Pride and Prejudice: The Meryton Assembly

Mrs. Bennet and her five daughters tried every trick to make Mr. Bennet describe the new tenant of Netherfield, but he would tell them nothing, so they had to accept the report of their neighbour Lady Lucas.Mr. Bingley, she said, was young, handsome and agreeable, and he meant to come to the next assembly with a large party.Mrs. Bennet declared that if she could only see one daughter happily settled at Netherfield, she would have nothing left to wish for.

At the ball, Mr. Bingley arrived with his two sisters, his brother-in-law and one friend, and he was good-looking, easy in his manners and friendly to everyone.His friend Mr. Darcy drew every eye at once, for he was tall and handsome, and within five minutes the whole room knew that he had ten thousand pounds a year.But half an evening was enough to change that, for he danced only twice, refused to meet anyone new, and walked about looking proud and bored.Everyone decided that he was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and hoped he would never come back.

Elizabeth had to sit out two dances because there were not enough gentlemen, and she happened to be sitting close to Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley.Mr. Bingley came over and begged his friend to dance, saying that he hated to see him standing about in such a stupid manner.Darcy replied that there was not another woman in the room whom it would not be a punishment to dance with, apart from Bingley’s partner, the beautiful Jane.Bingley pointed to Elizabeth, who was sitting just behind him, and said that she was very pretty too.Darcy looked at her for a moment, then said coldly, “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humour to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.”

Elizabeth heard every word, and she was left with no warm feelings toward him.But she had a lively, playful nature that loved anything ridiculous, so she told the story with great spirit to her friends.The rest of the evening went happily for the Bennets, because Mr. Bingley had danced twice with Jane and she had been admired by his sisters.

At home, Mrs. Bennet described the whole evening to her sleepy husband, who would have preferred to hear nothing about the dancing at all.She then turned to the shocking rudeness of Mr. Darcy, and added that he was a horrid, conceited man who walked here and walked there, thinking himself so very great.