williamcollins."

"atfouro'clock,therefore,wemayexpectthispeacemakinggentleman,"saidmr.bennet,ashefoldeduptheletter."heseemstobeamostconscientiousandpoliteyoungman,uponmyword;andidoubtnotwillproveavaluableacquaintance,especiallyifladycatherineshouldbesoindulgentastolethimcometousagain."

"thereissomesenseinwhathesaysaboutthegirlshowever;andifheisdisposedtomakethemanyamends,ishallnotbethepersontodiscouragehim."

"thoughitisdifficult,"saidjane,"toguessinwhatwayhecanmeantomakeustheatonementhethinksourdue,thewishiscertainlytohiscredit."

elizabethwaschieflystruckwithhisextraordinarydeferenceforladycatherine,andhiskindintentionofchristening,marrying,andburyinghisparishionerswheneveritwererequired.

"hemustbeanoddity,ithink,"saidshe."icannotmakehimout.—thereissomethingverypompousinhisstile.—andwhatcanhemeanbyapologizingforbeingnextintheentail?—wecannotsupposehewouldhelpit,ifhecould.—canhebeasensibleman,sir?"

"no,mydear;ithinknot.ihavegreathopesoffindinghimquitethereverse.thereisamixtureofservilityandself-importanceinhisletter,whichpromiseswell.iamimpatienttoseehim."

"inpointofcomposition,"saidmary,"hisletterdoesnotseemdefective.theideaoftheolivebranchperhapsisnotwhollynew,yetithinkitiswellexpressed."

tocatherineandlydia,neithertheletternoritswriterwereinanydegreeinteresting.itwasnexttoimpossiblethattheircousinshouldcomeinascarletcoat,anditwasnowsomeweekssincetheyhadreceivedpleasurefromthesocietyofamaninanyothercolour.asfortheirmother,mr.collins'sletterhaddoneawaymuchofherill-will,andshewaspreparingtoseehimwithadegreeofcomposurewhichastonishedherhusbandanddaughters.

mr.collinswaspunctualtohistime,andwasreceivedwithgreatpolitenessbythewholefamily.mr.bennet,indeed,saidlittle;buttheladieswerereadyenoughtotalk,andmr.collinsseemedneitherinneedofencouragement,norinclinedtobesilenthimself.hewasatall,heavylookingyoungmanoffiveandtwenty.hisairwasgraveandstately,andhismannerswereveryformal.hehadnotbeenlongseatedbeforehecomplimentedmrs.bennetonhavingsofineafamilyofdaughters,saidhehadheardmuchoftheirbeauty,butthat,inthisinstance,famehadfallenshortofthetruth;andadded,thathedidnotdoubtherseeingthemallinduetimewelldisposedofinmarriage.thisgallantrywasnotmuchtothetasteofsomeofhishearers,butmrs.bennetwhoquarrelledwithnocompliments,answeredmostreadily,

"youareverykind,sir,iamsure;andiwishwithallmyheartitmayproveso;forelsetheywillbedestituteenough.thingsaresettledsooddly."

"youallude,perhaps,totheentailofthisestate."

"ah!sir,idoindeed.itisagrievousaffairtomypoorgirls,youmustconfess.notthatimeantofindfaultwithyou,forsuchthings,iknow,areallchanceinthisworld.thereisnoknowinghowestateswillgowhenoncetheycometobeentailed."

"iamverysensible,madam,ofthehardshiptomyfaircousins,—andcouldsaymuchonthesubject,butthatiamcautiousofappearingforwardandprecipitate.buticanassuretheyoungladiesthaticomepreparedtoadmirethem.atpresentiwillnotsaymore,butperhapswhenwearebetteracquainted—"

hewasinterruptedbyasummonstodinner;andthegirlssmiledoneachother.theywerenottheonlyobjectsofmr.collins'sadmiration.thehall,thedining-room,andallitsfurniturewereexaminedandpraised;andhiscommendationofeverythingwouldhavetouchedmrs.bennet'sheart,butforthemortifyingsuppositionofhisviewingitallashisownfutureproperty.thedinnertoo,initsturn,washighlyadmired;andhebeggedtoknowtowhichofhisfaircousins,theexcellenceofitscookerywasowing.butherehewassetrightbymrs.bennet,whoassuredhimwithsomeasperitythattheywereverywellabletokeepagoodcook,andthatherdaughtershadnothingtodointhekitchen.hebeggedpardonforhavingdispleasedher.inasoftenedtoneshedeclaredherselfnotatalloffended;buthecontinuedtoapologiseforaboutaquarterofanhour.