Chapter 7: Country Life 1: Open the Longbourn Map
Mrs. Bennet hurriedly introduced: "This is my second daughter, Elizabeth. Although she is not as pretty as Jane and her temper is not as good, she is your brother-in-law's favorite child."
Mr. Bennett interposed, "Lizzie is a clever child; perhaps you two might get on well."
Elizabeth didn't care about her mother's comments. She greeted Hassel warmly. Her eyes did look lively and smart, not much different from what Hassel had imagined.
"Mom, we're here too!" At this time, the two girls held hands and squeezed to Mrs. Bennett's side, looking at Heather excitedly, and urging her impatiently.
Mrs. Bennet hugged them happily and said to Heather, "These are my two youngest daughters, Catherine and Lydia. Especially Lydia, she is the daughter who looks most like me. She stole the show at the ball at the age of fifteen."
Catherine and Lydia are indeed both pretty and lovely girls. They are at the most vibrant age. Even if their personalities are not dignified or even a little eccentric by today's standards, it is not a big problem for Heather, a modern person.
It is a blessing to be able to live recklessly at such a carefree age.
But Heather was a little overwhelmed for a moment.
Birds of a feather flock together, and Heather used to make friends with relatively introverted people.
During the few weeks I spent in London, I met ladies who were all steady and decent and spoke softly.
Even the children of Gardner's brother were brought up to be obedient and sensible, and they rarely made loud noises.
At this moment, Heather was having a headache because of the series of questions from the two girls that were like a duet. Her eardrums also felt a dull pain, which made her wonder if she was really getting old.
The two nieces kept chattering around, asking Heather, "Is Paris fun? Are French soldiers handsome? What kind of skirt lace is popular now? Does Auntie have an antique ring inlaid with an eagle emblem gemstone? What's the most popular perfume in Paris now..."
Heather had no choice but to interrupt them: "I can tell you about these questions slowly tonight. I can also show you antique rings and fashionable dresses, but now is not the time."
Then he said to Mrs. Bennet: "Sister, I remember you have five daughters, and there is one you haven't introduced yet."
Mrs. Bennet suddenly realized that she had missed the middle daughter.
She pointed to the girl sitting at the farthest point of Hesel and said, "That's my third daughter, Mary. She spends all day reading and playing the piano, or saying things no one can understand. She's not popular in social situations. I just hope she can get married because of her sister's influence. I don't dare to expect any wealth or status."
A young girl with a light brown ponytail in the corner looked over with some indignation. She was wearing the most common solid-color cloth skirt worn by country girls, and her appearance could only be described as pretty.
She smiled stiffly at Heather, and because she was too young and her facial expressions were not mature enough, one could tell at a glance that she was trying hard to suppress her dissatisfaction and helplessness towards her mother's blatant favoritism.
A few strands of slightly curly hair stuck to her face, making her look young and stubborn.
So this is Mary.
Mary is probably the only one of the five sisters that Heather cannot compare her real appearance with her imagined appearance.
Because she found that, whether in the original book or the movie, the middle girl had almost no role, so Heather's impression of her was almost completely blank. When mentioning her, she probably only thought of one label - nerd.
Heather beckoned Mary to come closer. Seeing that she was holding a large, thick book, she asked curiously, "What book are you holding?"
Mary seemed a little surprised that her new aunt noticed her and asked her what book she was reading.
Mary: "This is a book I bought from a traveling bookseller with my pocket money. It's 'Correspondence on Art' by the French art theorist Antoine. It uses letters to discuss the relationship between art and history, morality, and social trends. It opposes the Rococo style and advocates that art should return to morality and rationality."
Mary looked at Heather's dazed expression and asked hesitantly, "The bookseller who sold it to me said that this book is a must-have in the French upper class. Aunt Heather, you should know this book, right?"
Heather really didn't know, and she was sure that the original Heather didn't know and didn't care about art theory at all.
Mrs. Bennet chuckled and said, "My dear sister, you don't know Mary well enough. No one in Longbourn would ask her what she was reading, because she would just give a long speech that no one could follow. And what kind of married woman would care about such useless arts?"
