I am aging gracefully in the world of famous books

Elizabeth Bennet followed her mother and sister into the gate of Bingley's house. After she and the Bingley brothers and sisters said hello to each other, they found that the Hursts were not there.

She was surprised for a moment. You must know that since she met Mr. Bingley, the Hursts seemed to be staying at Bingley's house. Every time they came to visit, they could meet them.

Just when Elizabeth was puzzled, her mother, Mrs. Bennet, asked quickly:

"Miss Bingley, won't Mr. and Mrs. Hurst come to dinner tonight?"

Miss Bingley showed a standard polite smile: "My sister and brother-in-law will arrive later, and they will drop by to pick up another guest tonight."

Hearing that there were other guests, Mrs. Bennet's sensitive nerves eager to marry her daughter jumped several times, and she hurriedly asked:

"Another guest? Is it a friend we know? Or a new friend?"

"A friend we met in London, Mrs. Bennet."

At last Mr. Bingley took his eyes from Jane Bennet's sweet smile, and replied cheerfully:

"Tonight, I would like to introduce to you some acquaintances of the Bingley family. They all live in London and are very amiable and friendly friends."

Hearing Mr. Bingley's description, Jane Bennet immediately showed a happy and expectant smile. In her opinion, it is a very pleasant thing to meet more friendly and interesting people.

Although Elizabeth is also like her sister, she is looking forward to meeting new friends, but like her sister, she cannot 100% believe Mr. Bingley's words, especially... about his evaluation of new friends.

Because the last person who was praised by Mr. Bingley was the arrogant and indifferent Mr. Darcy.

——If even Mr. Darcy can be called amiable and friendly, I should still be cautious about the guests who are coming tonight.

This girl has a pair of bright eyes and a beautiful face. Although she is not as beautiful as her sister, she is still a pretty lady. She is sitting opposite Miss Bingley, watching her mother bluffing for information.

"Mr. Bingley, the guest picked up by the Hurst couple must be a young and beautiful lady?"

"Yes, it's Miss Wilkes."

Bingley replied with a smile: "She was going to come with Mr. Bernard. Unfortunately, Mr. Bernard left London for some business, so Louisa took the initiative to pick up Miss Wilkes. .”

Hearing that it was a young and beautiful single lady, Mrs. Bennet immediately became vigilant. She ignored Mr. Bernard and only paid attention to Miss Wilkes who appeared suddenly.

"Why doesn't she ride in her own family's carriage? Is the family's situation not good?"

"Mom! Miss Wilkes must want to chat more with Mrs. Hurst on the way." Elizabeth hastily interrupted Mrs. Bennet's impolite words.

Miss Bingley covered her lips and smiled. Seeing Mr. Bingley's face, she did not show an obvious mocking expression, but introduced slowly:

"How can Miss Wilkes be so poor that she doesn't even have a carriage? She is said to have a dowry of nearly £[-], and a lot of jewelry and art as dowry.

Mrs. Bennet, Miss Wilkes is both beautiful and rich, versatile and elegant. She is really a very good lady. "

Miss Bingley kept the news of Miss Wilkes's engagement maliciously silent. She despised Mrs. Bennet's tricks and wanted to make her feel bad for a while.

Sure enough, Mrs. Bennet immediately became tense, and she shouted unconvinced:

"Even if Miss Wilkes is versatile and has a generous dowry, I don't believe she can be more beautiful than Jane?

Not that I like to brag, Mr Bingley, Miss Bingley, you can't find a prettier girl than my Jane in our place, in all Hertfordshire.

Of course, if my Lydia had grown up a bit, she would have been as pretty as Jane. "

Miss Bingley sighed with pretended regret: "I have to point out the fact that Mrs. Bennet and Miss Wilkes are also very famous in London for her beauty."

"Mom, Jane and Lydia are naturally the most beautiful daughters in our family. However, other girls have their own merits, just like the flowers in spring, each has its own beauty, so don't argue and compare them."

Elizabeth spoke again, trying to divert her mother's attention, and she said to Bingley in a lively tone:

"Mr. Bingley, you just told us that several friends will come over tonight, please tell us about their situation in advance.

In this way, when everyone is here, even if we just met, we can get along as naturally and harmoniously as old friends. "

Bingley didn't notice his sister's evil intentions, nor did he understand Bennett's nervousness of being "on the verge of an enemy". Sitting beside his beloved Jane, he felt extremely happy, and naturally he was willing to tell Jane's sister about it. his friends.

