resentment _is_ a shade in a character. But you have chosen your
fault well. I really cannot _laugh_ at it. You are safe from me.”
“There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some
particular evil—a natural defect, which not even the best
education can overcome.”
“And _your_ defect is to hate everybody.”
“And yours,” he replied with a smile, “is willfully to
misunderstand them.”
“Do let us have a little music,” cried Miss Bingley, tired of a
conversation in which she had no share. “Louisa, you will not
mind my waking Mr. Hurst?”
Her sister had not the smallest objection, and the pianoforte was
opened; and Darcy, after a few moments’ recollection, was not
sorry for it. He began to feel the danger of paying Elizabeth too
much attention.
Chapter 13
“I hope, my dear,” said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at
breakfast the next morning, “that you have ordered a good dinner
to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family
party.”
“Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming, I am
sure, unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in—and I hope
_my_ dinners are good enough for her. I do not believe she often
sees such at home.”
“The person of whom I speak is a gentleman, and a stranger.”
Mrs. Bennet’s eyes sparkled. “A gentleman and a stranger! It is
Mr. Bingley, I am sure! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad
to see Mr. Bingley. But—good Lord! how unlucky! There is not a
bit of fish to be got to-day. Lydia, my love, ring the bell—I
must speak to Hill this moment.”
“It is _not_ Mr. Bingley,” said her husband; “it is a person whom
I never saw in the whole course of my life.”
This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of
being eagerly questioned by his wife and his five daughters at
once.
After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus
explained:
“About a month ago I received this letter; and about a fortnight
ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and
requiring early attention. It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins,
who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon
as he pleases.”
“Oh! my dear,” cried his wife, “I cannot bear to hear that
mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is
the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be
entailed away from your own children; and I am sure, if I had
been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other
about it.”
Jane and Elizabeth tried to explain to her the nature of an
entail. They had often attempted to do it before, but it was a
subject on which Mrs. Bennet was beyond the reach of reason, and
she continued to rail bitterly against the cruelty of settling an
estate away from a family of five daughters, in favour of a man
whom nobody cared anything about.
“It certainly is a most iniquitous affair,” said Mr. Bennet, “and
nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting
Longbourn. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps
be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself.”
“No, that I am sure I shall not; and I think it is very
impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical.
I hate such false friends. Why could he not keep on quarreling
with you, as his father did before him?”
“Why, indeed; he does seem to have had some filial scruples on
that head, as you will hear.”
“Hunsford, near Westerham, Kent, 15_th October_.
“Dear Sir,—
“The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late
honoured father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have
had the misfortune to lose him, I have frequently wished to heal
the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts,
fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to
be on good terms with anyone with whom it had always pleased him
to be at variance.—‘There, Mrs. Bennet.’—My mind, however, is now
made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter,
I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage
of the Right Honourable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir
Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to
the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest
endeavour to demean myself with grateful respect towards her
ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies
which are instituted by the Church of England. As a clergyman,
moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing
of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on
these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures are
highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in
the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your
side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch. I
cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring
your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologise for it, as
well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible
amends—but of this hereafter. If you should have no objection to
receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of
waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four