[Pride and Prejudice] Rich Lady

At this time, the lid of the suitcase was still domed, which, I have to say, was a hassle to carry. () In particular, the weight of the wooden box itself is not very light.

"It would be nice to have a suitcase with a flat lid, but unfortunately I haven't found it in any store in London." Elizabeth complained to her sisters: "Some fashionable ladies have to bring a dozen wooden boxes of clothes back from Paris, France." London, just to shine during the social season. God knows what a hassle it is, with servants and boxes filling half the streets and sometimes causing congestion."

Elizabeth missed the convenient and quick trolley case very much.

"Flat cover? I've never seen this kind of box." Jane said with a smile.

At this time, the sisters were just joking. What they didn’t know was that more than half a century later, the legendary story of the fashion empire that was well-known and flocked to by the world originally came from the careful observation of a doorman——Louis Vuitton opened a fashion empire in Paris. A suitcase shop named after himself designed and manufactured a square flat-covered canvas suitcase based on the inconvenience observed in the early years of ladies carrying many heavy wooden boxes.This lightweight and well-crafted suitcase has amazed the entire fashion capital as soon as it came out, and orders from princes and nobles poured in.

"I said earlier, Mr. Bennet, we should hire a manservant." Mrs. Bennet complained to Mr. Bennet when she saw her daughters and maids struggling to carry them.

Mr. Bennet is noncommittal. For a decent gentleman, his demand for a manservant is much higher than that of his wife. Hiring a manservant is now considered a status symbol.Mr. Bennet originally planned to hire a butler after his eldest daughter stepped into the social world a few years ago, but he never found a suitable candidate because he was passive and unrestrained and always liked to stay in the study.Now, Mr. Banner is cheering up, but because the annual salary of a male servant is at least twice that of a maid, the plan is temporarily shelved—Mr. Use the money you can spend to buy government bonds. The yield of bonds in the past two years will be higher, and the annual interest rate can reach 5%.

"Let's see what new things little Lizzie has brought," replied Mr. Bennet. "I hope one of them is for her old father."

"My little Lizzie will never forget her dear father, I guess it is a newly published book?" The father smiled and looked at his favorite second daughter, and said very flatteringly.

Elizabeth smiled happily, and deliberately opened the wooden box containing the gifts for the sisters first.

"Oh, God, it's a kite!" Kitty covered her mouth and saw the topmost object at a glance.

Lydia squeezed the two young ladies away, and held them out carefully: "This is simply the best gift!"

"Wait, why are the kite's wings folded?" Lydia was heartbroken: "Lizzie, you broke it to put it in the suitcase? This is really...!"

Elizabeth has taken great pains to bring back this little thing that has taken London by storm recently: she can't sit in a carriage and carry a kite, it's too unladylike, and Lady Judith will make her move to the bottom .

"Of course not, this is the latest soft-winged kite in London! Its wings are movable. On the one hand, it can be folded up for easy carrying. On the other hand, after this kite flies into the sky, the wings open and relax in the sky, which is realistic. Like a living bird." Elizabeth showed to her little sister.

Lydia was dying of joy. She couldn't put it down to caress this big colorful butterfly, hugged it in her arms, and almost wanted to try it in the yard immediately.

All of Bennet's eyes were attracted by the butterfly, and Kitty had moved to Lydia's side, but little Mary habitually let the two little sisters, only her unblinking eyes exposed eager.

"Don't worry, I have prepared enough." Elizabeth said, and took out a swallow, crane and phoenix from the box.

"God! It's so beautiful!" Jane clutched her chest, the bird that was dominated by fiery red, with its long tail feathers floating down, completely fascinated her eyes.

Kitty hugged the tail of the scissors, her eyebrows raised, her eyes bright, and the sand swallow kite painted with butterflies playing peonies all over her body did not let go.And the crane kite, which is full of ink and wash style, but red-topped and red, is very popular with Mary.

Lydia looked at this and then at that, and felt that she still liked the big swallowtail the most.

"What kind of bird is this?" Jane asked.

"The phoenix, the divine bird of the Ming Dynasty, is the legendary king of all birds." Elizabeth said, "In the Ming Dynasty, only empresses and princes and concubines can wear phoenix crowns. It symbolizes beauty, benevolence, dignity and auspiciousness."

Elizabeth also did not expect that Jane would love this phoenix kite. She thought that Jane would choose the crane because of her gentle and soft nature.

'Maybe I've been wrong all along. Under Jane's gentle and docile appearance, there may be a fiery and unyielding will hidden. ' thought Elizabeth.

The ladies couldn't be more satisfied, in fact, these few beautiful little objects have occupied all their minds at this moment.Therefore, the lace, beautifully colored ribbons, and jewelry inlaid with small gemstones and pearls that Elizabeth took out afterwards did not arouse the greater surprise and joy of the ladies.

