Chapter VIII.
1. At five o'clock the two ladies retired to dress, and at half-past six Elizabeth was summoned to dinner. 2. His anxiety for Jane was evident, and his attentions to herself most pleasing, and they prevented her feeling herself so much an intruder as she believed she was considered by the others. 3. When dinner was over, she returned directly to Jane, and Miss Bingley began abusing her as soon as she was out of the room. 4. "She has nothing, in short, to recommend her, but being an excellent walker. I shall never forget her appearance this morning. She really looked almost wild." "I am afraid, Mr. Darcy," observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, "that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes." 5. "Not at all," he replied; "they were brightened by the exercise." 6. "Miss Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, "despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else." 7. "I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth; "I am NOT a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things." 8. Charles, when you build YOUR house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley." 9. "I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller." 10. "It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are." 11. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved." 12. "All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." 13. "Elizabeth Bennet," said Miss Bingley, when the door was closed on her, "is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex by undervaluing their own; and with many men, I dare say, it succeeds. But, in my opinion, it is a paltry device, a very mean art."
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