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1If he had been wavering before, as to what he should do, which had often seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so
2near a relation might settle every doubt, and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity unblemished could make
3him. In that case he would return no more. Lady Catherine might see him in her way through town; and his engagement to
4Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must give way. "If, therefore, an excuse for not keeping his promise should come
5to his friend within a few days," she added, "I shall know how to understand it. I shall then give over every
6expectation, every wish of his constancy. If he is satisfied with only regretting me, when he might have obtained my
7affections and hand, I shall soon cease to regret him at all." The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who
8their visitor had been, was very great: but they obligingly satisfied it with the same kind of supposition which had
9appeased Mrs. Bennet's curiosity; and Elizabeth was spared from much teasing on the subject. The next morning, as she
10was going down stairs, she was met by her father, who came out of his library with a letter in his hand. "Lizzy," said
11he, "I was going to look for you: come into my room." She followed him thither; and her curiosity to know what he had to
12tell her was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner connected with the letter he held. It suddenly
13struck her that it might be from Lady Catherine, and she anticipated with dismay all the consequent explanations. She
14followed her father to the fireplace, and they both sat down. He then said,-- "I have received a letter this morning
15that has astonished me exceedingly. As it principally concerns yourself, you ought to know its contents. I did not know
16before that I had two daughters on the brink of matrimony. Let me congratulate you on a very important conquest." The
17colour now rushed into Elizabeth's cheeks in the instantaneous conviction of its being a letter from the nephew, instead
18of the aunt; and she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained himself at all, or offended that his
19letter was not rather addressed to herself, when her father continued,-- "You look conscious. Young ladies have great
20penetration in such matters as these; but I think I may defy even your sagacity to discover the name of your admirer.
21This letter is from Mr. Collins." "From Mr. Collins! and what can he have to say?" "Something very much to the purpose,
22of course. He begins with congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter, of which, it seems, he has
23been told by some of the good-natured, gossiping Lucases. I shall not sport with your impatience by reading what he says
24on that point. What relates to yourself is as follows:--'Having thus offered you the sincere congratulations of Mrs.
25Collins and myself on this happy event, let me now add a short hint on the subject of another, of which we have been
26advertised by the same authority. Your daughter Elizabeth, it is presumed, will not long bear the name of Bennet, after
27her eldest sister has resigned it; and the chosen partner of her fate may be reasonably looked up to as one of the most
28illustrious personages in this land.' Can you possibly guess, Lizzy, who is meant by this? 'This young gentleman is
29blessed, in a peculiar way, with everything the heart of mortal can most desire,--splendid property, noble kindred, and
30extensive patronage. Yet, in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin Elizabeth, and yourself, of what
31evils you may incur by a precipitate closure with this gentleman's proposals, which, of course, you will be inclined to
32take immediate advantage of.' Have you any idea, Lizzy, who this gentleman is? But now it comes out. 'My motive for
33cautioning you is as follows:--We have reason to imagine that his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, does not look on the
34match with a friendly eye.' Mr. Darcy, you see, is the man! Now, Lizzy, I think I have surprised you. Could he, or the
35Lucases, have pitched on any man, within the circle of our acquaintance, whose name would have given the lie more
36effectually to what they related? Mr. Darcy, who never looks at any woman but to see a blemish, and who probably never
37looked at you in his life! It is admirable!" Elizabeth tried to join in her father's pleasantry, but could only force
38one most reluctant smile. Never had his wit been directed in a manner so little agreeable to her. "Are you not
39diverted?" "Oh, yes. Pray read on." "'After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her Ladyship last night, she
40immediately, with her usual condescension, expressed what she felt on the occasion; when it became apparent, that, on
41the score of some family objections on the part of my cousin, she would never give her consent to what she termed so
42disgraceful a match. I thought it my duty to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin, that she and her
43noble admirer may be aware of what they are about, and not run hastily into a marriage which has not been properly
44sanctioned.' Mr. Collins, moreover, adds, 'I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydia's sad business has been so well
45hushed up, and am only concerned that their living together before the marriage took place should be so generally known.
46I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station, or refrain from declaring my amazement, at hearing that you
47received the young couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an encouragement of vice; and had I been
48the rector of Longbourn, I should very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them as a Christian,
49but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.' That is his notion of
50Christian forgiveness! The rest of his letter is only about his dear Charlotte's situation, and his expectation of a
51young olive-branch. But, Lizzy, you look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be missish, I hope, and
52pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them
53in our turn?" "Oh," cried Elizabeth, "I am exceedingly diverted. But it is so strange!" "Yes, that is what makes it
54amusing. Had they fixed on any other man it would have been nothing; but his perfect indifference and your pointed
55dislike make it so delightfully absurd! Much as I abominate writing, I would not give up Mr. Collins's correspondence
56for any consideration. Nay, when I read a letter of his, I cannot help giving him the preference even over Wickham, much
57as I value the impudence and hypocrisy of my son-in-law. And pray, Lizzy, what said Lady Catherine about this report?
58Did she call to refuse her consent?" To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh; and as it had been asked
59without the least suspicion, she was not distressed by his repeating it. Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make
60her feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh when she would rather have cried. Her father had most
61cruelly mortified her by what he said of Mr. Darcy's indifference; and she could do nothing but wonder at such a want of
62penetration, or fear that, perhaps, instead of his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much. [Illustration:
63"The efforts of his aunt" [Copyright 1894 by George Allen.]] CHAPTER LVIII. [Illustration] Instead of receiving any such
64letter of excuse from his friend, as Elizabeth half expected Mr. Bingley to do, he was able to bring Darcy with him to
65Longbourn before many days had passed after Lady Catherine's visit. The gentlemen arrived early; and, before Mrs. Bennet
66had time to tell him of their having seen his aunt, of which her daughter sat in momentary dread, Bingley, who wanted to
67be alone with Jane, proposed their all walking out. It was agreed to. Mrs. Bennet was not in the habit of walking, Mary
68could never spare time, but the remaining five set off together. Bingley and Jane, however, soon allowed the others to
69outstrip them. They lagged behind, while Elizabeth, Kitty, and Darcy were to entertain each other. Very little was said
70by either; Kitty was too much afraid of him to talk; Elizabeth was secretly forming a desperate resolution; and,
71perhaps, he might be doing the same.
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