"verywell.wenowcometothepoint.yourmotherinsistsuponyouracceptingit.isnotitso,mrs.bennet?"

"yes,oriwillneverseeheragain."

"anunhappyalternativeisbeforeyou,elizabeth.fromthisdayyoumustbeastrangertooneofyourparents.—yourmotherwillneverseeyouagainifyoudonotmarrymr.collins,andiwillneverseeyouagainifyoudo."

elizabethcouldnotbutsmileatsuchaconclusionofsuchabeginning;butmrs.bennet,whohadpersuadedherselfthatherhusbandregardedtheaffairasshewished,wasexcessivelydisappointed.

"whatdoyoumean,mr.bennet,bytalkinginthisway?youpromisedmetoinsistuponhermarryinghim."

"mydear,"repliedherhusband,"ihavetwosmallfavourstorequest.first,thatyouwillallowmethefreeuseofmyunderstandingonthepresentoccasion;andsecondly,ofmyroom.ishallbegladtohavethelibrarytomyselfassoonasmaybe."

notyet,however,inspiteofherdisappointmentinherhusband,didmrs.bennetgiveupthepoint.shetalkedtoelizabethagainandagain;coaxedandthreatenedherbyturns.sheendeavouredtosecurejaneinherinterestbutjanewithallpossiblemildnessdeclinedinterfering;—andelizabeth,sometimeswithrealearnestnessandsometimeswithplayfulgaiety,repliedtoherattacks.thoughhermannervaried,however,herdeterminationneverdid.

mr.collins,meanwhile,wasmeditatinginsolitudeonwhathadpassed.hethoughttoowellofhimselftocomprehendonwhatmotivehiscousincouldrefusehim;andthoughhispridewashurt,hesufferedinnootherway.hisregardforherwasquiteimaginary;andthepossibilityofherdeservinghermother'sreproachpreventedhisfeelinganyregret.

whilethefamilywereinthisconfusion,charlottelucascametospendthedaywiththem.shewasmetinthevestibulebylydia,who,flyingtoher,criedinahalfwhisper,"iamgladyouarecome,forthereissuchfunhere!—whatdoyouthinkhashappenedthismorning?—mr.collinshasmadeanoffertolizzy,andshewillnothavehim."

charlottehadhardlytimetoanswer,beforetheywerejoinedbykitty,whocametotellthesamenews,andnosoonerhadtheyenteredthebreakfast-room,wheremrs.bennetwasalone,thanshelikewisebeganonthesubject,callingonmisslucasforhercompassion,andentreatinghertopersuadeherfriendlizzytocomplywiththewishesofallherfamily."praydo,mydearmisslucas,"sheaddedinamelancholytone,"fornobodyisonmyside,nobodytakespartwithme,iamcruellyused,nobodyfeelsformypoornerves."

charlotte'sreplywassparedbytheentranceofjaneandelizabeth.

"aye,thereshecomes,"continuedmrs.bennet,"lookingasunconcernedasmaybe,andcaringnomoreforusthanifwewereatyork,providedshecanhaveherownway.—butitellyouwhat,misslizzy,ifyoutakeitintoyourheadtogoonrefusingeveryofferofmarriageinthisway,youwillnevergetahusbandatall—andiamsureidonotknowwhoistomaintainyouwhenyourfatherisdead.—ishallnotbeabletokeepyou—andsoiwarnyou.—ihavedonewithyoufromthisveryday.—itoldyouinthelibrary,youknow,thatishouldneverspeaktoyouagain,andyouwillfindmeasgoodasmyword.ihavenopleasureintalkingtoundutifulchildren,—notthatihavemuchpleasureindeedintalkingtoanybody.peoplewhosufferasidofromnervouscomplaintscanhavenogreatinclinationfortalking.nobodycantellwhatisuffer!—butitisalwaysso.thosewhodonotcomplainareneverpitied."

herdaughterslistenedinsilencetothiseffusion,sensiblethatanyattempttoreasonwithorsoothherwouldonlyincreasetheirritation.shetalkedon,therefore,withoutinterruptionfromanyofthemtilltheywerejoinedbymr.collins,whoenteredwithanairmorestatelythanusual,andonperceivingwhom,shesaidtothegirls,

"now,idoinsistuponit,thatyou,allofyou,holdyourtongues,andletmr.collinsandmehavealittleconversationtogether."

elizabethpassedquietlyoutoftheroom,janeandkittyfollowed,butlydiastoodherground,determinedtohearallshecould;andcharlotte,detainedfirstbythecivilityofmr.collins,whoseinquiriesafterherselfandallherfamilywereveryminute,andthenbyalittlecuriosity,satisfiedherselfwithwalkingtothewindowandpretendingnottohear.inadolefulvoicemrs.bennetthusbegantheprojectedconversation.—"oh!mr.collins!"—

"mydearmadam,"repliedhe,"letusbeforeversilentonthispoint.farbeitfromme,"hepresentlycontinued,inavoicethatmarkedhisdispleasure,"toresentthebehaviourofyourdaughter.resignationtoinevitableevilsisthedutyofusall;thepeculiardutyofayoungmanwhohasbeensofortunateasihavebeeninearlypreferment;anditrustiamresigned.perhapsnotthelesssofromfeelingadoubtofmypositivehappinesshadmyfaircousinhonouredmewithherhand;forihaveoftenobservedthatresignationisneversoperfectaswhentheblessingdeniedbeginstolosesomewhatofitsvalueinourestimation.youwillnot,ihope,considermeasshewinganydisrespecttoyourfamily,mydearmadam,bythuswithdrawingmypretensionstoyourdaughter'sfavour,withouthavingpaidyourselfandmr.bennetthecomplimentofrequestingyoutointerposeyourauthorityinmybehalf.myconductmay,ifear,beobjectionableinhavingacceptedmydismissionfromyourdaughter'slipsinsteadofyourown.butweareallliabletoerror.ihavecertainlymeantwellthroughthewholeaffair.myobjecthasbeentosecureanamiablecompanionformyself,withdueconsiderationfortheadvantageofallyourfamily,andifmymannerhasbeenatallreprehensible,iherebegleavetoapologise."