[Pride and Prejudice] Rich Lady

That night, Elizabeth sat by the window and wrote a letter to Laura. She told her depression and questioned whether she was qualified to plan the future for others: "...I tried to change her mind, and I tried my best to persuade her , but obviously I failed. Of course her idea is not wrong. Like most people, the first criterion for judging whether a man is a good husband is a rich and stable income. My mother also thinks so, it seems that people usually think This kind of marriage may not be happy and perfect, but at least food and clothing will be worry-free.”

"But this is too sloppy and flimsy. I think, if this gentleman has flaws in his character, how can we expect him to treat him well for decades?"

"Dear Laura, why do some people would rather endure and obey the humble arrangement of fate than try to make a little change. I am too self-righteous, but I am still worried that she will be unkind: I will know when I get to the city, There are too few naturally noble people, and it is the most unreliable thing to rely on others for your own happiness."

"Do you still remember the son of the viscount we met in London? Laura, that is also the youngest son of a nobleman, educated, and once praised in the newspapers for his beauty... But what we saw , just a drunkard, a gambler and a rascal. The rich merchant's daughter married him and lost all her fortune, and that poor woman, bruised and bruised. There are too many things like this in London, and I want to tell her about them , but never got a chance to speak out, arguing drained all our patience with each other."

"Fortunately, my sisters can still listen to it, which makes me feel very happy. I think I must let them know: how irresponsible it is for myself to depend on others for my happiness and destiny! For others, What an unfair responsibility! No matter how good a person is, he would not be willing to take on other people's lives. For example, my father, Mr. Bennet, is a gentleman worthy of entrustment in every respect, but he It is also difficult to respect and understand my mother... In fact, if all women look down on themselves and don't love themselves, how can you ask others to look up to you?"

"I've babbled so much, Laura, just because I've got something to say: I'm too weak to be trusted, and if I had money and status and acted like Dame Anne, I think at least people would listen to me Finish your sentence."

"Well, thank you for being willing to see me complain, my friend. I am writing these words in a better mood, and taking every opportunity and opportunity is what I shall do next. I shall be in the kitchen at Longbourne Try to make some oriental pastries, the materials from the Ming Dynasty are too expensive, I want to try whether the local things in England can be used as a substitute, look forward to my good news, Laura."

"By the way, I have a little present for you—in our bedroom, that painted basswood chest of drawers, under the cloth in the third drawer. My new picture book has already been painted, and I was going to give it to you. Easter gift, good to order now. Hope you like it."

"yours……"

-------

The next day, Elizabeth was still a little listless, which was a bit awkward among the sisters who were happily preparing to go to Meryton.

Mr. Bennet had been keenly noticing the abnormal state of her and Miss Lucas since yesterday, so before breakfast, he invited his second daughter to sit in his study again.

Elizabeth did not expect to hide from Jane, but failed to escape her father's eyes.

Fortunately, Elizabeth's shocking complaints had already been said to Laura in the letter last night, and only then could she calmly and objectively recount her conversation with Charlotte.

After hearing this, Mr. Bennet suddenly laughed.Although a little gloating, this immature and sharp-edged little Lizzie is more like his father's beloved daughter. Although Mr. Bennet is pleased with Elizabeth's steady and mature performance before, he is also willing to explain his daughter's doubts sometimes.

"Lizzie, don't you realize that you are a little arrogant?" Mr. Bennet woke her up: "It is true that my Lizzie is smart and wise, but it cannot be denied that even our most impetuous Lydia can occasionally Say something that makes sense. Dear Lizzie, even God Almighty accepts the opinions of others. We can persuade and refute the will of others, but only if we respect their choices as they respect ours. Opinions are not necessarily heard the same.”

"Maybe you stand tall and see far, and your heart is freer than others, which is a good thing, Lizzie. But this breeds arrogance, and you seem to be less able to listen to other people's opinions and opinions patiently and tolerantly." Her father said .

Only then did Elizabeth suddenly realize: indeed, after she had made some achievements and found that her knowledge was far superior to that of her relatives and friends, she was subconsciously already the master of the family and herself, which made her unconsciously give orders, which was greatly different. wonderful!

Elizabeth not only has the memory of Mrs. Darcy, but also has vision and experience beyond the times, but this is not due to her, but because of that wonderful experience.Compared with the people of this era, she once stood on the shoulders of giants, so she stood tall in her bones.This inner aloofness can easily breed arrogance.

