[Pride and Prejudice] Rich Lady

As soon as news of the masquerade spread, the Atwood family was forgotten.

The Atwoods were excited when they first started, thinking this was their chance to have fun at the dance.Old Atwood had planned to have his sons 'accidentally' rip off their own and their partner's masks at the end of the dance.Then the ready-made ladder is set up: they use the name of apology to visit those people, these young ladies and her parents can't refuse, right?

Maybe it can also solve the marriage of the sons by the way.The family didn't care about breaking the rules of the masquerade ball, but were proud of their cleverness.

Although old Atwood was an out-and-out villain, he once hated his brother for inheriting the family property, but when it was his own family's turn, he was still a supporter of the "primogeniture system" in his bones.Now that the eldest son had a fortune, old Atwood thought, he should make plans for the rest of the sons, such as marrying a rich girl.

Old Atwood had taken a fancy to Miss King for his second son.Just in time, because he is willing to connect Mr. Jin and Mr. Edmund, the deputy mayor, and the two families are getting close.

Under his arrangement, Mr. King and Mr. Edmund hit it off - Mr. King's family is quite prestigious in the local area, and he wants to become the new mayor, hoping to be able to write a letter to the king during his term of office like Lucas, and win the title of a lower-level knight. honor.And Mr. Edmund needed a sum of money to pay off his gambling debts. He owed some money for betting on horses, and Old Atwood's bribes were obviously not enough.

But it was a swear word from the second son that reminded old Atwood.His son patted his chest and assured: "Can't you recognize a person without seeing the face? Dad, don't worry, Miss Jin is fatter than other girls, and I can definitely tell. Even if you admit it wrong, it doesn't matter, Jin The young lady can't stop talking, her laughter is ugly like a ghost owl. I know it as soon as I hear it!"

Old Atwood laughed twice, and his face suddenly sank.He realized that this was the conspiracy of the mayor and Mr. Jin: this rural place wanted to be closed, and most people were familiar with it. Even if they wore a mask, it was just a cover. Voice, how can you not know who is behind the mask!

Old Atwood could imagine what would happen at the ball, and there was laughter and excitement everywhere, but his family was neglected and avoided like the plague.

Atwood realized that Mr. King and Deputy Mayor Edmund had played a neat little trick to get him out of the way.This made old Atwood very angry, but he didn't dare to offend these two people too much for the time being, so he had to rack his brains to find a way to prevent them from succeeding.

Fortunately, this dance was semi-public in nature, and it was not the same as a private party that required an invitation from the host. Under the promotion of Atwood, it became a public party that could be entered without an invitation and only needed to buy a ticket.The location of the Masquerade Ball was also changed to the largest public hall in Meryton.

Old Atwood also sent his son to print some cheap leaflets, and the news of the Meryton Masquerade was carried to the next big town, and some leaflets were distributed even in East London.

This dance is bound to attract many strangers to give up.In this way, these people in Meryton will not be able to easily distinguish their family!

...

Mr. Jin is a man of culture who reads a lot of books, and he is very proud of his strategy.Originally, if he suddenly wanted to hold a dance to introduce Atwood, he would definitely attract doubts, and some people would even doubt his integrity.But this was all in Mr. King's calculations. Sure enough, when he and Mr. Edmund announced that the ball would become a masquerade, people all forgave him and praised his wisdom!

——Seeing that the Atwood family is about to move back to Meryton, his family now has a lot of property, even if their character is not flattering, but people have to admit that he has a bit of status: it is a violation of the tradition of Meryton for many years, so a An introductory dance is inevitable.When this introductory ball turned into a masquerade, people's troubles were all gone, and Meryton would not hold a second special introductory party for newcomers.We are happy that this introduction will become nondescript.

The townspeople even said privately that they had given enough decency to attend the ball.They would not honor the private balls held by the Atwoods in the future: because there was no friendship at the introduction.

