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Their party in the dining-room was large, for almost all the

Lucases came to meet Maria and hear the news; and various were

the subjects which occupied them: Lady Lucas was inquiring of

Maria, across the table, after the welfare and poultry of her

eldest daughter; Mrs. Bennet was doubly engaged, on one hand

collecting an account of the present fashions from Jane, who sat

some way below her, and on the other, retailing them all to the

younger Miss Lucases; and Lydia, in a voice rather louder than

any other person's, was enumerating the various pleasures of the

morning to anybody who would hear her.