At Taurice College, these could still be hidden under the modesty of studying, but when Elizabeth returned to the familiar and isolated Longbourn, this arrogance was reflected.

'fortunately! "Elizabeth is very grateful," although I had some disputes with Charlotte, but it also made me wake up in time. 'Elizabeth dared not imagine what would become of herself, and her life would be irretrievably alienated, if such arrogance were allowed to develop.

'I have to apologize to Charlotte,' Elizabeth thought, 'I have not understood her situation at all. Since I can't solve her problem fundamentally, how can I have the right to judge her choice? '

Elizabeth reflected deeply: Although she had good intentions, the future has changed. It is still unknown whether Mr. Collins will have the chance to inherit Longbourn, let alone propose to Charlotte.What's more, if it is not for Collins, then Charlotte may not be unable to live a happy life, after all, she is a girl who is flexible and generous.

"Thank you, dear dad." Elizabeth thanked this wise and sensitive father. "I love you so much, dad!"

When Elizabeth returned to the bedroom, she tore up the letter she wrote last night in shame, and wrote a new one lying on the oak table.In this letter, Elizabeth was much more peaceful. She did not complain anymore, but shared the scenery and interesting things in the countryside with her dear friends. "I miss you so much," she wrote. "Perhaps you will accept my invitation to stay at Longbourne next long holiday."

After breakfast, the five ladies of the Bennet family were ready to go.

"There's not enough space in the carriage. Shall we walk this mile?" Kitty pouted, not wanting to dirty her new shoes.

Of course the two eldest sisters are willing to meet the little sisters' little request: "Mary, Kitty, and Lydia, the carriage is big enough for the three of you. As for Lizzie and I, we'd like to go for a walk. The view of the moon is simply beautiful.”

Elizabeth took her eldest sister's arm and said with a smile, "Maybe we can ride there, dear Jane."

Jane opened her blue eyes wide in surprise: "Lizzie, have you learned how to ride a horse?"

Elizabeth straightened her chest pretending to be proud, raised her chin and said, "Of course! Nothing can stop Miss Elizabeth Bennet!"

"I can see Lizzie's nostrils!" Lydia laughed. "Your jaw is so high! Lizzie, isn't your neck tired?"

Elizabeth rubbed her little sister's head, "It's a little bit. It seems that not everyone can do the arrogant posture."

The little sisters all imitated her strange appearance and said, "We can't do it either."

Meryton is a pretty little town with a simple folklore, just a mile from Longbourne.

Aunt Phillips of the five Bennet sisters lives in the town.

Uncle Phillips inherited his father-in-law's mantle and became a lawyer, but he, like old Mr. Gardner, cannot be regarded as a regular lawyer. Their title should be "legal adviser", not Mr. lawyer.

Uncle Phillips primarily handled various legal and property matters for country gentlemen.The prestige and income of legal consultants are far inferior to those of regular lawyers.Because in England, in order to become a regular lawyer, one must go to one of the four law schools in London to study, and the fees of law schools are extremely expensive, and ordinary nobles and squires cannot afford it.

Lola once told Elizabeth that one of her cousins ​​wanted to study law but couldn't afford that much money: "All kinds of expenses and living expenses add up to more than 2000 pounds, which is too expensive."

Elizabeth and Jane rode on the horse and paced slowly with the horse, "Grandfather is amazing. He learned from being an assistant and became an independent legal consultant."

Jane also agrees deeply: "I also admire him, he is a loving father, he has arranged for his children the best future he can give: give mother and aunt [-] pounds of property each, and Gardner Uncle has been very successful in her upbringing."

"...But I didn't expect that studying law is so expensive! But the price paid doesn't seem to match the status and income obtained?" Jane said.

Elizabeth shook her head and explained to her the difference between a legal adviser and a lawyer: "Only those who have studied in those few law schools in London are real lawyers. Most of them serve the nobles, and they can even be hired by the king or the royal family and become professional lawyers." Officials in charge of legal affairs. These officials are very close to the nobility and the royal family, and they often get titles through this.”

"People usually don't care much about addressing issues. Although Uncle Phillips is also called a lawyer in the town, it is very different from those regular lawyers. Needless to say, Uncle Phillips earns a few hundred to a thousand pounds a year. The income of a regular lawyer must be doubled at least several times. As for social status, those who can enter the Law School for further study are either the children of nobles who cannot be awarded nobles, or they come from wealthy merchant families. One's own class. A good lawyer can go up step by step, from being employed by ordinary nobles to His Royal Highness, and some can even become the king's confidants..."

