Late evening sun was shining trough the broad windows behind the heavy oak desk, tinting the long rows of old leathern books golden. A slight breeze played cheerfully with the fresh white curtains. A rather round cat was sitting lazily on a pile of papers, stretching her paws in the warm light while her master was buried deep in his favorite arm chair, fully engrossed in his dearest copy of Platon's work.

This picture of serenity was disturbed, when the door flew open and in came a woman, painting heavily: „Oh Mr. Bennet! You must write to Lizzy at once and order her to come home tomorrow." She almost fell into one of the many unoccupied arm chairs.

„And why would I do that, Mrs. Bennet? Just yesterday you were telling me how important it was that she stays in London. Have you by some great mystery reawaken your motherly feelings and started to miss our second daughter?", Mr. Bennet had some difficulty tearing his eyes - and mind - away from Platon.

„Do not be silly, Mr. Bennet. You very well know I always miss our daughters, when they are away from home. Just yesterday I was talking to Lady Lucas, who of course does not know the feeling at all - with poor Charlotte still at home! And I fear she will never know. Charlotte is really so plain, the poor dear. And Maria seems to be coming after her…"

„Please spare me the trouble of pretending to care about our neighbors, Mrs. Bennet. What is it, that you wanted Lizzy to come home for?", Mr. Bennet interrupted his wife knowing too well that if he did not, she would go on for hours.

„Oh. Yes, of course. So I was just hearing from Mrs. Long that Netherfield Park has been led at last. His name is Bingley, he is a single gentleman with six thousand pounds a year. He does not have any family here, they come from a nasty sounding town in the north I think. What was it called again, I must remember…", Mrs. Bennet was now fawning herself with her colorful embroidered handkerchief.

„The family comes from Scarborough, Mrs. Bennet. Not very nasty, if I remember correctly. And I am scared I have to disappoint you, Mr. Bingley only seems to have about five thousand pounds.", Mr. Bennet smirked at his wife and returned his eyes to his book.

„However do you come to know such information about Mr. Bingley?"

„Maybe I have had the pleasure of speaking with Sir William while you conversed with his lovely wife?"

„Oh Mr. Bennet! Stop vexing me. I fully well know you do not care to spend any extra minute in Sir Williams company. And Lady Lucas lovely - now that is something I do not even have to address." In a swift notion Mrs. Bennet took the book from her husbands table and closed it loudly. „Now start telling me, who gave you this information on Mr. Bingley."

Mr. Bennet smiled slightly at his wife: „I got this information on Mr. Bingley from possibly the most reliable source. I went and visited the man this morning. Nice fellow, smiles a bit too much though, if you ask me. And then of course there is the disappointing reality of the missing one thousand pounds on his income…"

„Oh Mr. Bennet! How good you are! To have visited Mr. Bingley already! Lady Lucas will turn green with envy when I tell her. Oh I have to call on her first thing tomorrow morning. But well, now back to Lizzy. If you have met Mr. Bingley already I do not understand how you can be confused about letting her come home at all!"

„How would my meeting Mr. Bingley relate to Elizabeth?"

„She must marry him, of course! I am sure he will fall in love with her, if she is just here for the next assembly."

„Marry her? How do you get such an idea, Mrs. Bennet? Is it not enough to have one daughter married? I do not want to part wit another one so soon."

„So soon? You are thrice a grandfather already, Mr. Bennet. It would not be soon at all. And just look how happy Mrs. Harrison is! Settled in London in this fine house and with the darling children. And just think of the new carriage they have purchased!"

„If it is only the carriage that is tempting you, Mrs Bennet, I can be persuaded to look over the accounts again. Maybe there is a room for a little one, what do you think about a phaeton?"

„Do not distract me, Mr. Bennet. We will call Elizabeth home. You have done enough in the last years to thwart any opportunity for the girls to meet eligible men. One could mean you do not want any of them to marry at all!"

And with these words Mrs. Bennet grabbed some ink and paper from her husbands desk and left the room, leaving Mr. Bennet alone again. The room was back to his peaceful state of serenity the moment the door was shut. But now its calming atmosphere was no longer mirrored bis his owner. Mr. Bennet was mightily distraught.