Pride&prejudice_Chapter 2

Wait on/upon =visit 拜访；not in a way= in no way决不，根本不；resentfully 显然不满地，愤恨地； hypocritical 虚伪的；have the advantage of/over 胜过，优于；stand one's chance碰碰运气stand a chance of 有…的希望 stand no chance of 没有…的希望；office职责 the office of a chairman主席的职责 surpass 超越，胜过 exclamation 呼叫 Mr. Bennet was among the earliest of those who waited on Mr. Bingley. He had always intended to visit him, though to the last moment, assured his wife that he should not go, and till the evening after the visit was paid, she had no knowledge of it. It was then disclosed in the following manner. Observing his second daughter employed in trimming a hat, he suddenly addressed her with. "I hope Mr. Bingley will like it, Lizzie." "We are not in a way to know what Mr. Bingley likes," said her mother resentfully, "since we are not to visit." "But you forget, Mama," said Elisabeth, "that we shall meet him in town, 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, hypocritical woman." "I am glad," said Mr. Bennet, "to find that you do not depend on her serving you. Now, Lizzy," he said, turning to his second daughter, "When is your next ball to be?" "In a fortnight form tomorrow." "Then, my dear, you may have the advantage of your friend, and introduce Mr. Bingley to her," he told his wife calmly. "Impossible, Mr. Bennet, impossible, when I am not acquainted with him myself. How can you be so foolish?" "I honor your wariness. A fortnight's acquaintance is certainly very little. One cannot know what a man really is by the end of a fortnight. But if we do not venture, somebody else will. And after all, Mrs. Long and her nieces must stand their chance; and therefore, as she will think it an act of kindness, if you decline the office, the. I will take it on myself." The girls stared at their father. Mrs. Bennet said only, " Nonsense, nonsense!" "What can be the meaning of that emphatic exclamation?" cried he. "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense? I cannot quite agree with you there. 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 for, that of Mrs. Bennet perhaps surpassing the rest. Though when the first excitement of joy was over, she began to declare that it was what she had expected all the while. "How good it was in you, my dear Mr. Bennet! But I knew I had persuaded you at last. I was sure you loved our girls too well to neglect such an acquaintance. Well, how pleased I am!" The rest of the evening was spent in planning how soon he would return Mr. Bennet' visit, and determining when they should ask him to dinner.