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being gone to London only to get a large party for the ball; and

a report soon followed that Mr. Bingley was to bring twelve

ladies and seven gentlemen with him to the assembly. The girls

grieved over such a number of ladies; but were comforted the day

before the ball by hearing that, instead of twelve, he had

brought only six with him from London, his five sisters and a

cousin. And when the party entered the assembly-room, it

consisted of only five altogether: Mr. Bingley, his two sisters,

the husband of the eldest, and another young man.