Chapter 37

by Jane Austen

　　The two gentlemen left Rosings the next morning, and Mr.Collins having been in waiting near the lodges, to make them hisparting obeisance, was able to bring home the pleasingintelligence, of their appearing in very good health, and in astolerable spirits as could be expected, after the melancholy sceneso lately gone through at Rosings. To Rosings he then hastened,to console Lady Catherine and her daughter; and on his returnbrought back, with great satisfaction, a message from herladyship, importing that she felt herself so dull as to make hervery desirous of having them all to dine with her.Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting that,had she chosen it, she might by this time have been presented toher as her future niece; nor could she think, without a smile, ofwhat her ladyship's indignation would have been. "What wouldshe have said? how would she have behaved?" were questionswith which she amused herself.Their first subject was the diminution of the Rosings party. "Iassure you, I feel it exceedingly," said Lady Catherine; "I believeno one feels the loss of friends so much as I do. But I amparticularly attached to these young men, and know them to beso much attached to me! They were excessively sorry to go!But so they always are. The dear Colonel rallied his spiritstolerably till just at last; but Darcy seemed to feel it most acutely,more, I think, than last year. His attachment to Rosingscertainly increases."Mr. Collins had a compliment, and an allusion to throw in here,which were kindly smiled on by the mother and daughter.Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemedout of spirits. And immediately accounting for it by herself, bysupposing that she did not like to go home again so soon, sheadded:"But if that is the case, you must write to your mother and begthat you may stay a little longer. Mrs. Collins will be very gladof your company, I am sure.""I am much obliged to your ladyship for your kind invitation,"replied Elizabeth, "but it is not in my power to accept it. I mustbe in town next Saturday.""Why, at that rate, you will have been here only six weeks. Iexpected you to stay two months. I told Mrs. Collins so beforeyou came. There can be no occasion for your going so soon.Mrs. Bennet could certainly spare you for another fortnight.""But my father cannot. He wrote last week to hurry my return.""Oh! your father of course may spare you, if your mother can.Daughters are never of so much consequence to a father. And ifyou will stay another month complete, it will be in my powerto take one of you as far as London, for I am going there early inJune, for a week; and as Dawson does not object to thebarouche-box, there will be very good room for one of you--and indeed, if the weather should happen to be cool, I should notobject to taking you both, as you are neither of you large.""You are all kindness, madam; but I believe we must abide byour original plan."Lady Catherine seemed resigned. "Mrs. Collins, you must senda servant with them. You know I always speak my mind, and Icannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post bythemselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to sendsomebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort ofthing. Young women should always be properly guarded andattended, according to their situation in life. When my nieceGeorgiana went to Ramsgate last summer, I made a point of herhaving two men-servants go with her. Miss Darcy, the daughterof Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, and Lady Anne, could not haveappeared with propriety in a different manner. I am excessivelyattentive to all those things. You must send John with the youngladies, Mrs. Collins. I am glad it occurred to me to mention it;for it would really be discreditable to you to let them goalone.""My uncle is to send a servant for us.""Oh! Your uncle! He keeps a man-servant, does he? I am veryglad you have somebody who thinks of these things. Whereshall you change horses? Oh! Bromley, of course. If youmention my name at the Bell, you will be attended to."Lady Catherine had many other questions to ask respecting theirjourney, and as she did not answer them all herself, attention wasnecessary, which Elizabeth believed to be lucky for her; or, witha mind so occupied, she might have forgotten where she was.Reflection must be reserved for solitary hours; whenever shewas alone, she gave way to it as the greatest relief; and not a daywent by without a solitary walk, in which she might indulge in allthe delight of unpleasant recollections.Mr. Darcy's letter she was in a fair way of soon knowing byheart. She studied every sentence; and her feelings towards itswriter were at times widely different. When she remembered thestyle of his address, she was still full of indignation; but when sheconsidered how unjustly she had condemned and upbraided him,her anger was turned against herself; and his disappointedfeelings became the object of compassion. His attachmentexcited gratitude, his general character respect; but she couldnot approve him; nor could she for a moment repent her refusal,or feel the slightest inclination ever to see him again. In herown past behaviour, there was a constant source of vexationand regret; and in the unhappy defects of her family, a constantsource of vexation and regret; and in the unhappy defects of herfamily, a subject of yet heavier chagrin. They were hopeless ofremedy. Her father, contented with laughing at them, wouldnever exert himself to restrain the wild giddiness of his youngestdaughters; and her mother, with manners so far from rightherself, was entirely insensible of the evil. Elizabeth hadfrequently united with Jane in an endeavour to check theimprudence of Catherine and Lydia; but while they weresupported by their mother's indulgence, what chance could therebe of improvement? Catherine, weak-spirited, irritable, andcompletely under Lydia's guidance, had been always affrontedby their advice; and Lydia, self-willed and careless, wouldscarcely give them a hearing. They were ignorant, idle, and vain.While there was an officer in Meryton, they would flirt with him;and while Meryton was within a walk of Longbourn, they wouldbe going there forever.Anxiety on Jane's behalf was another prevailing concern; andMr. Darcy's explanation, by restoring Bingley to all her formergood opinion, heightened the sense of what Jane had lost. Hisaffection was proved to have been sincere, and his conductcleared of all blame, unless any could attach to the implicitnessof his confidence in his friend. How grievous then was thethought that, of a situation so desirable in every respect, soreplete with advantage, so promising for happiness, Jane hadbeen deprived, by the folly and indecorum of her own family!Their engagements at Rosings were as frequent during the lastweek of her stay as they had been at first. The very last eveningwas spent there; and her ladyship again inquired minutely intothe particulars of their journey, gave them directions as to thebest method of packing, and was so urgent on the necessity ofplacing gowns in the only right way, that Maria thought herselfobliged, on her return, to undo all the work of the morning, andpack her trunk afresh.When they parted, Lady Catherine, with great condescension,wished them a good journey, and invited them to come toHunsford again next year; and Miss de Bourgh exerted herself sofar as to curtsey and hold out her hand to both.