Pride and Prejudice: Bingley and Jane

Taesha Glasgow (0:09)

I'm Tasia, your host.

Every week, I will read you an old story to help you relax about the stressful day behind you and drift off to sleep.

Occasionally, we will run ads in order to cover the costs of the production of the podcast. Rest assured, there will be no ads during or after the story.

If you prefer an ad-free and intro-free show, you can join Just Sleep Premium.

Visit justsleeppodcast.com For more information.

If you love the show. And you would like to help us keep making it. You can buy us coffee.

buymeacoffee.com Slash Just Sleep.

Tonight. I will be continuing the story. Pride and Prejudice. by Jane Austen.

So lie down, close your eyes, and let me read you a story.

Chapter 54

As soon as they were gone, Elizabeth walked out to recover her spirits, or in other words, to dwell without interruption on those subjects that must deaden them more. Mr. Darcy's behavior astonished and vexed her. Why, if he came only to be silent, grave and indifferent, said she, did he come at all?

She could settle it in no way that gave her pleasure. He could be still amiable, still pleasing to my uncle and aunt when he was in town, and why not to me? If he fears me, why come hither? If he no longer cares for me, why silent? Teasing, teasing man, I will think no more about him. Her resolution was for a short time involuntarily kept by the approach of her sister, who joined her with a cheerful look, which showed her better satisfied with her visitors than Elizabeth. Now, said she, if this first meeting is over, I feel perfectly easy. I know my own strength and I shall never be embarrassed again by his coming. I'm glad he dines here on Tuesday. It will then be publicly seen that, on both sides, we meet only as common and indifferent acquaintance.

Yes, very indifferent indeed, said Elizabeth laughingly. Oh, Jane, take care. My dear Lizzie, you cannot think me so weak as to be in danger now. I think you are in very great danger of making him as much in love with you as ever. They did not see the gentleman again until Tuesday, and Mrs. Bennet in the meanwhile was giving way to all the happy schemes which the good humor and common politeness of Bingley in half an hour's visit had revived.

On Tuesday, there was a large party assembled at Longbourn, and the two who were most anxiously expected to the credit of their punctuality as sportsmen were in very good time. When they repaired to the dining room, Elizabeth eagerly watched to see whether Bingley would take the place, which and all their former parties had belonged to him by her sister. Her prudent mother, occupied by the same ideas, forebore to invite him to sit by herself. On entering the room, he seemed to hesitate, but Jane happened to look round and happened to smile. It was decided, he placed himself by her. Elizabeth, with a triumphant sensation, looked towards his friend. He bore it with noble indifference, and she would have imagined that Bingley had received his sanction to be happy, had she not seen his eyes likewise turn towards Mr. Percy, with an expression of half laughing alarm.

His behaviour to her sister was such during dinner time as showed an admiration for her, which, though more guarded than formerly, persuaded Elizabeth that, if left wholly to himself, Jane's happiness and his own would be speedily secured. Though she dared not depend upon the consequence, she had received pleasure from observing his behaviour. It gave her all the animation that her spirits could boast, for she was in no cheerful humour. Mr. Darcy was almost as far from her as the table could divide them. He was on one side of her mother. She knew how little such a situation would give pleasure to either or make either appear to advantage. She was not near enough to hear any of their discourse, but she could see how seldom they spoke to each other and how formal and cold was their manner whenever they did. Her mother's ungraciousness made the sense of what they owed him more painful to Elizabeth's mind, and she would at times have given anything to be privileged to tell him that his kindness was neither unknown nor unfelt by the whole of the family. She was in hopes that the evening would afford some opportunity of bringing them together, that the whole of the visit would not pass away without enabling them to enter into something more of conversation than the mere ceremonious salutation attending his entrance.

Anxious and uneasy, the period which passed in the drawing room before the gentleman came was worrisome and dull to a degree that almost made her uncivil. She looked forward to their entrance as the point in which all her chance of pleasure for the evening must depend. If he does not come to me, then, said she, I shall give him up forever.