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1The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near
2laughing that she could not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther, and he continued,-- "My
3reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself)
4to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness;
5and, thirdly, which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of
6the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion
7(unasked too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I left Hunsford,--between our pools at
8quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was arranging Miss De Bourgh's footstool,--that she said, 'Mr. Collins, you must marry.
9A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake, and for your own; let her be an
10active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way. This is my advice.
11Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.' Allow me, by the way, to observe, my
12fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the
13advantages in my power to offer. You will find her manners beyond anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I
14think, must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which her rank will inevitably
15excite. Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views were directed to
16Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is, that
17being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years
18longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them
19might be as little as possible when the melancholy event takes place--which, however, as I have already said, may not be
20for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And
21now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection. To fortune I
22am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well aware that it could
23not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds in the 4 per cents., which will not be yours till after your mother's
24decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to. On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent: and you may
25assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married." It was absolutely necessary to
26interrupt him now. "You are too hasty, sir," she cried. "You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without
27further loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of the honour of your
28proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline them." "I am not now to learn," replied Mr. Collins,
29with a formal wave of the hand, "that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they
30secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or
31even a third time. I am, therefore, by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead you to
32the altar ere long." "Upon my word, sir," cried Elizabeth, "your hope is rather an extraordinary one after my
33declaration. I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so daring
34as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time. I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could
35not make me happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who would make you so. Nay, were your friend
36Lady Catherine to know me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation." "Were it
37certain that Lady Catherine would think so," said Mr. Collins, very gravely--"but I cannot imagine that her Ladyship
38would at all disapprove of you. And you may be certain that when I have the honour of seeing her again I shall speak in
39the highest terms of your modesty, economy, and other amiable qualifications." "Indeed, Mr. Collins, all praise of me
40will be unnecessary. You must give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment of believing what I say. I
41wish you very happy and very rich, and by refusing your hand, do all in my power to prevent your being otherwise. In
42making me the offer, you must have satisfied the delicacy of your feelings with regard to my family, and may take
43possession of Longbourn estate whenever it falls, without any self-reproach. This matter may be considered, therefore,
44as finally settled." And rising as she thus spoke, she would have quitted the room, had not Mr. Collins thus addressed
45her,-- "When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on the subject, I shall hope to receive a more favourable
46answer than you have now given me; though I am far from accusing you of cruelty at present, because I know it to be the
47established custom of your sex to reject a man on the first application, and, perhaps, you have even now said as much to
48encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the female character." "Really, Mr. Collins," cried
49Elizabeth, with some warmth, "you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of
50encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as may convince you of its being one." "You must give
51me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your refusal of my addresses are merely words of course. My reasons for
52believing it are briefly these:--It does not appear to me that my hand is unworthy of your acceptance, or that the
53establishment I can offer would be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family
54of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are circumstances highly in my favour; and you should take it into
55further consideration that, in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of
56marriage may ever be made you. Your portion is unhappily so small, that it will in all likelihood undo the effects of
57your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must, therefore, conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of
58me, I shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of
59elegant females." "I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind of elegance which consists in
60tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you again and
61again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in
62every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant female intending to plague you, but
63as a rational creature speaking the truth from her heart." "You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of
64awkward gallantry; "and I am persuaded that, when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my
65proposals will not fail of being acceptable." To such perseverance in wilful self-deception Elizabeth would make no
66reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew; determined, that if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as
67flattering encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive,
68and whose behaviour at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female. [Illustration]
69CHAPTER XX. [Illustration]
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