Page 696 of 817

But the spiritless condition which this event threw her into was

shortly relieved, and her mind opened again to the agitation of

hope, by an article of news which then began to be in

circulation. The housekeeper at Netherfield had received orders

to prepare for the arrival of her master, who was coming down in

a day or two, to shoot there for several weeks. Mrs. Bennet was

quite in the fidgets. She looked at Jane, and smiled, and shook

her head, by turns.

"Well, well, and so Mr. Bingley is coming down, sister," (for

Mrs. Philips first brought her the news). "Well, so much the

better. Not that I care about it, though. He is nothing to us,

you know, and I am sure I never want to see him again. But,

however, he is very welcome to come to Netherfield, if he likes

it. And who knows what may happen? But that is nothing to us. You

know, sister, we agreed long ago never to mention a word about

it. And so, it is quite certain he is coming?"