CHAPTER VI.
Mr. Collins's triumph in consequence of this invitation was complete.The power of displaying the grandeur of his patroness to his wonderingvisitors, and of letting them see her civility towards himself and hiswife, was exactly what he had wished for; and that an opportunity ofdoing it should be given so soon, was such an instance of LadyCatherine's condescension as he knew not how to admire enough.
”I confess,” said he, ”that I should not have been at all surprised byher Ladyship's asking us on Sunday to drink tea and spend the evening atRosings. I rather expected, from my knowledge of her affability, that itwould happen. But who could have foreseen such an attention as this? Whocould have imagined that we should receive an invitation to dine there(an invitation moreover including the whole party) so immediately afteryour arrival!”
”I am the less surprised at what has happened,” replied Sir William,”from that knowledge of what the manners of the great really are, whichmy situation in life has allowed me to acquire. About the Court, suchinstances of elegant breeding are not uncommon.”
Scarcely any thing was talked of the whole day or next morning, buttheir visit to Rosings. Mr. Collins was carefully instructing them inwhat they were to expect, that the sight of such rooms, so manyservants, and so splendid a dinner might not wholly overpower them.
When the ladies were separating for the toilette, he said to Elizabeth,
”Do not make yourself uneasy, my dear cousin, about your apparel. LadyCatherine is far from requiring that elegance of dress in us, whichbecomes herself and daughter. I would advise you merely to put onwhatever of your clothes is superior to the rest, there is no occasionfor any thing more. Lady Catherine will not think the worse of you forbeing simply dressed. She likes to have the distinction of rankpreserved.”
While they were dressing, he came two or three times to their differentdoors, to recommend their being quick, as Lady Catherine very muchobjected to be kept waiting for her dinner.--Such formidable accounts ofher Ladyship, and her manner of living, quite frightened Maria Lucas,who had been little used to company, and she looked forward to herintroduction at Rosings, with as much apprehension, as her father haddone to his presentation at St. James's.
As the weather was fine, they had a pleasant walk of about half a mileacross the park.--Every park has its beauty and its prospects; andElizabeth saw much to be pleased with, though she could not be in suchraptures as Mr. Collins expected the scene to inspire, and was butslightly affected by his enumeration of the windows in front of thehouse, and his relation of what the glazing altogether had originallycost Sir Lewis De Bourgh.
When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria's alarm was everymoment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectlycalm.--Elizabeth's courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing ofLady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents ormiraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money and rank, shethought she could witness without trepidation.
From the entrance hall, of which Mr. Collins pointed out, with arapturous air, the fine proportion and finished ornaments, they followedthe servants through an anti-chamber, to the room where Lady Catherine,her daughter, and Mrs. Jenkinson were sitting.--Her Ladyship, with greatcondescension, arose to receive them; and as Mrs. Collins had settled itwith her husband that the office of introduction should be her's, it wasperformed in a proper manner, without any of those apologies and thankswhich he would have thought necessary.
In spite of having been at St. James's, Sir William was so completelyawed, by the grandeur surrounding him, that he had but just courageenough to make a very low bow, and take his seat without saying a word;and his daughter, frightened almost out of her senses, sat on the edgeof her chair, not knowing which way to look. Elizabeth found herselfquite equal to the scene, and could observe the three ladies before hercomposedly.--Lady Catherine was a tall, large woman, withstrongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome. Her airwas not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them, such as tomake her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not renderedformidable by silence; but whatever she said, was spoken in soauthoritative a tone, as marked her self-importance, and brought Mr.Wickham immediately to Elizabeth's mind; and from the observation of theday altogether, she believed Lady Catherine to be exactly what he hadrepresented.
When, after examining the mother, in whose countenance and deportmentshe soon found some resemblance of Mr. Darcy, she turned her eyes on thedaughter, she could almost have joined in Maria's astonishment, at herbeing so thin, and so small. There was neither in figure nor face, anylikeness between the ladies. Miss De Bourgh was pale and sickly; herfeatures, though not plain, were insignificant; and she spoke verylittle, except in a low voice, to Mrs. Jenkinson, in whose appearancethere was nothing remarkable, and who was entirely engaged in listeningto what she said, and placing a screen in the proper direction beforeher eyes.
After sitting a few minutes, they were all sent to one of the windows,to admire the view, Mr. Collins attending them to point out itsbeauties, and Lady Catherine kindly informing them that it was muchbetter worth looking at in the summer.
The dinner was exceedingly handsome, and there were all the servants,and all the articles of plate which Mr. Collins had promised; and, as hehad likewise foretold, he took his seat at the bottom of the table, byher ladyship's desire, and looked as if he felt that life could furnishnothing greater.--He carved, and ate, and praised with delightedalacrity; and every dish was commended, first by him, and then by SirWilliam, who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son in lawsaid, in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear.But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration, andgave most gracious smiles, especially when any dish on the table proveda novelty to them. The party did not supply much conversation. Elizabethwas ready to speak whenever there was an opening, but she was seatedbetween Charlotte and Miss De Bourgh--the former of whom was engaged inlistening to Lady Catherine, and the latter said not a word to her alldinner time. Mrs. Jenkinson was chiefly employed in watching how littleMiss De Bourgh ate, pressing her to try some other dish, and fearing shewere indisposed. Maria thought speaking out of the question, and thegentlemen did nothing but eat and admire.
