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Chapter XXII · Pride and Prejudice | Audiobook

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  Speaker 1: Chapter 22 The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases,
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  Speaker 1: and again, during the chief of the day, was Miss
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  Speaker 1: Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr Collins. Elizabeth
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  Speaker 1: took an opportunity of thanking her. It keeps him in
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  Speaker 1: good humour, said she, and I am more obliged to
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  Speaker 1: you than I can express. Charlotte assured her friend. of
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  Speaker 1: her satisfaction in being useful, and that it amply repaid
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  Speaker 1: her for the little sacrifice of her time. This was
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  Speaker 1: very amiable, but Charlotte's kindness extended farther than Elizabeth had
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  Speaker 1: any conception of. Its object was nothing less than to
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  Speaker 1: secure her from any return of Mr Collins's addresses, by
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  Speaker 1: engaging them towards herself. Such was Miss Lucas's scheme, and
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  Speaker 1: appearances were so favourable that when they parted at night
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  Speaker 1: she would have felt almost sure of success if he
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  Speaker 1: had not been to leave Hertfordshire so very soon. But
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  Speaker 1: here she did injustice to the fire and independence of
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  Speaker 1: his character, for it led him to escape out of
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  Speaker 1: Longbourn House the next morning with admirable slyness, and hasten
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  Speaker 1: to Lucas Lodge to throw himself at her feet. He
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  Speaker 1: was anxious to avoid the notice of his cousins, from
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  Speaker 1: a conviction that, if they saw him depart, they could
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  Speaker 1: not fail to conjecture his design, and he was not
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  Speaker 1: willing to have the attempt known till its success could
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  Speaker 1: be known likewise. For, though feeling almost secure and with reason,
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  Speaker 1: for Charlotte had been tolerably encouraging, He was comparatively diffident
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  Speaker 1: since the adventure of Wednesday. His reception, however, was of
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  Speaker 1: the most flattering kind. Miss Lucas perceived him from an
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  Speaker 1: upper window as he walked towards the house, and instantly
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  Speaker 1: set out to meet him accidentally in the lane. But
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  Speaker 1: little had she dared to hope that so much love
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  Speaker 1: and eloquence awaited her there. In as short a time
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  Speaker 1: as Mr Collins's long speeches would allow, everything was settled
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  Speaker 1: between them to the satisfaction of both. And as they
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  Speaker 1: entered the house, he earnestly entreated her to name the
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  Speaker 1: day that was to make him the happiest of men.
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  Speaker 1: And though such a solicitation must be waived for the present,
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  Speaker 1: the lady felt no inclination to trifle with his happiness.
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  Speaker 1: the stupidity with which he was favoured by nature, must
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  Speaker 1: guard his courtship from any charm that could make a
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  Speaker 1: woman wish for its continuance. And Miss Lucas, who accepted
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  Speaker 1: him solely from the pure and disinterested desire of an establishment,
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  Speaker 1: cared not how soon that establishment were gained. Sir William
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  Speaker 1: and Lady Lucas were speedily applied to for their consent.
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  Speaker 1: and it was bestowed with a most joyful alacrity. Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Collins's present circumstances made it a most eligible match for
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  Speaker 1: their daughter, to whom they could give little fortune, and
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  Speaker 1: his prospects of future wealth were exceedingly fair. Lady Lucas
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  Speaker 1: began directly to calculate, with more interest than the matter
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  Speaker 1: had ever excited before, how many years longer Mr Bennett
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  Speaker 1: was likely to live. And Sir William gave it as
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  Speaker 1: his decided opinion that whenever Mr Collins should be in
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  Speaker 1: possession of the Longbourn estate, it would be highly expedient
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  Speaker 1: that both he and his wife should make their appearance
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  Speaker 1: at St James's. The whole family, in short, were properly
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  Speaker 1: overjoyed on the occasion. the younger girls formed hopes of
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  Speaker 1: coming out a year or two sooner than they might
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  Speaker 1: otherwise have done. And the boys were relieved from their
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  Speaker 1: apprehension of Charlotte's dying and old maid. Charlotte herself was
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  Speaker 1: tolerably composed. She had gained her point, and had time
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  Speaker 1: to consider of it. Her reflections were in general satisfactory.
