Chương Chương 15 · 第15章

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had

been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of

his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and

miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he

had merely kept the necessary terms without forming at it any useful

acquaintance. The subjection in which his father had brought him up had

given him originally great humility of manner; but it was now a good

deal counteracted by the self-conceit of a weak head, living in

retirement, and the consequential feelings of early and unexpected

prosperity. A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de

Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he

felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness,

mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a

clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of

pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to

marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had

a wife in view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters, if he found

them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report.

This was his plan of amends--of atonement--for inheriting their father’s

estate; and he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and

suitableness, and excessively generous and disinterested on his own

part.

His plan did not vary on seeing them. Miss Bennet’s lovely face

confirmed his views, and established all his strictest notions of what

was due to seniority; and for the first evening _she_ was his settled

choice. The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a quarter

of an hour’s _tête-à-tête_ with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a

conversation beginning with his parsonage-house, and leading naturally

to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress for it might be found at

Longbourn, produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general

encouragement, a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on. “As to

her _younger_ daughters, she could not take upon her to say--she could

not positively answer--but she did not _know_ of any prepossession;--her

_eldest_ daughter she must just mention--she felt it incumbent on her to

hint, was likely to be very soon engaged.”

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth--and it was soon

done--done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally

next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have

two daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of

the day before, was now high in her good graces.

Lydia’s intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten: every sister

except Mary agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins was to attend them,

at the request of Mr. Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of him,

and have his library to himself; for thither Mr. Collins had followed

him after breakfast, and there he would continue, nominally engaged with

one of the largest folios in the collection, but really talking to Mr.

Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and garden at Hunsford. Such

doings discomposed Mr. Bennet exceedingly. In his library he had been

always sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though prepared, as he told

Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room in the

house, he was used to be free from them there: his civility, therefore,

was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join his daughters in their

walk; and Mr. Collins, being in fact much better fitted for a walker

than a reader, was extremely well pleased to close his large book, and

go.

In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his

cousins, their time passed till they entered Meryton. The attention of

the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by _him_. Their eyes

were immediately wandering up the street in quest of the officers, and

nothing less than a very smart bonnet, indeed, or a really new muslin in

a shop window, could recall them.

But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom

they had never seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance, walking

with an officer on the other side of the way. The officer was the very

Mr. Denny concerning whose return from London Lydia came to inquire, and

he bowed as they passed. All were struck with the stranger’s air, all

wondered who he could be; and Kitty and Lydia, determined if possible

to find out, led the way across the street, under pretence of wanting

something in an opposite shop, and fortunately had just 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, he was happy to say, had accepted a commission in

their corps. This was exactly as it should be; for the young man wanted

only regimentals to make him completely charming. His appearance was

greatly in his favour: he had all the best parts of beauty, a fine

countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address. The introduction

was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of conversation--a

readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming; and the

whole party were still standing and talking together very agreeably,

when the sound of horses drew their notice, and Darcy and Bingley were

seen riding down the street. On distinguishing the ladies of the group

the two gentlemen came directly towards them, and began the usual

civilities. Bingley was the principal spokesman, and Miss Bennet the

principal object. He was then, he said, on his way to Longbourn on

purpose to inquire after her. Mr. Darcy corroborated it with a bow, and

was beginning to determine not to fix his eyes on Elizabeth, when they

were suddenly arrested by the sight of the stranger; and Elizabeth

happening to see the countenance of both as they looked at each other,

was all astonishment at the effect of the meeting. Both changed colour,

one looked white, the other red. Mr. Wickham, after a few moments,

touched his hat--a salutation which Mr. Darcy just deigned to return.

What could be the meaning of it? It was impossible to imagine; it was

impossible not to long to know.

In another minute Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what

passed, took leave and rode on with his friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of

Mr. Philips’s house, and then made their bows, in spite of Miss Lydia’s

pressing entreaties that they would come in, and even in spite of Mrs.

Philips’s throwing up the parlour window, and loudly seconding the

invitation.

Mrs. Philips was always glad to see her nieces; and the two eldest, from

their recent absence, were particularly welcome; and she was eagerly

expressing her surprise at their sudden return home, which, as their own

carriage had not fetched them, she should have known nothing about, if

she had not happened to see Mr. Jones’s shopboy in the street, who had

told her that they were not to send any more draughts to Netherfield,

because the Miss Bennets were come away, when her civility was claimed

towards Mr. Collins by Jane’s introduction of him. She received him with

her very best politeness, which he returned with as much more,

apologizing for his intrusion, without any previous acquaintance with

her, which he could not help flattering himself, however, might be

justified by his relationship to the young ladies who introduced him to

her notice. Mrs. Philips was quite awed by such an excess of good

breeding; but her contemplation of one stranger was soon put an end to

by exclamations 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 a lieutenant’s

commission in the ----shire. She had been watching him the last hour,

she said, as he walked up and down the street,--and had Mr. Wickham

appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued the occupation;

but unluckily no one passed the windows now except a few of the

officers, who, in comparison with the stranger, were become “stupid,

disagreeable fellows.” Some of them were to dine with the Philipses the

next day, and their aunt promised to make her husband call on Mr.

Wickham, and give him an invitation also, if the family from Longbourn

would come in the evening. This was agreed to; and Mrs. Philips

protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery

tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such

delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr.

Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured,

with unwearying civility, that they were perfectly needless.

As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass

between the two gentlemen; but though Jane would have defended either or

both, had they appeared to be wrong, she could no more explain such

behaviour than her sister.

Mr. Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring Mrs.

Philips’s manners and politeness. He protested that, except Lady

Catherine and her daughter, he had never seen a more elegant woman; for

she had not only received him with the utmost civility, but had even

pointedly included him in her invitation for the next evening, although

utterly unknown to her before. Something, he supposed, might be

attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had never met with so

much attention in the whole course of his life.

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