Pride and Prejudice / Гордость и предубеждение. Джейн Остин

good conduct and honour of his friend, and is perfectly convinced that Mr. Wickham has deserved much less attention from Mr. Darcy than he has received. I am afraid Mr. Wickham has been very imprudent, and has deserved to lose Mr. Darcy's regard.”

      “Mr. Bingley does not know Mr. Wickham himself?”

      “No; he never saw him till the other morning at Meryton.”

      “This account then is what he has received from Mr. Darcy. I am satisfied. But what does he say of the living?”

      “He does not exactly recollect the circumstances, though he has heard them from Mr. Darcy more than once, but he believes that it was left to him conditionally only.”

      “I have not a doubt of Mr. Bingley's sincerity,” said Elizabeth warmly; “but you must excuse my not being convinced by assurances only. Since he is unacquainted with several parts of the story, and has learnt the rest from that friend himself, I will think of both gentlemen as I did before.”

      Then they were joined by Mr. Bingley himself, and Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas. Mr. Collins came up to them, and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.

      “I have found out,” said he, “that there is now in the room a near relation of my patroness. I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to a young lady the names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh, and of her mother Lady Catherine. How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my meeting with, perhaps, a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly! I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him.”

      “You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr. Darcy!”

      “Indeed I am. I will beg his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady Catherine's nephew. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well a week ago.”

      Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme, assuring him that Mr. Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an impudent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt. Mr. Collins listened to her with the determined air of following his own inclination, and, when she ceased speaking, replied thus:

      “My dear Miss Elizabeth, I have the highest opinion in the world in your excellent judgement in all matters within the scope of your understanding. Permit me to say, however, that there must be a wide difference between the established forms of ceremony amongst the laity, and those which regulate the clergy. You must therefore allow me to follow the dictates of my conscience on this occasion, which leads me to perform what I look on as a point of duty. Pardon me for neglecting to profit by your advice, though in the case before us I consider myself more fitted by education to decide on what is right than a young lady like yourself.” And with a low bow he left her to attack Mr. Darcy, whose reception of his advances she eagerly watched, and whose astonishment at being so addressed was very evident. Mr. Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained wonder. When at last Mr. Collins allowed him time to speak, he replied with an air of distant civility. Mr. Collins, however, was not discouraged from speaking again, and Mr. Darcy's contempt seemed increasing with the length of his second speech, and at the end of it he only made him a slight bow, and moved another way. Mr. Collins then returned to Elizabeth.

      “I have no reason, I assure you,” said he, “to be dissatisfied with my reception. Mr. Darcy seemed much pleased with the attention.”

      As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue, she turned her attention almost entirely on her sister and Mr. Bingley. She saw her in idea[95] settled in that very house, in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could give. Her mother's thoughts she plainly saw were bent the same way. When they sat down to supper, she was vexed to find that her mother was talking to Lady Lucas freely, openly, and of nothing else but her expectation that Jane would soon be married to Mr. Bingley. Mrs. Bennet seemed incapable of fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match. His being such a charming young man, and so rich, and living but three miles from them, were the first points of self-conceit; and then it was such a comfort to think how fond the two sisters were of Jane, and to be certain that they must desire the connection as much as she could do. It was, moreover, such a promising thing for her younger daughters, as Jane's marrying so greatly must throw them in the way of other rich men. She concluded with many good wishes that Lady Lucas might soon be equally fortunate, though evidently and triumphantly believing there was no chance of it.

      In vain did Elizabeth endeavour to persuade her mother to describe her felicity in a less audible whisper; for, to her inexpressible annoyance, she could notice that the chief of it was overheard by Mr. Darcy, who sat opposite to them. Her mother only scolded her for being nonsensical.

      “What is Mr. Darcy to me, pray, that I should be afraid of him?”

      “For heaven's sake, madam, speak lower. What advantage can it be for you to offend Mr. Darcy? You will never recommend yourself to his friend by so doing!”

      Nothing that she could say, however, had any influence. Her mother would talk of her views in the same tone. Elizabeth blushed and blushed again with shame and vexation. The expression of Mr. Darcy's face changed gradually from indignant contempt to a composed and steady gravity.

      At length, however, Mrs. Bennet had no more to say; and Lady Lucas, who had been long yawning at the repetition of delights which she saw no likelihood of sharing, was left to the comforts of cold ham and chicken. Elizabeth now began to revive. But not long was the interval of tranquillity; for, when supper was over, singing was talked of, and she had the mortification of seeing Mary preparing to oblige the company. Such an opportunity of exhibiting was delightful to her, and she began her song. Mary's powers were by no means fitted for such a display; her voice was weak, and her manner affected. Elizabeth was in agonies. She looked at Jane, to see how she bore it; but Jane was very composedly talking to Bingley. She looked at his two sisters, and saw them making signs of scorn at each other, and at Darcy, who continued, however, imperturbably grave. She looked at her father to entreat his interference, to prevent Mary from singing all night. He took the hint, and when Mary had finished her second song, said aloud, “You have delighted us long enough, child. Let the other young ladies have time to exhibit.”

      Mary, though pretending not to hear, was somewhat disconcerted; and Elizabeth, sorry for her, and sorry for her father's speech, was afraid her anxiety had done no good.

      To Elizabeth it appeared that, if her family had made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening, it would have been impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit or finer success. She could not determine whether the silent contempt of Mr. Darcy, or the impudent smiles of Mr. Bingley's sisters, were more intolerable.

      The rest of the evening brought her little amusement. She was teased by Mr. Collins, who continued most perseveringly by her side. In vain did she entreat him to stand up with somebody else, and offer to introduce him to any young lady in the room. He assured her, that as to dancing, he was perfectly indifferent to it; that his chief object was by delicate attentions to recommend himself to her and that he should remain close to her the whole evening. There was no arguing upon such a project. She owed her greatest relief to her friend Miss Lucas, who often joined them, and good-naturedly engaged Mr. Collins's conversation to herself.

      The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to depart, and, by a manoeuvre of Mrs. Bennet, had to wait for their carriage a quarter of an hour after everybody else was gone, which gave them time to see how heartily they were wished away by some of the family. Mrs. Hurst and her sister scarcely opened their mouths, except to complain of fatigue, and were evidently impatient to have the house to themselves. Darcy said nothing at all. Mr. Bingley and Jane were standing together, a little detached from the rest, and talked only to each other. Elizabeth preserved as steady a silence as either Mrs. Hurst or Miss Bingley; and even Lydia was too much fatigued to utter more than the occasional exclamation of “Lord, how tired I am!” accompanied by a violent yawn.

      When at length they arose to take leave, Mrs. Bennet addressed herself especially to Mr. Bingley, to assure him how happy he would make them by eating a family dinner with them at any time,

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