Mr Bennet was among the first of those who visited Mr Bingley. He had always intended to do so, though he continued to let his wife believe that he would not go. He finally made his intentions known in the following way.

Watching his second daughter occupied in sewing a coloured band around a hat, he suddenly addressed her with:

'I hope Mr Bingley will like it, Lizzy.'

'We are not in a position to know what Mr Bingley likes,' said her mother bitterly, 'if we are not to visit him.'

'But you forget, mother,' said Elizabeth, 'that we shall meet him at the public balls, and that Mrs Long has promised to introduce him.'

'I do not believe Mrs Long will do any such thing. She has two nieces of her own. She is a selfish, insincere woman, and I have no opinion of her.'

'Neither have I,' said Mr Bennet, 'and I am glad to find that you do not depend on her serving you.'

Mrs Bennet would not make any reply, but, unable to control her annoyance, began complaining to one of her daughters.

'Don't keep coughing so, Kitty! Have a little pity on my poor nerves.'

'Kitty lacks judgment in her coughs,' said her father. 'She chooses the wrong moment.'

'I do not cough for my own amusement,' replied Kitty. 'When is your next ball to be, Lizzy?'

'In two weeks from tomorrow.'

'So it is,' cried her mother 'I and Mrs Long does not come back until the day before, so it will be impossible for her to introduce him, because she will not know him herself.'

'Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr Bingley to her!'

'Impossible, Mr Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself. How can you be so annoying!'

'Well, if you will not perform this duty, I will do it myself.'

The girls looked at their father. Mrs Bennet said: 'Nonsense, nonsense! I am sick of Mr Bingley'

'I am sorry to hear that, but why did you not tell me so before? If I had known it this morning, I certainly would not have gone to see him. It is very unlucky, but as I have actually paid the visit, we cannot escape the acquaintance now.'

The astonishment of the ladies was just what he wished, that of Mrs Bennet being perhaps beyond the rest, though when the first excitement was over, she began to say that it was what she had expected all the time.

'How good it was of you! I was sure you loved your girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am! And it is such a good joke, too, that you went this morning, and never said a word about it until now.'