The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and again during the
chief of the day was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins.
Elizabeth took an opportunity of thanking her. “It keeps him in good
humour,” said she, “and I am more obliged to you than I can express.”
Charlotte assured her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and that
it amply repaid her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was very
amiable, but Charlotte’s kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had any
conception of; its object was nothing else than to secure her from any
return of Mr. Collins’s addresses, by engaging them towards herself. Such
was Miss Lucas’s scheme; and appearances were so favourable, that when
they parted at night, she would have felt almost secure of success if he
had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very soon. But here she did
injustice to the fire and independence of his character, for it led him to
escape out of Longbourn House the next morning with admirable slyness, and
hasten to Lucas Lodge to throw himself at her feet. He was anxious to
avoid the notice of his cousins, from a conviction that if they saw him
depart, they could not fail to conjecture his design, and he was not
willing to have the attempt known till its success might be known
likewise; for though feeling almost secure, and with reason, for Charlotte
had been tolerably encouraging, he was comparatively diffident since the
adventure of Wednesday. His reception, however, was of the most flattering
kind. Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window as he walked towards
the house, and instantly set out to meet him accidentally in the lane. But
little had she dared to hope that so much love and eloquence awaited her
there.🔗
In as short a time as Mr. Collins’s long speeches would allow, everything
was settled between them to the satisfaction of both; and as they entered
the house he earnestly entreated her to name the day that was to make him
the happiest of men; and though such a solicitation must be waived for the
present, the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness. The
stupidity with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship
from any charm that could make a woman wish for its continuance; and Miss
Lucas, who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of
an establishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained.🔗
Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their consent; and
it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity. Mr. Collins’s present
circumstances made it a most eligible match for their daughter, to whom
they could give little fortune; and his prospects of future wealth were
exceedingly fair. Lady Lucas began directly to calculate, with more
interest than the matter had ever excited before, how many years longer
Mr. Bennet was likely to live; and Sir William gave it as his decided
opinion, that whenever Mr. Collins should be in possession of the
Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient that both he and his wife
should make their appearance at St. James’s. The whole family, in short,
were properly overjoyed on the occasion. The younger girls formed hopes of
coming out a year or two sooner than they might otherwise have
done; and the boys were relieved from their apprehension of Charlotte’s
dying an old maid. Charlotte herself was tolerably composed. She had
gained her point, and had time to consider of it. Her reflections were in
general satisfactory. Mr. Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor
agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her must be
imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking highly
either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it was
the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and
however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest
preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at the
age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all the
good luck of it. The least agreeable circumstance in the business was the
surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet, whose friendship she valued
beyond that of any other person. Elizabeth would wonder, and probably
would blame her; and though her resolution was not to be shaken, her
feelings must be hurt by such a disapprobation. She resolved to give her
the information herself, and therefore charged Mr. Collins, when he
returned to Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint of what had passed before
any of the family. A promise of secrecy was of course very dutifully
given, but it could not be kept without difficulty; for the curiosity
excited by his long absence burst forth in such very direct questions on
his return as required some ingenuity to evade, and he was at the same
time exercising great self-denial, for he was longing to publish his
prosperous love.🔗
As he was to begin his journey too early on the morrow to see any of the
family, the ceremony of leave-taking was performed when the ladies moved
for the night; and Mrs. Bennet, with great politeness and cordiality, said
how happy they should be to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his
engagements might allow him to visit them.🔗
“My dear madam,” he replied, “this invitation is particularly gratifying,
because it is what I have been hoping to receive; and you may be very
certain that I shall avail myself of it as soon as possible.”🔗
They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish for
so speedy a return, immediately said:🔗
“But is there not danger of Lady Catherine’s disapprobation here, my good
sir? You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of offending
your patroness.”🔗
“My dear sir,” replied Mr. Collins, “I am particularly obliged to you for
this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my not taking so material a
step without her ladyship’s concurrence.”🔗
“You cannot be too much upon your guard. Risk anything rather than her
displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us
again, which I should think exceedingly probable, stay quietly at home,
and be satisfied that we shall take no offence.”🔗
“Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly excited by such
affectionate attention; and depend upon it, you will speedily receive from
me a letter of thanks for this, and for every other mark of your regard
during my stay in Hertfordshire. As for my fair cousins, though my absence
may not be long enough to render it necessary, I shall now take the
liberty of wishing them health and happiness, not excepting my cousin
Elizabeth.”🔗
With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them equally
surprised that he meditated a quick return. Mrs. Bennet wished to
understand by it that he thought of paying his addresses to one of her
younger girls, and Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him. She
rated his abilities much higher than any of the others; there was a
solidity in his reflections which often struck her, and though by no means
so clever as herself, she thought that if encouraged to read and improve
himself by such an example as hers, he might become a very agreeable
companion. But on the following morning, every hope of this kind was done
away. Miss Lucas called soon after breakfast, and in a private conference
with Elizabeth related the event of the day before.🔗
The possibility of Mr. Collins’s fancying himself in love with her friend
had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that
Charlotte could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as she
could encourage him herself, and her astonishment was consequently so
great as to overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not
help crying out:🔗
“Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte—impossible!”🔗
The steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded in telling her
story, gave way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct a
reproach; though, as it was no more than she expected, she soon regained
her composure, and calmly replied:🔗
“Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza? Do you think it incredible
that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any woman’s good opinion,
because he was not so happy as to succeed with you?”🔗
But Elizabeth had now recollected herself, and making a strong effort for
it, was able to assure with tolerable firmness that the prospect of their
relationship was highly grateful to her, and that she wished her all
imaginable happiness.🔗
“I see what you are feeling,” replied Charlotte. “You must be surprised,
very much surprised—so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry
you. But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be
satisfied with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was.
I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins’s character,
connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of
happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the
marriage state.”🔗
Elizabeth quietly answered “Undoubtedly;” and after an awkward pause, they
returned to the rest of the family. Charlotte did not stay much longer,
and Elizabeth was then left to reflect on what she had heard. It was a
long time before she became at all reconciled to the idea of so unsuitable
a match. The strangeness of Mr. Collins’s making two offers of marriage
within three days was nothing in comparison of his being now accepted. She
had always felt that Charlotte’s opinion of matrimony was not exactly like
her own, but she had not supposed it to be possible that, when called into
action, she would have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly
advantage. Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins was a most humiliating
picture! And to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her
esteem, was added the distressing conviction that it was impossible for
that friend to be tolerably happy in the lot she had chosen.🔗