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“ Now , Kitty , you may cough as much as you choose , ” said Mr . Bennet ; and , as he spoke , he left the room , fatigued with the raptures of his wife . “ What an excellent father you have , girls , ” said she , when the door was shut . “ I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness ; or me either , for that matter . At our time of life , it is not so pleasant , I can tell you , to be making new acquaintances every day ; but for your sakes we would do anything . Lydia , my love , though you are the youngest , I dare say Mr . Bingley will dance with you at the next ball . ” “ Oh , ” said Lydia , stoutly , “ I am not afraid ; for though I am the youngest , I’m the tallest . ” The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr . Bennet’s visit , and determining when they should ask him to dinner . CHAPTER III . NOT all that Mrs . Bennet , however , with the assistance of her five daughters , could ask on the subject , was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr . Bingley . They attacked him in various ways , with barefaced questions , ingenious suppositions , and distant surmises ; but he eluded the skill of them all ; and they were at last obliged to accept the second - hand intelligence of their neighbour , Lady Lucas . Her report was highly favourable . Sir William had been delighted with him . He was quite young , wonderfully handsome , extremely agreeable , and , to crown the whole , he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party . Nothing could be more delightful ! To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love ; and very lively hopes of Mr . Bingley’s heart were entertained . “ If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield , ” said Mrs . Bennet to her husband , “ and all the others equally well married , I shall have nothing to wish for . ” In a few days Mr . Bingley returned Mr . Bennet’s visit , and sat about ten minutes with him in his library . He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies , of whose beauty he had heard much ; but he saw only the father . The ladies were somewhat more fortunate , for they had the advantage of ascertaining , from an upper window , that he wore a blue coat and rode a black horse . An invitation to dinner was soon afterwards despatched ; and already had Mrs . Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping , when an answer arrived which deferred it all . Mr . Bingley was obliged to be in town the following day , and consequently unable to accept the honour of their invitation , etc . Mrs . Bennet was quite disconcerted . She could not imagine what business he could have in town so soon after his arrival in Hertfordshire ; and she began to fear that he might always be flying about from one place to another , and never settled at Netherfield as he ought to be . Lady Lucas quieted her fears a little by starting the idea of his
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