[Pride and Prejudice] A Gentleman's Love

The entrance of Little Bear's library was quiet and deserted.Elizabeth felt that Mr. Harnett was likely to lose money, but strangely, the former didn't seem to care much.

"Mr. Harnett, are you there?" Elizabeth asked when she saw the empty counter when she entered, and it didn't take long before a voice answered from the back door.

"Please sit down as you please, Miss Elizabeth."

She went in and picked a place by the window to sit. The cushion on the soft chair was of a very plain color, close to wood, but the decoration of flowers made people feel happy.

Elizabeth had not been sitting long when Mr Harnett emerged with tea.

"Do you like scones?"

"I like it. The cake you baked last time was very delicious." Elizabeth smiled.

"Then please talk about the idea of ​​this scone after eating." Mr. Harnett also sat down.The smell of black tea wafted in the air.

"Where's Jenny?"

"Go get some packages for me."

Elizabeth responded, then began to taste the dessert in front of her, and laughed after a while.

"I think if the library is going to bankrupt you, you might consider running a pastry shop again."

The young man showed a smile, "I am very happy with this appreciation. If I have this plan, I will let you know."

"But please forgive me for being too curious. I really want to know why you choose to open a library? To be honest, there are not many people who love books here. I think if you are purely for making money, open a library. A decent clothing store would do much better."

Mr. Harnett put down the teacup in his hand, scrubbed his left hand with his right fingers, and replied after thinking for a while: "Like you and your father, Miss Elizabeth, I love books, and I can even say that I am obsessed. To be honest, I There is no shortage of money, and opening such a library is just a dream."

"Dream?" Elizabeth was a little surprised.

"Yes." The man nodded, showing a reserved smile.

"When I was a child, I had the idea that when I grow up, I want to open a library of my own. I take care of everything myself."

"I think this is a great dream." Elizabeth exclaimed, the man seemed to be taken aback for a moment, and then asked.

"Don't you think that's a little unprofessional?"

"No, of course not." Elizabeth paused, and then said, "We all have dreams when we are young, but there are too few people who still persist and realize them when they grow up. It requires a lot of persistence and hard work. "

"Yes. In order to realize it, I did pay a lot." Mr. Harnett said in a low voice, his tone was a little strange, but the girl didn't notice it.

Elizabeth smiled, "So, Mr. Harnett, there is no distinction between high and low dreams. I even envy you from the bottom of my heart. You have done things that most people can't do."

"It's the best compliment I've ever received, Miss Elizabeth."

"I got an answer from you too, Mr. Harnett, so you don't really need to thank me."

"What answer?" Mr. Knight was a little curious, and Elizabeth blinked.

"Perseverance and hard work."

The young man looked at the girl in front of him, his bright eyes and sincere smile made him feel a little guilty.

Elizabeth took a sip of black tea, and then asked: "Mr. Harnett, will you go to the ball at Netherfield?"

"I did receive the invitation, but before that, I was still hesitating."

Elizabeth caught the key word, and then smiled, "So you've changed your mind now, haven't you?"

"Yes, Miss Elizabeth." Mr. Harnett nodded.

"why?"

"Because I don't like to go to dance parties, I'm afraid I can't do well in a place full of strangers." The man paused, and then said, "But now, I think that with your friend here, how much will I be able to do?" You can still maintain the necessary etiquette."

"Your words are too modest. I want to say that you are a reliable gentleman." Elizabeth praised. She likes to chat with the gentleman in front of her. His language is gentle and polite, and he is occasionally reserved, but it only makes people appreciate him more His presence.

"You are a lady too, Miss Elizabeth."

"You're the first person to compliment me that much."

"I'm not lying, Miss Elizabeth," said Mr. Harnett, smiling.

They chatted a little longer, and at about ten o'clock Elizabeth took her leave, and Mr. Harnett gave her another book as she went.

"This is a private gift."

Elizabeth froze for a moment, and then said with some joy: "Why do I feel that I always take advantage of you, Mr. Harnett."

"Believe me, you deserve it, Miss Elizabeth," said Mr. Harnett softly.

"Thank you very much for your gift." Elizabeth thanked, and made up her mind to return the gift to the other party.Maybe she could ask her father, he always knew more good books.

Since the library could not be empty and Gerald was not there, Elizabeth declined the request to send her.

"I came here by myself, so I can go back alone, so don't worry."

"OK then."

After saying goodbye to Mr. Harnett, Elizabeth felt a lot more relaxed. She went back along the path, but on the way, she saw a strange man.

The man was tall and of a certain age, but he was not too old. He lowered his head when he walked, and Elizabeth could only see the profile of the other party. It was not a kind appearance.

After the man walked away, Elizabeth looked back and continued to walk home.

The ball at Netherfield was coming soon, and Mrs. Bennet seemed more looking forward to it than her daughters, and had been chattering since last night that Mr. Bingley was a rich man, and that his aunts and friends They must all be rich, more respectable than the people here, if not Mr. Bingley himself.Thinking of this, she was no longer angry at Elizabeth's intentional teasing of Mr. Collins, because she always felt that her second daughter could find a better one.

"Come here, Lizzy, I won't let you mess around this time."

