Mr. Bingley

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