Chapter 57

The discomposure of spirits which this extraordinary visit threw

Elizabeth into, could not be easily overcome; nor could she, for many

hours, learn to think of it less than incessantly. Lady Catherine, it

appeared, had actually taken the trouble of this journey from Rosings,

for the sole purpose of breaking off her supposed engagement with Mr.

Darcy. It was a rational scheme, to be sure! but from what the report

of their engagement could originate, Elizabeth was at a loss to imagine;

till she recollected that _his_ being the intimate friend of Bingley,

and _her_ being the sister of Jane, was enough, at a time when the

expectation of one wedding made everybody eager for another, to supply

the idea. She had not herself forgotten to feel that the marriage of her

sister must bring them more frequently together. And her neighbours

at Lucas Lodge, therefore (for through their communication with the

Collinses, the report, she concluded, had reached Lady Catherine), had

only set that down as almost certain and immediate, which she had looked

forward to as possible at some future time.

In revolving Lady Catherine's expressions, however, she could not help

feeling some uneasiness as to the possible consequence of her persisting

in this interference. From what she had said of her resolution to

prevent their marriage, it occurred to Elizabeth that she must meditate

an application to her nephew; and how _he_ might take a similar

representation of the evils attached to a connection with her, she dared

not pronounce. She knew not the exact degree of his affection for his

aunt, or his dependence on her judgment, but it was natural to suppose

that he thought much higher of her ladyship than _she_ could do; and it

was certain that, in enumerating the miseries of a marriage with _one_,

whose immediate connections were so unequal to his own, his aunt would

address him on his weakest side. With his notions of dignity, he would

probably feel that the arguments, which to Elizabeth had appeared weak

and ridiculous, contained much good sense and solid reasoning.

If he had been wavering before as to what he should do, which had often

seemed likely, the advice and entreaty of so near a relation might

settle every doubt, and determine him at once to be as happy as dignity

unblemished could make him. In that case he would return no more. Lady

Catherine might see him in her way through town; and his engagement to

Bingley of coming again to Netherfield must give way.

"If, therefore, an excuse for not keeping his promise should come to his

friend within a few days," she added, "I shall know how to understand

it. I shall then give over every expectation, every wish of his

constancy. If he is satisfied with only regretting me, when he might

have obtained my affections and hand, I shall soon cease to regret him

at all."

* * * * *

The surprise of the rest of the family, on hearing who their visitor had

been, was very great; but they obligingly satisfied it, with the same

kind of supposition which had appeased Mrs. Bennet's curiosity; and

Elizabeth was spared from much teasing on the subject.

The next morning, as she was going downstairs, she was met by her

father, who came out of his library with a letter in his hand.

"Lizzy," said he, "I was going to look for you; come into my room."

She followed him thither; and her curiosity to know what he had to

tell her was heightened by the supposition of its being in some manner

connected with the letter he held. It suddenly struck her that it

might be from Lady Catherine; and she anticipated with dismay all the

consequent explanations.

She followed her father to the fire place, and they both sat down. He

then said,

"I have received a letter this morning that has astonished me

exceedingly. As it principally concerns yourself, you ought to know its

contents. I did not know before, that I had two daughters on the brink

of matrimony. Let me congratulate you on a very important conquest."

The colour now rushed into Elizabeth's cheeks in the instantaneous

conviction of its being a letter from the nephew, instead of the aunt;

and she was undetermined whether most to be pleased that he explained

himself at all, or offended that his letter was not rather addressed to

herself; when her father continued:

"You look conscious. Young ladies have great penetration in such matters

as these; but I think I may defy even _your_ sagacity, to discover the

name of your admirer. This letter is from Mr. Collins."

"From Mr. Collins! and what can _he_ have to say?"

