Pride and Prejudice - Chapter 5
Гордость и предубеждение - Глава 5
The Lucases were neighbours of the Bennets, and the two families were on friendly terms. Sir William Lucas had been in trade in Meryton before he was knighted, and he now considered himself a gentleman.
Сестры Бингли, Кэролайн и миссис Херст, приглашают Джейн на обед. Джейн едет верхом под дождем и простужается. Ей приходится остаться в Незерфилде до выздоровления.
His daughter Charlotte was Elizabeth's age, and they were good friends. Charlotte was sensible and practical, with no romantic illusions about marriage.
Элизабет, беспокоясь о сестре, идет пешком три мили по грязи, чтобы навестить ее. Ее появление в забрызганном грязью платье шокирует сестер Бингли, но втайне впечатляет мистера Дарси ее живостью и красивыми глазами.
"I ask only a comfortable home," she told Elizabeth once. "I am not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only for a settled home and a reasonable income. That is enough to make me happy."
Позже приезжает миссис Беннет, чтобы проверить состояние Джейн, и ведет себя постыдно, хвастаясь красотой Джейн и демонстрируя отсутствие манер.
Elizabeth smiled at her friend's practical attitude. Charlotte understood the realities of their situation.
In November, the Bingley sisters gave a dinner party at Netherfield. The Bennets were invited, and Jane rode her horse to Netherfield, as the weather was fine.
But it began to rain during the visit, and Jane became soaked. She caught a cold and had to stay at Netherfield to recover.
Elizabeth, worried about her sister, walked three miles to Netherfield to see how Jane was. She arrived at the great house with her stockings covered in mud, her hair wild from the wind.
The Bingley sisters were shocked by her appearance, but Bingley and Darcy were impressed by her devotion to her sister.
Jane was delighted to see Elizabeth, though she was too weak to talk much. The sisters spent the day together, and when evening came, it was decided that Elizabeth would stay the night at Netherfield to be near Jane.
That evening, Elizabeth found herself in conversation with Darcy. To her surprise, she discovered that he was intelligent and well-read. They debated literature and philosophy, and Elizabeth found herself enjoying the discussion despite her earlier dislike of him.
But she still remembered his pride, his refusal to dance with her, his evident disdain. And she was determined not to like him.