When the ladies returned to the drawing-room, there was little to bedone but to hear Lady Catherine talk, which she did without anyintermission till coffee came in, delivering her opinion on everysubject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to haveher judgment controverted. She enquired into Charlotte's domesticconcerns familiarly and minutely, and gave her a great deal of advice,as to the management of them all; told her how every thing ought to beregulated in so small a family as her's, and instructed her as to thecare of her cows and her poultry. Elizabeth found that nothing wasbeneath this great Lady's attention, which could furnish her with anoccasion of dictating to others. In the intervals of her discourse withMrs. Collins, she addressed a variety of questions to Maria andElizabeth, but especially to the latter, of whose connections she knewthe least, and who she observed to Mrs. Collins, was a very genteel,pretty kind of girl. She asked her at different times, how many sistersshe had, whether they were older or younger than herself, whether any ofthem were likely to be married, whether they were handsome, where theyhad been educated, what carriage her father kept, and what had been hermother's maiden name?--Elizabeth felt all the impertinence of herquestions, but answered them very composedly.--Lady Catherine thenobserved,
”Your father's estate is entailed on Mr. Collins, I think. For yoursake,” turning to Charlotte, ”I am glad of it; but otherwise I see nooccasion for entailing estates from the female line.--It was not thoughtnecessary in Sir Lewis de Bourgh's family.--Do you play and sing, MissBennet?”
”A little.”
”Oh! then--some time or other we shall be happy to hear you. Ourinstrument is a capital one, probably superior to----You shall try itsome day.--Do your sisters play and sing?”
”One of them does.”
”Why did not you all learn?--You ought all to have learned. The MissWebbs all play, and their father has not so good an income asyour's.--Do you draw?”
”No, not at all.”
”What, none of you?”
”Not one.”
”That is very strange. But I suppose you had no opportunity. Your mothershould have taken you to town every spring for the benefit of masters.”
”My mother would have had no objection, but my father hates London.”
”Has your governess left you?”
”We never had any governess.”
”No governess! How was that possible? Five daughters brought up at homewithout a governess!--I never heard of such a thing. Your mother musthave been quite a slave to your education.”
Elizabeth could hardly help smiling, as she assured her that had notbeen the case.
”Then, who taught you? who attended to you? Without a governess you musthave been neglected.”
”Compared with some families, I believe we were; but such of us aswished to learn, never wanted the means. We were always encouraged toread, and had all the masters that were necessary. Those who chose to beidle, certainly might.”
”Aye, no doubt; but that is what a governess will prevent, and if I hadknown your mother, I should have advised her most strenuously to engageone. I always say that nothing is to be done in education without steadyand regular instruction, and nobody but a governess can give it. It iswonderful how many families I have been the means of supplying in thatway. I am always glad to get a young person well placed out. Four niecesof Mrs. Jenkinson are most delightfully situated through my means; andit was but the other day, that I recommended another young person, whowas merely accidentally mentioned to me, and the family are quitedelighted with her. Mrs. Collins, did I tell you of Lady Metcalfe'scalling yesterday to thank me? She finds Miss Pope a treasure. 'LadyCatherine,' said she, 'you have given me a treasure.' Are any of youryounger sisters out, Miss Bennet?”
”Yes, Ma'am, all.”
”All!--What, all five out at once? Very odd!--And you only thesecond.--The younger ones out before the elder are married!--Youryounger sisters must be very young?”
”Yes, my youngest is not sixteen. Perhaps _she_ is full young to be muchin company. But really, Ma'am, I think it would be very hard uponyounger sisters, that they should not have their share of society andamusement because the elder may not have the means or inclination tomarry early.--The last born has as good a right to the pleasures ofyouth, as the first. And to be kept back on _such_ a motive!--I think itwould not be very likely to promote sisterly affection or delicacy ofmind.”
”Upon my word,” said her Ladyship, ”you give your opinion verydecidedly for so young a person.--Pray, what is your age?”
”With three younger sisters grown up,” replied Elizabeth smiling, ”yourLadyship can hardly expect me to own it.”
Lady Catherine seemed quite astonished at not receiving a direct answer;and Elizabeth suspected herself to be the first creature who had everdared to trifle with so much dignified impertinence.
”You cannot be more than twenty, I am sure,--therefore you need notconceal your age.”
”I am not one and twenty.”
When the gentlemen had joined them, and tea was over, the card tableswere placed. Lady Catherine, Sir William, and Mr. and Mrs. Collins satdown to quadrille; and as Miss De Bourgh chose to play at cassino, thetwo girls had the honour of assisting Mrs. Jenkinson to make up herparty. Their table was superlatively stupid. Scarcely a syllable wasuttered that did not relate to the game, except when Mrs. Jenkinsonexpressed her fears of Miss De Bourgh's being too hot or too cold, orhaving too much or too little light. A great deal more passed at theother table. Lady Catherine was generally speaking--stating the mistakesof the three others, or relating some anecdote of herself. Mr. Collinswas employed in agreeing to every thing her Ladyship said, thanking herfor every fish he won, and apologising if he thought he won too many.Sir William did not say much. He was storing his memory with anecdotesand noble names.
When Lady Catherine and her daughter had played as long as they chose,the tables were broke up, the carriage was offered to Mrs. Collins,gratefully accepted, and immediately ordered. The party then gatheredround the fire to hear Lady Catherine determine what weather they wereto have on the morrow. From these instructions they were summoned by thearrival of the coach, and with many speeches of thankfulness on Mr.Collins's side, and as many bows on Sir William's, they departed. Assoon as they had driven from the door, Elizabeth was called on by hercousin, to give her opinion of all that she had seen at Rosings, which,for Charlotte's sake, she made more favourable than it really was. Buther commendation, though costing her some trouble, could by no meanssatisfy Mr. Collins, and he was very soon obliged to take her Ladyship'spraise into his own hands.