"The guests invited today, besides Miss Wilkes just mentioned, oh, Mr. Darcy, you know him, and the Wilsons, the Smithson brothers and sisters.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Smithson is an old schoolmate of Mr. Darcy's, and he is a cheerful and open-minded gentleman.

As for Miss Smithson, I have not seen her, to be honest, but Caroline and Louisa liked Miss Smithson very much. "

After Mrs. Bennet heard that there was another pair of Smithson brothers and sisters, she immediately shifted her attention.

She really felt mixed feelings. Among the guests tonight, there was another single lady. However, the brother of this single lady still sounded good.

As soon as Elizabeth saw Mrs. Bennet's rolling eyes, she knew that she wanted to inquire about Mr. Smithson's marriage status. In order not to make her mother more abrupt, she quickly started a new topic, and even claimed to praise the living room of Bingley's house. decorations come.

At last, when Miss Bingley proudly explained the third painting on the drawing-room wall, the Hursts and Miss Wilkes arrived.

The first time Elizabeth saw Miss Wilkes, she had to admit that Miss Bingley's words were not exaggerated at all.

This blond girl does have a top-notch appearance. Even though Elizabeth has always admired the beauty of her sister Jane, she cannot say against her will that Miss Wilkes is not as good as Jane Bennet.

——I thought Miss Bingley praised Miss Wilkes in order to belittle Jane. Unexpectedly, she was telling the truth this time.

Even to be honest, Miss Wilkes is more attractive than Jane, especially when she looks at others with a smile, even the pickiest people can't help but feel good about her.

Elizabeth glanced at Mr. Bingley with some concern. At a certain moment, she even had the same worry as her mother. With such Miss Wilkes by his side, could Mr. Bingley continue to fall in love with Jane?

However, Elizabeth's worries quickly dissipated, because she found that even though Miss Wilkes was shining like a jewel and pearl, Mr. Bingley's attention was still on his sister, and he looked at Miss Wilkes , there is only friendship and enthusiasm among friends, there is no love between men and women.

Just when Elizabeth was secretly happy for her sister, Pei Xiang on the opposite side also noticed Elizabeth Bennett. She didn't know that Elizabeth had thought about so many things in such a short period of time, but she just felt her observation The line of sight, then looked over.

Facing Pei Xiang's curious eyes, Elizabeth Bennett showed a soft and sincere smile.

Pei Xiang also smiled and nodded, and then waited for Sister Bingli to introduce the two parties.

After everyone was seated again, Pei Xiang had already gotten to know Bennett, mother and daughter, and had a preliminary impression.

In the first place, Miss Jane Bennet, to whom Mr. Bingley was deeply attached, was indeed a sweet and sweet girl.

She is full of kindness to everyone, and her personality is easy-going and generous. She looked at Bingley full of friendship. It seems that after a brief separation, the young man and woman should have explained some things clearly, and they didn't bother to Curb your emotions.

Secondly, it is Mrs. Bennett, the soul of the Bennett family. To be honest, when Pei Xiang read the original story, he didn't pay much attention to the daughters of the Bennett family at first. Instead, he was extremely worried about this child. The lady of the wedding was impressed.

She naturally felt Mrs. Bennet's critical gaze and defensive attitude. After a little calculation, Pei Xiang understood where this "hostile" emotion came from. The left and right were just worried that she would steal Jane Bennet's marriage .

Pei Xiang is not disgusted with this lady with a simple and easy-to-understand personality, but she also has no desire to have a close friendship. Just getting in touch with her will always remind her of the elders who tried to urge marriage in her previous life, and she feels familiar and nostalgic for no reason.

Finally, there was Miss Elizabeth Bennet.

——This girl does have a pair of bright eyes, and she smiles very cutely, with a clear and sly energy.

She was talking to Mrs. Hurst at this time, and the two of them laughed without knowing what they said. After a while, Elizabeth turned her head to look at Pei Xiang, and said happily:

"Miss Wilkes, Mrs. Hurst said that you are from America, can you tell me about things there? I am very curious about the world outside of England."

Pei Xiang put down her teacup, thought for a while, and decided to start with the town where she planned to settle when she first arrived in America.

