CHAPTER XIII.
I hope, my dear, said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were atbreakfast the next morning, that you have ordered a good dinner to-day,because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party.
Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming I am sure,unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in, and I hope _my_ dinnersare good enough for her. I do not believe she often sees such at home.
The person of whom I speak, is a gentleman and a stranger. Mrs.Bennet's eyes sparkled.--A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. BingleyI am sure. Why Jane--you never dropt a word of this; you sly thing!Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley.--But--goodlord! how unlucky! there is not a bit of fish to be got to-day. Lydia,my love, ring the bell. I must speak to Hill, this moment.
It is _not_ Mr. Bingley, said her husband; it is a person whom Inever saw in the whole course of my life.
This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of beingeagerly questioned by his wife and five daughters at once.
After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained.About a month ago I received this letter, and about a fortnight ago Ianswered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and requiringearly attention. It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead,may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases.
Oh! my dear, cried his wife, I cannot bear to hear that mentioned.Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is the hardest thingin the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your ownchildren; and I am sure if I had been you, I should have tried long agoto do something or other about it.
Jane and Elizabeth attempted to explain to her the nature of an entail.They had often attempted it before, but it was a subject on which Mrs.Bennet was beyond the reach of reason; and she continued to railbitterly against the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family offive daughters, in favour of a man whom nobody cared anything about.
It certainly is a most iniquitous affair, said Mr. Bennet, andnothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn.But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a littlesoftened by his manner of expressing himself.
No, that I am sure I shall not; and I think it was very impertinent ofhim to write to you at all, and very hypocritical. I hate such falsefriends. Why could not he keep on quarrelling with you, as his fatherdid before him?
Why, indeed, he does seem to have had some filial scruples on thathead, as you will hear.
_Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent,
15th October._
DEAR SIR,
The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honoured father, always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with any one, with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.--There, Mrs. Bennet.--My mind however is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures of good-will are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate, will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch. I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends,--but of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se'night following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day. I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,
WILLIAM COLLINS.
At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peace-making gentleman,said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the letter. He seems to be a mostconscientious and polite young man, upon my word; and I doubt not willprove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be soindulgent as to let him come to us again.
There is some sense in what he says about the girls however; and if heis disposed to make them any amends, I shall not be the person todiscourage him.
Though it is difficult, said Jane, to guess in what way he can meanto make us the atonement he thinks our due, the wish is certainly to hiscredit.
Elizabeth was chiefly struck with his extraordinary deference for LadyCatherine, and his kind intention of christening, marrying, and buryinghis parishioners whenever it were required.
He must be an oddity, I think, said she. I cannot make himout.--There is something very pompous in his style.--And what can hemean by apologizing for being next in the entail?--We cannot suppose hewould help it, if he could.--Can he be a sensible man, sir?
No, my dear; I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite thereverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in hisletter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him.
In point of composition, said Mary, his letter does not seemdefective. The idea of the olive branch perhaps is not wholly new, yet Ithink it is well expressed.
To Catherine and Lydia, neither the letter nor its writer were in anydegree interesting. It was next to impossible that their cousin shouldcome in a scarlet coat, and it was now some weeks since they hadreceived pleasure from the society of a man in any other colour. As fortheir mother, Mr. Collins's letter had done away much of her ill-will,and she was preparing to see him with a degree of composure, whichastonished her husband and daughters.
Mr. Collins was punctual to his time, and was received with greatpoliteness by the whole family. Mr. Bennet indeed said little; but theladies were ready enough to talk, and Mr. Collins seemed neither in needof encouragement, nor inclined to be silent himself. He was a tall,heavy looking young man of five and twenty. His air was grave andstately, and his manners were very formal. He had not been long seatedbefore he complimented Mrs. Bennet on having so fine a family ofdaughters, said he had heard much of their beauty, but that, in thisinstance, fame had fallen short of the truth; and added, that he didnot doubt her seeing them all in due time well disposed of in marriage.This gallantry was not much to the taste of some of his hearers, butMrs. Bennet, who quarrelled with no compliments, answered most readily,
You are very kind, sir, I am sure; and I wish with all my heart it mayprove so; for else they will be destitute enough. Things are settled sooddly.
You allude perhaps to the entail of this estate.
Ah! sir, I do indeed. It is a grievous affair to my poor girls, youmust confess. Not that I mean to find fault with _you_, for such thingsI know are all chance in this world. There is no knowing how estateswill go when once they come to be entailed.
I am very sensible, madam, of the hardship to my fair cousins,--andcould say much on the subject, but that I am cautious of appearingforward and precipitate. But I can assure the young ladies that I comeprepared to admire them. At present I will not say more, but perhapswhen we are better acquainted----
He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on eachother. They were not the only objects of Mr. Collins's admiration. Thehall, the dining-room, and all its furniture were examined and praised;and his commendation of every thing would have touched Mrs. Bennet'sheart, but for the mortifying supposition of his viewing it all as hisown future property. The dinner too in its turn was highly admired; andhe begged to know to which of his fair cousins, the excellence of itscookery was owing. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet, who assuredhim with some asperity that they were very well able to keep a goodcook, and that her daughters had nothing to do in the kitchen. He beggedpardon for having displeased her. In a softened tone she declaredherself not at all offended; but he continued to apologise for about aquarter of an hour.