The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and again during the
chief of the day was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins. Eliza-
beth took an opportunity of thanking her. "It keeps him in good humour,"
said she, "and I am more obliged to you than I can express." Charlotte as-
sured her friend of her satisfaction in being useful, and that it amply repaid
her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was very amiable, but Charlotte's
kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had any conception of; its object
was nothing else than to secure her from any return of Mr. Collins's ad-
dresses, by engaging them towards herself. Such was Miss Lucas's scheme;
and appearances were so favourable, that when they parted at night, she
would have felt almost secure of success if he had not been to leave Hert-
fordshire so very soon. But here she did injustice to the fire and indepen-
dence of his character, for it led him to escape out of Longbourn House the
next morning with admirable slyness, and hasten to Lucas Lodge to throw
himself at her feet. He was anxious to avoid the notice of his cousins, from
a conviction that if they saw him depart, they could not fail to conjecture his
design, and he was not willing to have the attempt known till its success
might be known likewise; for though feeling almost secure, and with rea-
son, for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging, he was comparatively
diffident since the adventure of Wednesday. His reception, however, was of
the most flattering kind. Miss Lucas perceived him from an upper window
as he walked towards the house, and instantly set out to meet him acciden-
tally in the lane. But little had she dared to hope that so much love and elo-
quence awaited her there.
In as short a time as Mr. Collins's long speeches would allow, everything
was settled between them to the satisfaction of both; and as they entered the
house he earnestly entreated her to name the day that was to make him the
happiest of men; and though such a solicitation must be waived for the
present, the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness. The stupidi-
ty with which he was favoured by nature must guard his courtship from any
charm that could make a woman wish for its continuance; and Miss Lucas,
who accepted him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an estab-
lishment, cared not how soon that establishment were gained.
Sir William and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their consent;
and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity. Mr. Collins's present cir-
cumstances made it a most eligible match for their daughter, to whom they
could give little fortune; and his prospects of future wealth were exceeding-
ly fair. Lady Lucas began directly to calculate, with more interest than the
matter had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr. Bennet was
likely to live; and Sir William gave it as his decided opinion, that whenever
Mr. Collins should be in possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be
highly expedient that both he and his wife should make their appearance at
St. James's. The whole family, in short, were properly overjoyed on the oc-
casion. The younger girls formed hopes of coming out a year or two sooner
than they might otherwise have done; and the boys were relieved from their
apprehension of Charlotte's dying an old maid. Charlotte herself was tolera-
bly composed. She had gained her point, and had time to consider of it. Her
reflections were in general satisfactory. Mr. Collins, to be sure, was neither
sensible nor agreeable; his society was irksome, and his attachment to her
must be imaginary. But still he would be her husband. Without thinking
highly either of men or matrimony, marriage had always been her object; it
was the only provision for well-educated young women of small fortune,
and however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest
preservative from want. This preservative she had now obtained; and at the
age of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all the
good luck of it. The least agreeable circumstance in the business was the
surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet, whose friendship she valued
beyond that of any other person. Elizabeth would wonder, and probably
would blame her; and though her resolution was not to be shaken, her feel-
ings must be hurt by such a disapprobation. She resolved to give her the in-
formation herself, and therefore charged Mr. Collins, when he returned to
Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint of what had passed before any of the
family. A promise of secrecy was of course very dutifully given, but it
could not be kept without difficulty; for the curiosity excited by his long ab-
sence burst forth in such very direct questions on his return as required
some ingenuity to evade, and he was at the same time exercising great self-
denial, for he was longing to publish his prosperous love.
As he was to begin his journey too early on the morrow to see any of the
family, the ceremony of leave-taking was performed when the ladies moved
for the night; and Mrs. Bennet, with great politeness and cordiality, said
how happy they should be to see him at Longbourn again, whenever his en-
gagements might allow him to visit them.
"My dear madam," he replied, "this invitation is particularly gratifying,
because it is what I have been hoping to receive; and you may be very cer-
tain that I shall avail myself of it as soon as possible."
They were all astonished; and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish
for so speedy a return, immediately said:
"But is there not danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation here, my
good sir? You had better neglect your relations than run the risk of offend-
ing your patroness."
"My dear sir," replied Mr. Collins, "I am particularly obliged to you for
this friendly caution, and you may depend upon my not taking so material a
step without her ladyship's concurrence."
"You cannot be too much upon your guard. Risk anything rather than her
displeasure; and if you find it likely to be raised by your coming to us again,
which I should think exceedingly probable, stay quietly at home, and be sat-
isfied that we shall take no offence."
"Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude is warmly excited by such affec-
tionate attention; and depend upon it, you will speedily receive from me a
letter of thanks for this, and for every other mark of your regard during my
stay in Hertfordshire. As for my fair cousins, though my absence may not
be long enough to render it necessary, I shall now take the liberty of wish-
ing them health and happiness, not excepting my cousin Elizabeth."
With proper civilities the ladies then withdrew; all of them equally sur-
prised that he meditated a quick return. Mrs. Bennet wished to understand
by it that he thought of paying his addresses to one of her younger girls, and
Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him. She rated his abilities
much higher than any of the others; there was a solidity in his reflections
which often struck her, and though by no means so clever as herself, she
thought that if encouraged to read and improve himself by such an example
as hers, he might become a very agreeable companion. But on the following
morning, every hope of this kind was done away. Miss Lucas called soon
after breakfast, and in a private conference with Elizabeth related the event
of the day before.
The possibility of Mr. Collins's fancying himself in love with her friend
had once occurred to Elizabeth within the last day or two; but that Charlotte
could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as she could en-
courage him herself, and her astonishment was consequently so great as to
overcome at first the bounds of decorum, and she could not help crying out:
"Engaged to Mr. Collins! My dear Charlotte—impossible!"
The steady countenance which Miss Lucas had commanded in telling her
story, gave way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct a re-
proach; though, as it was no more than she expected, she soon regained her
composure, and calmly replied:
"Why should you be surprised, my dear Eliza? Do you think it incredible
that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any woman's good opinion, be-
cause he was not so happy as to succeed with you?"
But Elizabeth had now recollected herself, and making a strong effort for
it, was able to assure with tolerable firmness that the prospect of their rela-
tionship was highly grateful to her, and that she wished her all imaginable
happiness.
"I see what you are feeling," replied Charlotte. "You must be surprised,
very much surprised—so lately as Mr. Collins was wishing to marry you.
But when you have had time to think it over, I hope you will be satisfied
with what I have done. I am not romantic, you know; I never was. I ask
only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collins's character, connec-
tion, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with
him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state."
Elizabeth quietly answered "Undoubtedly;" and after an awkward pause,
they returned to the rest of the family. Charlotte did not stay much longer,
and Elizabeth was then left to reflect on what she had heard. It was a long
time before she became at all reconciled to the idea of so unsuitable a
match. The strangeness of Mr. Collins's making two offers of marriage
within three days was nothing in comparison of his being now accepted.
She had always felt that Charlotte's opinion of matrimony was not exactly
like her own, but she had not supposed it to be possible that, when called
into action, she would have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advan-
tage. Charlotte the wife of Mr. Collins was a most humiliating picture! And
to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk in her esteem, was added
the distressing conviction that it was impossible for that friend to be tolera-
bly happy in the lot she had chosen.