She described the local conditions and customs to the guests present, told the daily life of the residents in the town and the lovely little ladies in the girls' school, and then she generally introduced some natural scenery and four seasons in North America.

Of course, in the process of narrating, she will pay attention to concealing her identity, and evaluate people and things from the perspective of a young lady with a well-off family. Of course, it is inevitable to mention some interesting anecdotes in the upper class of America.

"Hey, it sounds like the atmosphere is more liberal than ours, but Miss Wilkes, you don't look like a foreigner. If Mrs. Hurst didn't specifically mention it, I would have thought you were an English woman. "

"My parents, governess and neighbors are all British, only I was born in America."

Pei Xiang smiled and told about Lucy Wilkes' growth experience, which was a social topic that she repeated many times after returning to England.

After talking so much, sometimes even Pei Xiang himself had to believe what he said, almost thinking that she had nothing to do with Doris Gray.

——Although the identity is fake, my experience over the years is real. Working with Bernard, although I have to bear various risks, has indeed broadened my horizons and seen more people and things.

——This is probably growth. If you don’t pay the necessary price, how can you get rich rewards?

——At least, when I fled England, I only had enough money to rent a house, and when I returned four years later, I could add property and buy a house in London.

While talking, the Wilsons and the Smithson brothers and sisters also arrived. They had known Pei Xiang for a long time, but it was also the first time they met the Bennetts.

Mrs. Wilson looked a little haughty, and she had the habit of looking at people with her chin up and down, which made Mrs. Bennet feel particularly reserved and uncomfortable.

After hearing that Mrs. Wilson's natal family had a title, she subconsciously restrained her bluffing behavior and became quieter.

Miss Smithson likes to talk to Pei Xiang, so when she came, she sat beside Pei Xiang and whispered about her recent life. Pei Xiang also cared about this gentle and beautiful little girl, and listened to her patiently. Talk about the little troubles in life.

And Mr. Smithson was arranged to sit next to Miss Elizabeth Bennett. After the two strangers had exchanged some polite greetings, the topic naturally turned to the people they knew in common.

"Mr. Smithson, are you schoolmates with Mr. Darcy?"

"Yes, but he is my senior, he entered school two years earlier than me, and I met him by chance when I was looking for information in the library.

Mr. Darcy is very knowledgeable and helpful, and he has helped me a lot in my studies. "

Elizabeth thought that this was not quite the same person as the Mr. Darcy she knew, but although the gentleman had a haughty temper and a serious face that looked down on country people with few words, I had never heard of him. bad deeds.

Moreover, he was able to gain the friendship of Mr. Bingley, which is somewhat pleasing to me.

Elizabeth recalled Mr. Darcy's performance at the Meryton Ball, and what he said about his sisters not being pretty enough, and she still had some small grudges in her heart.

It turned out that at the previous dance in Meryton, Darcy was not in the mood to dance with some strangers because he was worried about Pei Xiang. He walked around the edge of the dance floor, and then he simply stood in the corner by himself.

When Bingley went to persuade Darcy to dance, Elizabeth happened to pass by and overheard the conversation of the two gentlemen.

Mr. Bingley said that there were some very pretty girls at the ball, and Darcy should cheer up and invite them to a dance.

However, instead of taking Bingley's advice, Mr. Darcy claimed that he had found no particularly remarkable beauty.

Mr. Bingley mentions the eldest and second Bennet daughters, especially Miss Jane Bennet, but this statement is immediately denied by Darcy.

He said that Miss Bennet's appearance was only passable, far from being outstanding, and Darcy didn't mention Miss Elizabeth at all.

Elizabeth immediately felt it was ridiculous. If Mr. Darcy was dissatisfied with her appearance, it was justifiable, but he still belittled Jane's beauty, which was absolutely nonsense.

She couldn't help guessing secretly that Mr. Darcy's eyes probably grew on the top of his head, so that he could speak such arrogant and unreasonable words.

Because of this episode, Elizabeth and the Bennet family didn't have a good impression of Darcy, but now sitting in the living room of Bingley's house, Elizabeth found that everyone had a very good impression of Mr. Darcy.

After Mr. Smithson finished talking about Mr. Darcy's help to him, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson also sincerely praised a few words, and Miss Bingley showed a proud smile.

Elizabeth turned her head to look at the expressions of the other two young ladies, and found that Miss Smithson was busy talking with Miss Wilkes, and the two of them did not pay special attention to Mr. Darcy's topic, which made Elizabeth a little relieved.

