Sir William stayed only a week at Hunsford, but his visit was long enough
to convince him of his daughter’s being most comfortably settled, and of
her possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often met
with. While Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his morning to
driving him out in his gig, and showing him the country; but when he went
away, the whole family returned to their usual employments, and Elizabeth
was thankful to find that they did not see more of her cousin by the
alteration, for the chief of the time between breakfast and dinner was now
passed by him either at work in the garden or in reading and writing, and
looking out of the window in his own book-room, which fronted the road.
The room in which the ladies sat was backwards. Elizabeth had at first
rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining-parlour for
common use; it was a better sized room, and had a more pleasant aspect;
but she soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did,
for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own
apartment, had they sat in one equally lively; and she gave Charlotte
credit for the arrangement.🔗
From the drawing-room they could distinguish nothing in the lane, and were
indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of what carriages went along,
and how often especially Miss de Bourgh drove by in her phaeton, which he
never failed coming to inform them of, though it happened almost every
day. She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few minutes’
conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed upon to get
out.🔗
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings, and not
many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise; and till
Elizabeth recollected that there might be other family livings to be
disposed of, she could not understand the sacrifice of so many hours. Now
and then they were honoured with a call from her ladyship, and nothing
escaped her observation that was passing in the room during these visits.
She examined into their employments, looked at their work, and advised
them to do it differently; found fault with the arrangement of the
furniture; or detected the housemaid in negligence; and if she accepted
any refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of finding out that
Mrs. Collins’s joints of meat were too large for her family.🔗
Elizabeth soon perceived, that though this great lady was not in the
commission of the peace of the county, she was a most active magistrate
in her own parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by
Mr. Collins; and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be
quarrelsome, discontented, or too poor, she sallied forth into the
village to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scold
them into harmony and plenty.🔗
The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week;
and, allowing for the loss of Sir William, and there being only one
card-table in the evening, every such entertainment was the counterpart of
the first. Their other engagements were few, as the style of living in the
neighbourhood in general was beyond Mr. Collins’s reach. This, however,
was no evil to Elizabeth, and upon the whole she spent her time
comfortably enough; there were half-hours of pleasant conversation with
Charlotte, and the weather was so fine for the time of year that she had
often great enjoyment out of doors. Her favourite walk, and where she
frequently went while the others were calling on Lady Catherine, was along
the open grove which edged that side of the park, where there was a nice
sheltered path, which no one seemed to value but herself, and where she
felt beyond the reach of Lady Catherine’s curiosity.🔗
In this quiet way, the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away.
Easter was approaching, and the week preceding it was to bring an addition
to the family at Rosings, which in so small a circle must be important.
Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival that Mr. Darcy was expected
there in the course of a few weeks, and though there were not many of her
acquaintances whom she did not prefer, his coming would furnish one
comparatively new to look at in their Rosings parties, and she might be
amused in seeing how hopeless Miss Bingley’s designs on him were, by his
behaviour to his cousin, for whom he was evidently destined by Lady
Catherine, who talked of his coming with the greatest satisfaction, spoke
of him in terms of the highest admiration, and seemed almost angry to find
that he had already been frequently seen by Miss Lucas and herself.🔗
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage; for Mr. Collins was walking
the whole morning within view of the lodges opening into Hunsford Lane, in
order to have the earliest assurance of it, and after making his bow as
the carriage turned into the Park, hurried home with the great
intelligence. On the following morning he hastened to Rosings to pay his
respects. There were two nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, for
Mr. Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of
his uncle Lord ——, and, to the great surprise of all the
party, when Mr. Collins returned, the gentlemen accompanied him. Charlotte
had seen them from her husband’s room, crossing the road, and immediately
running into the other, told the girls what an honour they might expect,
adding:🔗
“I may thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility. Mr. Darcy would never
have come so soon to wait upon me.”🔗
Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to the compliment,
before their approach was announced by the door-bell, and shortly
afterwards the three gentlemen entered the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam, who
led the way, was about thirty, not handsome, but in person and address
most truly the gentleman. Mr. Darcy looked just as he had been used to
look in Hertfordshire—paid his compliments, with his usual reserve,
to Mrs. Collins, and whatever might be his feelings toward her friend, met
her with every appearance of composure. Elizabeth merely curtseyed to him
without saying a word.🔗
Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness
and ease of a well-bred man, and talked very pleasantly; but his cousin,
after having addressed a slight observation on the house and garden to
Mrs. Collins, sat for some time without speaking to anybody. At length,
however, his civility was so far awakened as to enquire of Elizabeth after
the health of her family. She answered him in the usual way, and after a
moment’s pause, added:🔗
“My eldest sister has been in town these three months. Have you never
happened to see her there?”🔗
She was perfectly sensible that he never had; but she wished to see
whether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the
Bingleys and Jane, and she thought he looked a little confused as he
answered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet. The
subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards went
away.🔗