thebennetswereengagedtodinewiththelucases,andagainduringthechiefoftheday,wasmisslucassokindastolistentomr.collins.elizabethtookanopportunityofthankingher."itkeepshimingoodhumour,"saidshe,"andiammoreobligedtoyouthanicanexpress."charlotteassuredherfriendofhersatisfactioninbeinguseful,andthatitamplyrepaidherforthelittlesacrificeofhertime.thiswasveryamiable,butcharlotte'skindnessextendedfartherthanelizabethhadanyconceptionof;—itsobjectwasnothinglessthantosecureherfromanyreturnofmr.collins'saddresses,byengagingthemtowardsherself.suchwasmisslucas'sscheme;andappearancesweresofavourablethatwhentheypartedatnight,shewouldhavefeltalmostsureofsuccessifhehadnotbeentoleavehertfordshiresoverysoon.buthere,shedidinjusticetothefireandindependenceofhischaracter,foritledhimtoescapeoutoflongbournhousethenextmorningwithadmirableslyness,andhastentolucaslodgetothrowhimselfatherfeet.hewasanxioustoavoidthenoticeofhiscousins,fromaconvictionthatiftheysawhimdepart,theycouldnotfailtoconjecturehisdesign,andhewasnotwillingtohavetheattemptknowntillitssuccesscouldbeknownlikewise;forthoughfeelingalmostsecure,andwithreason,forcharlottehadbeentolerablyencouraging,hewascomparativelydiffidentsincetheadventureofwednesday.hisreceptionhoweverwasofthemostflatteringkind.misslucasperceivedhimfromanupperwindowashewalkedtowardsthehouse,andinstantlysetouttomeethimaccidentallyinthelane.butlittlehadshedaredtohopethatsomuchloveandeloquenceawaitedherthere.

inasshortatimeasmr.collins'slongspeecheswouldallow,everythingwassettledbetweenthemtothesatisfactionofboth;andastheyenteredthehouse,heearnestlyentreatedhertonamethedaythatwastomakehimthehappiestofmen;andthoughsuchasolicitationmustbewavedforthepresent,theladyfeltnoinclinationtotriflewithhishappiness.thestupiditywithwhichhewasfavouredbynaturemustguardhiscourtshipfromanycharmthatcouldmakeawomanwishforitscontinuance;andmisslucas,whoacceptedhimsolelyfromthepureanddisinteresteddesireofanestablishment,carednothowsoonthatestablishmentweregained.

sirwilliamandladylucaswerespeedilyappliedtofortheirconsent;anditwasbestowedwithamostjoyfulalacrity.mr.collins'spresentcircumstancesmadeitamosteligiblematchfortheirdaughter,towhomtheycouldgivelittlefortune;andhisprospectsoffuturewealthwereexceedinglyfair.ladylucasbegandirectlytocalculatewithmoreinterestthanthematterhadeverexcitedbefore,howmanyyearslongermr.bennetwaslikelytolive;andsirwilliamgaveitashisdecidedopinionthatwhenevermr.collinsshouldbeinpossessionofthelongbournestate,itwouldbehighlyexpedientthatbothheandhiswifeshouldmaketheirappearanceatst.james's.thewholefamily,inshort,wereproperlyoverjoyedontheoccasion.theyoungergirlsformedhopesofcomingoutayearortwosoonerthantheymightotherwisehavedone;andtheboyswererelievedfromtheirapprehensionofcharlotte'sdyinganoldmaid.charlotteherselfwastolerablycomposed.shehadgainedherpoint,andhadtimetoconsiderofit.herreflectionswereingeneralsatisfactory.mr.collinstobesurewasneithersensiblenoragreeable;hissocietywasirksome,andhisattachmenttohermustbeimaginary.butstillhewouldbeherhusband.—withoutthinkinghighlyeitherofmenorofmatrimony,marriagehadalwaysbeenherobject;itwastheonlyhonourableprovisionforwell-educatedyoungwomenofsmallfortune,andhoweveruncertainofgivinghappiness,mustbetheirpleasantestpreservativefromwant.thispreservativeshehadnowobtained;andattheageoftwenty-seven,withouthavingeverbeenhandsome,shefeltallthegoodluckofit.theleastagreeablecircumstanceinthebusinesswasthesurpriseitmustoccasiontoelizabethbennet,whosefriendshipshevaluedbeyondthatofanyotherperson.elizabethwouldwonder,andprobablywouldblameher;andthoughherresolutionwasnottobeshaken,herfeelingsmustbehurtbysuchdisapprobation.sheresolvedtogivehertheinformationherself,andthereforechargedmr.collins,whenhereturnedtolongbourntodinner,todropnohintofwhathadpassedbeforeanyofthefamily.apromiseofsecrecywasofcourseverydutifullygiven,butitcouldnotbekeptwithoutdifficulty;forthecuriosityexcitedbyhislongabsenceburstforthinsuchverydirectquestionsonhisreturn,asrequiredsomeingenuitytoevade,andhewasatthesametimeexercisinggreatself-denial,forhewaslongingtopublishhisprosperouslove.

ashewastobeginhisjourneytooearlyonthemorrowtoseeanyofthefamily,theceremonyofleave-takingwasperformedwhentheladiesmovedforthenight;andmrs.bennet,withgreatpolitenessandcordiality,saidhowhappytheyshouldbetoseehimatlongbournagain,wheneverhisotherengagementsmightallowhimtovisitthem.

