OnSaturdaymorningElizabethandMr.Collinsmetforbreakfastafewminutesbeforetheothersappeared;andhetooktheopportunityofpayingthepartingcivilitieswhichhedeemedindispensablynecessary.
“Iknownot,MissElizabeth,”saidhe,“whetherMrs.Collinshasyetexpressedhersenseofyourkindnessincomingtous;butIamverycertainyouwillnotleavethehousewithoutreceivingherthanksforit.Thefavorofyourcompanyhasbeenmuchfelt,Iassureyou.Weknowhowlittlethereistotemptanyonetoourhumbleabode.Ourplainmannerofliving,oursmallroomsandfewdomestics,andthelittleweseeoftheworld,mustmakeHunsfordextremelydulltoayoungladylikeyourself;butIhopeyouwillbelieveusgratefulforthecondescension,andthatwehavedoneeverythinginourpowertopreventyourspendingyourtimeunpleasantly.”
Elizabethwaseagerwithherthanksandassurancesofhappiness.Shehadspentsixweekswithgreatenjoyment;andthepleasureofbeingwithCharlotte,andthekindattentionsshehadreceived,mustmakeherfeeltheobliged.Mr.Collinswasgratified,andwithamoresmilingsolemnityreplied:
“Itgivesmegreatpleasuretohearthatyouhavepassedyourtimenotdisagreeably.Wehavecertainlydoneourbest;andmostfortunatelyhavingitinourpowertointroduceyoutoverysuperiorsociety,and,fromourconnectionwithRosings,thefrequentmeansofvaryingthehumblehomescene,IthinkwemayflatterourselvesthatyourHunsfordvisitcannothavebeenentirelyirksome.OursituationwithregardtoLadyCatherinesfamilyisindeedthesortofextraordinaryadvantageandblessingwhichfewcanboast.Youseeonwhatafootingweare.Youseehowcontinuallyweareengagedthere.IntruthImustacknowledgethat,withallthedisadvantagesofthishumbleparsonage,Ishouldnotthinkanyoneabidinginitanobjectofcompassion,whiletheyaresharersofourintimacyatRosings.”
Wordswereinsufficientfortheelevationofhisfeelings;andhewasobligedtowalkabouttheroom,whileElizabethtriedtounitecivilityandtruthinafewshortsentences.
“Youmay,infact,carryaveryfavourablereportofusintoHertfordshire,mydearcousin.Iflattermyselfatleastthatyouwillbeabletodoso.LadyCatherinesgreatattentionstoMrs.Collinsyouhavebeenadailywitnessof;andaltogetherItrustitdoesnotappearthatyourfriendhasdrawnanunfortunate—butonthispointitwillbeaswelltobesilent.Onlyletmeassureyou,mydearMissElizabeth,thatIcanfrommyheartmostcordiallywishyouequalfelicityinmarriage.MydearCharlotteandIhavebutonemindandonewayofthinking.Thereisineverythingamostremarkableresemblanceofcharacterandideasbetweenus.Weseemtohavebeendesignedforeachother.”
Elizabethcouldsafelysaythatitwasagreathappinesswherethatwasthecase,andwithequalsinceritycouldadd,thatshefirmlybelievedandrejoicedinhisdomesticcomforts.Shewasnotsorry,however,tohavetherecitaloftheminterruptedbytheladyfromwhomtheysprang.PoorCharlotte!itwasmelancholytoleavehertosuchsociety!Butshehadchosenitwithhereyesopen;andthoughevidentlyregrettingthathervisitorsweretogo,shedidnotseemtoaskforcompassion.Herhomeandherhousekeeping,herparishandherpoultry,andalltheirdependentconcerns,hadnotyetlosttheircharms.
Atlengththechaisearrived,thetrunkswerefastenedon,theparcelsplacedwithin,anditwaspronouncedtobeready.Afteranaffectionatepartingbetweenthefriends,ElizabethwasattendedtothecarriagebyMr.Collins,andastheywalkeddownthegardenhewascommissioningherwithhisbestrespectstoallherfamily,notforgettinghisthanksforthekindnesshehadreceivedatLongbourninthewinter,andhiscomplimentstoMr.andMrs.Gardiner,thoughunknown.Hethenhandedherin,Mariafollowed,andthedoorwasonthepointofbeingclosed,whenhesuddenlyremindedthem,withsomeconsternation,thattheyhadhithertoforgottentoleaveanymessagefortheladiesatRosings.
“But,”headded,“youwillofcoursewishtohaveyourhumblerespectsdeliveredtothem,withyourgratefulthanksfortheirkindnesstoyouwhileyouhavebeenhere.”
Elizabethmadenoobjection;thedoorwasthenallowedtobeshut,andthecarriagedroveoff.
“Goodgracious!”criedMaria,afterafewminutessilence,“itseemsbutadayortwosincewefirstcame!andyethowmanythingshavehappened!”
“Agreatmanyindeed,”saidhercompanionwithasigh.
“WehavedinedninetimesatRosings,besidesdrinkingteatheretwice!HowmuchIshallhavetotell!”
Elizabethaddedprivately,“AndhowmuchIshallhavetoconceal!”
Theirjourneywasperformedwithoutmuchconversation,oranyalarm;andwithinfourhoursoftheirleavingHunsfordtheyreachedMr.Gardinershouse,wheretheyweretoremainafewdays.
Janelookedwell,andElizabethhadlittleopportunityofstudyingherspirits,amidstthevariousengagementswhichthekindnessofheraunthadreservedfortheButJanewastogohomewithher,andatLongbourntherewouldbeleisureenoughforobservation.
Itwasnotwithoutaneffort,meanwhile,thatshecouldwaitevenforLongbourn,beforeshetoldhersisterofMr.Darcysproposals.ToknowthatshehadthepowerofrevealingwhatwouldsoexceedinglyastonishJane,andmust,atthesametime,sohighlygratifywhateverofherownvanityshehadnotyetbeenabletoreasonaway,wassuchatemptationtoopennessasnothingcouldhaveconqueredbutthestateofindecisioninwhichsheremainedastotheextentofwhatsheshouldcommunicate;andherfear,ifsheonceenteredonthesubject,ofbeinghurriedintorepeatingsomethingofBingleywhichmightonlygrievehersisterfurther.
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