The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and again during
the chief of the day was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins.
Elizabeth took an opportunity of thanking her. "It keeps him in good
humour," said she, "and I am more obliged to you than I can express."
Charlotte assured her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and
that it amply repaid her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was
very amiable, but Charlotte's kindness extended farther than Elizabeth
had any conception of; its object was nothing else than to secure her
from any return of Mr. Collins's addresses, by engaging them towards
herself. Such was Miss Lucas's scheme; and appearances were so
favourable, that when they parted at night, she would have felt almost
secure of success if he had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very
soon. But here she did injustice to the fire and independence of his
character, for it led him to escape out of Longbourn House the next
morning with admirable slyness, and hasten to Lucas Lodge to throw
himself at her feet. He was anxious to avoid the notice of his cousins,
from a conviction that if they saw him depart, they could not fail to
conjecture his design, and he was not willing to have the attempt known
till its success might be known likewise; for though feeling almost
secure, and with reason, for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging,
he was comparatively diffident since the adventure of Wednesday. His
reception, however, was of the most flattering kind. Miss Lucas
perceived him from an upper window as he walked towards the house, and
instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane. But little had
she dared to hope that so much love and eloquence awaited her there.
In
as short a time as Mr. Collins's long speeches would allow, everything
was settled between them to the satisfaction of both; and as they
entered the house he earnestly entreated her to name the day that was to
make him the happiest of men; and though such a solicitation must be
waived for the present, the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his
happiness. The stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard
his courtship from any charm that could make a woman wish for its
continuance; and Miss Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and
disinterested desire of an establishment, cared not how soon that
establishment were gained.
Sir William and Lady Lucas were
speedily applied to for their consent; and it was bestowed with a most
joyful alacrity. Mr. Collins's present circumstances made it a most
eligible match for their daughter, to whom they could give little
fortune; and his prospects of future wealth were exceedingly fair. Lady
Lucas began directly to calculate, with more interest than the matter
had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr. Bennet was likely to
live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion, that whenever Mr.
Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be
highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance
at St. James's. The whole family, in short, were properly overjoyed on
the occasion. The younger girls formed hopes of _coming out_ a year or
two sooner than they might otherwise have done; and the boys were
relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid.
Charlotte herself was tolerably composed. She had gained her point, and
had time to consider of it. Her reflections were in general
satisfactory. Mr. Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor
agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be
imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly
either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was
the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and
however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest
preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at
the age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all
the good luck of it. The least agreeable circumstance in the business
was the surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet, whose friendship
she valued beyond that of any other person. Elizabeth would wonder, and
probably would blame her; and though her resolution was not to be
shaken, her feelings must be hurt by such a disapprobation. She resolved
to give her the information herself, and therefore charged Mr. Collins,
when he returned to Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint of what had
passed before any of the family. A promise of secrecy was of course very
dutifully given, but it could not be kept without difficulty; for the
curiosity excited by his long absence burst forth in such very direct
questions on his return as required some ingenuity to evade, and he was
at the same time exercising great self-denial, for he was longing to
publish his prosperous love.
As he was to begin his journey too
early on the morrow to see any of the family, the ceremony of
leave-taking was performed when the ladies moved for the night; and Mrs.
Bennet, with great politeness and cordiality, said how happy they
should be to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his engagements might
allow him to visit them.
"My dear madam," he replied, "this
invitation is particularly gratifying, because it is what I have been
hoping to receive; and you may be very certain that I shall avail myself
of it as soon as possible."
They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish for so speedy a return, immediately said:
"But
is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation here, my good
sir? You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of
offending your patroness."
"My dear sir," replied Mr. Collins, "I
am particularly obliged to you for this friendly caution, and you may
depend upon my not taking so material a step without her ladyship's
concurrence."
"You cannot be too much upon your guard. Risk
anything rather than her displeasure; and if you find it likely to be
raised by your coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly
probable, stay quietly at home, and be satisfied that _we_ shall take no
offence."
"Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly
excited by such affectionate attention; and depend upon it, you will
speedily receive from me a letter of thanks for this, and for every
other mark of your regard during my stay in Hertfordshire. As for my
fair cousins, though my absence may not be long enough to render it
necessary, I shall now take the liberty of wishing them health and
happiness, not excepting my cousin Elizabeth."
With proper
civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them equally surprised that
he meditated a quick return. Mrs. Bennet wished to understand by it that
he thought of paying his addresses to one of her younger girls, and
Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him. She rated his abilities
much higher than any of the others; there was a solidity in his
reflections which often struck her, and though by no means so clever as
herself, she thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by
such an example as hers, he might become a very agreeable companion. But
on the following morning, every hope of this kind was done away. Miss
Lucas called soon after breakfast, and in a private conference with
Elizabeth related the event of the day before.
The possibility of
Mr. Collins's fancying himself in love with her friend had once occurred
to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that Charlotte could
encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as she could
encourage him herself, and her astonishment was consequently so great as
to overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help
crying out:
"Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte--impossible!"
The
steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded in telling her story,
gave way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct a
reproach; though, as it was no more than she expected, she soon regained
her composure, and calmly replied:
"Why should you be surprised,
my dear Eliza? Do you think it incredible that Mr. Collins should be
able to procure any woman's good opinion, because he was not so happy as
to succeed with you?"
But Elizabeth had now recollected herself,
and making a strong effort for it, was able to assure with tolerable
firmness that the prospect of their relationship was highly grateful to
her, and that she wished her all imaginable happiness.
"I see what
you are feeling," replied Charlotte. "You must be surprised, very much
surprised--so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you. But when
you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied with
what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a
comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connection,
and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with
him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state."
Elizabeth
quietly answered "Undoubtedly;" and after an awkward pause, they
returned to the rest of the family. Charlotte did not stay much longer,
and Elizabeth was then left to reflect on what she had heard. It was a
long time before she became at all reconciled to the idea of so
unsuitable a match. The strangeness of Mr. Collins's making two offers
of marriage within three days was nothing in comparison of his being now
accepted. She had always felt that Charlotte's opinion of matrimony was
not exactly like her own, but she had not supposed it to be possible
that, when called into action, she would have sacrificed every better
feeling to worldly advantage. Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins was a
most humiliating picture! And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself
and sunk in her esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it
was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had
chosen. _