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1Elizabeth, feeling it incumbent on her to relieve him from so unpleasant a situation, now put herself forward to confirm
2his account, by mentioning her prior knowledge of it from Charlotte herself; and endeavoured to put a stop to the
3exclamations of her mother and sisters, by the earnestness of her congratulations to Sir William, in which she was
4readily joined by Jane, and by making a variety of remarks on the happiness that might be expected from the match, the
5excellent character of Mr. Collins, and the convenient distance of Hunsford from London. Mrs. Bennet was, in fact, too
6much overpowered to say a great deal while Sir William remained; but no sooner had he left them than her feelings found
7a rapid vent. In the first place, she persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter; secondly, she was very sure
8that Mr. Collins had been taken in; thirdly, she trusted that they would never be happy together; and, fourthly, that
9the match might be broken off. Two inferences, however, were plainly deduced from the whole: one, that Elizabeth was the
10real cause of all the mischief; and the other, that she herself had been barbarously used by them all; and on these two
11points she principally dwelt during the rest of the day. Nothing could console and nothing appease her. Nor did that day
12wear out her resentment. A week elapsed before she could see Elizabeth without scolding her: a month passed away before
13she could speak to Sir William or Lady Lucas without being rude; and many months were gone before she could at all
14forgive their daughter. Mr. Bennet's emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such as he did experience he
15pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for it gratified him, he said, to discover that Charlotte Lucas, whom he had
16been used to think tolerably sensible, was as foolish as his wife, and more foolish than his daughter! Jane confessed
17herself a little surprised at the match: but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for their
18happiness; nor could Elizabeth persuade her to consider it as improbable. Kitty and Lydia were far from envying Miss
19Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a clergyman; and it affected them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at
20Meryton. Lady Lucas could not be insensible of triumph on being able to retort on Mrs. Bennet the comfort of having a
21daughter well married; and she called at Longbourn rather oftener than usual to say how happy she was, though Mrs.
22Bennet's sour looks and ill-natured remarks might have been enough to drive happiness away. Between Elizabeth and
23Charlotte there was a restraint which kept them mutually silent on the subject; and Elizabeth felt persuaded that no
24real confidence could ever subsist between them again. Her disappointment in Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard
25to her sister, of whose rectitude and delicacy she was sure her opinion could never be shaken, and for whose happiness
26she grew daily more anxious, as Bingley had now been gone a week, and nothing was heard of his return. Jane had sent
27Caroline an early answer to her letter, and was counting the days till she might reasonably hope to hear again. The
28promised letter of thanks from Mr. Collins arrived on Tuesday, addressed to their father, and written with all the
29solemnity of gratitude which a twelve-month's abode in the family might have prompted. After discharging his conscience
30on that head, he proceeded to inform them, with many rapturous expressions, of his happiness in having obtained the
31affection of their amiable neighbour, Miss Lucas, and then explained that it was merely with the view of enjoying her
32society that he had been so ready to close with their kind wish of seeing him again at Longbourn, whither he hoped to be
33able to return on Monday fortnight; for Lady Catherine, he added, so heartily approved his marriage, that she wished it
34to take place as soon as possible, which he trusted would be an unanswerable argument with his amiable Charlotte to name
35an early day for making him the happiest of men. Mr. Collins's return into Hertfordshire was no longer a matter of
36pleasure to Mrs. Bennet. On the contrary, she was as much disposed to complain of it as her husband. It was very strange
37that he should come to Longbourn instead of to Lucas Lodge; it was also very inconvenient and exceedingly troublesome.
38She hated having visitors in the house while her health was so indifferent, and lovers were of all people the most
39disagreeable. Such were the gentle murmurs of Mrs. Bennet, and they gave way only to the greater distress of Mr.
40Bingley's continued absence. Neither Jane nor Elizabeth were comfortable on this subject. Day after day passed away
41without bringing any other tidings of him than the report which shortly prevailed in Meryton of his coming no more to
42Netherfield the whole winter; a report which highly incensed Mrs. Bennet, and which she never failed to contradict as a
43most scandalous falsehood. Even Elizabeth began to fear--not that Bingley was indifferent--but that his sisters would be
44successful in keeping him away. Unwilling as she was to admit an idea so destructive to Jane's happiness, and so
45dishonourable to the stability of her lover, she could not prevent its frequently recurring. The united efforts of his
46two unfeeling sisters, and of his overpowering friend, assisted by the attractions of Miss Darcy and the amusements of
47London, might be too much, she feared, for the strength of his attachment. As for Jane, her anxiety under this suspense
48was, of course, more painful than Elizabeth's: but whatever she felt she was desirous of concealing; and between herself
49and Elizabeth, therefore, the subject was never alluded to. But as no such delicacy restrained her mother, an hour
50seldom passed in which she did not talk of Bingley, express her impatience for his arrival, or even require Jane to
51confess that if he did not come back she should think herself very ill-used. It needed all Jane's steady mildness to
52bear these attacks with tolerable tranquillity. Mr. Collins returned most punctually on the Monday fortnight, but his
53reception at Longbourn was not quite so gracious as it had been on his first introduction. He was too happy, however, to
54need much attention; and, luckily for the others, the business of love-making relieved them from a great deal of his
55company. The chief of every day was spent by him at Lucas Lodge, and he sometimes returned to Longbourn only in time to
56make an apology for his absence before the family went to bed. [Illustration: "Whenever she spoke in a low voice" ] Mrs.
57Bennet was really in a most pitiable state. The very mention of anything concerning the match threw her into an agony of
58ill-humour, and wherever she went she was sure of hearing it talked of. The sight of Miss Lucas was odious to her. As
59her successor in that house, she regarded her with jealous abhorrence. Whenever Charlotte came to see them, she
60concluded her to be anticipating the hour of possession; and whenever she spoke in a low voice to Mr. Collins, was
61convinced that they were talking of the Longbourn estate, and resolving to turn herself and her daughters out of the
62house as soon as Mr. Bennet was dead. She complained bitterly of all this to her husband. "Indeed, Mr. Bennet," said
63she, "it is very hard to think that Charlotte Lucas should ever be mistress of this house, that I should be forced to
64make way for her, and live to see her take my place in it!" "My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us
65hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor." This was not very consoling to Mrs.
66Bennet; and, therefore, instead of making any answer, she went on as before. "I cannot bear to think that they should
67have all this estate. If it was not for the entail, I should not mind it." "What should not you mind?" "I should not
68mind anything at all." "Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility." "I never can be
69thankful, Mr. Bennet, for anything about the entail. How anyone could have the conscience to entail away an estate from
70one's own daughters I cannot understand; and all for the sake of Mr. Collins, too! Why should he have it more than
71anybody else?" "I leave it to yourself to determine," said Mr. Bennet. [Illustration] CHAPTER XXIV. [Illustration]
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