[Pride and Prejudice] Becoming Katherine Bennett

But Catherine has no intention of being harsh and demanding of Mr. Bennett.

After all, the rules of the entire society are the same now. The British aristocrats and gentry class attach great importance to family reputation, and will try their best to accumulate and retain large family properties in terms of family property inheritance instead of dispersing them.

When they make a will to distribute property, even if it is not limited to inheritance, very few people distribute the property to their daughters. They always give their property to their sons. If they have no sons, they pass the property to their younger brothers or other male heirs. 2

This is generally done by the gentleman class, and women's legal lack of property rights is also a key factor.According to the current British law, all property of a woman after marriage belongs to her husband, not only the dowry, but even the money and things obtained through labor, gifts or inheritance after marriage belong to her husband.Under such regulations, giving the property to the daughter is to use the money of one's own family to increase the wealth of other families.No one except a few families who married off their daughters to nobles hoping to improve their social status. 3

Although "it has always been so convenient", Catherine does not intend to use the concept of the 21st century to demand people in the 18th century.What's more, it's useless for her to complain, and she might as well find a way out for herself when she has that time.

Catherine looked at the letter paper in her hand, her eyes bent into crescent moons, as if she was looking at her pension insurance passbook eagerly.

"Getting you started on something good, no more," swallowed Mr. Bennett's sarcasm, "and I wouldn't mind spending ten times as much."

Catherine has long been accustomed to Mr. Bennett's way of speaking. Compared with his sarcasm, he can support her writing to offset all negative emotions. She is in a good mood and doesn't care about it at all.

This culture is still a new thing and has been criticized.In the past, the British were keen on drama, and writers were all outstanding dramatists. It was not until the "Licensing Act" restricted the performance of drama that this subject matter flourished unprecedentedly. 4

Gothic and sentimental are popular nowadays, and the books are filled with a lot of elements of novelty, deviant, and horror. Using the adjectives of later generations, they are a bit "vulgar". 5

Like other new things blocked by conservative forces, social evaluation is divided into two levels, and many people and even newspapers will openly appeal to everyone not to read it.

Mr. Bennett was a gentleman, and rightly belonged to the category of people who don't look.

In fact, he did not read it, but when Catherine took her manuscript and solemnly raised her long-cherished wish to him, this old gentleman who rarely goes out on weekdays made a special trip to London to learn about the current society’s attitude towards publishing from acquaintances , income, and brought Catherine twenty beautiful quills and a great deal of paper when she came home.

Catherine held the pen and paper and was so moved that tears filled her eyes, but the corners of her mouth trembled slightly and she couldn't say a word.

Quill pens are consumables. They become blunt after writing. They need to be sharpened in time. After several sharpenings, they need to be replaced with new ones.Not to mention paper, it is a technology from Eastern China. In this era, anything with a Chinese edge is considered a luxury.

What's more precious is his enlightened attitude of support, which was like a shot in the arm. Catherine was both moved and inspired. thrown aside.

For her change, Mr. Bennett, Jane, and Elizabeth were very happy, and even the third sister Mary praised her for the first time.

Lydia was extremely dissatisfied. In the past, Catherine and the others always went to the town together to play, but now Catherine does not go out, and Mr. Bennett does not allow her to go out alone. Lydia had to reduce the chances of going out.

Mrs. Bennet is very partial to Lydia, and often pulls sideways. Lydia doesn't like Catherine, and even Mrs. Bennet looks at her fourth daughter with some dislike.

Catherine didn't care.

There is only one thing on her mind, and that is to write books to make money.

After painstakingly writing the first book in three and a half months, Catherine sent the letter in the name of Mr. Bennett, waiting for a reply in anxiety.

About a week later she received a reply, or two, and her book was rejected by Thomas Payne and Thomas Cadell one after another.These two are publishers of literary giants such as Adam Smith and Robert Burns, and have long enjoyed a good reputation in the industry. 6

Catherine also had an unrealistic fantasy of soaring into the sky out of profit considerations, hoping to win their favor, but unfortunately they refused without even looking at it.

Catherine was devastated by this.However, she did not slump, but quickly adjusted her mood and began to actively try various methods.

At first, she had a glimmer of hope, hoping that her book would not only be widely praised by the society, but also sell well to make money, but the publisher's refusal made her feverish brain recover, and while she was submitting the book to other publishers, Also try to submit to newspapers with a slightly lower threshold for acceptance.

For this reason, Catherine also wrote a letter to her uncle, Mr. Gardner, hoping that he would recommend a newspaper that was "used to pass the time and many people bought it", saying that she was going to buy it for the servants to read.

