Chapter 7

           Mr.Bennet’spropertyconsistedalmostentirelyinanestateoftwothousandayear,which,unfortunatelyforhisdaughters,wasentailed,indefaultofheirsmale,onadistantrelation; andtheirmother’sfortune,thoughampleforhersituationinlife,couldbutillsupplythedeficiencyofhis. HerfatherhadbeenanattorneyinMeryton,andhadleftherfourthousandpounds. 

           ShehadasistermarriedtoaMr.Phillips,whohadbeenaclerktotheirfatherandsucceededhiminthebusiness,andabrothersettledinLondoninarespectablelineoftrade. 

           ThevillageofLongbournwasonlyonemilefromMeryton;amostconvenientdistancefortheyoungladies,whowereusuallytemptedthitherthreeorfourtimesaweek,topaytheirdutytotheirauntandtoamilliner’sshopjustovertheway. Thetwoyoungestofthefamily,CatherineandLydia,wereparticularlyfrequentintheseattentions; theirmindsweremorevacantthantheirsisters’,andwhennothingbetteroffered,awalktoMerytonwasnecessarytoamusetheirmorninghoursandfurnishconversationfortheevening; andhoweverbareofnewsthecountryingeneralmightbe,theyalwayscontrivedtolearnsomefromtheiraunt. Atpresent,indeed,theywerewellsuppliedbothwithnewsandhappinessbytherecentarrivalofamilitiaregimentintheneighbourhood;itwastoremainthewholewinter,andMerytonwastheheadquarters. 

           TheirvisitstoMrs.Phillipswerenowproductiveofthemostinterestingintelligence. Everydayaddedsomethingtotheirknowledgeoftheofficers’namesandconnections. Theirlodgingswerenotlongasecret,andatlengththeybegantoknowtheofficersthemselves. Mr.Phillipsvisitedthemall,andthisopenedtohisniecesastoreoffelicityunknownbefore.