Jane's focus was exactly the same as Elizabeth's when she heard Laura talking about it: "What a great old Mr. Gardner! No wonder Uncle Gardner has such a business mind. It's all because of our grandfather's upbringing— With an income of less than one thousand pounds a year, he saved up a dowry of eight thousand pounds for his daughters, and left a generous family fortune for his son as funds!"

Elizabeth laughed: "That's right, Jane! It's a pity that my grandfather returned to the embrace of God, otherwise my favorite would not be Mr. Bennet, but his old man!"

"Dad must not agree to hear you say that!" Jane laughed.

"It can't be helped. Compared with my grandfather, my father's financial management is a mess." Elizabeth said playfully: "Longbourn has an income of at least [-] pounds a year, but my father has only saved [-] pounds these years. Dad can't Deny it?"

Since the end of last year, Mr. Bennet has been full of energy and wants to contribute to the dowry of his daughters. He is more concerned about the affairs of the farm, and often needs his daughters to calculate the expenses and income for him. boring numbers.The wife and the children laughed at him for being an accountant.

After passing this path full of green grass and flowers, the two sisters straightened their postures, and anyone who saw them would praise them for their demeanor.

Meryton is fairly prosperous, with many small shops.Butcher shops and grocery stores patronized by housewives, and millinery shops favored by girls, are decorated with small flower beds on both sides of the shop, and green vines often climb on the outer walls, and some shopkeepers even trim the green vines into simple geometric shapes. Extraordinarily chic and fun.In a secluded part of the street stands an ancient church made of stone. The pastor Elliott of the church is a kind and well-bred old man. People in the town are willing to listen to his advice, which saves the mayor of Meryton a lot of trouble.

The whole town has a relaxed and laid-back country taste, not as bustling and noisy as London.

This makes the store's stock unremarkable, and London's strange and fresh styles are often found here after they are almost out of date.

"I don't even have a kite." Lydia ran to the toy store purposely and muttered when she came back.

But the silly girl immediately became happy again: "It's good that Meriton has never been there, so my big butterfly is the only one here."

Elizabeth especially likes to rub Lydia's hair. Although the little girl is taller, her hair is soft and the fat on her cheeks has not faded. She looks very cute: "Dear Lydia, I Guaranteed! Even if there is a kite shop in Meryton, your big butterfly is the only one, at least the pattern is unique."

Lydia couldn't think of so many tricks in her little head, she just had to be happy.But Jane and Mary heard it from the side, and both looked at Elizabeth thoughtfully.

Elizabeth blinked, and was about to go back and reveal something appropriately: Mr. Bennet refused the seven hundred pounds she gave to the family, and would never embezzle his daughter's money.But he agreed to Elizabeth's proposal to ask the sisters to join them in order to get paid.The father and daughter agreed not to tell other people about Elizabeth's property for the time being, but Elizabeth could ask the sisters to 'help me' in the name of the baroness.

Elizabeth intends to buy a shop in Meryton. It doesn’t need much space, but it needs to be close to the town to open a tailor shop: there is no such shop in Meryton, and the long skirts of ordinary women and girls are mostly made by themselves. For more decent skirts, you need to go to the tailor shop in the big town next door, or go to London to order.

Throughout England, most of the clothes are still in the tailor-made stage. Only the clothes of the workers, as long as they are fat and wear-resistant, the factory owners will contract them to small workshops.According to what Elizabeth saw, at least in recent years, this kind of ready-to-wear shop is still very profitable, as long as the style is good and the price is right.

And there is no need to worry too much about the size problem. Elizabeth only needs to learn from the experience of later generations to come up with a few common sizes, plus the use of pleats, puff sleeves and other decorations, so it is not a problem to adapt to most body shapes.

Elizabeth has asked Mr. Jared to find a suitable craftsman for her, and she is going to buy some sewing machines.Although the current shoe sewing machine is still a hand-operated single-thread chain type, which is only used to sew leather shoes, the pedal type she has seen in her previous life will take at least several decades to be invented, but this does not prevent Elizabeth from using the "machine needle" With a hook" this small change in the drawing is simply drawn.On the basis of the single thread chain stitch, only a little modification is required, and the sewing machine used for making shoes can be applied to making clothes and become a chain stitch sewing machine.

