Гордість і упередження

           ToCatherineandLydia,neithertheletternoritswriterwereinanydegreeinteresting. Itwasnexttoimpossiblethattheircousinshouldcomeinascarletcoat,anditwasnowsomeweekssincetheyhadreceivedpleasurefromthesocietyofamaninanyothercolour. Asfortheirmother,Mr.Collins’sletterhaddoneawaymuchofherill-will,andshewaspreparingtoseehimwithadegreeofcomposurewhichastonishedherhusbandanddaughters. 

           Mr.Collinswaspunctualtohistime,andwasreceivedwithgreatpolitenessbythewholefamily. Mr.Bennetindeedsaidlittle;buttheladieswerereadyenoughtotalk,andMr.Collinsseemedneitherinneedofencouragement,norinclinedtobesilenthimself. Hewasatall,heavy-lookingyoungmanoffive-and-twenty. Hisairwasgraveandstately,andhismannerswereveryformal. HehadnotbeenlongseatedbeforehecomplimentedMrs.Bennetonhavingsofineafamilyofdaughters;saidhehadheardmuchoftheirbeauty,butthatinthisinstancefamehadfallenshortofthetruth;andadded,thathedidnotdoubtherseeingthemallinduetimedisposedofinmarriage. Thisgallantrywasnotmuchtothetasteofsomeofhishearers; butMrs.Bennet,whoquarreledwithnocompliments,answeredmostreadily. 

           "Youareverykind,Iamsure;andIwishwithallmyheartitmayproveso,forelsetheywillbedestituteenough. Thingsaresettledsooddly." 

           "Youallude,perhaps,totheentailofthisestate." 

           "Ah!sir,Idoindeed. Itisagrievousaffairtomypoorgirls,youmustconfess. NotthatImeantofindfaultwithyou,forsuchthingsIknowareallchanceinthisworld. Thereisnoknowinghowestateswillgowhenoncetheycometobeentailed."