Mr. Gardiner has a business in London, and the shop is not small, and the income is good.Although his status as a businessman was despised by the aristocrats, he himself was not vulgar at all and was very educated.And his wife is also a fashionable woman who is well-dressed and well-spoken.

The Gardners have a good relationship with several nieces, especially the two older ones. They usually correspond and they often go to live in London.

Catherine has not been in contact with her uncle's family since she became Catherine, but she still wrote a letter to her uncle brazenly. Mr. Gardner replied quickly, saying that he often saw apprentices and servants reading a newspaper called "Daily Telegraph" Newspapers, which seem to have a lot of interesting news and stories, are relatively cheap at 0.5p. 7

When Catherine received the letter, she immediately gave the maid a pound to go to town and buy as many "Daily Telegraphs" as possible.

But the maid's answer surprised her. The maid said: "Miss, the boss said that this newspaper is selling very well. It will be sold out every day, so you can only buy today's."

Catherine didn't know that the newspaper in her hand was the predecessor of Britain's largest newspaper group in later generations. The "Daily Telegraph" kicked off the prelude to modern British news.

When this newspaper was first published, it positioned the market accurately and played the slogan of "a newspaper for the busy and the poor". The sales volume of the first issue was a blockbuster, reaching nearly 8 copies. favorite newspaper. [-]

Asking the maid to deliver afternoon tea and snacks, Catherine sat in the living room and read the "Daily Letter" with relish, not even noticing Jane approaching.

"Kitty, what are you looking at?"

Jane's voice was the same as hers, gentle and sweet. Catherine raised her head to admire the beauty, then pointed to a report and motioned for Jane to read it.

The news was published on the eighth page of the newspaper's social anecdote, using a pseudonym to write about a French nobleman who had eccentricities and always liked to disguise himself as a farmer. One day he had an affair with a woman, but was caught by the woman's husband Catch the rape on the bed and throw it into the pigsty.

"Catherine!!" Jane's face turned red, she looked at her younger sister, her tone was unprecedentedly angry, "How can you watch something like this?"

Catherine didn't expect Jane's reaction to be so big, she was so frightened that she quickly sat up from the sofa: "Oh, Jane, don't be angry, I just think it's funny."

Jane's face was still crimson, and she always spoke softly, even when she lost her temper, her tone was very gentle: "You can't watch it anymore."

Catherine immediately tore the newspaper in her hand to shreds, and Jane's face became better.

Catherine didn't dare to buy the "Daily Telegraph" at home, but she knew the routine of this newspaper.

Isn't this the "Sun" in the 18th century?The purpose of newspapers is to attract people's attention, and they try their best to attract attention. The articles are full of vulgar and sensational content, and the writing techniques are unprofessional, but they sell well.

It seems that the public's preferences will not be much different in any age.What most people like may not be serious or elegant, but they are willing to spend money.

Making money is Catherine's only concern at the moment.As for the other things, let's wait until she resolves the crisis that may be thrown to the side of the road in the future, and then think about it. I don't care about that much now.

According to the address on the newspaper, Catherine made some revisions to "Blood Return" and sent it to the newspaper office.

Humming a ditty, Catherine came out of the study and met no other family members along the way.

"Where are the madame and the other ladies?" asked Catherine.

"They have gone to Sir Lucas's," replied the housekeeper.

Sir Lucas was Bennett's neighbour, and the two lived next to each other.However, the relationship between Sir Lucas and Mr. Bennett is very plastic, and Catherine's sense of this family is also very general, but Charlotte, the eldest daughter of the Lucas family, has a very good relationship with Elizabeth, and they are best friends.

Catherine returned to the room, took out Horatio Gordon's letter from her pocket, and read it again in detail. After happily walking around the room a few times, she took out a rectangular jewelry box from the drawer under the closet and put it in the The letter was carefully folded in.

Before dinner, the other Bennett women returned from the Lucas's with news.Throughout the meal, Mrs. Bennet did not need any reaction from the audience, but remained enthusiastic and took the trouble to describe the relevant information of Mr. Bingley.

Catherine, who was growing up and had a good appetite, ate a meat pudding of fresh ox feet, and a bowl of stewed onions, and listened to Mrs. Bennet as she ate. 9

It is said that Mr. Bingley is handsome, tall, with a good temper and no airs at all.More importantly, he will attend the next public gathering.

"This is awesome! People who like to dance are known to fall in love!" 10

The ladies of the Bennets, except Catherine, expressed delight at the fact that Mr. Bingley was to attend a public party.

Mrs. Bennet was the happiest. In her heart, Mr. Bingley, who had never met before, was already her son-in-law. It depended on whether he liked the eldest daughter Jane or the younger daughter Lydia. Of course, no matter which one he wanted to marry She would happily nod.