Good evening. Welcome to the Just Sleep podcast. I'm Tasia, your host.

Every week, I will read you an old story to help you relax, put the stressful day behind you,

and drift off to sleep.

Occasionally, we will run ads in order to cover the costs of the production of the podcast.

Rest assured, there will be no ads during or after the story.

If you prefer an ad-free and intro-free show, you can join Just Sleep Premium.

Visit Just Sleeppodcast.com slash support for more information.

Tonight I will be continuing the story of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

So lie down, close your eyes,

and let me read you a story.

Chapter 7.

Mr. Bennett's property consisted almost entirely in a state of 2000 year, which unfortunately

for his daughters was entailed, in default of heirs male,

on a distant relation, and their mother's fortune, though ample for her situation in life,

could but ill supply the deficiency of his. Her father had been an attorney in Merritton,

and had left her £4,000. She had a sister married to a Mr.

Phillips, who had been a clerk to their father and succeeded him in the business, and a brother

settled in London in a respectable line of trade. The village of Longbourn was only one mile

from Meriton, a most convenient distance for the young ladies,

who were usually tempted thither three or four times a week to pay their duty to their aunt

and to a milliner's shop just over the way. The two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia,

were particularly frequent in these attentions. Their minds were more vacant than their sisters,

...