Pride and Prejudice, a play by Mary Keith Medbery Mackaye Part 1

Pride and Prejudice, a play.

by Mary Keith Medbery Mackaye.

ACT I

_The drawing-room at Longbourn. At the back, wide gla.s.s doors open upon a terrace which overlooks an English landscape. It is winter, and coals are burning in the fireplace. On each side of the gla.s.s doors are rounded recesses with windows. On one side of the room a door opens into the library. On the other side is a door to the hall--the chief entrance of the house. The room is handsomely furnished in eighteenth century style._ MR. _and_ MRS. BENNET _are discovered sitting on either side of the table._ MRS. BENNET _is knitting--_MR. BENNET _reading._

MRS. BENNET.

[_After a slight pause and laying down her knitting._]

My dear Mr. Bennet, did not you hear me? Did you know that Netherfield Park is let at last?

MR. BENNET.

[_Continues reading and does not answer._]

MRS. BENNET.

[_Impatiently._] Do not you want to know who has taken it?

MR. BENNET.

[_Ceases reading and looks up at her with an amused smile._] You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.

MRS. BENNET.

[_With animation._] Why, my dear, you must know Lady Lucas says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the North of England. His name is Bingley, and he is _single_, my dear. Think of that, Mr. Bennet! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand pounds a year. What a fine thing for our girls!

MR. BENNET.

How so? How can it affect them?

MRS. BENNET.

My dear Mr. Bennet, how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.

MR. BENNET.

Is that his design in settling here?

MRS. BENNET.

Design!--Nonsense! How can you talk so? But it is very likely that he will fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as you can. Consider your daughters, Mr. Bennet! Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them! Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go merely on that account. Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if _you_ do not.

MR. BENNET.

[_Who has risen during this last speech and now stands with his back to the fire, facing_ MRS. BENNET.] You are overscrupulous, surely. I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you, and I will send a few lines to a.s.sure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls--though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.

MRS. BENNET.

[_Sharply._] I desire you will do no such thing! Lizzy is not a bit better than the others. She is not half as handsome as Jane, nor as good-humoured as Lydia. But you are always giving her the preference.

MR. BENNET.

Not unless she deserves it, my dear. But in this particular instance my poor little Lizzy is the only one who is unprovided for. Lydia and the others belong in the schoolroom, and you tell me that Mr. Collins has already spoken for Jane.

MRS. BENNET.

Oh, that odious Mr. Collins! I wish he had never come here. I wish I might never hear his name again!

MR. BENNET.

Mr. Collins odious! You surprise me! I thought that he had won your full approval.

MRS. BENNET.

[_Fretfully._] Oh, well, since he had to be your cousin, and since you _will_ not do anything about the entail, I suppose it will be a mercy if he does marry Jane. [_Half crying._] But I do think, Mr. Bennet, it is the hardest thing in the world that we have no son of our own, so that your property has to be entailed away from your own wife and children, so if you should die, we may all be turned out of the house whenever this Mr. Collins pleases. [_In bewailing tone._] He certainly does seem to have all the luck in the world. Here he has just got this good living from that grand Lady Catherine de Bourg.

MR. BENNET.

But, my dear, that will soon be _your_ luck, as well. You forget that your daughter is to profit by it.

MRS. BENNET.

Well, perhaps. I don't know about _that_, but, [_With renewed excitement._] I _do_ know that it is too monstrous that after you are gone I shall be forced to make way for this man and live to see him master in this house!