CHAPTER VII.
Sir William staid only a week at Hunsford; but his visit was long enoughto convince him of his daughter's being most comfortably settled, and ofher possessing such a husband and such a neighbour as were not often metwith. While Sir William was with them, Mr. Collins devoted his morningsto driving him out in his gig, and shewing him the country; but when hewent away, the whole family returned to their usual employments, andElizabeth was thankful to find that they did not see more of her cousinby the alteration, for the chief of the time between breakfast anddinner was now passed by him either at work in the garden, or in readingand writing, and looking out of window in his own book room, whichfronted the road. The room in which the ladies sat was backwards.Elizabeth at first had rather wondered that Charlotte should not preferthe dining-parlour for common use; it was a better sized room, and had apleasanter aspect; but she soon saw that her friend had an excellentreason for what she did, for Mr. Collins would undoubtedly have beenmuch less in his own apartment, had they sat in one equally lively; andshe gave Charlotte credit for the arrangement.
From the drawing-room they could distinguish nothing in the lane, andwere indebted to Mr. Collins for the knowledge of what carriages wentalong, and how often especially Miss De Bourgh drove by in her phaeton,which he never failed coming to inform them of, though it happenedalmost every day. She not unfrequently stopped at the Parsonage, and hada few minutes' conversation with Charlotte, but was scarcely everprevailed on to get out.
Very few days passed in which Mr. Collins did not walk to Rosings, andnot many in which his wife did not think it necessary to go likewise;and till Elizabeth recollected that there might be other family livingsto be disposed of, she could not understand the sacrifice of so manyhours. Now and then, they were honoured with a call from her Ladyship,and nothing escaped her observation that was passing in the room duringthese visits. She examined into their employments, looked at their work,and advised them to do it differently; found fault with the arrangementof the furniture, or detected the housemaid in negligence; and if sheaccepted any refreshment, seemed to do it only for the sake of findingout that Mrs. Collins's joints of meat were too large for her family.
Elizabeth soon perceived that though this great lady was not in thecommission of the peace for the county, she was a most active magistratein her own parish, the minutest concerns of which were carried to her byMr. Collins; and whenever any of the cottagers were disposed to bequarrelsome, discontented or too poor, she sallied forth into thevillage to settle their differences, silence their complaints, and scoldthem into harmony and plenty.
The entertainment of dining at Rosings was repeated about twice a week;and, allowing for the loss of Sir William, and there being only one cardtable in the evening, every such entertainment was the counterpart ofthe first. Their other engagements were few; as the style of living ofthe neighbourhood in general, was beyond the Collinses' reach. Thishowever was no evil to Elizabeth, and upon the whole she spent her timecomfortably enough; there were half hours of pleasant conversation withCharlotte, and the weather was so fine for the time of year, that shehad often great enjoyment out of doors. Her favourite walk, and whereshe frequently went while the others were calling on Lady Catherine, wasalong the open grove which edged that side of the park, where there wasa nice sheltered path, which no one seemed to value but herself, andwhere she felt beyond the reach of Lady Catherine's curiosity.
In this quiet way, the first fortnight of her visit soon passed away.Easter was approaching, and the week preceding it, was to bring anaddition to the family at Rosings, which in so small a circle must beimportant. Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival, that Mr. Darcywas expected there in the course of a few weeks, and though there werenot many of her acquaintance whom she did not prefer, his coming wouldfurnish one comparatively new to look at in their Rosings parties, andshe might be amused in seeing how hopeless Miss Bingley's designs on himwere, by his behaviour to his cousin, for whom he was evidently destinedby Lady Catherine; who talked of his coming with the greatestsatisfaction, spoke of him in terms of the highest admiration, andseemed almost angry to find that he had already been frequently seen byMiss Lucas and herself.
His arrival was soon known at the Parsonage, for Mr. Collins was walkingthe whole morning within view of the lodges opening into Hunsford Lane,in order to have the earliest assurance of it; and after making his bowas the carriage turned into the Park, hurried home with the greatintelligence. On the following morning he hastened to Rosings to pay hisrespects. There were two nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, forMr. Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son ofhis uncle, Lord ---- and to the great surprise of all the party, whenMr. Collins returned the gentlemen accompanied him. Charlotte had seenthem from her husband's room, crossing the road, and immediately runninginto the other, told the girls what an honour they might expect, adding,
”I may thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility. Mr. Darcy wouldnever have come so soon to wait upon me.”
Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to the compliment,before their approach was announced by the door-bell, and shortlyafterwards the three gentlemen entered the room. Colonel Fitzwilliam,who led the way, was about thirty, not handsome, but in person andaddress most truly the gentleman. Mr. Darcy looked just as he had beenused to look in Hertfordshire, paid his compliments, with his usualreserve, to Mrs. Collins; and whatever might be his feelings towards herfriend, met her with every appearance of composure. Elizabeth merelycurtseyed to him, without saying a word.
Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with thereadiness and ease of a well-bred man, and talked very pleasantly; buthis cousin, after having addressed a slight observation on the house andgarden to Mrs. Collins, sat for some time without speaking to any body.At length, however, his civility was so far awakened as to enquire ofElizabeth after the health of her family. She answered him in the usualway, and after a moment's pause, added,
”My eldest sister has been in town these three months. Have you neverhappened to see her there?”
She was perfectly sensible that he never had; but she wished to seewhether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between theBingleys and Jane; and she thought he looked a little confused as heanswered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet. Thesubject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards wentaway.