sirwilliamstaidonlyaweekathunsford;buthisvisitwaslongenoughtoconvincehimofhisdaughter'sbeingmostcomfortablysettled,andofherpossessingsuchahusbandandsuchaneighbouraswerenotoftenmetwith.whilesirwilliamwaswiththem,mr.collinsdevotedhismorningstodrivinghimoutinhisgigandshewinghimthecountry;butwhenhewentaway,thewholefamilyreturnedtotheirusualemployments,andelizabethwasthankfultofindthattheydidnotseemoreofhercousinbythealteration,forthechiefofthetimebetweenbreakfastanddinnerwasnowpassedbyhimeitheratworkinthegarden,orinreadingandwriting,andlookingoutofwindowinhisownbookroom,whichfrontedtheroad.theroominwhichtheladiessatwasbackwards.elizabethatfirsthadratherwonderedthatcharlotteshouldnotpreferthediningparlourforcommonuse;itwasabettersizedroom,andhadapleasanteraspect;butshesoonsawthatherfriendhadanexcellentreasonforwhatshedid,formr.collinswouldundoubtedlyhavebeenmuchlessinhisownapartment,hadtheysatinoneequallylively;andshegavecharlottecreditforthearrangement.

fromthedrawingroomtheycoulddistinguishnothinginthelane,andwereindebtedtomr.collinsfortheknowledgeofwhatcarriageswentalong,andhowoftenespeciallymissdebourghdrovebyinherphaeton,whichheneverfailedcomingtoinformthemof,thoughithappenedalmosteveryday.shenotunfrequentlystoppedattheparsonage,andhadafewminutes'conversationwithcharlotte,butwasscarcelyeverprevailedontogetout.

veryfewdayspassedinwhichmr.collinsdidnotwalktorosings,andnotmanyinwhichhiswifedidnotthinkitnecessarytogolikewise;andtillelizabethrecollectedthattheremightbeotherfamilylivingstobedisposedof,shecouldnotunderstandthesacrificeofsomanyhours.nowandthen,theywerehonouredwithacallfromherladyship,andnothingescapedherobservationthatwaspassingintheroomduringthesevisits.sheexaminedintotheiremployments,lookedattheirwork,andadvisedthemtodoitdifferently;foundfaultwiththearrangementofthefurniture,ordetectedthehousemaidinnegligence;andifsheacceptedanyrefreshment,seemedtodoitonlyforthesakeoffindingoutthatmrs.collins'sjointsofmeatweretoolargeforherfamily.

elizabethsoonperceivedthatthoughthisgreatladywasnotinthecommissionofthepeaceforthecounty,shewasamostactivemagistrateinherownparish,theminutestconcernsofwhichwerecarriedtoherbymr.collins;andwheneveranyofthecottagersweredisposedtobequarrelsome,discontentedortoopoor,shesalliedforthintothevillagetosettletheirdifferences,silencetheircomplaints,andscoldthemintoharmonyandplenty.

theentertainmentofdiningatrosingswasrepeatedabouttwiceaweek;and,allowingforthelossofsirwilliam,andtherebeingonlyonecardtableintheevening,everysuchentertainmentwasthecounterpartofthefirst.theirotherengagementswerefew;asthestyleoflivingoftheneighbourhoodingeneralwasbeyondthecollinses'reach.this,however,wasnoeviltoelizabeth,anduponthewholeshespenthertimecomfortablyenough;therewerehalfhoursofpleasantconversationwithcharlotte,andtheweatherwassofineforthetimeofyear,thatshehadoftengreatenjoymentoutofdoors.herfavouritewalk,andwhereshefrequentlywentwhiletheotherswerecallingonladycatherine,wasalongtheopengrovewhichedgedthatsideofthepark,wheretherewasaniceshelteredpath,whichnooneseemedtovaluebutherself,andwhereshefeltbeyondthereachofladycatherine'scuriosity.

inthisquietway,thefirstfortnightofhervisitsoonpassedaway.easterwasapproaching,andtheweekprecedingitwastobringanadditiontothefamilyatrosings,whichinsosmallacirclemustbeimportant.elizabethhadheard,soonafterherarrival,thatmr.darcywasexpectedthereinthecourseofafewweeks,andthoughtherewerenotmanyofheracquaintancewhomshedidnotprefer,hiscomingwouldfurnishonecomparativelynewtolookatintheirrosingsparties,andshemightbeamusedinseeinghowhopelessmissbingley'sdesignsonhimwere,byhisbehaviourtohiscousin,forwhomhewasevidentlydestinedbyladycatherine;whotalkedofhiscomingwiththegreatestsatisfaction,spokeofhimintermsofthehighestadmiration,andseemedalmostangrytofindthathehadalreadybeenfrequentlyseenbymisslucasandherself.

hisarrivalwassoonknownattheparsonage,formr.collinswaswalkingthewholemorningwithinviewofthelodgesopeningintohunsfordlane,inordertohavetheearliestassuranceofit;andaftermakinghisbowasthecarriageturnedintothepark,hurriedhomewiththegreatintelligence.onthefollowingmorninghehastenedtorosingstopayhisrespects.thereweretwonephewsofladycatherinetorequirethem,formr.darcyhadbroughtwithhimacolonelfitzwilliam,theyoungersonofhisuncle,lord;andtothegreatsurpriseofalltheparty,whenmr.collinsreturned,thegentlemenaccompaniedhim.charlottehadseenthem,fromherhusband'sroom,crossingtheroad,andimmediatelyrunningintotheother,toldthegirlswhatanhonourtheymightexpect,adding,

"imaythankyou,eliza,forthispieceofcivility.mr.darcywouldneverhavecomesosoontowaituponme."

elizabethhadscarcelytimetodisclaimallrighttothecompliment,beforetheirapproachwasannouncedbythedoorbell,andshortlyafterwardsthethreegentlemenenteredtheroom.colonelfitzwilliam,wholedtheway,wasaboutthirty,nothandsome,butinpersonandaddressmosttrulythegentleman.mr.darcylookedjustashehadbeenusedtolookinhertfordshire,paidhiscompliments,withhisusualreserve,tomrs.collins;andwhatevermightbehisfeelingstowardsherfriend,metherwitheveryappearanceofcomposure.elizabethmerelycurtseyedtohim,withoutsayingaword.

colonelfitzwilliamenteredintoconversationdirectlywiththereadinessandeaseofawellbredman,andtalkedverypleasantly;buthiscousin,afterhavingaddressedaslightobservationonthehouseandgardentomrs.collins,satforsometimewithoutspeakingtoanybody.atlength,however,hiscivilitywassofarawakenedastoenquireofelizabethafterthehealthofherfamily.sheansweredhimintheusualway,andafteramoment'spause,added,

"myeldestsisterhasbeenintownthesethreemonths.haveyouneverhappenedtoseeherthere?"

shewasperfectlysensiblethatheneverhad;butshewishedtoseewhetherhewouldbetrayanyconsciousnessofwhathadpassedbetweenthebingleysandjane;andshethoughthelookedalittleconfusedasheansweredthathehadneverbeensofortunateastomeetmissbennet.thesubjectwaspursuednofarther,andthegentlemensoonafterwardswentaway.