Mr. Collins's triumph, in consequence of this invitation, was
complete. The power of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his
wondering visitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself
and his wife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an
opportunity of doing it should be given so soon, was such an instance of
Lady Catherine's condescension, as he knew not how to admire enough.
"I
confess," said he, "that I should not have been at all surprised by her
ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at
Rosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that it
would happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this?
Who could have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine
there (an invitation, moreover, including the whole party) so
immediately after your arrival!"
"I am the less surprised at what
has happened," replied Sir William, "from that knowledge of what the
manners of the great really are, which my situation in life has allowed
me to acquire. About the court, such instances of elegant breeding are
not uncommon."
Scarcely anything was talked of the whole day or
next morning but their visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully
instructing them in what they were to expect, that the sight of such
rooms, so many servants, and so splendid a dinner, might not wholly
overpower them.
When the ladies were separating for the toilette, he said to Elizabeth--
"Do
not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady
Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which
becomes herself and her daughter. I would advise you merely to put on
whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest--there is no occasion
for anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for
being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank
preserved."
While they were dressing, he came two or three times
to their different doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady
Catherine very much objected to be kept waiting for her dinner. Such
formidable accounts of her ladyship, and her manner of living, quite
frightened Maria Lucas who had been little used to company, and she
looked forward to her introduction at Rosings with as much apprehension
as her father had done to his presentation at St. James's.
As the
weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile across
the park. Every park has its beauty and its prospects; and Elizabeth saw
much to be pleased with, though she could not be in such raptures as
Mr. Collins expected the scene to inspire, and was but slightly affected
by his enumeration of the windows in front of the house, and his
relation of what the glazing altogether had originally cost Sir Lewis de
Bourgh.
When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm
was every moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly
calm. Elizabeth's courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing of
Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or
miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money or rank she thought
she could witness without trepidation.
From the entrance-hall, of
which Mr. Collins pointed out, with a rapturous air, the fine
proportion and the finished ornaments, they followed the servants
through an ante-chamber, to the room where Lady Catherine, her daughter,
and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting. Her ladyship, with great
condescension, arose to receive them; and as Mrs. Collins had settled it
with her husband that the office of introduction should be hers, it was
performed in a proper manner, without any of those apologies and thanks
which he would have thought necessary.
In spite of having been at
St. James's Sir William was so completely awed by the grandeur
surrounding him, that he had but just courage enough to make a very low
bow, and take his seat without saying a word; and his daughter,
frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge of her chair, not
knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found herself quite equal to the
scene, and could observe the three ladies before her composedly. Lady
Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which
might once have been handsome. Her air was not conciliating, nor was her
manner of receiving them such as to make her visitors forget their
inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence; but whatever
she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone, as marked her
self-importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to Elizabeth's
mind; and from the observation of the day altogether, she believed Lady
Catherine to be exactly what he represented.
When, after examining
the mother, in whose countenance and deportment she soon found some
resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on the daughter, she could
almost have joined in Maria's astonishment at her being so thin and so
small. There was neither in figure nor face any likeness between the
ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale and sickly; her features, though not
plain, were insignificant; and she spoke very little, except in a low
voice, to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearance there was nothing
remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listening to what she said,
and placing a screen in the proper direction before her eyes.
After
sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one of the windows to
admire the view, Mr. Collins attending them to point out its beauties,
and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth
looking at in the summer.
The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and
there were all the servants and all the articles of plate which Mr.
Collins had promised; and, as he had likewise foretold, he took his seat
at the bottom of the table, by her ladyship's desire, and looked as if
he felt that life could furnish nothing greater. He carved, and ate, and
praised with delighted alacrity; and every dish was commended, first by
him and then by Sir William, who was now enough recovered to echo
whatever his son-in-law said, in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady
Catherine could bear. But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their
excessive admiration, and gave most gracious smiles, especially when any
dish on the table proved a novelty to them. The party did not supply
much conversation. Elizabeth was ready to speak whenever there was an
opening, but she was seated between Charlotte and Miss de Bourgh--the
former of whom was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine, and the
latter said not a word to her all dinner-time. Mrs. Jenkinson was
chiefly employed in watching how little Miss de Bourgh ate, pressing her
to try some other dish, and fearing she was indisposed. Maria thought
speaking out of the question, and the gentlemen did nothing but eat and
admire.