You know, in the family near Longbourn, everyone didn't have many positive comments on the arrogant Mr. Darcy. Now when I came to London, I suddenly heard a group of people praising that gentleman, and Elizabeth felt a little weird and uncomfortable. Habit, she always feels that something wants to break her inherent cognition.

At this time, the central figure of the topic also arrived.

This character had a strong aura. From the moment he entered the living room, everyone's eyes were on him. Even Miss Smithson, who had been busy whispering, straightened her sitting posture and breathed lightly.

It seems that compared with her own brother, this girl respects Mr. Darcy more, and she has a sense of restraint when seeing her elders.

Pei Xiang patted the back of the little girl's hand lightly, signaling that she needn't be so nervous.

Miss Smithson has a good relationship with Miss Georgiana Darcy, and they have also been guests at Pemberley Manor. After the two parties got in touch with each other, probably under the influence of Georgiana, Miss Smithson also regarded Mr. Darcy as a serious brother. .

Darcy glanced in Pei Xiang's direction, and after getting a smile, he turned his head and continued to communicate with others.

"Miss Elizabeth, do you pay much attention to Mr. Darcy?" Mr. Smithson suddenly asked the second lady of the Bennet family in a low voice.

Elizabeth glanced at the other party in surprise, through a pair of smiling and gentle eyes, she did not notice any trace of ridicule, only pure doubt.

"I follow a lot of people, Mr. Smithson, or rather, I like to observe people. I find it very interesting. I can always find something new in a person's character change."

"So, Mr. Darcy is the object you like to observe recently? Then what have you observed from his every move?"

Elizabeth said with a smile:

"This is exactly where I feel distressed and confused. According to my observation, this gentleman is not a gentleman who is easy to get close to.

But since I came to London, every friend I met, as long as I knew him, was full of praise for him, so I wanted to see if there was something that I had overlooked. "

Mr. Smithson naturally understood the proud and restrained character of his senior, as well as his unapproachable temper, and immediately understood Elizabeth's doubts and troubles.

He thought, Mr. Darcy probably offended this bright and lively lady by accident, right?

"So, I'm also one of the people who made you more suspicious."

"That's true, Mr. Smithson. I'm really surprised by the helpful and responsible Mr. Darcy you mentioned."

"You don't need to be particularly surprised, Miss Elizabeth, to be honest, I was more surprised than you when I first dealt with Mr. Darcy."

Mr. Smithson seemed to be recalling the past when he was a student, with a cheerful smile on his face:

"He was famous at school, smart, rich, handsome, decent and, of course, not easy to approach.

When he offered to teach me my studies, Miss Elizabeth, you have to believe that I was so surprised that my mouth grew wide enough to swallow a goose egg. "

This description made Elizabeth laugh, and she couldn't help sharing with Mr. Smithson the various performances of Mr. Darcy in Hertfordshire, and described in particular how he was "alone" at the ball.

Elizabeth's language is witty and vivid, and she tells all kinds of details vividly and vividly.

When it comes to later, it is not just about Mr. Darcy, after all, there is really not much intersection between them.

She began to tell the interesting stories and scenery around Longbourne, and occasionally, she would laugh at herself and add some sharp and unique comments, so that the people listening to her speech will not only not feel boring, but also have an immersive experience. Realistic, showing a knowing smile from time to time.

Mr. Smithson looked at Elizabeth with brighter and brighter eyes. He felt that this is really a smart and beautiful lady. She has something to say, is good at observing life, has her own persistence and ideas, and is not the kind of woman who is full of skirts and silly girl with lace.

When supper was over, Mr. Smithson wanted nothing more than to be with Elizabeth.

He listened patiently to her, told her interesting anecdotes from this side of London and courses at the university, the two would share their views on some issues, and were pleasantly surprised to find that they always found mutual agreement.

In another part of the room, Mrs. Wilson and Mrs. Bennett sit together to talk about parenting experiences.

Although Mrs. Bennet often expresses some shallow opinions and her words are not very appropriate, she is still very experienced in raising children as a mother. After all, she raised five daughters safely and are very healthy , And all of them are like flowers and jade.

The two talked and talked about Pei Xiang for some reason. Now, Mrs. Bennet finally found out that Pei Xiang had a fiancé. She was immediately elated, and felt that the banquet tonight could not be more perfect.