But at the moment Mr. Jin is extremely depressed, he miscalculated.

Not only had he failed to isolate Atwood, but the gang of scoundrels had deliberately spread the word of the ball to East London.Although the place is in the city, who doesn't know that the East End of London is very chaotic, and it is a hotbed of poverty and crime.The common poor wouldn't be interested in a country ball, and couldn't afford tickets; but some gamblers, hooligans, and criminals might as well be, and the Masquerade Ball was just what the rascals liked.

Mr. Bennet and some people of insight also realized this after a day or two of simmering, especially when Atwood summoned friends and summoned a bunch of bad guys to live in Meryton's hotel.They couldn't even imagine the consequences. What would this simple and rich town be ruined by these people?

Mr. Jin is hiding in his study at home.The gentlemen united together and hurriedly consulted with the sickly old mayor.The gentlemen argued for a long time that the ball could not be cancelled.

The masquerade ball was too popular, and everyone realized that the consequences of canceling the ball were too great to bear: on the one hand, the whole of Meryton would have a reputation for dishonesty, and the business of shops, the letting of manors, and even the farms of gentlemen would be affected. Influence; on the other hand, the cancellation of the ball is giving those villains a reason to make trouble, and what's more terrible is that if Atwood has the heart to encourage these people to unite, then the gentlemen will never want to clean up the atmosphere of Meryton.

So, the gentlemen had to come up with a way to raise the fare to screen out some people.He also asked all the guests to wear uniforms, and tried to keep those rogues out of the door as legitimately as possible.They printed some official leaflets like Atwood, put them in the next town and London, and published the news in the newspapers in fashion.

After going out for several days, one day Mr. Bennet came home very tired and said to his daughters: "The entrance fee for Meryton's public gatherings has always been a symbolic ten pence, and we raised it to ten shillings, half a pound. The price is enough to put most people off. Atwood didn't expect the fare when he spread the news, and his villain friends blamed his house for it. I heard that the little Atwood had already called the friends they summoned. One—those guys left Meryton, thank goodness."

"We also published a message in the newspaper, stating the ticket price, time and prom requirements, trying to block Atwood's bad idea. I hope everything goes well."

"Half a pound?" The girls were very disappointed. It was too expensive. If they all participated, the family would cost 3.5 pounds.

Mr. Bennet looked at Mary, Kitty and Lydia seriously: "I never intended to allow the three of you to go to the dance! In fact, if Mr. King hadn't brought up this matter, everyone would have to try their best to make up for it. Even Jane, I won't let her go. Whether it's an ordinary ball or a masquerade!"

Both Jane and Elizabeth looked at their father, and Jane said, "What does Dad mean, I have to go?"

Elizabeth also asked: "What about me?" Dad left himself alone, which was strange.It seems that there is a meaning to ask myself to go.

Mr. Bennet frowned, obviously reluctant, he said: "If this dance is too deserted, everyone can discuss and go, together with the children who have entered the social world." This time the remedy is very good A sum of money was spent, which was to be made up from the money for the ball tickets, so the gentlemen had to agree that they would all go.Come again to avoid foreign guests who buy tickets to participate but feel cheated because they are not lively enough.

"Lizzie," Mr. Bennet looked at his favorite and most dependent second daughter, "I hope you can accompany Jane to participate."

Before the three little girls protested, Mr. Bennet said again: "Your eldest sister is too soft-tempered to know how to refuse people. This makes me very worried about her, and she is too easy to recognize."

Indeed, although Jane is not the blond hair and blue eyes of the Germanic descendants, the color of her long hair is rare and authentic. It is as bright as the brilliance bestowed by the sun god, and it is conspicuous no matter where she goes.

Mr. Bennet is afraid that someone like Atwood's son will haunt Jane at the ball. It is difficult for him and Mrs. Bennet to look at Jane all the time, only young girls can.And who among the young girls is more believable and suitable than Lizzie?Mr. Bennet trusts his second daughter very much, she can protect herself and her sister.