"Something very much to the purpose of course. He begins with

congratulations on the approaching nuptials of my eldest daughter, of

which, it seems, he has been told by some of the good-natured, gossiping

Lucases. I shall not sport with your impatience, by reading what he says

on that point. What relates to yourself, is as follows: 'Having thus

offered you the sincere congratulations of Mrs. Collins and myself on

this happy event, let me now add a short hint on the subject of another;

of which we have been advertised by the same authority. Your daughter

Elizabeth, it is presumed, will not long bear the name of Bennet, after

her elder sister has resigned it, and the chosen partner of her fate may

be reasonably looked up to as one of the most illustrious personages in

this land.'

"Can you possibly guess, Lizzy, who is meant by this?" 'This young

gentleman is blessed, in a peculiar way, with every thing the heart of

mortal can most desire,--splendid property, noble kindred, and extensive

patronage. Yet in spite of all these temptations, let me warn my cousin

Elizabeth, and yourself, of what evils you may incur by a precipitate

closure with this gentleman's proposals, which, of course, you will be

inclined to take immediate advantage of.'

"Have you any idea, Lizzy, who this gentleman is? But now it comes out:

"'My motive for cautioning you is as follows. We have reason to imagine

that his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, does not look on the match with

a friendly eye.'

"_Mr. Darcy_, you see, is the man! Now, Lizzy, I think I _have_

surprised you. Could he, or the Lucases, have pitched on any man within

the circle of our acquaintance, whose name would have given the lie

more effectually to what they related? Mr. Darcy, who never looks at any

woman but to see a blemish, and who probably never looked at you in his

life! It is admirable!"

Elizabeth tried to join in her father's pleasantry, but could only force

one most reluctant smile. Never had his wit been directed in a manner so

little agreeable to her.

"Are you not diverted?"

"Oh! yes. Pray read on."

"'After mentioning the likelihood of this marriage to her ladyship last

night, she immediately, with her usual condescension, expressed what she

felt on the occasion; when it became apparent, that on the score of some

family objections on the part of my cousin, she would never give her

consent to what she termed so disgraceful a match. I thought it my duty

to give the speediest intelligence of this to my cousin, that she and

her noble admirer may be aware of what they are about, and not run

hastily into a marriage which has not been properly sanctioned.' Mr.

Collins moreover adds, 'I am truly rejoiced that my cousin Lydia's sad

business has been so well hushed up, and am only concerned that their

living together before the marriage took place should be so generally

known. I must not, however, neglect the duties of my station, or refrain

from declaring my amazement at hearing that you received the young

couple into your house as soon as they were married. It was an

encouragement of vice; and had I been the rector of Longbourn, I should

very strenuously have opposed it. You ought certainly to forgive them,

as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their

names to be mentioned in your hearing.' That is his notion of Christian

forgiveness! The rest of his letter is only about his dear Charlotte's

situation, and his expectation of a young olive-branch. But, Lizzy, you

look as if you did not enjoy it. You are not going to be _missish_,

I hope, and pretend to be affronted at an idle report. For what do we

live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our

turn?"

"Oh!" cried Elizabeth, "I am excessively diverted. But it is so

strange!"

"Yes--_that_ is what makes it amusing. Had they fixed on any other man

it would have been nothing; but _his_ perfect indifference, and _your_

pointed dislike, make it so delightfully absurd! Much as I abominate

writing, I would not give up Mr. Collins's correspondence for any

consideration. Nay, when I read a letter of his, I cannot help giving

him the preference even over Wickham, much as I value the impudence and

hypocrisy of my son-in-law. And pray, Lizzy, what said Lady Catherine

about this report? Did she call to refuse her consent?"

To this question his daughter replied only with a laugh; and as it had

been asked without the least suspicion, she was not distressed by

his repeating it. Elizabeth had never been more at a loss to make her

feelings appear what they were not. It was necessary to laugh, when she

would rather have cried. Her father had most cruelly mortified her, by

what he said of Mr. Darcy's indifference, and she could do nothing but

wonder at such a want of penetration, or fear that perhaps, instead of

his seeing too little, she might have fancied too much.