Chapter 15

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had

been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part

of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and

miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he

had merely kept the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful

acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up had

given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a

good deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in

retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected

prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de

Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which

he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness,

mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a

clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of

pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to

marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had

a wife in view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found

them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report.

This was his plan of amends--of atonement--for inheriting their father's

estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and

suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own

part.

His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet's lovely face

confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of what

was due to seniority; and for the first evening _she_ was his settled

choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a

quarter of an hour's tete-a-tete with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a

conversation beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally

to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress might be found for it at

Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general

encouragement, a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on. "As to

her _younger_ daughters, she could not take upon her to say--she could

not positively answer--but she did not _know_ of any prepossession; her

_eldest_ daughter, she must just mention--she felt it incumbent on her

to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth--and it was soon

done--done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally

next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have

two daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of

the day before was now high in her good graces.

Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten; every sister

except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins was to attend them,

at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of him,

and have his library to himself; for thither Mr. Collins had followed

him after breakfast; and there he would continue, nominally engaged with

one of the largest folios in the collection, but really talking to Mr.

Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such

doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he had been

always sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though prepared, as he told

Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room of the

house, he was used to be free from them there; his civility, therefore,

was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join his daughters in their

walk; and Mr. Collins, being in fact much better fitted for a walker

than a reader, was extremely pleased to close his large book, and go.

In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his

cousins, their time passed till they entered Meryton. The attention of

the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by him. Their eyes were

immediately wandering up in the street in quest of the officers, and

nothing less than a very smart bonnet indeed, or a really new muslin in

a shop window, could recall them.

But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom

they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance, walking

with another officer on the other side of the way. The officer was

the very Mr. Denny concerning whose return from London Lydia came

to inquire, and he bowed as they passed. All were struck with the

stranger's air, all wondered who he could be; and Kitty and Lydia,

determined if possible to find out, led the way across the street, under

pretense of wanting something in an opposite shop, and fortunately

had just gained the pavement when the two gentlemen, turning back, had

reached the same spot. Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and entreated

permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham, who had returned with

him the day before from town, and he was happy to say had accepted a

commission in their corps. This was exactly as it should be; for the

young man wanted only regimentals to make him completely charming.

His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of

beauty, a fine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address.

The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness

of conversation--a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and

unassuming; and the whole party were still standing and talking together

very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their notice, and Darcy

and Bingley were seen riding down the street. On distinguishing the

ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly towards them, and

began the usual civilities. Bingley was the principal spokesman, and

Miss Bennet the principal object. He was then, he said, on his way to

Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy corroborated

it with a bow, and was beginning to determine not to fix his eyes

on Elizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of the

stranger, and Elizabeth happening to see the countenance of both as they

looked at each other, was all astonishment at the effect of the meeting.

Both changed colour, one looked white, the other red. Mr. Wickham,

after a few moments, touched his hat--a salutation which Mr. Darcy just

deigned to return. What could be the meaning of it? It was impossible to

imagine; it was impossible not to long to know.

In another minute, Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what

passed, took leave and rode on with his friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of

Mr. Phillip's house, and then made their bows, in spite of Miss Lydia's

pressing entreaties that they should come in, and even in spite of

Mrs. Phillips's throwing up the parlour window and loudly seconding the

invitation.

Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces; and the two eldest,

from their recent absence, were particularly welcome, and she was

eagerly expressing her surprise at their sudden return home, which, as

their own carriage had not fetched them, she should have known nothing

about, if she had not happened to see Mr. Jones's shop-boy in the

street, who had told her that they were not to send any more draughts to

Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away, when her civility

was claimed towards Mr. Collins by Jane's introduction of him. She

received him with her very best politeness, which he returned with

as much more, apologising for his intrusion, without any previous

acquaintance with her, which he could not help flattering himself,

however, might be justified by his relationship to the young ladies who

introduced him to her notice. Mrs. Phillips was quite awed by such an

excess of good breeding; but her contemplation of one stranger was soon

put to an end by exclamations and inquiries about the other; of whom,

however, she could only tell her nieces what they already knew, that

Mr. Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have a

lieutenant's commission in the ----shire. She had been watching him the

last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the street, and had Mr.

Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued the

occupation, but unluckily no one passed windows now except a few of the

officers, who, in comparison with the stranger, were become "stupid,

disagreeable fellows." Some of them were to dine with the Phillipses

the next day, and their aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr.

Wickham, and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn

would come in the evening. This was agreed to, and Mrs. Phillips

protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery

tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such

delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr.

Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured

with unwearying civility that they were perfectly needless.

As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass

between the two gentlemen; but though Jane would have defended either

or both, had they appeared to be in the wrong, she could no more explain

such behaviour than her sister.

Mr. Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring

Mrs. Phillips's manners and politeness. He protested that, except Lady

Catherine and her daughter, he had never seen a more elegant woman;

for she had not only received him with the utmost civility, but even

pointedly included him in her invitation for the next evening, although

utterly unknown to her before. Something, he supposed, might be

attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had never met with so

much attention in the whole course of his life.