Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had
been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of
his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and
miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he
had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful
acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up had
given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a good
deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in
retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected
prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de
Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he
felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness,
mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a
clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of
pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.
Having now
a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in
seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in
view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found them as
handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report. This was
his plan of amends--of atonement--for inheriting their father's estate;
and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and
suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own
part.
His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet's lovely
face confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of
what was due to seniority; and for the first evening _she_ was his
settled choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a
quarter of an hour's tete-a-tete with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a
conversation beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally
to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress might be found for it at
Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general
encouragement, a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on. "As to
her _younger_ daughters, she could not take upon her to say--she could
not positively answer--but she did not _know_ of any prepossession; her
_eldest_ daughter, she must just mention--she felt it incumbent on her
to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."
Mr. Collins had only
to change from Jane to Elizabeth--and it was soon done--done while Mrs.
Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth
and beauty, succeeded her of course.
Mrs. Bennet treasured up the
hint, and trusted that she might soon have two daughters married; and
the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before was now high
in her good graces.
Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was
not forgotten; every sister except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr.
Collins was to attend them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most
anxious to get rid of him, and have his library to himself; for thither
Mr. Collins had followed him after breakfast; and there he would
continue, nominally engaged with one of the largest folios in the
collection, but really talking to Mr. Bennet, with little cessation, of
his house and garden at Hunsford. Such doings discomposed Mr. Bennet
exceedingly. In his library he had been always sure of leisure and
tranquillity; and though prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with
folly and conceit in every other room of the house, he was used to be
free from them there; his civility, therefore, was most prompt in
inviting Mr. Collins to join his daughters in their walk; and Mr.
Collins, being in fact much better fitted for a walker than a reader,
was extremely pleased to close his large book, and go.
In pompous
nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his cousins, their
time passed till they entered Meryton. The attention of the younger ones
was then no longer to be gained by him. Their eyes were immediately
wandering up in the street in quest of the officers, and nothing less
than a very smart bonnet indeed, or a really new muslin in a shop
window, could recall them.
But the attention of every lady was
soon caught by a young man, whom they had never seen before, of most
gentlemanlike appearance, walking with another officer on the other side
of the way. The officer was the very Mr. Denny concerning whose return
from London Lydia came to inquire, and he bowed as they passed. All were
struck with the stranger's air, all wondered who he could be; and Kitty
and Lydia, determined if possible to find out, led the way across the
street, under pretense of wanting something in an opposite shop, and
fortunately had just gained the pavement when the two gentlemen, turning
back, had reached the same spot. Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and
entreated permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham, who had
returned with him the day before from town, and he was happy to say had
accepted a commission in their corps. This was exactly as it should be;
for the young man wanted only regimentals to make him completely
charming. His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best
part of beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing
address. The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy
readiness of conversation--a readiness at the same time perfectly
correct and unassuming; and the whole party were still standing and
talking together very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their
notice, and Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the street. On
distinguishing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly
towards them, and began the usual civilities. Bingley was the principal
spokesman, and Miss Bennet the principal object. He was then, he said,
on his way to Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy
corroborated it with a bow, and was beginning to determine not to fix
his eyes on Elizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of
the stranger, and Elizabeth happening to see the countenance of both as
they looked at each other, was all astonishment at the effect of the
meeting. Both changed colour, one looked white, the other red. Mr.
Wickham, after a few moments, touched his hat--a salutation which Mr.
Darcy just deigned to return. What could be the meaning of it? It was
impossible to imagine; it was impossible not to long to know.
In another minute, Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what passed, took leave and rode on with his friend.
Mr.
Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr.
Phillip's house, and then made their bows, in spite of Miss Lydia's
pressing entreaties that they should come in, and even in spite of Mrs.
Phillips's throwing up the parlour window and loudly seconding the
invitation.
Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces; and
the two eldest, from their recent absence, were particularly welcome,
and she was eagerly expressing her surprise at their sudden return home,
which, as their own carriage had not fetched them, she should have
known nothing about, if she had not happened to see Mr. Jones's shop-boy
in the street, who had told her that they were not to send any more
draughts to Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away, when
her civility was claimed towards Mr. Collins by Jane's introduction of
him. She received him with her very best politeness, which he returned
with as much more, apologising for his intrusion, without any previous
acquaintance with her, which he could not help flattering himself,
however, might be justified by his relationship to the young ladies who
introduced him to her notice. Mrs. Phillips was quite awed by such an
excess of good breeding; but her contemplation of one stranger was soon
put to an end by exclamations and inquiries about the other; of whom,
however, she could only tell her nieces what they already knew, that Mr.
Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have a
lieutenant's commission in the ----shire. She had been watching him the
last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the street, and had Mr.
Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued the
occupation, but unluckily no one passed windows now except a few of the
officers, who, in comparison with the stranger, were become "stupid,
disagreeable fellows." Some of them were to dine with the Phillipses the
next day, and their aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr.
Wickham, and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn
would come in the evening. This was agreed to, and Mrs. Phillips
protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery
tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such
delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr.
Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured
with unwearying civility that they were perfectly needless.
As
they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass
between the two gentlemen; but though Jane would have defended either or
both, had they appeared to be in the wrong, she could no more explain
such behaviour than her sister.
Mr. Collins on his return highly
gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring Mrs. Phillips's manners and
politeness. He protested that, except Lady Catherine and her daughter,
he had never seen a more elegant woman; for she had not only received
him with the utmost civility, but even pointedly included him in her
invitation for the next evening, although utterly unknown to her before.
Something, he supposed, might be attributed to his connection with
them, but yet he had never met with so much attention in the whole
course of his life. _