第 十九 章 · 第19章

The next day opened a new scene at Longbourn. Mr. Collins made his

declaration in form. Having resolved to do it without loss of time, as

his leave of absence extended only to the following Saturday, and having

no feelings of diffidence to make it distressing to himself even at the

moment, he set about it in a very orderly manner, with all the

observances which he supposed a regular part of the business. On finding

Mrs. Bennet, Elizabeth, and one of the younger girls together, soon

after breakfast, he addressed the mother in these words,--

“May I hope, madam, for your interest with your fair daughter Elizabeth,

when I solicit for the honour of a private audience with her in the

course of this morning?”

Before Elizabeth had time for anything but a blush of surprise, Mrs.

Bennet instantly answered,--

“Oh dear! Yes, certainly. I am sure Lizzy will be very happy--I am sure

she can have no objection. Come, Kitty, I want you upstairs.” And

gathering her work together, she was hastening away, when Elizabeth

called out,--

“Dear ma’am, do not go. I beg you will not go. Mr. Collins must excuse

me. He can have nothing to say to me that anybody need not hear. I am

going away myself.”

“No, no, nonsense, Lizzy. I desire you will stay where you are.” And

upon Elizabeth’s seeming really, with vexed and embarrassed looks, about

to escape, she added, “Lizzy, I _insist_ upon your staying and hearing

Mr. Collins.”

Elizabeth would not oppose such an injunction; and a moment’s

consideration making her also sensible that it would be wisest to get it

over as soon and as quietly as possible, she sat down again, and tried

to conceal, by incessant employment, the feelings which were divided

between distress and diversion. Mrs. Bennet and Kitty walked off, and as

soon as they were gone, Mr. Collins began,--

“Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from

doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You

would have been less amiable in my eyes had there _not_ been this little

unwillingness; but allow me to assure you that I have your respected

mother’s permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport

of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to

dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as

soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my

future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this

subject, perhaps it will be advisable for me to state my reasons for

marrying--and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design

of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.”

The idea of Mr. Collins, with all his solemn composure, being run away

with by his feelings, made Elizabeth so near laughing that she could not

use the short pause he allowed in any attempt to stop him farther, and

he continued,--

“My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for

every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example

of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced it will add

very greatly to my happiness; and, thirdly, which perhaps I ought to

have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and

recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling

patroness. Twice has she condescended to give me her opinion (unasked

too!) on this subject; and it was but the very Saturday night before I

left Hunsford,--between our pools at quadrille, while Mrs. Jenkinson was

arranging Miss De Bourgh’s footstool,--that she said, ‘Mr. Collins, you

must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a

gentlewoman for _my_ sake, and for your _own_; let her be an active,

useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small

income go a good way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as

you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will visit her.’ Allow me, by the

way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and

kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the

advantages in my power to offer. You will find her manners beyond

anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I think, must be

acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect

which her rank will inevitably excite. Thus much for my general

intention in favour of matrimony; it remains to be told why my views

were directed to Longbourn instead of my own neighbourhood, where I

assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is, that

being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured

father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy

myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that

the loss to them might be as little as possible when the melancholy

event takes place--which, however, as I have already said, may not be

for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I

flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing

remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the

violence of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and

shall make no demand of that nature on your father, since I am well

aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand pounds

in the 4 per cents., which will not be yours till after your mother’s

decease, is all that you may ever be entitled to. On that head,

therefore, I shall be uniformly silent: and you may assure yourself that

no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married.”

It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.

“You are too hasty, sir,” she cried. “You forget that I have made no

answer. Let me do it without further loss of time. Accept my thanks for

the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible of the honour of

your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than decline

them.”

“I am not now to learn,” replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the

hand, “that it is usual with young ladies to reject the addresses of the

man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he first applies for their

favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second or even a

third time. I am, therefore, by no means discouraged by what you have

just said, and shall hope to lead you to the altar ere long.”

“Upon my word, sir,” cried Elizabeth, “your hope is rather an

extraordinary one after my declaration. I do assure you that I am not

one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there are) who are so

daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second

time. I am perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make _me_

happy, and I am convinced that I am the last woman in the world who

would make _you_ so. Nay, were your friend Lady Catherine to know me, I

am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the

situation.”

“Were it certain that Lady Catherine would think so,” said Mr. Collins,

very gravely--“but I cannot imagine that her Ladyship would at all

disapprove of you. And you may be certain that when I have the honour of

seeing her again I shall speak in the highest terms of your modesty,

economy, and other amiable qualifications.”

“Indeed, Mr. Collins, all praise of me will be unnecessary. You must

give me leave to judge for myself, and pay me the compliment of

believing what I say. I wish you very happy and very rich, and by

refusing your hand, do all in my power to prevent your being otherwise.

In making me the offer, you must have satisfied the delicacy of your

feelings with regard to my family, and may take possession of Longbourn

estate whenever it falls, without any self-reproach. This matter may be

considered, therefore, as finally settled.” And rising as she thus

spoke, she would have quitted the room, had not Mr. Collins thus

addressed her,--

“When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on the subject, I

shall hope to receive a more favourable answer than you have now given

me; though I am far from accusing you of cruelty at present, because I

know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on the

first application, and, perhaps, you have even now said as much to

encourage my suit as would be consistent with the true delicacy of the

female character.”

“Really, Mr. Collins,” cried Elizabeth, with some warmth, “you puzzle me

exceedingly. If what I have hitherto said can appear to you in the form

of encouragement, I know not how to express my refusal in such a way as

may convince you of its being one.”

“You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your

refusal of my addresses are merely words of course. My reasons for

believing it are briefly these:--It does not appear to me that my hand

is unworthy of your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer

would be any other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my

connections with the family of De Bourgh, and my relationship to your

own, are circumstances highly in my favour; and you should take it into

further consideration that, in spite of your manifold attractions, it is

by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made you.

Your portion is unhappily so small, that it will in all likelihood undo

the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must,

therefore, conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I

shall choose to attribute it to your wish of increasing my love by

suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females.”

“I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind

of elegance which consists in tormenting a respectable man. I would

rather be paid the compliment of being believed sincere. I thank you

again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but

to accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect

forbid it. Can I speak plainer? Do not consider me now as an elegant

female intending to plague you, but as a rational creature speaking the

truth from her heart.”

“You are uniformly charming!” cried he, with an air of awkward

gallantry; “and I am persuaded that, when sanctioned by the express

authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will not fail of

being acceptable.”

To such perseverance in wilful self-deception Elizabeth would make no

reply, and immediately and in silence withdrew; determined, that if he

persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering

encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered

in such a manner as must be decisive, and whose behaviour at least could

not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female.

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