Chapter 29

Mr. Collins's triumph, in consequence of this invitation, was complete.

The power of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his wondering

visitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself and his

wife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an opportunity

of doing it should be given so soon, was such an instance of Lady

Catherine's condescension, as he knew not how to admire enough.

"I confess," said he, "that I should not have been at all surprised by

her ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening at

Rosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that it

would happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this? Who

could have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine there

(an invitation, moreover, including the whole party) so immediately

after your arrival!"

"I am the less surprised at what has happened," replied Sir William,

"from that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are, which

my situation in life has allowed me to acquire. About the court, such

instances of elegant breeding are not uncommon."

Scarcely anything was talked of the whole day or next morning but their

visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully instructing them in what

they were to expect, that the sight of such rooms, so many servants, and

so splendid a dinner, might not wholly overpower them.

When the ladies were separating for the toilette, he said to Elizabeth--

"Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. Lady

Catherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us which

becomes herself and her daughter. I would advise you merely to put on

whatever of your clothes is superior to the rest--there is no occasion

for anything more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you

for being simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rank

preserved."

While they were dressing, he came two or three times to their different

doors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady Catherine very much

objected to be kept waiting for her dinner. Such formidable accounts of

her ladyship, and her manner of living, quite frightened Maria Lucas

who had been little used to company, and she looked forward to her

introduction at Rosings with as much apprehension as her father had done

to his presentation at St. James's.

As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a

mile across the park. Every park has its beauty and its prospects; and

Elizabeth saw much to be pleased with, though she could not be in such

raptures as Mr. Collins expected the scene to inspire, and was but

slightly affected by his enumeration of the windows in front of the

house, and his relation of what the glazing altogether had originally

cost Sir Lewis de Bourgh.

When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm was every

moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly calm.

Elizabeth's courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing of Lady

Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or

miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money or rank she thought

she could witness without trepidation.

From the entrance-hall, of which Mr. Collins pointed out, with a

rapturous air, the fine proportion and the finished ornaments, they

followed the servants through an ante-chamber, to the room where Lady

Catherine, her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting. Her ladyship,

with great condescension, arose to receive them; and as Mrs. Collins had

settled it with her husband that the office of introduction should

be hers, it was performed in a proper manner, without any of those

apologies and thanks which he would have thought necessary.

In spite of having been at St. James's Sir William was so completely

awed by the grandeur surrounding him, that he had but just courage

enough to make a very low bow, and take his seat without saying a word;

and his daughter, frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edge

of her chair, not knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found herself

quite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before her

composedly. Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked

features, which might once have been handsome. Her air was not

conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as to make her

visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by

silence; but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone,

as marked her self-importance, and brought Mr. Wickham immediately to

Elizabeth's mind; and from the observation of the day altogether, she

believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he represented.

When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance and deportment

she soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on the

daughter, she could almost have joined in Maria's astonishment at her

being so thin and so small. There was neither in figure nor face any

likeness between the ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale and sickly; her

features, though not plain, were insignificant; and she spoke very

little, except in a low voice, to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearance

there was nothing remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listening

to what she said, and placing a screen in the proper direction before

her eyes.

After sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one of the windows to

admire the view, Mr. Collins attending them to point out its beauties,

and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was much better worth

looking at in the summer.

The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were all the servants and

all the articles of plate which Mr. Collins had promised; and, as he had

likewise foretold, he took his seat at the bottom of the table, by her

ladyship's desire, and looked as if he felt that life could furnish

nothing greater. He carved, and ate, and praised with delighted

alacrity; and every dish was commended, first by him and then by Sir

William, who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son-in-law

said, in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear.

But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration, and

gave most gracious smiles, especially when any dish on the table proved

a novelty to them. The party did not supply much conversation. Elizabeth

was ready to speak whenever there was an opening, but she was seated

between Charlotte and Miss de Bourgh--the former of whom was engaged in

listening to Lady Catherine, and the latter said not a word to her all

dinner-time. Mrs. Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little

Miss de Bourgh ate, pressing her to try some other dish, and fearing

she was indisposed. Maria thought speaking out of the question, and the

gentlemen did nothing but eat and admire.