Mrs. Bennet was determined to focus on Elizabeth this morning, and she was less worried about the other girls.Because the matter between Jane and Mr. Bingley is almost a certainty, after all, who doesn't know that this ball is almost held for her eldest daughter!There are also her young daughters, who like to take care of themselves on weekdays, and only her second daughter, who has a good appearance but is always treated poorly.

"Mom, it's pink, are you sure you want me to wear this?" Elizabeth clicked her tongue when she looked at the overly gorgeous pink dress.Lydia on the side said with some jealousy.

"I wanted this one too, but Mommy prefers you."

"Go, go, what nonsense, silly girl." Mrs. Bennet glared at her little daughter, who stuck out her tongue.

"Well, if you think it looks good, then wear it." Elizabeth said bravely.

Half an hour later, she took a look at herself in front of the mirror, and then had an urge to live without love.

"Pretty," said Mrs. Bennet cheerfully, and Lydia was the only one who looked sympathetically at her.

Honestly, Elizabeth isn't ugly in her pink dress, but she's definitely not pretty either.After all, she is not a gentle girl like Jane, nor a very lively girl like Catherine and Lydia. Too pink and tender colors on her body will not make her lively, but it will bring out all the special taste on her body. It was completely covered up.

"Ready? Girls!"

"Come here right now!"

Mr. Bennet's shout came from the window, and Mrs. Bennet quickly responded by leaning on the window, her skirt raised so high that the daughters laughed.

"What are you laughing at?" asked Mrs. Bennet, and none of them told her, but winked at each other.

"Well, whatever you want, it's always good to smile a lot," muttered Mrs. Bennet, then cheered herself up, and clapped her hands in a loud voice.

"Are you ready? Girls."

"Okay, Mom." The children responded loudly, and then laughed openly.

When Mr. Bennet's family arrived at Netherfield, there were already many guests there.Mr. Bingley seemed to be surrounded by a group of people, so he could only say hello to them, and after a few words of politeness, he was pulled over again, and it was Mr. Bingley's sister Caroline who entertained them.

"I haven't seen you for several days, Miss Jane." Miss Bingley said something that should have been kind in a polite tone, but Jane didn't care.

"Yes, I miss you very much."

The eldest lady of the Bennet family is such a kind and good girl.She always regarded people as good people from the bottom of her heart. Even when she heard that her mother was dissatisfied with that Mr. Darcy, she tried her best to think of some good words for that gentleman in her heart.

Miss Bingley obviously didn't think it would be interesting to stab her for girls like Jane, so she changed her method and tried to humiliate them a little without being too conspicuous.Yes, they, including Elizabeth.

"What do you think of the ball going on?" asked Miss Bingley.

"I feel very good. To be honest, I have never participated in such a grand ball. Whether it is the decoration of flowers or the dance music, it is the best." Jane said with a smile, without hiding her praise.This remark obviously pleased Miss Bingley very much, and once again fostered those haughty emotions, so she pretended to say it lightly.

"It didn't really take a lot of work. It's just the same old London stuff, but people seem to love it here."

These words are not pleasant, even Jane feels a little bad, let alone Elizabeth, but she never gets angry easily, but still maintains a decent demeanor.But Miss Bingley obviously thought it would be a bad thing for them not to be angry, to speak out, and to be out of style, so she glanced at Elizabeth again, pretended to be a little bit, and smiled slightly.

"I've seen you twice, Miss Elizabeth, last time you wore a big pink bow, this time you wore a pink dress, it looks like you really like the color!"

"You are wrong, Miss Bingley." Elizabeth smiled slightly.

"Oh? Where did I go wrong?" Miss Bingley restrained her reserved smile, and her eyes became a little serious.

"I don't have any color that I absolutely love. The color I choose every time I appear on an occasion is entirely because I think that occasion is very suitable for this color, and it has nothing to do with my preferences."

The proud Miss Bingley's face flushed a little, she seemed to be angry, but she was unable to attack and refute.Because she would be hitting herself in the face if she made fun of Elizabeth looking rustic and ugly in pink, as she said, because that would be to say that the ball she gave was only suitable for this color and this style.

Elizabeth was delighted by Miss Bingley's face, she curled up the corners of her mouth, and said, "I'm sorry we have to leave now, Miss Bingley, I think you have more other guests to greet, and we won't occupy them." Your time."

"Okay, Miss Elizabeth." Miss Bingley's face was a little stiff, but when another group of guests walked towards her, she quickly smiled again.

"Lizzy, is there something wrong with what you just said?"

"No, Jane, Miss Bingley is a 'big-hearted' person." Elizabeth said pretending to be innocent, but still slightly emphasized the word "big-hearted".In fact, in a literal sense, Miss Bingley's chest, um, is indeed pretty good.

Looking at her younger sister, Jane obviously disagreed, but she couldn't think of words to refute her for a while.And at this moment, Mr. Bingley came towards them.

"He's here, Jane, then I'll go to Mom and the others, and I'll leave this place for you and Mr. Bingley." Elizabeth blinked, and quickly left before Jane could speak.

Elizabeth stood in a secluded place, watching the blushing interaction between Mr. Bingley and Jane, only thought it was funny, but couldn't help wishing them sincerely.Just as she was about to leave, a voice behind her startled her.