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 Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his morning to
driving him out in his gig, 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 see more of her cousin by the alter-
ation, for the chief of the 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 in his own book-room, which fronted the road.
The room in which the ladies sat was backwards. Elizabeth had at first
rather wondered that Charlotte should not prefer the dining-parlour for
common use; it was a better sized room, and had a more pleasant aspect;
but she soon saw that her friend had an excellent reason for what she did,
for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have been much less in his own apart-
ment, had they sat in one equally lively; and she gave Charlotte credit for
the arrangement.
From the drawing-room they could distinguish nothing in the lane, and
were indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of what carriages went
along, and how often especially Miss de Bourgh drove by in her phaeton,
which he never failed coming to inform them of, though it happened almost
every day. She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and had a few
minutes' conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely ever prevailed upon
to get out.
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings, and
not many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise; and till
Elizabeth recollected that there might be other family livings to be disposed
of, she could not understand the sacrifice of so many hours. Now and then
they were honoured with a call from her ladyship, and nothing escaped her
observation that was passing in the room during these visits. She examined
into their employments, looked at their work, and advised them to do it dif-
ferently; 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.
Elizabeth soon perceived, that though this great lady was not in commis-
sion of the peace of the county, she was a most active magistrate in her own
parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to her by Mr. Collins;
and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to be quarrelsome, discon-
tented, or too poor, she sallied forth into the village to settle their differ-
ences, silence their complaints, and scold them into harmony and plenty.
The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week;
and, allowing for the loss of Sir William, and there being only one card-ta-
ble in the evening, every such entertainment was the counterpart of the first.
Their other engagements were few, as the style of living in the neighbour-
hood in general was beyond Mr. Collins's reach. 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 year that she had often great enjoyment
out of doors. Her favourite walk, and where she frequently went while the
others were calling on Lady Catherine, was along the open grove which
edged that side of the park, where there was a 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 quiet way, the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away. Easter
was approaching, and the week preceding it was to bring an addition to the
family at Rosings, which in so small a 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 acquain-
tances whom she did not prefer, his coming would furnish one comparative-
ly new to look at in their Rosings parties, and she might be amused in see-
ing how hopeless Miss Bingley's designs on him were, by his behaviour to
his cousin, for whom he was evidently destined by Lady Catherine, who
talked of his coming with the greatest satisfaction, spoke of him in terms of
the highest admiration, and seemed almost angry to find that he had already
been frequently seen by Miss Lucas and herself.
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage; for Mr. Collins was walk-
ing 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 home with the great intelli-
gence. On the following morning he hastened to Rosings to pay his re-
spects. There were two nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, for Mr.
Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of his
uncle Lord ——, and, to the great surprise of all the party, when Mr. Collins
returned, the gentlemen 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 the compliment, be-
fore their approach was announced by the 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 just as he had been used to look in Hert-
fordshire—paid his compliments, with his usual reserve, to Mrs. Collins,
and whatever might be his feelings toward her friend, met her with every
appearance of composure. Elizabeth merely curtseyed to him without say-
ing 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, af-
ter 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 has 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
Bingleys and Jane, and she thought he looked a little confused as he an-
swered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet. The
subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards went
away.