On the contrary, the extremely elegant Schumize Dorles was taken out from another box, which was a gift from Elizabeth to Mrs. Bennet.

"Mother, if you put it on, you will be the most beautiful lady in all of Longbourn, no! Meryton!" No wonder Mrs. Bennet loved Lydia the most. The little lady's mouth is really pleasing.

Jane and Mary also echoed.

Kitty said, "Mother is prettier than Jane!"

Mrs. Bennet fondly picked up the long skirt and gestured in front of her body, while pretending to be modest: "Children, you are too flattering on me. I did have outstanding beauty when I was young, but now I dare not insist on it! "

Elizabeth smiled and complimented: "No, dear mother, you are still very young, believe me, you will only make strangers think you are our sister when you go out - who would believe that such a beautiful woman is already married and has children? "

——"Dad will be jealous, and maybe drive away those annoying eyes." Elizabeth joked.

She looked at Mr. Bennet, but found that Mr. Bennet seemed a little absent-minded.

Mrs. Bennet looked expectantly at her dear husband.

Mr. Bennet had no choice but to raise the corners of his mouth, and said slowly in a Shakespeare aria: "Yes, yes! Mrs. Bennet is more beautiful than the most beautiful Jane in Longbourne. If you go to town alone In the future, it may attract the pursuit of those simple-minded and reckless young men! This is really bad!"

"So I'm going to criticize Lizzie, why buy your mother such a beautiful dress? A wife who already has two grown daughters?"

Mr. Bennet looked at his beloved daughter, and there seemed to be something else in the ridicule. He complained plausibly: "You can't even see such a dress in Meryton's store, Lizzie, you will hurt Longbourn." No peace—how many idle and flustered wives will come to inquire."

He changed the subject and asked: "I think the dress is worth at least £1?"

Elizabeth was only concerned about being happy. She rarely let go of her cautiousness when she returned home, so she didn't notice the seriousness in her father's laughing words: "In fact, together with the matching long lace gloves and Persian shawl, the total is 2 pounds 3 shillings. Bi, it's not worth mentioning. Isn't it, Dad?"

Mr. Bennet said meaningfully: "Not worth mentioning? Oh, indeed."

He looked at the presents and calculated in his mind: Those beautiful kites cost at least £1 shillings each—this is based on the one owned by Miss King.Mr. Bennet had seen the tall Miss King's favorite thing hanging in the living room, and it was far worse than the few kites brought back by Lizzie, which further showed that a few kites were worth a lot.

As for the other small gifts, round pearl necklaces, hairpins with broken rubies, vine bracelets inlaid with citrines, and shell-carved tassel brooches... It can be seen that each piece is exquisitely crafted and not cheap.These jewelry will not be cheaper than a kite.

And a complete set of clothes for her mother.

Mr. Bennet is not like a lady who is blinded by a beautiful skirt. He is a rational and intelligent person. After a little calculation in his heart, he is very surprised and puzzled: although he believes in his daughter's character and wisdom, but these values ​​are far beyond his estimation. Can't help but make him suspicious.

This doubt reached its peak when his dear little Lizzie brought out his present: a well-made woolen flacquer.

Mr. Bennet, as a respectable man with a reputation in the local area, naturally has an outfit that fits his status: such as this kind of Flack that can be used as a formal social dress.

Not only that, but Elizabeth then took out the matching Kee Lai and Kyorot.

Flack is the predecessor of the tuxedo, Keeley is a woolen vest, and Kyorot is naturally white leggings—this set of gentlemanly attire is still in line with Elizabeth's aesthetics.

Mr. Bennet's face can already be described as dignified.He took a deep look at the daughter he loved the most, and held back the questioning for the time being, not wanting to interrupt the interest of the daughters at this time, and also afraid of making Elizabeth lose face in front of the sisters.

He managed to make himself look happy, but his mind always wandered off next.

"Dad, don't you like it?" Elizabeth asked.

Mr. Bennet hid the speculation and the pain caused by the speculation deeply in his heart, and replied with a smile: "Oh, of course I like it! Such workmanship, I dare say, must be only the craft of London tailors!"

"That's right, the texture is excellent, the tailoring is exquisite, Lizzie's eyesight can catch up to mine!" Mrs. Bennet, ignorant of her husband's mind, still praised enthusiastically.

"Where did you find a good tailor?" asked Mr. Bennet.

"In Savile Row, there are the best tailors in London, but it's too time-consuming. I asked Lola to make an appointment for me, and I waited for more than half a month." Elizabeth was very happy that her family liked it, "In fact, I still Ordered a rosewood cane for Dad, but unfortunately I can't give it to Dad until the next time I come back."

And a cane? !Mr. Bennet was simply miserable.

"The rosewood body and the tortoiseshell handle are very suitable for Dad to go out with friends. This cane is lighter." Elizabeth said, "Dad's original ash wood cane can be used for walking."