Chapter 38

by Jane Austen

　　On Saturday morning Elizabeth and Mr. Collins met forbreakfast a few minutes before the others appeared; and he tookthe opportunity of paying the parting civilities which he deemedindispensably necessary."I know not, Miss Elizabeth," said he, "whether Mrs. Collins hasyet expressed her sense of your kindness in coming to us; but Iam very certain you will not leave the house without receivingher thanks for it. The favor of your company has been muchfelt, I assure you. We know how little there is to tempt any oneto our humble abode. Our plain manner of living, our smallrooms and few domestics, and the little we see of the world,must make Hunsford extremely dull to a young lady likeyourself; but I hope you will believe us grateful for thecondescension, and that we have done everything in our powerto prevent your spending your time unpleasantly."Elizabeth was eager with her thanks and assurances ofhappiness. She had spent six weeks with great enjoyment; andthe pleasure of being with Charlotte, and the kind attentions shehad received, must make her feel the obliged. Mr. Collins wasgratified, and with a more smiling solemnity replied:"It gives me great pleasure to hear that you have passed yourtime not disagreeably. We have certainly done our best; andmost fortunately having it in our power to introduce you to verysuperior society, and, from our connection with Rosings, thefrequent means of varying the humble home scene, I think wemay flatter ourselves that your Hunsford visit cannot have beenentirely irksome. Our situation with regard to Lady Catherine'sfamily is indeed the sort of extraordinary advantage and blessingwhich few can boast. You see on what a footing we are. Yousee how continually we are engaged there. In truth I mustacknowledge that, with all the disadvantages of this humbleparsonage, I should not think anyone abiding in it an object ofcompassion, while they are sharers of our intimacy at Rosings."Words were insufficient for the elevation of his feelings; and hewas obliged to walk about the room, while Elizabeth tried tounite civility and truth in a few short sentences."You may, in fact, carry a very favourable report of us intoHertfordshire, my dear cousin. I flatter myself at least that youwill be able to do so. Lady Catherine's great attentions to Mrs.Collins you have been a daily witness of; and altogether I trust itdoes not appear that your friend has drawn an unfortunate----But on this point it will be as well to be silent. Only let meassure you, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that I can from my heartmost cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage. My dearCharlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking.There is in everything a most remarkable resemblance ofcharacter and ideas between us. We seem to have been designedfor each other."Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness wherethat was the case, and with equal sincerity could add, that shefirmly believed and rejoiced in his domestic comforts. She wasnot sorry, however, to have the recital of them interrupted by thelady from whom they sprang. Poor Charlotte! it wasmelancholy to leave her to such society! But she had chosen itwith her eyes open; and though evidently regretting that hervisitors were to go, she did not seem to ask for compassion.Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and her poultry, andall their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their charms.At length the chaise arrived, the trunks were fastened on, theparcels placed within, and it was pronounced to be ready. Afteran affectionate parting between the friends, Elizabeth wasattended to the carriage by Mr. Collins, and as they walkeddown the garden he was commissioning her with his bestrespects to all her family, not forgetting his thanks for thekindness he had received at Longbourn in the winter, and hiscompliments to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, though unknown. Hethen handed her in, Maria followed, and the door was on thepoint of being closed, when he suddenly reminded them, withsome consternation, that they had hitherto forgotten to leave anymessage for the ladies at Rosings."But," he added, "you will of course wish to have your humblerespects delivered to them, with your grateful thanks for theirkindness to you while you have been here."Elizabeth made no objection; the door was then allowed to beshut, and the carriage drove off."Good gracious!" cried Maria, after a few minutes' silence, "itseems but a day or two since we first came! and yet how manythings have happened!""A great many indeed," said her companion with a sigh."We have dined nine times at Rosings, besides drinking tea theretwice! How much I shall have to tell!"Elizabeth added privately, "And how much I shall have toconceal!"Their journey was performed without much conversation, or anyalarm; and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford theyreached Mr. Gardiner's house, where they were to remain a fewdays.Jane looked well, and Elizabeth had little opportunity ofstudying her spirits, amidst the various engagements which thekindness of her aunt had reserved for them. But Jane was to gohome with her, and at Longbourn there would be leisure enoughfor observation.It was not without an effort, meanwhile, that she could waiteven for Longbourn, before she told her sister of Mr. Darcy'sproposals. To know that she had the power of revealing whatwould so exceedingly astonish Jane, and must, at the same time,so highly gratify whatever of her own vanity she had not yetbeen able to reason away, was such a temptation to openness asnothing could have conquered but the state of indecision inwhich she remained as to the extent of what she shouldcommunicate; and her fear, if she once entered on the subject, ofbeing hurried into repeating something of Bingley which mightonly grieve her sister further.