elizabethwassittingwithhermotherandsisters,reflectingonwhatshehadheard,anddoubtingwhethershewereauthorisedtomentionit,whensirwilliamlucashimselfappeared,sentbyhisdaughtertoannounceherengagementtothefamily.withmanycomplimentstothem,andmuchself-gratulationontheprospectofaconnectionbetweenthehouses,heunfoldedthematter,—toanaudiencenotmerelywondering,butincredulous;formrs.bennet,withmoreperseverancethanpoliteness,protestedhemustbeentirelymistaken,andlydia,alwaysunguardedandoftenuncivil,boisterouslyexclaimed,"goodlord!sirwilliam,howcanyoutellsuchastory?—donotyouknowthatmr.collinswantstomarrylizzy?"

nothinglessthanthecomplaisanceofacourtiercouldhavebornewithoutangersuchtreatment;butsirwilliam'sgoodbreedingcarriedhimthroughitall;andthoughhebeggedleavetobepositiveastothetruthofhisinformation,helistenedtoalltheirimpertinencewiththemostforbearingcourtesy.

elizabeth,feelingitincumbentonhertorelievehimfromsounpleasantasituation,nowputherselfforwardtoconfirmhisaccount,bymentioningherpriorknowledgeofitfromcharlotteherself;andendeavouredtoputastoptotheexclamationsofhermotherandsisters,bytheearnestnessofhercongratulationstosirwilliam,inwhichshewasreadilyjoinedbyjane,andbymakingavarietyofremarksonthehappinessthatmightbeexpectedfromthematch,theexcellentcharacterofmr.collins,andtheconvenientdistanceofhunsfordfromlondon.

mrs.bennetwasinfacttoomuchoverpoweredtosayagreatdealwhilesirwilliamremained;butnosoonerhadheleftthemthanherfeelingsfoundarapidvent.inthefirstplace,shepersistedindisbelievingthewholeofthematter;secondly,shewasverysurethatmr.collinshadbeentakenin;thirdly,shetrustedthattheywouldneverbehappytogether;andfourthly,thatthematchmightbebrokenoff.twoinferences,however,wereplainlydeducedfromthewhole;one,thatelizabethwastherealcauseofallthemischief;andtheother,thatsheherselfhadbeenbarbarouslyusedbythemall;andonthesetwopointssheprincipallydweltduringtherestoftheday.nothingcouldconsoleandnothingappeaseher.—nordidthatdaywearoutherresentment.aweekelapsedbeforeshecouldseeelizabethwithoutscoldingher,amonthpassedawaybeforeshecouldspeaktosirwilliamorladylucaswithoutbeingrude,andmanymonthsweregonebeforeshecouldatallforgivetheirdaughter.

mr.bennet'semotionsweremuchmoretranquilontheoccasion,andsuchashedidexperiencehepronouncedtobeofamostagreeablesort;foritgratifiedhim,hesaid,todiscoverthatcharlottelucas,whomhehadbeenusedtothinktolerablysensible,wasasfoolishashiswife,andmorefoolishthanhisdaughter!

janeconfessedherselfalittlesurprisedatthematch;butshesaidlessofherastonishmentthanofherearnestdesirefortheirhappiness;norcouldelizabethpersuadehertoconsideritasimprobable.kittyandlydiawerefarfromenvyingmisslucas,formr.collinswasonlyaclergyman;anditaffectedtheminnootherwaythanasapieceofnewstospreadatmeryton.

ladylucascouldnotbeinsensibleoftriumphonbeingabletoretortonmrs.bennetthecomfortofhavingadaughterwellmarried;andshecalledatlongbournratheroftenerthanusualtosayhowhappyshewas,thoughmrs.bennet'ssourlooksandill-naturedremarksmighthavebeenenoughtodrivehappinessaway.

betweenelizabethandcharlottetherewasarestraintwhichkeptthemmutuallysilentonthesubject;andelizabethfeltpersuadedthatnorealconfidencecouldeversubsistbetweenthemagain.herdisappointmentincharlottemadeherturnwithfonderregardtohersister,ofwhoserectitudeanddelicacyshewassureheropinioncouldneverbeshaken,andforwhosehappinessshegrewdailymoreanxious,asbingleyhadnowbeengoneaweek,andnothingwasheardofhisreturn.

janehadsentcarolineanearlyanswertoherletter,andwascountingthedaystillshemightreasonablyhopetohearagain.thepromisedletterofthanksfrommr.collinsarrivedontuesday,addressedtotheirfather,andwrittenwithallthesolemnityofgratitudewhichatwelvemonth'sabodeinthefamilymighthaveprompted.afterdischarginghisconscienceonthathead,heproceededtoinformthem,withmanyrapturousexpressions,ofhishappinessinhavingobtainedtheaffectionoftheiramiableneighbour,misslucas,andthenexplainedthatitwasmerelywiththeviewofenjoyinghersocietythathehadbeensoreadytoclosewiththeirkindwishofseeinghimagainatlongbourn,whitherhehopedtobeabletoreturnonmondayfortnight;forladycatherine,headded,soheartilyapprovedhismarriage,thatshewishedittotakeplaceassoonaspossible,whichhetrustedwouldbeanunanswerableargumentwithhisamiablecharlottetonameanearlydayformakinghimthehappiestofmen.