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  Speaker 1: Mr Collins, to be sure, was neither sensible nor agreeable.
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  Speaker 1: His society was irksome, and his attachment to her must
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  Speaker 1: be imaginary. But still, he would be her husband. Without
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  Speaker 1: thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had
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  Speaker 1: always been her object. It was the only honourable provision
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  Speaker 1: for well-educated young women of small fortune, and, however uncertain
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  Speaker 1: of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want.
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  Speaker 1: This preservative she had now obtained. And at the age
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  Speaker 1: of twenty-seven, without having ever been handsome, she felt all
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  Speaker 1: the good luck of it. The least agreeable circumstance in
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  Speaker 1: the business was the surprise it must occasion to Elizabeth Bennet,
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  Speaker 1: whose friendship she valued beyond that of any other person.
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth would wonder, and probably would blame her, and though
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  Speaker 1: her resolution was not to be shaken, her feelings must
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  Speaker 1: be hurt by such a disapprobation. She resolved to give
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  Speaker 1: her the information herself, and therefore charged Mr Collins, when
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  Speaker 1: he returned to Longbourn to dinner, to drop no hint
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  Speaker 1: of what had passed before any of the family. A
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  Speaker 1: promise of secrecy was of course very dutifully given, but
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  Speaker 1: it could not be kept without difficulty, for the curiosity
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  Speaker 1: excited by his long absence burst forth in such very
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  Speaker 1: direct questions on his return, as required some ingenuity to evade.
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  Speaker 1: And he was, at the same time, exercising great self-denial,
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  Speaker 1: for he was longing to publish his prosperous love. As
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  Speaker 1: he was to begin his journey too early on the
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  Speaker 1: morrow to see any of the family, the ceremony of
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  Speaker 1: leave-taking was performed when the ladies moved for the night.
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  Speaker 1: And Mrs Bennet, with great politeness and cordiality, said how
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  Speaker 1: happy they should be to see him at Longbourn again,
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  Speaker 1: whenever his other engagements might allow him to visit them.
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  Speaker 1: My dear madam, he replied, This invitation is particularly gratifying,
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  Speaker 1: because it is what I have been hoping to receive.
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  Speaker 1: And you may be very certain that I shall avail
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  Speaker 1: myself of it as soon as possible. They were all astonished,
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  Speaker 1: and Mr. Bennet, who could by no means wish for
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  Speaker 1: so speedy a return, immediately said, But is there not
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  Speaker 1: danger of Lady Catherine's disapprobation here, my good sir? you
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  Speaker 1: had better neglect your relations than run the risk of
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  Speaker 1: offending your patroness. My dear sir, replied Mr Collins, I
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  Speaker 1: am particularly obliged to you for this friendly caution, and
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  Speaker 1: you may depend upon my not taking so material a
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  Speaker 1: step without her ladyship's concurrence. You cannot be too much
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  Speaker 1: on your guard, risk anything rather than her displeasure. And
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  Speaker 1: if you find it likely to be raised by your
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  Speaker 1: coming to us again, which I should think exceedingly probable,
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  Speaker 1: stay quietly at home and be satisfied that we shall
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  Speaker 1: take no offence. Believe me, my dear sir, my gratitude
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  Speaker 1: is warmly excited by such affectionate attention. And, depend upon it,
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  Speaker 1: you will speedily receive from me a letter of thanks
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  Speaker 1: for this. as well as for every other mark of
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  Speaker 1: your regard during my stay in Hertfordshire. As for my
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  Speaker 1: fair cousins, though my absence may not be long enough
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  Speaker 1: to render it necessary, I shall now take the liberty
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  Speaker 1: of wishing them health and happiness, not accepting my cousin Elizabeth.
