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1"The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness; and, since I
2have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach: but, for some time, I was kept back by
3my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with anyone with whom
4it had always pleased him to be at variance."--'There, Mrs. Bennet.'--"My mind, however, is now made up on the subject;
5for, having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right
6Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the
7valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards
8her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As
9a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach
10of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures of good-will are highly commendable,
11and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and
12not lead you to reject the offered olive branch. I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring
13your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologize for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every
14possible amends; but of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself
15the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass
16on your hospitality till the Saturday se'nnight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine
17is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty
18of the day. I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
19"WILLIAM COLLINS." "At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peace-making gentleman," said Mr. Bennet, as he
20folded up the letter. "He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word; and, I doubt not, will
21prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him come to us again."
22"There is some sense in what he says about the girls, however; and, if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall
23not be the person to discourage him." "Though it is difficult," said Jane, "to guess in what way he can mean to make us
24the atonement he thinks our due, the wish is certainly to his credit." Elizabeth was chiefly struck with his
25extraordinary deference for Lady Catherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and burying his
26parishioners whenever it were required. "He must be an oddity, I think," said she. "I cannot make him out. There is
27something very pompous in his style. And what can he mean by apologizing for being next in the entail? We cannot suppose
28he would help it, if he could. Can he be a sensible man, sir?" "No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding
29him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter which promises well. I am
30impatient to see him." "In point of composition," said Mary, "his letter does not seem defective. The idea of the olive
31branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet I think it is well expressed." To Catherine and Lydia neither the letter nor its
32writer were in any degree interesting. It was next to impossible that their cousin should come in a scarlet coat, and it
33was now some weeks since they had received pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour. As for their mother,
34Mr. Collins's letter had done away much of her ill-will, and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure
35which astonished her husband and daughters. Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with great politeness
36by the whole family. Mr. Bennet indeed said little; but the ladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins seemed
37neither in need of encouragement, nor inclined to be silent himself. He was a tall, heavy-looking young man of
38five-and-twenty. His air was grave and stately, and his manners were very formal. He had not been long seated before he
39complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a family of daughters, said he had heard much of their beauty, but that, in
40this instance, fame had fallen short of the truth; and added, that he did not doubt her seeing them all in due time well
41disposed of in marriage. This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers; but Mrs. Bennet, who
42quarrelled with no compliments, answered most readily,-- "You are very kind, sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my
43heart it may prove so; for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled so oddly." "You allude, perhaps, to
44the entail of this estate." "Ah, sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls, you must confess. Not that
45I mean to find fault with you, for such things, I know, are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estates
46will go when once they come to be entailed." "I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins, and could
47say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearing forward and precipitate. But I can assure the young ladies
48that I come prepared to admire them. At present I will not say more, but, perhaps, when we are better acquainted----" He
49was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on each other. They were not the only objects of Mr.
50Collins's admiration. The hall, the dining-room, and all its furniture, were examined and praised; and his commendation
51of everything would have touched Mrs. Bennet's heart, but for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as his
52own future property. The dinner, too, in its turn, was highly admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair
53cousins the excellence of its cookery was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him, with some
54asperity, that they were very well able to keep a good cook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen. He
55begged pardon for having displeased her. In a softened tone she declared herself not at all offended; but he continued
56to apologize for about a quarter of an hour. [Illustration] CHAPTER XIV [Illustration] During dinner, Mr. Bennet
57scarcely spoke at all; but when the servants were withdrawn, he thought it time to have some conversation with his
58guest, and therefore started a subject in which he expected him to shine, by observing that he seemed very fortunate in
59his patroness. Lady Catherine de Bourgh's attention to his wishes, and consideration for his comfort, appeared very
60remarkable. Mr. Bennet could not have chosen better. Mr. Collins was eloquent in her praise. The subject elevated him to
61more than usual solemnity of manner; and with a most important aspect he protested that he had never in his life
62witnessed such behaviour in a person of rank--such affability and condescension, as he had himself experienced from Lady
63Catherine. She had been graciously pleased to approve of both the discourses which he had already had the honour of
64preaching before her. She had also asked him twice to dine at Rosings, and had sent for him only the Saturday before, to
65make up her pool of quadrille in the evening. Lady Catherine was reckoned proud by many people, he knew, but he had
66never seen anything but affability in her. She had always spoken to him as she would to any other gentleman; she made
67not the smallest objection to his joining in the society of the neighbourhood, nor to his leaving his parish
68occasionally for a week or two to visit his relations. She had even condescended to advise him to marry as soon as he
69could, provided he chose with discretion; and had once paid him a visit in his humble parsonage, where she had perfectly
70approved all the alterations he had been making, and had even vouchsafed to suggest some herself,--some shelves in the
71closets upstairs.
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