Гордость и предубеждение / Pride and Prejudice

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Elizabeth walked towards the table where a few books were lying. “I am astonished,” said Miss Bingley, “that my father has such a small collection of books. What a delightful library you have, Mr. Darcy!”

“It is good,” he replied, “I am always buying books.”

“It is amazing to me,” said Bingley, “how young ladies can have patience to be so educated as they all are.”

“All young ladies educated! My dear Charles, what do you mean?”

“Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint pictures, and net purses.

“ I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general,” said Darcy, “I cannot name five women, that are really educated.”

“Nor I, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley.

“Then,” observed Elizabeth, “in your opinion, who is an educated woman?”

“Oh! No one can be really educated who does not know necessary things. A woman must know music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air[25 - a certain something in her air – определенное своеобразие во внешности] and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions.

“All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “and the most important thing, she must read a lot.”

The conversation was over, and Elizabeth soon afterwards left the room.

“Elizabeth Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed, “is one of those young ladies who try recommend themselves to the men; and with many men it succeeds.

Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley was quite uncomfortable; his sisters declared that they were miserable.

Chapter 9

Elizabeth passed the night in her sister’s room. Suddenly Mrs. Bennet, accompanied by her two youngest girls, came to Netherfield soon after the family breakfast.

If she found Jane in a danger, Mrs. Bennet would have been very miserable. But she was satisfied that her illness was not dangerous. She would not listen, therefore, to her daughter’s proposal of coming home. After sitting a little while with Jane, the mother and three daughters came into the breakfast parlour. Bingley met them with hopes that Mrs. Bennet had not found Miss Bennet worse than she expected.