Chapter 15

by Jane Austen

　　Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of naturehad been but little assisted by education or society; the greatestpart of his life having been spent under the guidance of anilliterate and miserly father; and though he belonged to one ofthe universities, he had merely kept the necessary terms, withoutforming at it any useful acquaintance. The subjection in whichhis father had brought him up had given him originally greathumility of manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted bythe self-conceit of a weak head, living in retirement, and theconsequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity. Afortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine deBourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respectwhich he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as hispatroness, mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of hisauthority as a clergyman, and his right as a rector, made himaltogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness,self-importance and humility.Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, heintended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with theLongbourn family he had a wife in view, as he meant to chooseone of the daughters, if he found them as handsome and amiableas they were represented by common report. This was his planoff amends-- of atonement-- for inheriting their father's estate;and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility andsuitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on hisown part.His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet's lovely faceconfirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions ofwhat was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was hissettled choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration;for in a quarter of an hour's tete-a-tete with Mrs. Bennet beforebreakfast, a conversation beginning with his parsonage-house,and leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistressmight be found for it at Longbourn, produced from her, amidvery complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a cautionagainst the very Jane he had fixed on. "As to her youngerdaughters, she could not take upon her to say-- she could notpositively answer-- but she did not know of any prepossession;her eldest daughter, she must just mention-- she felt itincumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth-- and itwas soon done-- done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire.Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeededher of course.Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she mightsoon have two daughters married; and the man whom she couldnot bear to speak of the day before was now high in her goodgraces.Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten;every sister except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collinswas to attend them, at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was mostanxious to get rid of him, and have his library to himself; forthither Mr. Collins had followed him after breakfast; and there hewould continue, nominally engaged with one of the largest foliosin the collection, but really talking to Mr. Bennet, with littlecessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such doingsdiscomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he had beenalways sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though prepared, ashe told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every otherroom of the house, he was used to be free from them there; hiscivility, therefore, was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins tojoin his daughters in their walk; and Mr. Collins, being in factmuch better fitted for a walker than a reader, was extremelypleased to close his large book, and go.In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of hiscousins, their time passed till they entered Meryton. Theattention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained byhim. Their eyes were immediately wandering up in the street inquest of the officers, and nothing less than a very smart bonnetindeed, or a really new muslin in a shop window, could recallthem.But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man,whom they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlikeappearance, walking with another officer on the other side of theway. The officer was the very Mr. Denny concerning whosereturn from London Lydia came to inquire, and he bowed asthey passed. All were struck with the stranger's air, allwondered who he could be; and Kitty and Lydia, determined ifpossible to find out, led the way across the street, under pretenseof wanting something in an opposite shop, and fortunately hadjust gained the pavement when the two gentlemen, turning back,had reached the same spot. Mr. Denny addressed them directly,and entreated permission to introduce his friend, Mr. Wickham,who had returned with him the day before from town, and hewas happy to say had accepted a commission in their corps.This was exactly as it should be; for the young man wanted onlyregimentals to make him completely charming. His appearancewas greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, afine countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address. Theintroduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness ofconversation-- a readiness at the same time perfectly correct andunassuming; and the whole party were still standing and talkingtogether very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew theirnotice, and Darcy and Bingley were seen riding down the street.On distinguishing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemencame directly towards them, and began the usual civilities.Bingley was the principal spokesman, and Miss Bennet theprincipal object. He was then, he said, on his way to Longbournon purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy corroborated it witha bow, an was beginning to determine not to fix his eyes onElizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of thestranger, and Elizabeth happening to see the countenance ofboth as they looked at each other, was all astonishment at theeffect of the meeting. Both changed colour, one looked white,the other red. Mr. Wickham, after a few moments, touched hishat-- a salutation which Mr. Darcy just deigned to return. Whatcould be the meaning of it? It was impossible to imagine; it wasimpossible not to long to know.In another minute, Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to havenoticed what passed, took leave and rode on with his friend.Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies tothe door of Mr. Phillip's house, and then made their bows, inspite of Miss Lydia's pressing entreaties that they should comein, and even in spite of Mrs. Phillips throwing up the parlourwindow and loudly seconding the invitation.Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces; and the twoeldest, from their recent absence, were particularly welcome, andshe was eagerly expressing her surprise at their sudden returnhome, which, as their own carriage had not fetched them, sheshould have known nothing about, if she had not happened tosee Mr. Jones's shop-boy in the street, who had told her thatthey were not to send any more draughts to Netherfield becausethe Miss Bennets were come away, when her civility wasclaimed towards Mr. Collins by Jane's introduction of him. Shereceived him with her very best politeness, which he returnedwith as much more, apologising for his intrusion, without anyprevious acquaintance with her, which he could not helpflattering himself, however, might be justified by his relationshipto the young ladies who introduced him to her notice. Mrs.Phillips was quite awed by such an excess of good breeding; buther contemplation of one stranger was soon put to an end byexclamations and inquiries about the other; of whom, however,she could only tell her nieces what they already knew, that Mr.Denny had brought him from London, and that he was to have alieutenant's commission in the ----shire. She had been watchinghim the last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the street,and had Mr. Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainlyhave continued the occupation, but unluckily no one passedwindows now except a few of the officers, who, in comparisonwith the stranger, were become "stupid, disagreeable fellows."Some of them were to dine with the Phillipses the next day, andtheir aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr. Wickham,and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbournwould come in the evening. This was agreed to, and Mrs.Phillips protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisygame of lottery tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards.The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they partedin mutual good spirits. Mr. Collins repeated his apologies inquitting the room, and was assured with unwearying civility thatthey were perfectly needless.As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she hadseen pass between the two gentlemen; but though Jane wouldhave defended either or both, had they appeared to be in thewrong, she could no more explain such behaviour than her sister.Mr. Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs. Bennet byadmiring Mrs. Phillips's manners and politeness. He protestedthat, except Lady Catherine and her daughter, he had never seena more elegant woman; for she had not only received him withthe utmost civility, but even pointedly included him in herinvitation for the next evening, although utterly unknown to herbefore. Something, he supposed, might be attributed to hisconnection with them, but yet he had never met with so muchattention in the whole course of his life.