Pride and Prejudice

Either the shell-pink gossamer muslin

or the figured damask

would be most becoming to your daughter, Mrs. Bennet.

Eh, now, let me see.

Yes. Yes, the pink suits you, Jane.

And now we'll see whether the blue

is becoming to you, Lizzy.

Stand up, dear.

Several young ladies have bought new gowns for the Assembly Ball,

but none will be more modish than this muslin, madam.

Isn't silk brocade being very much worn?

Mine is, Mama. It's been worn for three years.

Um, fashion decrees muslin this season, madam.

That should be good enough for us, shouldn't it, Jane?

Yes.

Then, uh, pink for Miss Jane and blue for Miss Elizabeth.

I know exactly how I want mine cut.

I shall look very worldly.

How shall I look?

Adorable, my love, as always.

- Oh, Lizzy. - Mm-hm.

- Hey, Mr. Beck. Mr. Beck, look. -

Looks-a-daisy, what a commotion.

Just look at that carriage, my love,

and those exquisite young men.

They must've come straight from court.

Oh, look, they're getting out.

H-have you heard any of our neighbors say

if they're expecting visitors?

No, Mama.

Who do you suppose would be entertaining people of fashion like these?

Mr. Beck, eh, send over to the inn

and find out if they're stopping in the vicinity.

Eh, slyly, of course.

Oh, the hostler will tell us.

La, here comes Aunt Philips

as if something were after her.

Looks-a-daisy, my sister's lost all sense of decorum.

- - Aunt Philips, oh, why such haste?

Oh, you're out of breath.

I saw your carriage outside.

My dear, such news. Did you see them?

Of course we saw them. Who are they, sister?

They're the new tenants of Netherfield Park.

Netherfield Park is let at last.

And to a young man of importance.

His name is Bingley.

Is the young woman Mrs. Bingley?

No, dear. That's the pleasantest part of It.

She's his sister.

She's his sister, Lizzy.

Who's the other gentleman, Aunt Philips?

Oh, I don't know. Some friend, I suppose.

Oh, but let me tell you about Mr. Bingley.

He's very rich. He has 5,000 pounds a year.

Five thousand pounds and unmarried.

That's the most heartening piece of news

- since the Battle of Waterloo. -

You can see how handsome and elegant he is.

Excuse me, madam,

the second gentleman's name is Darcy.

The two carriages and the dogs are his.

The chaise belongs to Mr. Bingley.

Two carriages and--

one, two, three, four, five--

six liveried servants.

My word, this Mr. Darcy must also be rich.

I wonder if he's married.

Ah, Mrs. Bennet,

I thought we'd find you here.

Good morning, Mrs. Philips. Elizabeth, Jane.

I just had to come in and tell you the news.

Dear Lady Lucas, you don't mean

about, ah, the new tenants of Netherfield?

Ye--oh, you've heard it already?

Yes, dear.

Mr. Bingley has 5,000 pounds a year.

Who is this Mr. Darcy?

He's Mr. Bingley's guest.

They're inseparable friends.

He's one of the Darcys of Pemberley.

Oh, Mr. Darcy of Pemberley.

Is that all you know about him?

What--? Oh, you mean, is he married?

No, dear. No, he isn't married.

And he's even richer than Mr. Bingley.

The Pemberley Estates alone are worth a clear 10,000 a year.

Ten thou--?

Isn't it fortunate to have two eligible young men

come into the neighborhood?

Perhaps one of them will fall in love with you, Charlotte.

Oh, not if he sees Jane or Lizzy first.

You may not have beauty, my love,

but you have character, and some men prefer it.

How true, Lady Lucas.

That's why girls who have both are doubly fortunate.

Come, my dears.

The dressmaker will call for the muslin, Mr. Beck.

Why such haste, Mama?

Shh.

Good morning, Lady Lucas.

Oh, good morning, Mrs. Bennet.

We shall meet at the Assembly Ball, of course.

Yes, indeed. Goodbye, sister.

Oh, you mustn't leave, Lady Lucas, till Mr. Beck has shown you

that exquisite piece of flower damask.

- Goodbye. - Bye.

- Goodbye, Lady Lucas. - Goodbye.

Come over to Longbourn soon, Charlotte.

Mama.

Heaven only knows where your sisters are,

and we must get home at once.

But, Mama, why?

Your father must call on Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy

this very afternoon.

If he doesn't, the Lucases will.

Now, there's no time to be lost.

- - But the damask, milady.

Oh, we'll choose the material some other time, Mr. Beck.

Come, Charlotte.

Hurry, my dear.

Where are those girls?

Whenever I want them, I never can find them.

- There's Mary, Mama. - Ye--oh, Mary.

Mary!

Isn't that just like the girl.

Eh, eh, Mary.

Mar--

Mary.

Come out.

Look, Mama. I have just purchased Burke's essay

on the sublime and beautiful.

You and your books.

No wonder you're compelled to wear disfiguring glasses.

Oh, where are Kitty and Lydia?

Look for an officer in a red coat

and you'll find them.

Y--Officers, yes. Come, girls.

Oh, yeah?

Is that the way you'd treat a wife, Mr. Wickham?

More likely to be the way she'd treat me, Miss Lydia.

Oh, Mama, there they are.

Where?

There. Look.

Kitty, there's Mama.

Kitty, Lydia. Eh, eh--come here.

Those two are getting sillier and sillier over officers.

I don't know why you permit it, Mama.

I had a weakness for the military myself when I was young.

Oh, Mama, do we have to go home so soon?

We just met the most fascinating new officer.

A Mr. Wickham. He's just joined the Blankshires. He's charming.

Yes, that's very delightful.

Oh, dear. Where is that coachman? Where is Jennings?

Oh, there he Is. Now, come along, girls. Don't dawdle.

Stay where you are, Jennings, stay where you are. There's no time to lose.

Would you take this, please? Thank you.

Mama, can't we stay here?

Look, Mama, Lady Lucas' carriage.

Pass them, Higgins. Pass them.

Overtake them, Jennings! Overtake them.

That's it, Jennings. That's it.

Ah, that'll teach her a lesson.

Keep on going, Jennings.

I must tell your father about this at once.

No time to lose.

Uh, go in the drawing room, girls.

Matthews, get the other parcels out of the chaise.

- Yes, ma'am. - Mr. Bennet. Mr. Bennet.

Mr. Bennet.

Yes, my dear.

Mr. Bennet,

Netherfield Park has been let at last.

Mm-hm.

Did you hear me?

Netherfield Park has been let at last.

Indeed, Mrs. Bennet.

Well, don't you want to hear who's taken it?

Well, you want to tell me.

I have no objection to hearing it.

Mr. Bingley is his name,

and it seems he's a young man of large fortune.

And he's single, my dear. Think of it.

What a fine thing for our girls.

Is it?

Mr. Bennet, you know perfectly well what I mean.

I'm thinking of his marrying one of our daughters.

Oh, is that his design in settling here?

How can you talk so, Mr. Bennet?

This is a serious matter.

You must go and visit him at once.

You and the girls go.

Or better still, send the girls by themselves.

For you're as handsome as any of them,

and Mr. Bingley may like you best of all.

Oh, my dear, you flatter me.

When a woman has five grown-up daughters,

she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.

Well, in most such cases, a woman hasn't much beauty

to think of, my dear.