duringdinner,mr.bennetscarcelyspokeatall;butwhentheservantswerewithdrawn,hethoughtittimetohavesomeconversationwithhisguest,andthereforestartedasubjectinwhichheexpectedhimtoshine,byobservingthatheseemedveryfortunateinhispatroness.ladycatherinedebourgh'sattentiontohiswishes,andconsiderationforhiscomfort,appearedveryremarkable.mr.bennetcouldnothavechosenbetter.mr.collinswaseloquentinherpraise.thesubjectelevatedhimtomorethanusualsolemnityofmanner,andwithamostimportantaspectheprotestedthathehadneverinhislifewitnessedsuchbehaviourinapersonofrank—suchaffabilityandcondescension,ashehadhimselfexperiencedfromladycatherine.shehadbeengraciouslypleasedtoapproveofboththediscourseswhichhehadalreadyhadthehonourofpreachingbeforeher.shehadalsoaskedhimtwicetodineatrosings,andhadsentforhimonlythesaturdaybefore,tomakeupherpoolofquadrilleintheevening.ladycatherinewasreckonedproudbymanypeopleheknew,buthehadneverseenanythingbutaffabilityinher.shehadalwaysspokentohimasshewouldtoanyothergentleman;shemadenotthesmallestobjectiontohisjoininginthesocietyoftheneighbourhood,nortohisleavinghisparishoccasionallyforaweekortwo,tovisithisrelations.shehadevencondescendedtoadvisehimtomarryassoonashecould,providedhechosewithdiscretion;andhadoncepaidhimavisitinhishumbleparsonage;whereshehadperfectlyapprovedallthealterationshehadbeenmaking,andhadevenvouchsafedtosuggestsomeherself,—someshelvesintheclosetsupstairs.

"thatisallveryproperandciviliamsure,"saidmrs.bennet,"andidaresaysheisaveryagreeablewoman.itisapitythatgreatladiesingeneralarenotmorelikeher.doesshelivenearyou,sir?"

"thegardeninwhichstandsmyhumbleabodeisseparatedonlybyalanefromrosingspark,herladyship'sresidence."

"ithinkyousaidshewasawidow,sir?hassheanyfamily?"

"shehasoneonlydaughter,theheiressofrosings,andofveryextensiveproperty."

"ah!"criedmrs.bennet,shakingherhead,"thensheisbetteroffthanmanygirls.andwhatsortofyoungladyisshe?isshehandsome?"

"sheisamostcharmingyoungladyindeed.ladycatherineherselfsaysthatinpointoftruebeauty,missdebourghisfarsuperiortothehandsomestofhersex;becausethereisthatinherfeatureswhichmarkstheyoungwomanofdistinguishedbirth.sheisunfortunatelyofasicklyconstitution,whichhaspreventedhermakingthatprogressinmanyaccomplishmentswhichshecouldnototherwisehavefailedof;asiaminformedbytheladywhosuperintendedhereducation,andwhostillresideswiththem.butsheisperfectlyamiable,andoftencondescendstodrivebymyhumbleabodeinherlittlephaetonandponies."

"hasshebeenpresented?idonotrememberhernameamongtheladiesatcourt."

"herindifferentstateofhealthunhappilypreventsherbeingintown;andbythatmeans,asitoldladycatherinemyselfoneday,hasdeprivedthebritishcourtofitsbrightestornament.herladyshipseemedpleasedwiththeidea,andyoumayimaginethatiamhappyoneveryoccasiontoofferthoselittledelicatecomplimentswhicharealwaysacceptabletoladies.ihavemorethanonceobservedtoladycatherinethathercharmingdaughterseemedborntobeaduchess,andthatthemostelevatedrank,insteadofgivingherconsequence,wouldbeadornedbyher.—thesearethekindoflittlethingswhichpleaseherladyship,anditisasortofattentionwhichiconceivemyselfpeculiarlyboundtopay."

"youjudgeveryproperly,"saidmr.bennet,"anditishappyforyouthatyoupossessthetalentofflatteringwithdelicacy.mayiaskwhetherthesepleasingattentionsproceedfromtheimpulseofthemoment,oraretheresultofpreviousstudy?"

"theyarisechieflyfromwhatispassingatthetime,andthoughisometimesamusemyselfwithsuggestingandarrangingsuchlittleelegantcomplimentsasmaybeadaptedtoordinaryoccasions,ialwayswishtogivethemasunstudiedanairaspossible."

mr.bennet'sexpectationswerefullyanswered.hiscousinwasasabsurdashehadhoped,andhelistenedtohimwiththekeenestenjoyment,maintainingatthesametimethemostresolutecomposureofcountenance,and,exceptinanoccasionalglanceatelizabeth,requiringnopartnerinhispleasure.

bytea-time,however,thedosehadbeenenough,andmr.bennetwasgladtotakehisguestintothedrawingroomagain,andwhenteawasover,gladtoinvitehimtoreadaloudtotheladies.mr.collinsreadilyassented,andabookwasproduced;butonbeholdingit(foreverythingannouncedittobefromacirculatinglibrary),hestartedback,andbeggingpardon,protestedthatheneverreadnovels.—kittystaredathim,andlydiaexclaimed.—otherbookswereproduced,andaftersomedeliberationhechosefordyce'ssermons.lydiagapedasheopenedthevolume,andbeforehehad,withverymonotonoussolemnity,readthreepages,sheinterruptedhimwith,"doyouknow,mama,thatmyunclephilipstalksofturningawayrichard,andifhedoes,colonelforsterwillhirehim.myaunttoldmesoherselfonsaturday.ishallwalktomerytontomorrowtohearmoreaboutit,andtoaskwhenmr.dennycomesbackfromtown."lydiawasbidbyhertwoeldestsisterstoholdhertongue;butmr.collins,muchoffended,laidasidehisbook,andsaid,"ihaveoftenobservedhowlittleyoungladiesareinterestedbybooksofaseriousstamp,thoughwrittensolelyfortheirbenefit.itamazesme,iconfess;

forcertainly,therecanbenothingsoadvantageoustothemasinstruction.butiwillnolongerimportunemyyoungcousin."

thenturningtomr.bennet,heofferedhimselfashisantagonistatbackgammon.mr.bennetacceptedthechallenge,observingthatheactedverywiselyinleavingthegirlstotheirowntriflingamusements.mrs.bennetandherdaughtersapologisedmostcivillyforlydia'sinterruption,andpromisedthatitshouldnotoccuragain,ifhewouldresumehisbook;butmr.collins,afterassuringthemthatheborehisyoungcousinnoillwill,andshouldneverresentherbehaviourasanyaffront,seatedhimselfatanothertablewithmr.bennet,andpreparedforbackgammon.