Chapter 19

The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his

declaration in form. Having resolved to do it without loss of time, as

his leave of absence extended only to the following Saturday, and having

no feelings of diffidence to make it distressing to himself even at

the moment, he set about it in a very orderly manner, with all the

observances, which he supposed a regular part of the business. On

finding Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together,

soon after breakfast, he addressed the mother in these words:

"May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth,

when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the

course of this morning?"

Before Elizabeth had time for anything but a blush of surprise, Mrs.

Bennet answered instantly, "Oh dear!--yes--certainly. I am sure Lizzy

will be very happy--I am sure she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I

want you upstairs." And, gathering her work together, she was hastening

away, when Elizabeth called out:

"Dear madam, do not go. I beg you will not go. Mr. Collins must excuse

me. He can have nothing to say to me that anybody need not hear. I am

going away myself."

"No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. I desire you to stay where you are." And upon

Elizabeth's seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about to

escape, she added: "Lizzy, I _insist_ upon your staying and hearing Mr.

Collins."

Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction--and a moment's

consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it

over as soon and as quietly as possible, she sat down again and tried to

conceal, by incessant employment the feelings which were divided between

distress and diversion. Mrs. Bennet and Kitty walked off, and as soon as

they were gone, Mr. Collins began.

"Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from

doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You

would have been less amiable in my eyes had there _not_ been this little

unwillingness; but allow me to assure you, that I have your respected

mother's permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the

purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to

dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as

soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of

my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this

subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for

marrying--and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design

of selecting a wife, as I certainly did."

The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away

with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing, that she could

not use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him further,

and he continued:

"My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for

every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example

of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced that it will

add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly--which perhaps I ought

to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and

recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling

patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked

too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I

left Hunsford--between our pools at quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was

arranging Miss de Bourgh's footstool, that she said, 'Mr. Collins, you

must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose

a gentlewoman for _my_ sake; and for your _own_, let her be an active,

useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small

income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as

you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.' Allow me, by the

way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice

and kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the

advantages in my power to offer. You will find her manners beyond

anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I think, must be

acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and

respect which her rank will inevitably excite. Thus much for my general

intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views

were directed towards Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I

can assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is, that

being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured

father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy

myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that

the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy

event takes place--which, however, as I have already said, may not

be for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and

I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing

remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the

violence of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and

shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well

aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds

in the four per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother's

decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to. On that head,

therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may assure yourself that

no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married."

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.

"You are too hasty, sir," she cried. "You forget that I have made no

answer. Let me do it without further loss of time. Accept my thanks for

the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of the honour of

your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than to

decline them."

"I am not now to learn," replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the

hand, "that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the

man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their

favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a

third time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just

said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long."

"Upon my word, sir," cried Elizabeth, "your hope is a rather

extraordinary one after my declaration. I do assure you that I am not

one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so

daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second

time. I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make _me_

happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who

could make you so. Nay, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I

am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the

situation."

"Were it certain that Lady Catherine would think so," said Mr. Collins

very gravely--"but I cannot imagine that her ladyship would at all

disapprove of you. And you may be certain when I have the honour of

seeing her again, I shall speak in the very highest terms of your

modesty, economy, and other amiable qualification."

"Indeed, Mr. Collins, all praise of me will be unnecessary. You

must give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment

of believing what I say. I wish you very happy and very rich, and by

refusing your hand, do all in my power to prevent your being otherwise.

In making me the offer, you must have satisfied the delicacy of your

feelings with regard to my family, and may take possession of Longbourn

estate whenever it falls, without any self-reproach. This matter may

be considered, therefore, as finally settled." And rising as she

thus spoke, she would have quitted the room, had Mr. Collins not thus

addressed her:

"When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on the subject, I

shall hope to receive a more favourable answer than you have now given

me; though I am far from accusing you of cruelty at present, because I

know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on

the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to

encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the

female character."

"Really, Mr. Collins," cried Elizabeth with some warmth, "you puzzle me

exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form

of encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as

to convince you of its being one."

"You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your

refusal of my addresses is merely words of course. My reasons for

believing it are briefly these: It does not appear to me that my hand is

unworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer would

be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections

with the family of de Bourgh, and my relationship to your own, are

circumstances highly in my favour; and you should take it into further

consideration, that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no

means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your

portion is unhappily so small that it will in all likelihood undo

the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must

therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me,

I shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by

suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females."

"I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind

of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would

rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you

again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but

to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect

forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant

female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature, speaking

the truth from her heart."

"You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of awkward

gallantry; "and I am persuaded that when sanctioned by the express

authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of

being acceptable."

To such perseverance in wilful self-deception Elizabeth would make

no reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew; determined, if

he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering

encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered

in such a manner as to be decisive, and whose behavior at least could

not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female.