Mr. Jared was very interested in this business, and he respected Elizabeth as much as his benefactor, Baroness Cliff.Elizabeth had no intention of being involved in the manufacturing industry. She suggested that Mr. Jared first get out this new sewing machine and try the effect before talking.

Too big a stall is not a good thing.Especially in the manufacturing industry, the delicious pie is not something the Bennet family can afford.Elizabeth was going to sell the blueprints to Mr. Jared after he tested it and it worked well—she was also going to suggest that the attorney should register the patent first, and then find a rich and powerful partner.

Elizabeth does not consider herself a saint. This chain stitch sewing machine still draws on the experience of the predecessors, and may even obliterate the highlight moment and great wealth of an inventor's own destiny.The drawings she gave were perfected over the years, and they were much more reasonable than the first-generation sewing machines decades later—Elizabeth wrote the name of the American inventor in her memory in her secret notebook, regardless of whether the gentleman She will still come to England according to the trajectory of fate, and she will try to give a compensation, at least so that the gentleman has no worries about food and clothing.

That would be a vile amount of money to buy peace of mind.Elizabeth fully admits it in her heart, but she will not give up because of it.

Elizabeth can remember the structure of sewing machines for many generations. This is because the dean who took care of her adopted daughter named Yi in her previous life forced the children to memorize many useless things by rote in order to please his employer: the history and drawings of sewing machines It was only because the Yin family used to make a fortune in textiles and ready-made clothing, which was recorded in their proud 'family history', that they were asked to keep it in mind.

The structure of the advanced pedal sewing machine is what Elizabeth is most familiar with, but before she does not have enough wealth to protect herself and her family, Elizabeth is not going to take it out... Maybe she will not have a chance in this life, but her vigilance still drives her She gave up this big meal full of milk.

Elizabeth and her sisters were picking out lace, thinking that she was not going to tell her father about the women's clothing store until Mr. Jared got a new sewing machine.In order not to cause variables there and waste Mr. Bennet's energy in vain, the store can buy it first.Purchasing landed houses, no matter in the flower-growing country or England at this time, is a good industry worth investing in, and Mr. Bennet fully agrees.

So Elizabeth is going to pay a good visit to Aunt Phillips's house today-this aunt and Mrs. Bennet's temperament are very similar, and the whole Meryton thing can't be hidden from her.Elizabeth decided that she could have some useful news from her aunt.

She paid attention to the entry and exit of the shops on the whole street, and she had some ideas in her mind. She only needs to get some information from her aunt, and then she can ask Mr. Bennet to set up a shop: it will be jointly owned by the five ladies of the Bennet family. The first small industry in the country.

There is nothing shameful about collecting rent, nor is it against the dogma of ladies.

Elizabeth separates her business from her family's property very clearly, and there is no need to bother Mr. Jared for this kind of shop that belongs to her own.And if the sewing machine is successful, Elizabeth wants to hand over this small business to Uncle Gardner, who is shrewd and capable, and will never reveal the secrets of the nieces.

What's more, renting the shop to relatives, in the eyes of everyone, is such a matter of course.

If Meryton’s shop is doing well, Uncle Gardner can set up workshops and factories. Although his uncle’s jewelry store has a good business, it has reached a bottleneck. This kind of shop is only suitable for opening in London and Paris. Big cities, and expensive.The ready-made clothing store would be a wonderful way for Uncle Gardner to expand his business territory.

Compared with machine-made clothes, women's clothes are neither too eye-catching nor less profitable.If the two companies cooperate well, they can even witness the birth of a brand: the love of beauty of women in later generations must not be underestimated, at least Elizabeth has many beautiful dresses in her mind; and the Bennet family, Jane and Lydia's taste is very good, and they can always see some small ingenuity in their clothes. With a little tweaking, they are two very good designer embryos.

But this kind of wonderful imagination is still a castle in the air, Elizabeth misses Mr. Jared more and more now.

The author has something to say: [Nonsense Small Theater]

If one day, Mr. Darcy sees the small books that his wife has collected.

As a gentleman, with great guilt and shame, Mr. Darcy curiously opened the small book: ...! ! !It's all a personal name, and it's all a man's name!

Mr. Darcy suddenly had a heart attack and died young. This article is BE.

Little angels, come and bring the fish home.

Set up a FLAG: If the column reaches 3000, the [-]D will be updated~