When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was
little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without
any intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every
subject in so decisive a manner, as proved that she was not used to have
her judgement controverted. She inquired into Charlotte's domestic
concerns familiarly and minutely, gave her a great deal of advice as to
the management of them all; told her how everything ought to be
regulated in so small a family as hers, and instructed her as to the
care of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing was
beneath this great lady's attention, which could furnish her with an
occasion of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse with
Mrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and
Elizabeth, but especially to the latter, of whose connections she knew
the least, and who she observed to Mrs. Collins was a very genteel,
pretty kind of girl. She asked her, at different times, how many sisters
she had, whether they were older or younger than herself, whether any
of them were likely to be married, whether they were handsome, where
they had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been
her mother's maiden name? Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of her
questions but answered them very composedly. Lady Catherine then
observed,
"Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I
think. For your sake," turning to Charlotte, "I am glad of it; but
otherwise I see no occasion for entailing estates from the female line.
It was not thought necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh's family. Do you
play and sing, Miss Bennet?"
"A little."
"Oh! then--some
time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital
one, probably superior to----You shall try it some day. Do your sisters
play and sing?"
"One of them does."
"Why did not you all
learn? You ought all to have learned. The Miss Webbs all play, and their
father has not so good an income as yours. Do you draw?"
"No, not at all."
"What, none of you?"
"Not one."
"That
is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity. Your mother
should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters."
"My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates London."
"Has your governess left you?"
"We never had any governess."
"No
governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home
without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must
have been quite a slave to your education."
Elizabeth could hardly help smiling as she assured her that had not been the case.
"Then, who taught you? who attended to you? Without a governess, you must have been neglected."
"Compared
with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as wished to
learn never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to read, and had
all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle,
certainly might."
"Aye, no doubt; but that is what a governess
will prevent, and if I had known your mother, I should have advised her
most strenuously to engage one. I always say that nothing is to be done
in education without steady and regular instruction, and nobody but a
governess can give it. It is wonderful how many families I have been the
means of supplying in that way. I am always glad to get a young person
well placed out. Four nieces of Mrs. Jenkinson are most delightfully
situated through my means; and it was but the other day that I
recommended another young person, who was merely accidentally mentioned
to me, and the family are quite delighted with her. Mrs. Collins, did I
tell you of Lady Metcalf's calling yesterday to thank me? She finds Miss
Pope a treasure. 'Lady Catherine,' said she, 'you have given me a
treasure.' Are any of your younger sisters out, Miss Bennet?"
"Yes, ma'am, all."
"All!
What, all five out at once? Very odd! And you only the second. The
younger ones out before the elder ones are married! Your younger sisters
must be very young?"
"Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps
_she_ is full young to be much in company. But really, ma'am, I think it
would be very hard upon younger sisters, that they should not have
their share of society and amusement, because the elder may not have the
means or inclination to marry early. The last-born has as good a right
to the pleasures of youth at the first. And to be kept back on _such_ a
motive! I think it would not be very likely to promote sisterly
affection or delicacy of mind."
"Upon my word," said her ladyship, "you give your opinion very decidedly for so young a person. Pray, what is your age?"
"With three younger sisters grown up," replied Elizabeth, smiling, "your ladyship can hardly expect me to own it."
Lady
Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer; and
Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever dared
to trifle with so much dignified impertinence.
"You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure, therefore you need not conceal your age."
"I am not one-and-twenty."
When
the gentlemen had joined them, and tea was over, the card-tables were
placed. Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins sat down
to quadrille; and as Miss de Bourgh chose to play at cassino, the two
girls had the honour of assisting Mrs. Jenkinson to make up her party.
Their table was superlatively stupid. Scarcely a syllable was uttered
that did not relate to the game, except when Mrs. Jenkinson expressed
her fears of Miss de Bourgh's being too hot or too cold, or having too
much or too little light. A great deal more passed at the other table.
Lady Catherine was generally speaking--stating the mistakes of the three
others, or relating some anecdote of herself. Mr. Collins was employed
in agreeing to everything her ladyship said, thanking her for every fish
he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many. Sir William did
not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotes and noble names.
When
Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose, the
tables were broken up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Collins,
gratefully accepted and immediately ordered. The party then gathered
round the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were
to have on the morrow. From these instructions they were summoned by the
arrival of the coach; and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mr.
Collins's side and as many bows on Sir William's they departed. As soon
as they had driven from the door, Elizabeth was called on by her cousin
to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which, for
Charlotte's sake, she made more favourable than it really was. But her
commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy
Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her ladyship's praise
into his own hands. _