第28页 / 共817页

The manner in which they spoke of the Meryton assembly was

sufficiently characteristic. Bingley had never met with

pleasanter people or prettier girls in his life; everybody had

been most kind and attentive to him; there had been no formality,

no stiffness; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; and

as to Miss Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful.

Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom

there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had

felt the smallest interest, and from none received either

attention or pleasure. Miss Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty;

but she smiled too much.

Mrs. Hurst and her sister allowed it to be so; but still they

admired her and liked her, and pronounced her to be a sweet girl,

and one whom they should not object to know more of. Miss Bennet

was therefore established as a sweet girl; and their brother felt

authorized by such commendation to think of her as he chose.

]

CHAPTER V.