Chapter1Itisatruthuniversallyacknowledged,thatasinglemaninpossessionofagoodfortune,mustbeinwantofawife.Howeverlittleknownthefeelingsorviewsofsuchamanmaybeonhisfirstenteringaneighbourhood,thistruthissowellfixedinthemindsofthesurroundingfamilies,thatheisconsideredtherightfulpropertyofsomeoneorotheroftheirdaughters."MydearMr.Bennet,"saidhisladytohimoneday,"haveyouheardthatNetherfieldParkisletatlast?"Mr.Bennetrepliedthathehadnot."Butitis,"returnedshe;"forMrs.Longhasjustbeenhere,andshetoldmeallaboutit."Mr.Bennetmadenoanswer."Doyounotwanttoknowwhohastakenit?"criedhiswifeimpatiently."Youwanttotellme,andIhavenoobjectiontohearingit."Thiswasinvitationenough."Why,mydear,youmustknow,Mrs.LongsaysthatNetherfieldistakenbyayoungmanoflargefortunefromthenorthofEngland;thathecamedownonMondayinachaiseandfourtoseetheplace,andwassomuchdelightedwithit,thatheagreedwithMr.Morrisimmediately;thatheistotakepossessionbeforeMichaelmas,andsomeofhisservantsaretobeinthehousebytheendofnextweek.""Whatishisname?""Bingley.""Ishemarriedorsingle?""Oh!Single,mydear,tobesure!Asinglemanoflargefortune;fourorfivethousandayear.Whatafinethingforourgirls!""Howso?Howcanitaffectthem?""MydearMr.Bennet,"repliedhiswife,"howcanyoubesotiresome!YoumustknowthatIamthinkingofhismarryingoneofthem.""Isthathisdesigninsettlinghere?""Design!Nonsense,howcanyoutalkso!Butitisverylikelythathemayfallinlovewithoneofthem,andthereforeyoumustvisithimassoonashecomes.""Iseenooccasionforthat.Youandthegirlsmaygo,oryoumaysendthembythemselves,whichperhapswillbestillbetter,forasyouareashandsomeasanyofthem,Mr.Bingleymaylikeyouthebestoftheparty.""Mydear,youflatterme.Icertainlyhavehadmyshareofbeauty,butIdonotpretendtobeanythingextraordinarynow.Whenawomanhasfivegrown-updaughters,sheoughttogiveoverthinkingofherownbeauty.""Insuchcases,awomanhasnotoftenmuchbeautytothinkof.""But,mydear,youmustindeedgoandseeMr.Bingleywhenhecomesintotheneighbourhood.""ItismorethanIengagefor,Iassureyou.""Butconsid