Maximum-assistance view: every word above everyday vocabulary is explained at every appearance; each name is introduced at its first appearance in the chapter.

CHAPTER II.

Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley (Mr. Bennet was one of the first to call on Mr. Bingley). He had always intended to visit him (He had meant to visit him all along), though to the last always assuring his wife that he should not go (though right up to the end he kept telling his wife he would not go); and till the evening after the visit was paid she had no knowledge of it (and until the evening after the call was made she knew nothing about it). It was then disclosed in the following manner (It came out in the following way). Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat (Seeing his second daughter busy decorating a hat), he suddenly addressed her with (he suddenly said to her),--

“I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy (I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzy).”

“We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes (We are in no position to know what Mr. Bingley likes),” said her mother, resentfully (her mother said, sour about it), “since we are not to visit (since we are not going to call on him).”

“But you forget, mamma (But you are forgetting, mother),” said Elizabeth (said Elizabeth, the second daughter), “that we shall meet him at the assemblies (that we will meet him at the public dances), and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him (and that Mrs. Long has promised to introduce him to us).”

“I do not believe Mrs. Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own (She has two nieces of her own). She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her (She is a selfish woman who pretends to be what she is not, and I think nothing of her).”

“No more have I (Nor do I),” said Mr. Bennet; “and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you (and I am glad to hear you are not counting on her doing you a favour).”

Mrs. Bennet deigned not to make any reply (Mrs. Bennet did not lower herself to answer); but, unable to contain herself, began scolding one of her daughters (but, unable to hold it in, started telling one of her daughters off).

“Don’t keep coughing so, Kitty, for heaven’s sake! (Stop coughing like that, Kitty, for heaven’s sake!) Have a little compassion on my nerves. You tear them to pieces (Have a little pity on my nerves. You rip them apart).”

“Kitty has no discretion in her coughs (Kitty shows no judgement about when she coughs),” said her father; “she times them ill (she picks bad moments for them).”

“I do not cough for my own amusement,” replied Kitty, fretfully (Kitty answered, put out). “When is your next ball to be, Lizzy? (When is your next dance, Lizzy?)”

“To-morrow fortnight (Two weeks from tomorrow).”

“Ay, so it is (Yes, that’s right),” cried her mother, “and Mrs. Long does not come back till the day before (and Mrs. Long does not get back until the day before); so, it will be impossible for her to introduce him, for she will not know him herself (because she will not have met him herself).”

“Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend (you may get the better of your friend), and introduce Mr. Bingley to her.”

“Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself; how can you be so teasing? (when I have not met him myself; how can you be so annoying?)”

“I honour your circumspection (I respect how carefully you look at it). A fortnight’s acquaintance is certainly very little (Knowing someone two weeks is certainly not much). One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight (You cannot tell what a man is really like after two weeks). But if we do not venture, somebody else will (But if we do not take the chance, somebody else will); and after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance (and in the end Mrs. Long and her nieces will have to take their chances); and, therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, I will take it on myself (since she will see it as a kindness, if you refuse the job I will do it myself).”

The girls stared at their father (The girls stared at their father). Mrs. Bennet said only, “Nonsense, nonsense!”

“What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation? (What do you mean by that forceful outburst?)” cried he. “Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? (Do you think the rules for introducing people, and the importance placed on them, are rubbish?) I cannot quite agree with you there. What say you, Mary? For you are a young lady of deep reflection, I know (Because you are a young lady who thinks deeply, I know), and read great books, and make extracts (and read serious books and copy passages out of them).”

Mary wished to say something very sensible, but knew not how (Mary wanted to say something very wise but did not know how).

“While Mary is adjusting her ideas (While Mary is getting her thoughts in order),” he continued, “let us return to Mr. Bingley.”

“I am sick of Mr. Bingley (I am tired of hearing about Mr. Bingley),” cried his wife.

“I am sorry to hear that (I am sorry to hear that); but why did you not tell me so before? (but why didn’t you tell me that before?) If I had known as much this morning, I certainly would not have called on him (If I had known that this morning, I certainly would not have gone to see him). It is very unlucky (That is very unlucky); but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now (but since I really have made the call, we cannot get out of knowing him now).”

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished (The amazement of the women was exactly what he wanted)--that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest (Mrs. Bennet’s perhaps being greater than anyone’s); though when the first tumult of joy was over (though once the first burst of delight had passed), she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while (she started saying it was what she had expected all along).

“How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! (How good of you, my dear Mr. Bennet!) But I knew I should persuade you at last (But I knew I would talk you round in the end). I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance (I was sure you loved your girls too much to let a connection like this go). Well, how pleased I am! And it is such a good joke, too, that you should have gone this morning, and never said a word about it till now.”

“Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you choose (Now, Kitty, you can cough as much as you like),” said Mr. Bennet; and, as he spoke, he left the room, fatigued with the raptures of his wife (worn out by his wife’s delight).

“What an excellent father you have, girls (What a fine father you have, girls),” said she, when the door was shut (she said, once the door was shut). “I do not know how you will ever make him amends for his kindness (I don’t know how you will ever pay him back for his kindness); or me either, for that matter (or me either, come to that). At our time of life, it is not so pleasant, I can tell you, to be making new acquaintances every day (At our age it is not so enjoyable, I can tell you, to be meeting new people every day); but for your sakes we would do anything (but for your sake we would do anything). Lydia, my love (Lydia, my love), though you are the youngest (though you are the youngest), I dare say Mr. Bingley will dance with you at the next ball (I expect Mr. Bingley will dance with you at the next dance).”

“Oh,” said Lydia, stoutly (Lydia said firmly), “I am not afraid; for though I am the youngest, I’m the tallest.”

The rest of the evening was spent in conjecturing how soon he would return Mr. Bennet’s visit (The rest of the evening went in guessing how soon he would come and call on Mr. Bennet back), and determining when they should ask him to dinner (and deciding when they should invite him to dinner).