——It would be even better if Elizabeth could capture the heart of Mr. Smithson.

Mrs. Bennet knew about Bernard, and through her loud voice, the two Miss Bennet also immediately learned the fact that Pei Xiang was engaged.

However, they were not as vulnerable as their mother before, and now they are not suddenly relieved. They are all reasonable girls, and they naturally want to congratulate when they hear the happy event.

Pei Xiang smiled and said a few words politely. He didn't mention anything about his fiancé, and there was no sweet and joyful expression on his face. After Jane and Elizabeth looked at each other, they changed the subject without a trace.

Afterwards, the more Elizabeth thought about it, the more she felt that something was wrong. She thought Pei Xiang's reaction was too flat, and it was not because of shyness that she kept silent about her fiance.

"Mr. Smithson, the gentleman who was engaged to Miss Wilkes, what kind of man was he?"

Smithson, who lives in London, has naturally heard the recent rumors about Bernard, but it is not easy for him to talk about this kind of thing with Elizabeth who met for the first time on this occasion, so he said vaguely:

"He is a very outstanding gentleman with a top-notch appearance and character. He is also from the United States and has French aristocratic blood."

"Excellent?" Elizabeth asked with a smile, "Is it even better than Mr. Darcy, whom you admire so much?"

Smithson shook his head again and again: "There's no comparison, they, um, I mean Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bernard are two completely different styles.

Mr. Darcy is serious, wise, restrained and polite, but that Mr. Bernard is completely opposite. He is warm and romantic, likes to talk and laugh, likes to make friends, treats people with gentleness and sincerity, and at the same time is noble. "

After saying this, Smithson endured it, and finally added one more sentence:

"Mr. Bernard is very gentle and considerate to all the ladies, very handsome and very popular."

Elizabeth was already very smart, and after Smithson made a quick call, she vaguely guessed what kind of conflict existed between the two.

She glanced sideways at Pei Xiang who was whispering to Mr. Darcy, and suddenly felt emotional.

She thought of Miss Bingley's introduction to Pei Xiang just now. With a generous dowry, well-educated, versatile, and such an outstanding appearance, is such a perfect lady still so difficult in terms of relationships?

Thinking of this, Elizabeth suddenly felt a very faint sadness in her heart. She knew that this sadness was not only for Pei Xiang, but also for all women who longed for happiness.

——Once we give our feelings wrongly and entrust them with inhumanity, what a helpless thing it should be.

If Pei Xiang had any major flaws in character, Elizabeth would not have such feelings and regrets.

But after half a night of contact and observation, Elizabeth had to admit that she was a very outstanding woman. However, she had a fiance who was passionate and philandering, which made her lose her longing for love prematurely.

Just when Elizabeth was feeling sorry for Pei Xiang, Darcy was also talking about Bernard.

"I sent someone to the United States, and I just returned, Miss Wilkes, the Bernard family is a trouble, you shouldn't have too much involvement with them."

"I am only involved with Louis Bernard."

"There are more doubts about him."

"But I can get rid of him in a moment."

"You promise?"

"I promise, it won't take more than half a year."

"Then it's limited to half a year, Miss Wilkes. In this half year, you use your wisdom and means to solve the problem. After half a year, I won't stand idly by."

"Mr. Darcy, please trust me."

"I will always watch over you, Miss Wilkes, and you must remember your promise to me.

I don't care what Bernard is up to, but this is England and he doesn't want to have any trouble with the Darcys.

Miss Wilkes, I have the ability to expel him. "

"I naturally believe in your abilities, Mr. Darcy."

Pei Xiang looked up at the man standing by the sofa, and softly bent his eyebrows.

Darcy didn't say anything more, he glanced at Miss Bingley who was coming, and turned to leave the corner where Pei Xiang was.

Seeing that Darcy was no longer talking to Pei Xiang alone, Miss Bingley walked to the piano in the living room. After playing a few intermittent sounds, she suggested that the girls in the living room should take turns to come up and play a few pieces. song.

Pei Xiang didn't pay much attention to Miss Bingley's words. She recalled the conversation just now, and suddenly realized that, uh, there seemed to be something wrong.

——Am I thinking too much?

——Mr. Darcy... He didn't express anything to me clearly, so why did he ask me for a promise directly?

—— Between me and him, did I skip any key steps?