[Pride and Prejudice] Mary's Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 11 Letters from London

Regarding this store, Mary has been planning for two full years. For a person like her with small capital and few contacts, a food store with small capital investment and fast return is the best choice.In the past two years, in addition to doing food research and development in Langborn, she often went to Meriton to do market research, inquire about various purchase channels, and select store locations.Now it can be said that everything is ready, only the east wind is owed.

The weather was a bit gloomy today, Mary took Alice to Meryton, the carriage stopped after entering the town, Mary took Alice around first.She doesn't know how many times a year she comes to Meridon, sometimes to go to the circulation library, sometimes to buy things, sometimes to visit her aunt's house, so she is very familiar with this place.There are shops selling clothes, shoes and hats on the main street here, as well as blacksmith shops, carpenter shops, tailor shops, butcher shops, and vegetable shops. In short, Meridon is a prosperous town, and the houses here are rented out every year. , Some tenants have moved out, and some tenants have moved in.Mary went to her aunt's house after only a short turn in the main street.

Aunt Philip was very happy for Mary's arrival, and she ordered the maid to prepare afternoon tea for the lovely child.Aunt Philip was a plump, chatty woman, whose shallowness was as obvious as her beauty, and who was always fond of gossip.Even in the face of 12-year-old Mary, she didn't think there was anything wrong with her words. She said: "There is a new clerk in that bakery. He is a handsome young man, but I always see him and the grocer's daughter. Flirting in the street, that girl just got engaged, but they're so unscrupulous, I bet it won't be too long before the two elope, they're outrageous...but he makes really good bread."

Mary didn't know how to answer the conversation, so she had to instruct Alice to help prepare afternoon tea and dinner.

Mrs. Philip said: "You always take a maid with you when you go out, my dear Mary. This is simply the style of a noble lady."

"No, Aunt," said Mary, smiling. "I was trying to find a new job for Miss Alice at Meriton."

"What? Alice is going to change jobs? Hasn't she always done a very good job? Your mother always praised her and said she is a good girl who knows how to thank her. Why are you firing her? Did she do something disgraceful?" so that you have to?" Aunt Philip's eyes were brightly colored, and it was a real question for her, the purpose of her life every day was to find out what happened to other people. What?So she asked Mary over and over again.So Mary had to let her know a little bit of the matter--just that Mr. Bennet had made her learn to manage a household, and she thought Alice needed a change of job.

"Oh, that's funny," Aunt Philip laughed in amazement. "Your father loves you so much, Mary, that it's hard for a man of his seriousness to play such a game with his own daughter, and he's so queer! "

Mary laughed a few times, and was not going to explain too much, because she knew that Mrs. Philip was by no means the only one who thought so. I am afraid that everyone would think that this was just a game between Mr. Bennet and his youngest daughter. Who would take it seriously? Well, even Mr. Bennet himself probably only regards it as a pastime to coax his daughter.

Aunt Philip asked a lot of questions, but Mary brushed them off, but Mary asked her to help keep an eye on the rented houses in the town. Maybe Alice will need to move to the town soon. The house should be near the main street. , they probably want to do some small business, such as open a shop or something, and Mr. Bennet will help them.Aunt Philip promised that she loved doing this kind of thing the most. While helping others, she could enrich her knowledge and keep herself well-informed.

The servants at Bennet House have been whispering lately that their Miss Mary has been acting out of the ordinary lately.

More than ten days ago, Mr. Bennet officially appointed Miss Mary as the "Treasurer" of Bennet's mansion in public.From now on, the Bennet family's financial expenditure must be approved by Miss Mary.This should have been a challenge to Mrs. Bennet's authority, but Mrs. Bennet is also very supportive of her daughter's doing so, which is really puzzling.

"Probably this is the special education method of the old lady." Hill, the housekeeper, told everyone.

Miss Mary has not made too many changes to the family's expenditure since she took office, which relieved the servants who were afraid that she would mess around.But gradually a rumor spread in the family that Miss Mary wanted to sponsor Alice to open a food shop. This incident caused an uproar among the servants, and finally reached Mr. Bennet's ears after a few days. Mr. Nat called Mary into the study room to inquire. He didn't raise his head, but still focused on the book in his hand: "I heard that you are going to open a food store for Alice."

"Yes, Dad, I have the pocket money I have accumulated since I was a child. That should be enough to open a small food store. We only need the money for renting the store and some furniture and utensils." Mary nodded.

"Although others should not stop a young lady from showing kindness, but you should not make such a decision on your own."

"I'm sorry Dad, but if I had to tell you in advance, I'm afraid you won't agree."

"Yes, you know me very well. I know you have a good heart, but I must tell you that as long as Alice's father does not stop drinking or die, then her family will never have a bright future."

"Alice's family is really difficult. It is said that his father took the two oldest sisters to London yesterday, where he will find a job for them to earn a living. Alice can't sleep because of worry. I think I may be able to help. This poor family."