Mary hung her head in disappointment, realizing that this new aunt would not look up to her because of her reading and knowledge. She would only like her other sisters more like everyone else.
Heather ignored her sister, pulled Mary over and said, "I really didn't pay much attention to art in the past. When the earl was alive, I only had to worry about how to add jewelry and buy clothes.
But now it’s different. I’m happy to learn something elegant. Even if it’s just a fancy trick, it can still fool people who don’t understand, right? "
Heather winked at Mary playfully and said, "Please give me some tutoring when you're free, okay, Teacher Mary?"
Mary happily agreed to her aunt's request and winked at Lydia and Kitty smugly.
Heather sighed in her heart, it turned out that the few words in the book could not describe the real people, and she could no longer use the characters in the book to judge the real people around her.
For example, Mary in front of us is definitely not a nerd. Although her methods are not very clever, she knows how to use her brain to seize opportunities for herself.
Even if she receives little to no positive feedback, she will prepare in advance and take the initiative to try new opportunities when they arise. What a persevering girl.
The whole afternoon flew by in the midst of conversation. Seven women in a room, as long as three or four of them were willing to talk, there would be no dull moment.
As Mrs. Gardner had expected, Mr. Bennett only insisted on sitting in the living room for an hour before politely taking his leave and retreating to his study.
A short afternoon was not enough for Mrs. Bennett to show off the Bennett family's pride over the years and to ask about Heather's experiences in France. She also had no time to find out her sister's current financial situation.
However, she took it for granted that since Earl Lawrence's property had been confiscated by France, the only valuable things left on Heather were probably some jewelry she had saved.
When she found out that Heather only had over 3,000 pounds on him and was ready to give her 800 pounds, she reluctantly but firmly refused.
Mrs. Bennett took her sister's hand with a sympathetic look on her face and said, "Just stay here with peace of mind. It's just one more portion of food. Mr. Bennett's income can still afford it."
She would not allow Hazel to explain any more, but only said: "My poor sister, you have been married once and have not much dowry. If you cannot find a husband at this age, you will have to ask your brother's son to support you in your old age."
Heather was shocked by her sister's divergent thinking. In just a few hours, she seemed to see her own miserable old age thirty years later, begging on the streets for a living.
Heather had to repeatedly emphasize that she still had a lot of jewelry and collections, which she could sell when the time came.
But Mrs. Bennet always listened to what she wanted to hear.
She finally came to the conclusion that she must help several of her daughters with potential find wealthy families, especially her eldest daughter Jane, so that they would be able to kindly help their mother and aunt who might be displaced in their later years.
Heather finally gave up struggling and decided to give her sister a big surprise after inheriting the estate.
Mr. Bennett did not come downstairs to dine with everyone until dinner was served.
Mrs. Bennett spent a lot of money on dinner tonight, entertaining Heather with the highest standard of food served at the table of a gentry family.
She asked the cook to bring out the venison that Mr. Bingley of Netherfield had recently given her, and served roast venison with cherry sauce as the main course.
She even brought out some Claret red wine that she had been keeping in reserve to entertain the guests.
Now Heather truly felt Mrs. Bennet's longing and love for her.
She may have many shortcomings, but she always loves her family wholeheartedly.
The conversation after dinner turned to the ball to be given at Netherfield the day after tomorrow.
Lydia proudly said that it was she who asked Mr. Bingley for permission to hold the ball.
Mrs. Bennet also explained to Heather: "Miss Bingley invited Jane to visit Netherfield before. Poor Jane fell ill because of the rain and stayed there for a few days. When we went to visit, Mr. Bingley agreed to hold a ball."
Elizabeth said angrily, "Mother, I hope you won't let Jane contact Mr. Bingley at the cost of her health next time!"
Mrs. Bennett didn't take it seriously. "The facts prove that my decision was right. Look at Jane and Bingley now. They are as close as honey and oil. If it weren't for the preparations for the ball, Mr. Bingley would have come to our house every day."
Jane blushed and lowered her head to embroider the handkerchief.
Heather then realized that she had missed the beginning. Now it was the time when Jane's relationship with Bingley warmed up after she went to visit him in the rain.
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