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Elizabeth’s northern tour was a constant source of delight. When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, every eye was in search of the Parsonage.
Finally the Parsonage was seen. Mr. Collins and Charlotte appeared at the door, and the carriage stopped at the small gate. Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliest pleasure, and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming when she found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that her cousin’s manners were not altered by his marriage.
Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; he wished to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him. When Mr. Collins said anything of which his wife might be ashamed, which certainly was very often, she involuntarily turned her eye on Charlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in general Charlotte wisely did not hear.
Mr. Collins invited his guests to take a walk in the garden, which was very large. To work in this garden was one of his most respectable pleasures. His house was a handsome modern building, well situated on rising ground.
From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round his two meadows; but the ladies, not having comfortable shoes, turned back; and while Sir William accompanied him, Charlotte took her sister and friend over the house, to have the opportunity of showing it without her husband’s help. It was rather small, but well built and convenient; and everything was fitted up and arranged with a neatness and consistency.
She had already learnt that Lady Catherine was still in the country. They spoken about her while they were at dinner, when Mr. Collins observed:
“Yes, Miss Elizabeth, you will have the honour of seeing Lady Catherine de Bourgh on Sunday at church, and I need not say you will be delighted with her. We dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed to walk home. Her ladyship’s carriage is regularly ordered for us. I should say, one of her ladyship’s carriages, for she has several.”
“Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed,” added Charlotte, “and a most attentive neighbour.”
“Very true, my dear, that is exactly what I say.”
About the middle of the next day, as she was in her room getting ready for a walk, Elizabeth heard somebody running up stairs in a violent hurry, and calling loudly after her. She opened the door and met Maria, who, breathless with agitation, cried out —
“Oh, my dear Eliza! make haste and come into the dining-room! I will not tell you what it is. Make haste, and come down this moment.”
Elizabeth asked questions in vain; Maria would tell her nothing more, and down they ran into the dining-room. It was two ladies stopping in a low phaeton at the garden gate.
“And is this all?” cried Elizabeth. “I expected at least that the pigs were got into the garden, and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and her daughter.”
“My dear,” said Maria, quite shocked at the mistake, “it is not Lady Catherine. The old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson, who lives with them; the other is Miss de Bourgh. Only look at her. She is quite a little creature. Who would have thought that she could be so thin and small?”
“Why does she not come in?”
“Oh, Charlotte says she hardly ever does. It is the greatest of favours when Miss de Bourgh comes in.”
“I like her appearance,” said Elizabeth. “She looks sickly and cross. Yes, she will make him a very proper wife.”
There was nothing more to be said; the ladies drove on, and the others returned into the house.
Mr. Collins’s triumph, in consequence of this invitation, was complete. The power of showing the grandeur of his patroness to his visitors was exactly what he had wished for.
Scarcely anything was talked of the whole day or next morning but their visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully instructing them in what they were to expect: the sight of such rooms, so many servants, and so splendid a dinner.
He said to Elizabeth —
“Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your dress. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you for being simply dressed.”
As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mile across the park. Every park has its beauty; and Elizabeth saw much to be pleased with.
From the entrance-hall they followed the servants to the room where Lady Catherine, her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting. Her ladyship, with great condescension, arose to receive them.
Elizabeth could see the three ladies before her. Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome.
When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance she soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on the daughter. She was very thin and small. There was neither in figure nor face any likeness between the ladies. Miss de Bourgh was pale and sickly; her features were insignificant; and she spoke very little.
The party did not supply much conversation. Elizabeth was ready to speak whenever there was an opening, but she was seated between Charlotte and Miss de Bourgh – the former of whom was engaged in listening to Lady Catherine. Mrs. Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how little Miss de Bourgh ate, pressing her to try some other dish. The gentlemen did nothing but eat and admire.
When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to be done but to hear Lady Catherine talk.
“Do you play and sing, Miss Bennet?”
“A little.”
“Oh! then – some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Our instrument is a capital one. You shall try it some day. Do your sisters play and sing?”
“One of them does.”
“Why did not you all learn? Do you draw?”
“No, not at all.”
“What, none of you?”
“Not one.”
“That is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity.”
“We never had any governess.”
“No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at home without a governess! I never heard of such a thing. Then, who taught you? who attended to you?”
“We were always encouraged to read, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to be idle, certainly might.”
When the gentlemen had joined them, and tea was over, the card-tables were placed. Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins sat down to quadrille.
Sir William stayed a week at Hunsford. The room in which the ladies sat was backwards. From the drawing-room they could distinguish nothing in the lane.
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings. Elizabeth soon perceived, that though the great lady was not in commission of the peace of the county, she was a most active magistrate in her own parish.
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. 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.
In this quiet way, the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away. Easter was approaching. Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival that Mr. Darcy was expected there in the course of a few weeks. Lady Catherine talked of his coming with the greatest satisfaction, spoke of him in terms of the highest admiration.
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage. On the following morning Mr. Collins 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. Charlotte had seen them from her husband’s room, crossing the road.
Colonel Fitzwilliam 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, with his usual reserve. Elizabeth after a moment’s pause, said:
“My eldest sister has been in town these three months. Have you seen her there?”
She knew perfectly that Mr. Darcy never had, and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had not met Miss Bennet. The subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards went away.
For the last week they had seen very little of Lady Catherine or her daughter. Mr. Darcy they had seen only at church.
Some days passed before they were invited to the great Lady. The invitation was accepted of course, and at a proper hour they joined the party in Lady Catherine’s drawing-room.
Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed really glad to see them. He seated himself by Elizabeth, and talked so agreeably of new books and music, that Elizabeth had never been half so well entertained in that room before. They drew the attention of Lady Catherine herself, as well as of Mr. Darcy. His eyes had been soon and repeatedly turned towards them with a look of curiosity. Lady Catherine called out:
“What is that you are saying, Fitzwilliam? What is it you are talking of? What are you telling Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is.”
“We are speaking of music, madam,” said he, when no longer able to avoid a reply.
“Of music! Then please speak aloud. I must have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient. And so would Anne, if her health had allowed her to apply. I have told Miss Bennet several times, that she will never play really well unless she practises more; and though Mrs. Collins has no instrument, she is very welcome, as I have often told her, to come to Rosings every day, and play on the pianoforte in Mrs. Jenkinson’s room. She would be in nobody’s way, you know, in that part of the house.”
When coffee was over, Colonel Fitzwilliam reminded Elizabeth of her promising to play to him; and she sat down directly to the instrument. He drew a chair near her. Lady Catherine listened to half a song, and then talked, as before, to her other nephew; till the latter walked away from her, and making with his usual deliberation towards the pianoforte stationed himself. Elizabeth saw what he was doing, and at the first convenient pause, turned to him with a smile, and said:
“You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming to hear me?”
“I shall not say you are mistaken,” he replied, “I know that you find great enjoyment in professing opinions which in fact are not your own.”
Elizabeth laughed heartily, and said to Colonel Fitzwilliam, “Your cousin will teach you not to believe a word I say. I am particularly unlucky in meeting with a person so able to expose my real character.”
“I am not afraid of you,” said he. “I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with people I have never seen before.”
Lady Catherine approached, and, after listening for a few minutes, said to Darcy:
“Miss Bennet would play better if she practised more. She has a very good notion of fingering, though her taste is not equal to Anne’s. Anne would have been a delightful performer, if her health allowed her to learn.”
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