mr.collins'sreturnintohertfordshirewasnolongeramatterofpleasuretomrs.bennet.onthecontrary,shewasasmuchdisposedtocomplainofitasherhusband.—itwasverystrangethatheshouldcometolongbourninsteadoftolucaslodge;itwasalsoveryinconvenientandexceedinglytroublesome.—shehatedhavingvisitorsinthehousewhileherhealthwassoindifferent,andloverswereofallpeoplethemostdisagreeable.suchwerethegentlemurmursofmrs.bennet,andtheygavewayonlytothegreaterdistressofmr.bingley'scontinuedabsence.

neitherjanenorelizabethwerecomfortableonthissubject.dayafterdaypassedawaywithoutbringinganyothertidingsofhimthanthereportwhichshortlyprevailedinmerytonofhiscomingnomoretonetherfieldthewholewinter;areportwhichhighlyincensedmrs.bennet,andwhichsheneverfailedtocontradictasamostscandalousfalsehood.

evenelizabethbegantofear—notthatbingleywasindifferent—butthathissisterswouldbesuccessfulinkeepinghimaway.unwillingasshewastoadmitanideasodestructiveofjane'shappiness,andsodishonourabletothestabilityofherlover,shecouldnotpreventitsfrequentlyrecurring.theunitedeffortsofhistwounfeelingsistersandofhisoverpoweringfriend,assistedbytheattractionsofmissdarcyandtheamusementsoflondon,mightbetoomuch,shefeared,forthestrengthofhisattachment.

asforjane,heranxietyunderthissuspencewas,ofcourse,morepainfulthanelizabeth's;butwhatevershefeltshewasdesirousofconcealing,andbetweenherselfandelizabeth,therefore,thesubjectwasneveralludedto.butasnosuchdelicacyrestrainedhermother,anhourseldompassedinwhichshedidnottalkofbingley,expressherimpatienceforhisarrival,orevenrequirejanetoconfessthatifhedidnotcomeback,sheshouldthinkherselfveryillused.itneededalljane'ssteadymildnesstobeartheseattackswithtolerabletranquillity.

mr.collinsreturnedmostpunctuallyonthemondayfortnight,buthisreceptionatlongbournwasnotquitesograciousasithadbeenonhisfirstintroduction.hewastoohappy,however,toneedmuchattention;andluckilyfortheothers,thebusinessoflove-makingrelievedthemfromagreatdealofhiscompany.thechiefofeverydaywasspentbyhimatlucaslodge,andhesometimesreturnedtolongbournonlyintimetomakeanapologyforhisabsencebeforethefamilywenttobed.

mrs.bennetwasreallyinamostpitiablestate.theverymentionofanythingconcerningthematchthrewherintoanagonyofillhumour,andwherevershewentshewassureofhearingittalkedof.thesightofmisslucaswasodioustoher.ashersuccessorinthathouse,sheregardedherwithjealousabhorrence.whenevercharlottecametoseethemsheconcludedhertobeanticipatingthehourofpossession;andwhenevershespokeinalowvoicetomr.collins,wasconvincedthattheyweretalkingofthelongbournestate,andresolvingtoturnherselfandherdaughtersoutofthehouseassoonasmr.bennetweredead.shecomplainedbitterlyofallthistoherhusband.

"indeed,mr.bennet,"saidshe,"itisveryhardtothinkthatcharlottelucasshouldeverbemistressofthishouse,thatishouldbeforcedtomakewayforher,andlivetoseehertakemyplaceinit!"

"mydear,donotgivewaytosuchgloomythoughts.letushopeforbetterthings.letusflatterourselvesthatimaybethesurvivor."

thiswasnotveryconsolingtomrs.bennet,and,therefore,insteadofmakinganyanswer,shewentonasbefore,

"icannotbeartothinkthattheyshouldhaveallthisestate,ifitwasnotfortheentailishouldnotmindit."

"whatshouldnotyoumind?"

"ishouldnotmindanythingatall."

"letusbethankfulthatyouarepreservedfromastateofsuchinsensibility."

"inevercanbethankful,mr.bennet,foranythingabouttheentail.howanyonecouldhavetheconsciencetoentailawayanestatefromone'sowndaughtersicannotunderstand;andallforthesakeofmr.collinstoo!—whyshouldhehaveitmorethananybodyelse?"

"ileaveittoyourselftodetermine,"saidmr.bennet.