Chapter 1 3
" Is he married or single ?"
" Oh ! Single , my dear , to be sure ! A single man of large fortune ; four or five thousand a year . What a fine thing for our girls !"
" How so ? How can it affect them ?"
" My dear Mr . Bennet ," replied his wife , " how can you be so tiresome ! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them ."
" Is that his design in settling here ?"
" Design ! Nonsense , how can you talk so ! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them , and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes ."
" I see no occasion for that . You and the girls may go , or you may send them by themselves , which perhaps will be still better , for as you are as handsome as any of them , Mr . Bingley may like you the best of the party ."
" My dear , you flatter me . I certainly have had my share of beauty , but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now . When a woman has five grown-up daughters , she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty ."
" In such cases , a woman has not often much beauty to think of ."
" But , my dear , you must indeed go and see Mr . Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood ."
" It is more than I engage for , I assure you ."
" But consider your daughters . Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them . Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go , merely on that account , for in general , you know , they visit no newcomers . Indeed you must go , for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not ."