PRIDE & PREJUDICE: JANE AUSTEN: CHAPTER THIRTY

Sir William stayed only a week at Hunsford, but his visit was long enough to convince him of his daughter's being most comfortably settled, and of her possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often met with.  While William was with them, Mr Collins devoted his morning to driving him out in his jig, and showing him the country; but when he went away, the whole family returned to their usual employments, and Elizabeth was thankful to find that they did not find more of his cousin by the alteration, for the chief of time between breakfast and dinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden or in reading and writing, and looking out of the window of his own book room.

Very few days passed in which Mr Collins did not walk to Rosings.  Charlotte also did not think it necessary to go likewise.  Now and then they have honoured with a call  from her ladyship. She examined into their employments, and looked at their work, and advised them to do it differently; found fault with the arrangement of the furniture; or detected the housemaid in negligence; and if she accepted any refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of finding out that Mrs Collins's joints of meat were too large for her family.

The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week, and every such entertainment was the counterpart of the first. The other entertainments were few, as the style of living in the neighborhood in general was beyond the reach of Mr Collins.

This, however, was no evil to Elizabeth, and upon the whole she spent her time, comfortably enough; there were half hours of pleasant conversation with Charlotte; and the weather was so fine for the time of the year that she had often great enjoyment out of doors.  Her favourite walk, where she frequently went while the others were calling on Lady Catherine, was along open grove which edged that side of the park, where there was nice sheltered path, which no one seemed to value but herself, and where she felt beyond the reach of Lady Catherine's curiosity.

In this quite way, the first fortnight of the visit passed away.  Easter was approaching, and the week proceeding it was to bring an addition to the family of Rosings, which in a more circle must be important.  Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival that Mr Darcy was expected there in the course of a few weeks, and though there were not many of her acquaintances whom she did not prefer, his company would furnish one comparatively new look at their Rosings parties, and she might be mused in seeing how hopeless Miss Bingley's design on him were, by his behaviour to his cousin, for whom he was evidently designed by Lady Catherine, who talked of his coming with great satisfaction, spoke of him in terms of highest admiration, and seemed almost angry to find that he had already been seen by Miss Lucas and herself.

His arrival was soon known at the parsonage; for Mr Collins walking the whole morning within view of the lodges opening into Hunsford Lane, in order to have the earliest assurance of it, and after making his bow as the carriage turned into the Park, hurried with great intelligence.  On the following morning he hastened to Rosings to pay his respects.  There were two nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, for Mr Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitz William, the younger son of his uncle Lord -- and to the great surprise of all the party, when Mr Collins returned, the gentleman accompanied him.  Charlotte had seen them from her husband's room, crossing the road and immediately running into the other, told the girls what an honour they might expect, adding:

"I may thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility.  Mr Darcy would never have come so soon to wait upon me."

Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to compliment, before their approach was announced by door bell, and shortly afterwards the three gentlemen entered the room.  Colonel Fitzwilliam, who led the way, was about thirty, not handsome, but in-person and address, most truly the gentleman.  Mr Darcy looked as he

had been used to look, in Hertfordshire, paid his compliments, with his usual reserve, to Mr Collins, and whatever might be his feelings toward her friend, met her with every appearance of composure.  Elizabeth merely curtsied to him without saying a word.

Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man, and talked very pleasantly; but his cousin, after having addressed a slight observation on the house and garden to Mrs Collins, sat for some time without speaking to anybody.  At length, however, his civility was so far awakened as to inquire of Elizabeth after the health of her family.  She answered him in the usual way, and after a moment's pause, added:

"My eldest sister had been in town these three months.  Have you never happened to see her there?"

She was perfectly sensible that he never had, but she wished to see whether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the Bingley's and Jane, and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet.  The subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon after went away.