Chapter-5
The next evening Jane was well enough to leave her room for a couple of hours. Elizabeth brought her down to the drawing room, where she was welcomed warmly by her two friends. Elizabeth had never seen them so agreeable as during the hour before the gentlemen came. But when the gentlemen entered Jane was no longer the object of their interest. Miss Bingley instantly looked towards Darcy. He himself spoke to Miss Bennet and congratulated her politely. Mr. Hurst also said he was ‘very glad.’ But enthusiasm and warmth was only shown by Bingley’s welcome. He was full of joy and attention. Half an hour was spent in improving the fire, so that Jane might not feel cold. Then he sat down beside her and hardly talked to anyone else. Elizabeth, sewing in the opposite corner, saw it all with delight.
When tea was over, Mr. Hurst wished to play cards. But no one else would agree, so he had nothing to do except lie down on one of the sofas and go to sleep. Darcy took up a book. Miss Bingley did the same; and Mrs. Hurst played with her bracelets and rings, joining now and then in her brother’s conversation with Miss Bennet.
Miss Bingley was busier watching Mr. Darcy read his book than reading her own. She was continually either asking him questions or looking at his page. She could not make him talk, however; he merely answered her questions and read on. At length, she gave up trying to enjoy her own book, which she had only chosen because it was the second volume of his. She gave a great yawn and said, “How pleasant to spend an evening in this way! I am sure there is no pleasure like reading. When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable unless I have an excellent library.”
No one made any reply. She then yawned again, threw aside her book, and looked round the room for some amusement. At last she got up and walked about the room. She had a pretty figure and she walked well— but Darcy, at whom it was all aimed, still firmly read his book. In despair she made one more effort. Turnings to Elizabeth, she said, “Miss Elizabeth Bennet, do take a walk around the room with me. It is very pleasant after sitting still so long.”
Elizabeth was surprised, but agreed immediately. Miss Bingley also succeeded in her real object. Mr. Darcy looked up. He was as surprised as Elizabeth at Miss Bingley’s politeness to her, and he closed his book for a moment. At once he was asked to join them, but he refused. There were, he said, only two possible reasons for them walking up and down the room together—and his company would interfere with either.
Miss Bingley demanded an explanation. “Certainly,” said he, as soon as she let him speak. “Either you are walking together because you have secrets to discuss, or you are doing so because you know that you look very handsome while walking. If it is the first reason, I should be completely in your way. If it is the second, I can admire you better as I sit by the fire.”
“Oh, shocking!” cried Miss Bingley, “I never heard anything so rude! How shall we punish him for such a remark?”
“Nothing is easier, if you wish to do so,” said Elizabeth, “Tease him—laugh at him! Knowing him so well, you must know how to do it.”
“Do not try to laugh at Mr. Darcy!” said Miss Bingley.
“Who would dare?”
“May Mr. Darcy not be laughed at?” cried Elizabeth, “That is an unusual advantage—and I hope it will continue to be unusual. I myself would not like to have many friends like that. I dearly love a laugh.”
“Miss Bingley,” said he, “has overpraised me. The wisest and best of men may be made ridiculous by anyone whose whole object in life is a joke.”
“Certainly,” said Elizabeth, “there are such people; but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never laugh at anything which is wise and good. Stupidity and nonsense do amuse me, I confess, and I laugh at them whenever I can. But you do not have these qualities, I suppose.”
“I hope, my dear,” said Mr. Bennet at breakfast the next morning, “that you have ordered a good dinner today. I am expecting a guest.”
Mrs. Bennet’s eyes sparkled. “It is Mr. Bingley, I am sure. Why, Jane—you never said a word about this. Well, I am sure I shall be very glad to see Mr. Bingley.”
“It is not Mr. Bingley”, said her husband, “It is my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you out of this house as soon as he wants.”
“Oh, my dear,” cried his wife, “Please do not talk about the horrible man! I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your money should not go to your own children. You ought to have done something about it long ago!”
Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain to her once again about the law of entail. Mr. Bennet had inherited from his father the family house at Longbourn and an income of two thousand pounds a year. Unfortunately for his daughters, the house and income could by law only be inherited by the son. Since he did not have a son, it must go to his nearest male relative who was a clergyman named Collins.
Mrs. Bennet could not be satisfied. She continued to exclaim about the wickedness of leaving five daughters in poverty, for the sake of a man whom no one cared about anyway.
“It is certainly a wicked business,” said Mr. Bennet, “and nothing can excuse Mr. Collins of the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But, if you listen to this letter, you may perhaps think more kindly of him.”
“I am sure I shall not. I think it was very impertinent of him to write to you at all. I hate such false friends.”
“Why doesn’t he keep on quarrelling with you, like his father did before him?”
“Why, indeed, he does seem to have been worried about that himself you will hear.”
Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent,
15th October.
Dear Sir,
The disagreement between yourself and my late honoured father always gave me much uneasiness. Since I had the misfortune to lose him I have often wished to end the quarrel; but for some time I was afraid that it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be friendly with anyone with whom he had disagreed. (“there, Mrs. Bennett”) I have made up my mind, however, on this subject, since receiving ordination at Easter. I have been so fortunate as to receive the patronage of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, who has most generously given me the valuable parsonage of Hunsford, where it will always be my object to act with grateftul respect towards her Ladyship, and to perform the necessary ceremonies of the Church of England. As a clergyman, moreover, it is my duty to encourage the blessings of peace in all families under my influence. For these reasons, I think it is fair to say that my offer of friendship to you is highly praiseworthy—and I hope that you will be ready to excuse the fact that I am next in the entail of the Longourn estate. It grieves me that I shall be the source of injury to your daughters; I beg your pardon for it and promise that I shall do all I can to make up for it—but we shall discuss this later. If you do not object to receiving me in your house, I shall have pleasure in visiting you and your family on Monday, 18th November, by four o’clock. I shall probably stay with you for a week, as Lady Catherine de Bourgh does not object to my occasional absence.
I remain, dear sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters.
Your friend,
William Collins.
“At four o’clock, therefore, we can expect this peace making gentleman,” said Mr. Bennet, folding up the letter. “He seems to be a very polite young man. I am sure he will be a valuable friend if Lady Catherine is kind enough to let him come to us again. He is quite right in what he says about the girls. If he intends to help them, I shall not discourage him.”
Questioned by Mrs. Bennet, Mr. Bennet was glad to inform her that Lady Catherine de Bourgh lived at Rosings Park and that she had one daughter who was the heiress of Rosings and of a large property.
