CHAPTER V.
Every object in the next day's journey was new and interesting toElizabeth; and her spirits were in a state for enjoyment; for she hadseen her sister looking so well as to banish all fear for her health,and the prospect of her northern tour was a constant source of delight.
When they left the high road for the lane to Hunsford, every eye was insearch of the Parsonage, and every turning expected to bring it in view.The paling of Rosings Park was their boundary on one side. Elizabethsmiled at the recollection of all that she had heard of its inhabitants.
At length the Parsonage was discernible. The garden sloping to the road,the house standing in it, the green pales and the laurel hedge, everything declared they were arriving. Mr. Collins and Charlotte appeared atthe door, and the carriage stopped at the small gate, which led by ashort gravel walk to the house, amidst the nods and smiles of the wholeparty. In a moment they were all out of the chaise, rejoicing at thesight of each other. Mrs. Collins welcomed her friend with the liveliestpleasure, and Elizabeth was more and more satisfied with coming, whenshe found herself so affectionately received. She saw instantly that hercousin's manners were not altered by his marriage; his formal civilitywas just what it had been, and he detained her some minutes at the gateto hear and satisfy his enquiries after all her family. They were then,with no other delay than his pointing out the neatness of the entrance,taken into the house; and as soon as they were in the parlour, hewelcomed them a second time with ostentatious formality to his humbleabode, and punctually repeated all his wife's offers of refreshment.
Elizabeth was prepared to see him in his glory; and she could not helpfancying that in displaying the good proportion of the room, its aspectand its furniture, he addressed himself particularly to her, as ifwishing to make her feel what she had lost in refusing him. But thoughevery thing seemed neat and comfortable, she was not able to gratify himby any sigh of repentance; and rather looked with wonder at her friendthat she could have so cheerful an air, with such a companion. When Mr.Collins said any thing of which his wife might reasonably be ashamed,which certainly was not unseldom, she involuntarily turned her eye onCharlotte. Once or twice she could discern a faint blush; but in generalCharlotte wisely did not hear. After sitting long enough to admire everyarticle of furniture in the room, from the sideboard to the fender, togive an account of their journey and of all that had happened in London,Mr. Collins invited them to take a stroll in the garden, which was largeand well laid out, and to the cultivation of which he attended himself.To work in his garden was one of his most respectable pleasures; andElizabeth admired the command of countenance with which Charlotte talkedof the healthfulness of the exercise, and owned she encouraged it asmuch as possible. Here, leading the way through every walk and crosswalk, and scarcely allowing them an interval to utter the praises heasked for, every view was pointed out with a minuteness which leftbeauty entirely behind. He could number the fields in every direction,and could tell how many trees there were in the most distant clump. Butof all the views which his garden, or which the country, or the kingdomcould boast, none were to be compared with the prospect of Rosings,afforded by an opening in the trees that bordered the park nearlyopposite the front of his house. It was a handsome modern building, wellsituated on rising ground.
From his garden, Mr. Collins would have led them round his two meadows,but the ladies not having shoes to encounter the remains of a whitefrost, turned back; and while Sir William accompanied him, Charlottetook her sister and friend over the house, extremely well pleased,probably, to have the opportunity of shewing it without her husband'shelp. It was rather small, but well built and convenient; and everything was fitted up and arranged with a neatness and consistency ofwhich Elizabeth gave Charlotte all the credit. When Mr. Collins could beforgotten, there was really a great air of comfort throughout, and byCharlotte's evident enjoyment of it, Elizabeth supposed he must be oftenforgotten.
She had already learnt that Lady Catherine was still in the country. Itwas spoken of again while they were at dinner, when Mr. Collins joiningin, observed,
”Yes, Miss Elizabeth, you will have the honour of seeing Lady Catherinede Bourgh on the ensuing Sunday at church, and I need not say you willbe delighted with her. She is all affability and condescension, and Idoubt not but you will be honoured with some portion of her notice whenservice is over. I have scarcely any hesitation in saying that she willinclude you and my sister Maria in every invitation with which shehonours us during your stay here. Her behaviour to my dear Charlotte ischarming. We dine at Rosings twice every week, and are never allowed towalk home. Her ladyship's carriage is regularly ordered for us. I_should_ say, one of her ladyship's carriages, for she has several.”
”Lady Catherine is a very respectable, sensible woman indeed,” addedCharlotte, ”and a most attentive neighbour.”
”Very true, my dear, that is exactly what I say. She is the sort ofwoman whom one cannot regard with too much deference.”
The evening was spent chiefly in talking over Hertfordshire news, andtelling again what had been already written; and when it closed,Elizabeth in the solitude of her chamber had to meditate uponCharlotte's degree of contentment, to understand her address in guiding,and composure in bearing with her husband, and to acknowledge that itwas all done very well. She had also to anticipate how her visit wouldpass, the quiet tenor of their usual employments, the vexatiousinterruptions of Mr. Collins, and the gaieties of their intercourse withRosings. A lively imagination soon settled it all.
About the middle of the next day, as she was in her room getting readyfor a walk, a sudden noise below seemed to speak the whole house inconfusion; and after listening a moment, she heard somebody running upstairs in a violent hurry, and calling loudly after her. She opened thedoor, and met Maria in the landing place, who, breathless withagitation, cried out,
”Oh, my dear Eliza! pray make haste and come into the dining-room, forthere is such a sight to be seen! I will not tell you what it is. Makehaste, and come down this moment.”
Elizabeth asked questions in vain; Maria would tell her nothing more,and down they ran into the dining-room, which fronted the lane, in questof this wonder; it was two ladies stopping in a low phaeton at thegarden gate.
”And is this all?” cried Elizabeth. ”I expected at least that the pigswere got into the garden, and here is nothing but Lady Catherine and herdaughter!”
”La! my dear,” said Maria quite shocked at the mistake, ”it is not LadyCatherine. The old lady is Mrs. Jenkinson, who lives with them. Theother is Miss De Bourgh. Only look at her. She is quite a littlecreature. Who would have thought she could be so thin and small!”
”She is abominably rude to keep Charlotte out of doors in all this wind.Why does she not come in?”
”Oh! Charlotte says, she hardly ever does. It is the greatest of favourswhen Miss De Bourgh comes in.”
”I like her appearance,” said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas. ”Shelooks sickly and cross.--Yes, she will do for him very well. She willmake him a very proper wife.”
Mr. Collins and Charlotte were both standing at the gate inconversation with the ladies; and Sir William, to Elizabeth's highdiversion, was stationed in the doorway, in earnest contemplation of thegreatness before him, and constantly bowing whenever Miss De Bourghlooked that way.
At length there was nothing more to be said; the ladies drove on, andthe others returned into the house. Mr. Collins no sooner saw the twogirls than he began to congratulate them on their good fortune, whichCharlotte explained by letting them know that the whole party was askedto dine at Rosings the next day.