When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to

be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without any

intermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on every

subject in so decisive a manner, as proved that she was not used to

have her judgement controverted. She inquired into Charlotte's domestic

concerns familiarly and minutely, gave her a great deal of advice as

to the management of them all; told her how everything ought to be

regulated in so small a family as hers, and instructed her as to the

care of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing was

beneath this great lady's attention, which could furnish her with an

occasion of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse

with Mrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria and

Elizabeth, but especially to the latter, of whose connections she knew

the least, and who she observed to Mrs. Collins was a very genteel,

pretty kind of girl. She asked her, at different times, how many sisters

she had, whether they were older or younger than herself, whether any of

them were likely to be married, whether they were handsome, where they

had been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been

her mother's maiden name? Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of

her questions but answered them very composedly. Lady Catherine then

observed,

"Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think. For your

sake," turning to Charlotte, "I am glad of it; but otherwise I see no

occasion for entailing estates from the female line. It was not thought

necessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh's family. Do you play and sing, Miss

Bennet?"

"A little."

"Oh! then--some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our

instrument is a capital one, probably superior to----You shall try it

some day. Do your sisters play and sing?"

"One of them does."

"Why did not you all learn? You ought all to have learned. The Miss

Webbs all play, and their father has not so good an income as yours. Do

you draw?"

"No, not at all."

"What, none of you?"

"Not one."

"That is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity. Your mother

should have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters."

"My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates London."

"Has your governess left you?"

"We never had any governess."

"No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home

without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Your mother must

have been quite a slave to your education."

Elizabeth could hardly help smiling as she assured her that had not been

the case.

"Then, who taught you? who attended to you? Without a governess, you

must have been neglected."

"Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us as

wished to learn never wanted the means. We were always encouraged to

read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be

idle, certainly might."

"Aye, no doubt; but that is what a governess will prevent, and if I had

known your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engage

one. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steady

and regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it. It is

wonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying in that

way. I am always glad to get a young person well placed out. Four nieces

of Mrs. Jenkinson are most delightfully situated through my means; and

it was but the other day that I recommended another young person,

who was merely accidentally mentioned to me, and the family are quite

delighted with her. Mrs. Collins, did I tell you of Lady Metcalf's

calling yesterday to thank me? She finds Miss Pope a treasure. 'Lady

Catherine,' said she, 'you have given me a treasure.' Are any of your

younger sisters out, Miss Bennet?"

"Yes, ma'am, all."

"All! What, all five out at once? Very odd! And you only the second. The

younger ones out before the elder ones are married! Your younger sisters

must be very young?"

"Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps _she_ is full young to be

much in company. But really, ma'am, I think it would be very hard upon

younger sisters, that they should not have their share of society and

amusement, because the elder may not have the means or inclination to

marry early. The last-born has as good a right to the pleasures of youth

at the first. And to be kept back on _such_ a motive! I think it would

not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy of mind."

"Upon my word," said her ladyship, "you give your opinion very decidedly

for so young a person. Pray, what is your age?"

"With three younger sisters grown up," replied Elizabeth, smiling, "your

ladyship can hardly expect me to own it."

Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer;

and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had ever

dared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence.

"You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure, therefore you need not

conceal your age."

"I am not one-and-twenty."

When the gentlemen had joined them, and tea was over, the card-tables

were placed. Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins sat

down to quadrille; and as Miss de Bourgh chose to play at cassino, the

two girls had the honour of assisting Mrs. Jenkinson to make up her

party. Their table was superlatively stupid. Scarcely a syllable was

uttered that did not relate to the game, except when Mrs. Jenkinson

expressed her fears of Miss de Bourgh's being too hot or too cold, or

having too much or too little light. A great deal more passed at the

other table. Lady Catherine was generally speaking--stating the mistakes

of the three others, or relating some anecdote of herself. Mr. Collins

was employed in agreeing to everything her ladyship said, thanking her

for every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many.

Sir William did not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotes

and noble names.

When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose,

the tables were broken up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Collins,

gratefully accepted and immediately ordered. The party then gathered

round the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they were

to have on the morrow. From these instructions they were summoned by

the arrival of the coach; and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mr.

Collins's side and as many bows on Sir William's they departed. As soon

as they had driven from the door, Elizabeth was called on by her cousin

to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which, for

Charlotte's sake, she made more favourable than it really was. But her

commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no means satisfy

Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her ladyship's praise

into his own hands.