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  Speaker 1: With proper civilities, the ladies then withdrew, all of them
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  Speaker 1: equally surprised to find that he meditated, a quick return. Mrs.
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  Speaker 1: Bennet wished to understand by it that he thought of
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  Speaker 1: paying his addresses to one of her younger girls, and
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  Speaker 1: Mary might have been prevailed on to accept him. She
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  Speaker 1: rated his abilities much higher than any of the others.
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  Speaker 1: There was a solidity in his reflections which often struck her,
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  Speaker 1: and though by no means so clever as herself, She
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  Speaker 1: thought that, if encouraged to read and improve himself by
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  Speaker 1: such an example as hers, he might become a very
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  Speaker 1: agreeable companion. But on the following morning, every hope of
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  Speaker 1: this kind was done away. Miss Lucas called soon after breakfast.
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  Speaker 1: and in a private conference with Elizabeth related the event
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  Speaker 1: of the day before. The possibility of Mr Collins's fancying
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  Speaker 1: himself in love with her friend had once occurred to
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth within the last day or two, but that Charlotte
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  Speaker 1: could encourage him seemed almost as far from possibility as
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  Speaker 1: that she could encourage him herself. And her astonishment was
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  Speaker 1: consequently so great as to overcome at first the bounds
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  Speaker 1: of decorum, and she could not help crying out, Engage
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  Speaker 1: to Mr. Collins, my dear Charlotte Impossible! The steady countenance
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  Speaker 1: which Miss Lucas had commanded in telling her story gave
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  Speaker 1: way to a momentary confusion here on receiving so direct
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  Speaker 1: a reproach. Though, as it was no more than she expected,
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  Speaker 1: she soon regained her composure, and calmly replied, Why should
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  Speaker 1: you be surprised, my dear Eliza? Do you think it
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  Speaker 1: incredible that Mr. Collins should be able to procure any
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  Speaker 1: woman's good opinion, because he was not so happy as
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  Speaker 1: to succeed with you? But Elizabeth had now recollected herself, and,
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  Speaker 1: making a strong effort for it, was able to assure her,
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  Speaker 1: with tolerable firmness, that the prospect of their relationship was
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  Speaker 1: highly grateful to her, and that she wished her all
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  Speaker 1: imaginable happiness. I see what you are feeling, replied Charlotte.
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  Speaker 1: You must be surprised, very much surprised. so lately as Mr.
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  Speaker 1: Collins was wishing to marry you. But when you have
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  Speaker 1: had time to think it all over, I hope you
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  Speaker 1: will be satisfied with what I have done. I am
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  Speaker 1: not romantic, you know. I never was. I ask only
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  Speaker 1: a comfortable home. And, considering Mr. Collins' character, connections, and
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  Speaker 1: situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of
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  Speaker 1: happiness with him is as fair as most people can
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  Speaker 1: boast on entering the marriage state. Elizabeth quietly answered, undoubtedly,
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  Speaker 1: and after an awkward pause, they returned to the rest
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  Speaker 1: of the family. Charlotte did not stay much longer, and
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  Speaker 1: Elizabeth was then left to reflect on what she had heard.
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  Speaker 1: It was a long time before she became at all reconciled,
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  Speaker 1: to the idea of so unsuitable a match. The strangeness
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  Speaker 1: of Mr Collins' making two offers of marriage within three
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  Speaker 1: days was nothing in comparison of his being now accepted.
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  Speaker 1: She had always felt that Charlotte's opinion of matrimony was
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  Speaker 1: not exactly like her own, but she could not have
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  Speaker 1: supposed it possible that when called into action, she would
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  Speaker 1: have sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage. Charlotte, the
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  Speaker 1: wife of Mr Collins, was a most humiliating picture, and
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  Speaker 1: to the pang of a friend disgracing herself and sunk
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  Speaker 1: in her esteem was added the distressing conviction that it
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  Speaker 1: was impossible for that friend to be tolerably happy in
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  Speaker 1: the lot she had chosen.