CHAPTER XIV.
The two gentlemen left Rosings the next morning; and Mr. Collins havingbeen in waiting near the lodges, to make them his parting obeisance, wasable to bring home the pleasing intelligence, of their appearing in verygood health, and in as tolerable spirits as could be expected, after themelancholy scene so lately gone through at Rosings. To Rosings he thenhastened to console Lady Catherine, and her daughter; and on his return,brought back, with great satisfaction, a message from her Ladyship,importing that she felt herself so dull as to make her very desirous ofhaving them all to dine with her.
Elizabeth could not see Lady Catherine without recollecting, that hadshe chosen it, she might by this time have been presented to her, as herfuture niece; nor could she think, without a smile, of what herladyship's indignation would have been. ”What would she have said?--howwould she have behaved?” were questions with which she amused herself.
Their first subject was the diminution of the Rosings party.--”I assureyou, I feel it exceedingly,” said Lady Catherine; ”I believe nobodyfeels the loss of friends so much as I do. But I am particularlyattached to these young men; and know them to be so much attached tome!--They were excessively sorry to go! But so they always are. The dearcolonel rallied his spirits tolerably till just at last; but Darcyseemed to feel it most acutely, more I think than last year. Hisattachment to Rosings, certainly increases.”
Mr. Collins had a compliment, and an allusion to throw in here, whichwere kindly smiled on by the mother and daughter.
Lady Catherine observed, after dinner, that Miss Bennet seemed out ofspirits, and immediately accounting for it herself, by supposing thatshe did not like to go home again so soon, she added,
”But if that is the case, you must write to your mother to beg that youmay stay a little longer. Mrs. Collins will be very glad of yourcompany, I am sure.”
”I am much obliged to your ladyship for your kind invitation,” repliedElizabeth, ”but it is not in my power to accept it.--I must be in townnext Saturday.”
”Why, at that rate, you will have been here only six weeks. I expectedyou to stay two months. I told Mrs. Collins so before you came. Therecan be no occasion for your going so soon. Mrs. Bennet could certainlyspare you for another fortnight.”
”But my father cannot.--He wrote last week to hurry my return.”
”Oh! your father of course may spare you, if your mother can.--Daughtersare never of so much consequence to a father. And if you will stayanother _month_ complete, it will be in my power to take one of you asfar as London, for I am going there early in June, for a week; and asDawson does not object to the Barouche box, there will be very good roomfor one of you--and indeed, if the weather should happen to be cool, Ishould not object to taking you both, as you are neither of you large.”
”You are all kindness, Madam; but I believe we must abide by ouroriginal plan.”
Lady Catherine seemed resigned.
”Mrs. Collins, you must send a servant with them. You know I alwaysspeak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travellingpost by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to sendsomebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort ofthing.--Young women should always be properly guarded and attended,according to their situation in life. When my niece Georgiana went toRamsgate last summer, I made a point of her having two men servants gowith her.--Miss Darcy, the daughter of Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, and LadyAnne, could not have appeared with propriety in a different manner.--Iam excessively attentive to all those things. You must send John withthe young ladies, Mrs. Collins. I am glad it occurred to me to mentionit; for it would really be discreditable to _you_ to let them go alone.”
”My uncle is to send a servant for us.”
”Oh!--Your uncle!--He keeps a man-servant, does he?--I am very glad youhave somebody who thinks of those things. Where shall you changehorses?--Oh! Bromley, of course.--If you mention my name at the Bell,you will be attended to.”
Lady Catherine had many other questions to ask respecting their journey,and as she did not answer them all herself, attention was necessary,which Elizabeth believed to be lucky for her; or, with a mind sooccupied, she might have forgotten where she was. Reflection must bereserved for solitary hours; whenever she was alone, she gave way to itas the greatest relief; and not a day went by without a solitary walk,in which she might indulge in all the delight of unpleasantrecollections.
Mr. Darcy's letter, she was in a fair way of soon knowing by heart. Shestudied every sentence: and her feelings towards its writer were attimes widely different. When she remembered the style of his address,she was still full of indignation; but when she considered how unjustlyshe had condemned and upbraided him, her anger was turned againstherself; and his disappointed feelings became the object of compassion.His attachment excited gratitude, his general character respect; but shecould not approve him; nor could she for a moment repent her refusal, orfeel the slightest inclination ever to see him again. In her own pastbehaviour, there was a constant source of vexation and regret; and inthe unhappy defects of her family a subject of yet heavier chagrin.They were hopeless of remedy. Her father, contented with laughing atthem, would never exert himself to restrain the wild giddiness of hisyoungest daughters; and her mother, with manners so far from rightherself, was entirely insensible of the evil. Elizabeth had frequentlyunited with Jane in an endeavour to check the imprudence of Catherineand Lydia; but while they were supported by their mother's indulgence,what chance could there be of improvement? Catherine, weak-spirited,irritable, and completely under Lydia's guidance, had been alwaysaffronted by their advice; and Lydia, self-willed and careless, wouldscarcely give them a hearing. They were ignorant, idle, and vain. Whilethere was an officer in Meryton, they would flirt with him; and whileMeryton was within a walk of Longbourn, they would be going there forever.
Anxiety on Jane's behalf, was another prevailing concern, and Mr.Darcy's explanation, by restoring Bingley to all her former goodopinion, heightened the sense of what Jane had lost. His affection wasproved to have been sincere, and his conduct cleared of all blame,unless any could attach to the implicitness of his confidence in hisfriend. How grievous then was the thought that, of a situation sodesirable in every respect, so replete with advantage, so promising forhappiness, Jane had been deprived, by the folly and indecorum of her ownfamily!
When to these recollections was added the developement of Wickham'scharacter, it may be easily believed that the happy spirits which hadseldom been depressed before, were now so much affected as to make italmost impossible for her to appear tolerably cheerful.
Their engagements at Rosings were as frequent during the last week ofher stay, as they had been at first. The very last evening was spentthere; and her Ladyship again enquired minutely into the particulars oftheir journey, gave them directions as to the best method of packing,and was so urgent on the necessity of placing gowns in the only rightway, that Maria thought herself obliged, on her return, to undo all thework of the morning, and pack her trunk afresh.
When they parted, Lady Catherine, with great condescension, wished thema good journey, and invited them to come to Hunsford again next year;and Miss De Bourgh exerted herself so far as to curtsey and hold out herhand to both.