"mydearmadam,"hereplied,"thisinvitationisparticularlygratifying,becauseitiswhatihavebeenhopingtoreceive;andyoumaybeverycertainthatishallavailmyselfofitassoonaspossible."

theywereallastonished;andmr.bennet,whocouldbynomeanswishforsospeedyareturn,immediatelysaid,

"butistherenotdangerofladycatherine'sdisapprobationhere,mygoodsir?—youhadbetterneglectyourrelations,thanruntheriskofoffendingyourpatroness."

"mydearsir,"repliedmr.collins,"iamparticularlyobligedtoyouforthisfriendlycaution,andyoumaydependuponmynottakingsomaterialastepwithoutherladyship'sconcurrence."

"youcannotbetoomuchonyourguard.riskanythingratherthanherdispleasure;andifyoufinditlikelytoberaisedbyyourcomingtousagain,whichishouldthinkexceedinglyprobable,stayquietlyathome,andbesatisfiedthatweshalltakenooffence."

"believeme,mydearsir,mygratitudeiswarmlyexcitedbysuchaffectionateattention;anddependuponit,youwillspeedilyreceivefrommealetterofthanksforthis,aswellasforeveryothermarkofyourregardduringmystayinhertfordshire.asformyfaircousins,thoughmyabsencemaynotbelongenoughtorenderitnecessary,ishallnowtakethelibertyofwishingthemhealthandhappiness,notexceptingmycousinelizabeth."

withpropercivilitiestheladiesthenwithdrew;allofthemequallysurprisedtofindthathemeditatedaquickreturn.mrs.bennetwishedtounderstandbyitthathethoughtofpayinghisaddressestooneofheryoungergirls,andmarymighthavebeenprevailedontoaccepthim.sheratedhisabilitiesmuchhigherthananyoftheothers;therewasasolidityinhisreflectionswhichoftenstruckher,andthoughbynomeanssocleverasherself,shethoughtthatifencouragedtoreadandimprovehimselfbysuchanexampleasher's,hemightbecomeaveryagreeablecompanion.butonthefollowingmorning,everyhopeofthiskindwasdoneaway.misslucascalledsoonafterbreakfast,andinaprivateconferencewithelizabethrelatedtheeventofthedaybefore.thepossibilityofmr.collins'sfancyinghimselfinlovewithherfriendhadonceoccurredtoelizabethwithinthelastdayortwo;butthatcharlottecouldencouragehim,seemedalmostasfarfrompossibilityasthatshecouldencouragehimherself,andherastonishmentwasconsequentlysogreatastoovercomeatfirsttheboundsofdecorum,andshecouldnothelpcryingout,

"engagedtomr.collins!mydearcharlotte,—impossible!"

thesteadycountenancewhichmisslucashadcommandedintellingherstory,gavewaytoamomentaryconfusionhereonreceivingsodirectareproach;though,asitwasnomorethansheexpected,shesoonregainedhercomposure,andcalmlyreplied,

"whyshouldyoubesurprised,mydeareliza?—doyouthinkitincrediblethatmr.collinsshouldbeabletoprocureanywoman'sgoodopinion,becausehewasnotsohappyastosucceedwithyou?"

butelizabethhadnowrecollectedherself,andmakingastrongeffortforit,wasabletoassureherwithtolerablefirmnessthattheprospectoftheirrelationshipwashighlygratefultoher,andthatshewishedherallimaginablehappiness.

"iseewhatyouarefeeling,"repliedcharlotte,—"youmustbesurprised,verymuchsurprised,—solatelyasmr.collinswaswishingtomarryyou.butwhenyouhavehadtimetothinkitallover,ihopeyouwillbesatisfiedwithwhatihavedone.iamnotromanticyouknow.ineverwas,iaskonlyacomfortablehome;andconsideringmr.collins'scharacter,connections,andsituationinlife,iamconvincedthatmychanceofhappinesswithhimisasfairasmostpeoplecanboastonenteringthemarriagestate."

elizabethquietlyanswered"undoubtedly;"—andafteranawkwardpause,theyreturnedtotherestofthefamily.charlottedidnotstaymuchlonger,andelizabethwasthenlefttoreflectonwhatshehadheard.itwasalongtimebeforeshebecameatallreconciledtotheideaofsounsuitableamatch.thestrangenessofmr.collins'smakingtwooffersofmarriagewithinthreedays,wasnothingincomparisonofhisbeingnowaccepted.shehadalwaysfeltthatcharlotte'sopinionofmatrimonywasnotexactlylikeherown,butshecouldnothavesupposeditpossiblethat,whencalledintoaction,shewouldhavesacrificedeverybetterfeelingtoworldlyadvantage.charlottethewifeofmr.collins,wasamosthumiliatingpicture!—andtothepangofafrienddisgracingherselfandsunkinheresteem,wasaddedthedistressingconvictionthatitwasimpossibleforthatfriendtobetolerablyhappyinthelotshehadchosen.