Elizabeth blinked, stood up, put her hands behind her back, and made a fancy hand kiss to Jane: "My honor, dear miss."

Mr. Bennet finally relaxed a little from his heavy heart. He watched his daughters laughing and couldn't help shaking his head.

This time, even Mrs. Bennet, who was most keen on choosing a future son-in-law at the ball, stopped. She was not very interested in this fancy masquerade, because it could not judge whether a young man was decent or not. You can't even see a person's face.

...

In London, Charles Bingley blushed with excitement when he saw the news of the "Meridon Masquerade" in the newspaper.He quickly told the sisters and invited them to participate.However, only his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, was interested, while sisters Louisa and Caroline were not.

Caroline Bingley hated the place where she was humiliated. She strongly discouraged her brother from going. Rough and impolite countryman, ha... If you make up your mind, you can only go alone, and I dare say you will be very disappointed!"

Mr. Bingley hesitated, but his desire to know the beautiful lady was very strong.He got no support from his family and had to go to his good friend Mr. Darcy.

Fitzwilliam Darcy had just bought an overseas rubber plantation from a wealthy businessman, and he had a hunch that the white sap would have more uses than just for erasing pencil marks.Since the rubber plantation is not in the mainland, this business is cumbersome to talk about, and it took Mr. Darcy a lot of energy.He also intended to relax, so he wanted to read the newspaper.

"Ten shillings?" Mr. Darcy snorted.

Fearing that his friend would refuse, Mr. Bingley hastily persuaded: "The masquerade ball is so interesting. Darcy, the place where this ball is held is in Meryton, do you remember here? We can go to the library there again, maybe the bookseller Another set of encyclopedias!"

"It's close to the city, the air is good, and the residents of the town are warm and hospitable..."

Mr. Darcy was persuaded by his friend in every possible way, and the light-hearted figure appeared in his mind again, and he nodded involuntarily.

Mr. Bingley was very happy as if he had received His Majesty's letter.Darcy came to his senses, and it was hard to go back on his word.

Mr. Darcy is a cold and taciturn person, even if he is surrounded and flattered by everyone at an ordinary ball-he can already imagine the situation where he sits in a masquerade ball.

...

Just in anticipation or apprehension, the day of holding the dance party finally arrived.

According to their parents' request, Jane and Elizabeth didn't wear the dresses they made themselves, but only wore an ordinary dress, then put on a feather mask bought from the store, and went out with the Bennets.

Elizabeth stuffed a small silk folding fan into Jane's hand, and the two sisters checked each other whether the mask on their faces was firm: Mr. Bennet repeatedly urged that even if it hurts, the mask must be fastened firmly.Elizabeth pulled up the hair of both of them, hid the tied rope in the hair, and fixed it again with hair accessories before she could rest assured.

"If someone wants to take off the mask on your face, you can beat him with a fan!" Elizabeth told her sister, "The bones of these two fans are made of boxwood, which is hard enough."

There is no hollow carving on the big bones on the outside of these two fans, but iron thorn roses are inlaid with patterns. When Elizabeth saw it in London, she thought it was very suitable for "rejecting people".

At balls, especially at public gatherings, there are always annoying stalkers, some of whom take advantage of their wealth and status and make frivolous gestures.This kind of libertine is not uncommon, and the means of flirting are also very clever, such as touching the body, touching the little hands and so on.Ladies can refuse, but it is difficult to fight back, otherwise it will be considered rude.

Elizabeth took precautions, and immediately fell in love with this heavy folding fan - the ladies used the folding fan to block it back, but it was not considered rude.

The author has something to say: I still haven't finished writing it, and it's not too fat.Then add more.The second update is at six o'clock in the afternoon.

Little angels, give 100 small red envelopes for comments in this chapter, thank you for waiting.

The little angels who irrigate and throw mines will post it at night to thank you.