PRIDE & PREJUDICE: JANE AUSTEN: CHAPTER FOURTEEN

After dinner, the servants were withdrawn, and Mr Bennet found an opportunity to have some conversations with the guest.  He started a subject in which he thought his guest would be much interested. So he brought Collins's attention to Lady Catherine de Bourgh.  He was eloquent in her praise.

"That's all very proper and civil," said Mrs Bennet, "and I dare say she is an agreeable woman.  Does she lives near you, sir?"

"The garden in which stands my humble abode is separated only by a lane from Rosings Park, her Ladyship's residence."

"Is she a widow, sir? Has she any family?"

"She has only one daughter, the heiress of Rosings, and of very extensive property."

"Ah!" said Mrs Bennet, shaking her head, "then she is better off than many girls.  And what sort of young lady is she? Is she handsome?  She is most charming lady, indeed.  She is a young lady of distinguished birth. But she is unfortunately of sickly constitution, which has prevented her from advancement in many accomplishments.  But she is perfectly amiable and drives by my humble abode in her phaeton."

"Had she been presented? I do not see her name among the ladies at court.''

''Her indifferent state of health prevents her being in town and has deprived her of highest ornaments of British court, I told Lady Catherine one day and she was pleased with my idea. I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine, that her charming daughter seemed born to be a Duchess and that most elevated rank would be adorned by her.  These are the kind of things which please her ladyship, and it is a sort of attention which I conceive myself peculiarly bound to pay."

"You judge properly," said Mr Bennet, "and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy.  Are these pleasing attentions proceed from impulse of the moment, or are they result of previous study?"

"They arise chiefly from what is passing at the time. A previously thought compliment need not be matching the situation."

Mr Bennet's expectations were fully answered.  His cousin was as absurd as he had hoped. He listened to him with keen enjoyment, maintaining at the same a resolute composure of countenance.

By tea time, Mr Bennet took his guest again to the drawing room, and when tea was over he invited him to read aloud to ladies. Mr Collins assented. But beholding the books he started back, and begging pardon, protested that he never read novels. Other books were brought, and after some deliberations he chose Fordyce's sermons. Lydia gaped as he opened the volume, and before he had, with monotonous solemnity, read three pages, she interrupted him with:

"Do you know, mama, that my uncle Philips talks of turning away Richard; and if he does, Colonel Forster will hire him. My aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk to Meryton tomorrow to hear more about it, and to ask when Mr Denny comes back from town."

Lydia was bid by her two eldest sisters to hold her tongue; but, Mr Collins, much offended, laid aside his book, and said:

"I have often observed how little young ladies are interested by books of a serious stamp, though written solely for their benefit.  It amazes me, I confess; for, certainly, there can be nothing so advantageous to them as instructions.  But I will no longer importune my young cousin."

Then turning to Mr Bennet, he offered himself as his opponent at backgammon.  Mr Bennet accepted the challenge, observing that he acted wisely in leaving the girls to their own amusement.  Mrs Bennet and her daughters apologized most civilly for Lydia's intervention, and promised it should not occur again, if he would resume his book.  But Mr Collins after assuring them that he bore his young cousin no ill-will, and should never resent her behaviour as any affront, seated himself at another table with Mr Bennet, and prepared for backgammon.

THE END 


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