This matter is indeed true. It is said that Alice's father met a passing businessman while drinking in the pub. The businessman passed by here again a few days ago. Alice's father learned from that person that there are two jobs in London. Opportunity needs two girls. This alcoholic is poor and has nothing but debts. This opportunity is so good. It can not only make the girls make money, but also save the family from having two idlers.So the man couldn't wait to follow the businessman to London with his two daughters.The children in the family were very envious, and even the neighbors said that this annoying alcoholic was really lucky. The children in the world did all the farm work for him, and his three daughters worked for him to earn money for drinking.

Only Alice is a little worried. Her father is a drunkard. Who can know decent people? About two younger sisters are going to work as female workers in factories. She has heard that this kind of work is very hard. People can't straighten their backs, but the money they earn is only enough to fill their stomachs.

Mary knew that what Mr. Bennet said was true. There was such a prodigal in the family, and the money he earned was not enough for him to drink, but that was Alice's business. As far as Mary knew, Alice actually secretly hid a lot No matter how much the man threatened Alice, he refused to give her wages. Since she came to Longbourn to work as a maid, the man dared not beat her again. She had to plan for this family, and she had six younger siblings who were underage.

Mary has always promised to do what she can, and she also told Mr. Bennet about asking Aunt Philip, and asked Mr. Bennet to come forward when they need it. A gentleman, Alice's family is his tenant, how could he not agree?So Mary solved her worries and devoted herself to the construction of the food store.

Two days later, Aunt Philip sent someone to deliver a letter to Mary, saying that she had inquired about rentable shops in Meryton, and Mary rushed to Philip's house with Alice in a carriage.

Aunt Philip took them to find an agent, and then they went to see two houses.Mary likes a two-story building only one street away from the main road. There is a barber shop, a mill and a cake shop next to it, and there is a lot of traffic.Mrs. Philip strongly agreed with this place, and finally Mary made the decision. The house is not big, and the rent is 10 pounds a year. Mary asked the agent to go to Bennet's house in the afternoon to find Mr. Bennet to sign.Before leaving, Mary asked Aunt Philip to find a craftsman for decoration, and Aunt Philip readily agreed.Mary took Alice to the furniture workshop in the town and ordered the required tables and chairs.

She was busy all day, and before going to bed at night, Mary sat at her desk and wrote a letter to Elizabeth in London.It has been two weeks since Mrs. Bennet took her daughters to London, and Elizabeth often wrote letters on their behalf. In her reply, Mary described what happened recently, and she also told Elizabeth that she was going to help Alice. Mrs. Bennet also knew that she wanted Elizabeth to scold Mary in a letter.Elizabeth wrote that Mrs. Bennet was very angry with Mary for being so indiscriminate, so mean to Jane, and so generous to Alice.But with Elizabeth and Jane on the side to persuade, and Mrs. Bennet is far away in London, there is nothing she can do after she gets angry.Fortunately, at this time, a young man fell in love with Jane at first sight when he visited Uncle Gardiner, and Mrs. Bennet was overjoyed and encouraged, so she forgot to be angry with Mary.

Mary immediately wrote back and asked Elizabeth to remind Mrs. Bennet that she must always maintain the elegant qualities of a good mother-in-law for Jane, and not to get angry casually. Mary also asked Elizabeth to describe this gentleman in the next letter. In the last letter, Elizabeth only He kept talking about how his mother got angry, but he mentioned that gentleman in one stroke.

The Bennets are absolutely indispensable for Mary to open a store. Mr. Bennet is very easy to manage. He has never disciplined his daughter very much. As long as his daughter can let him sit comfortably in the study, he can do whatever you want.But Mrs. Bennet is hard to say. Her lifelong wish is to marry her daughters to good people. If she knows Mary’s plan, she will be furious. Mary originally planned to find a good opportunity to persuade Mrs. Bennet slowly, but now Mrs. Bennet will be away from here for a long time, and this is a good opportunity to cut things first and play later. As long as things are sorted out, it will be done when Mrs. Bennet comes back. With her personality, she can only chatter for a while, anyway, she can’t do it anymore. Close the shop.

Mary was very confident, and she took Alice to Meridon to inspect the decoration of the shop every day. The table and chairs designed by Mary had already been made in the carpenter's workshop. Mary was very satisfied and asked the craftsmen to continue to make it like this.

When the project was in full swing and Mary's entrepreneurial enthusiasm was at an all-time high, a letter from London broke everything.Mary was shocked when she saw the letter, and she quickly called Alice. Her father and two sisters went to London and there was no news. Alice has been very worried, and now Elizabeth's letter mentioned the father and daughter Their news, however, sounded like a bolt from the blue in the sky of Longborn.

The author has something to say:

In the next chapter, the food store is about to open. I have edited it four or five times, but I am still not satisfied. If you have any good suggestions, you can put them forward. If you have any comments, please let me know. I have checked a lot of information, but I am not satisfied. It is hard to guarantee that there will be no bugs. If someone knowledgeable sees it, please point it out for me.