Mr. Darcy." She then sought her eldest sister, who has undertaken to make inquiries on the same
subject of Bingley. Jane met her with a smile of such sweet complacency, a glow of such happy
expression, as sufficiently marked how well she was satisfied with the occurrences of the
evening. Elizabeth instantly read her feelings, and at that moment solicitude for Wickham,
resentment against his enemies, and everything else, gave way before the hope of Jane's being in
the fairest way for happiness.
"I want to know," said she, with a countenance no less smiling than her sister's, "what you have
learnt about Mr. Wickham. But perhaps you have been too pleasantly engaged to think of any
third person; in which case you may be sure of my pardon."
"No," replied Jane, "I have not forgotten him; but I have nothing satisfactory to tell you. Mr.
Bingley does not know the whole of his history, and is quite ignorant of the circumstances which
have principally offended Mr. Darcy; but he will vouch for the good conduct, the probity, and
honour of his friend, and is perfectly convinced that Mr. Wickham has deserved much less
attention from Mr. Darcy than he has received; and I am sorry to say by his account as well as
his sister's, Mr. Wickham is by no means a respectable young man. I am afraid he has been very
imprudent, and has deserved to lose Mr. Darcy's regard."
"Mr. Bingley does not know Mr. Wickham himself?"
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"No; he never saw him till the other morning at Meryton."
"This account then is what he has received from Mr. Darcy. I am satisfied. But what does he say
of the living?"
"He does not exactly recollect the circumstances, though he has heard them from Mr. Darcy
more than once, but he believes that it was left to him CONDITIONALLY only."
"I have not a doubt of Mr. Bingley's sincerity," said Elizabeth warmly; "but you must excuse my
not being convinced by assurances only. Mr. Bingley's defense of his friend was a very able one,
I dare say; but since he is unacquainted with several parts of the story, and has learnt the rest
from that friend himself, I shall venture to still think of both gentlemen as I did before."
She then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each, and on which there could be no
difference of sentiment. Elizabeth listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which
Jane entertained of Mr. Bingley's regard, and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in
it. On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose
inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins
came up to them, and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make
a most important discovery.
"I have found out," said he, "by a singular accident, that there is now in the room a near relation
of my patroness. I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to the young lady
who does the honours of the house the names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh, and of her mother
Lady Catherine. How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my
meeting with, perhaps, a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly! I am most
thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him, which I am now
going to do, and trust he will excuse my not having done it before. My total ignorance of the
connection must plead my apology."
"You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr. Darcy!"
"Indeed I am. I shall entreat his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady
Catherine's NEPHEW. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well
yesterday se'nnight."
Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme, assuring him that Mr. Darcy would
consider his addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a
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compliment to his aunt; that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either
side; and that if it were, it must belong to Mr. Darcy, the superior in consequence, to begin the
acquaintance. Mr. Collins listened to her with the determined air of following his own
inclination, and, when she ceased speaking, replied thus:
"My dear Miss Elizabeth, I have the highest opinion in the world in your excellent judgement in
all matters within the scope of your understanding; but permit me to say, that there must be a
wide difference between the established forms of ceremony amongst the laity, and those which
regulate the clergy; for, give me leave to observe that I consider the clerical office as equal in
point of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom—provided that a proper humility of
behaviour is at the same time maintained. You must therefore allow me to follow the dictates of
my conscience on this occasion, which leads me to perform what I look on as a point of duty.
Pardon me for neglecting to profit by your advice, which on every other subject shall be my
constant guide, though in the case before us I consider myself more fitted by education and
habitual study to decide on what is right than a young lady like yourself." And with a low bow he
left her to attack Mr. Darcy, whose reception of his advances she eagerly watched, and whose
astonishment at being so addressed was very evident. Her cousin prefaced his speech with a
solemn bow and though she could not hear a word of it, she felt as if hearing it all, and saw in the
motion of his lips the words "apology," "Hunsford," and "Lady Catherine de Bourgh." It vexed
her to see him expose himself to such a man. Mr. Darcy was eyeing him with unrestrained
wonder, and when at last Mr. Collins allowed him time to speak, replied with an air of distant
civility. Mr. Collins, however, was not discouraged from speaking again, and Mr. Darcy's
contempt seemed abundantly increasing with the length of his second speech, and at the end of it
he only made him a slight bow, and moved another way. Mr. Collins then returned to Elizabeth.
"I have no reason, I assure you," said he, "to be dissatisfied with my reception. Mr. Darcy
seemed much pleased with the attention. He answered me with the utmost civility, and even paid
me the compliment of saying that he was so well convinced of Lady Catherine's discernment as
to be certain she could never bestow a favour unworthily. It was really a very handsome thought.
Upon the whole, I am much pleased with him."
As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue, she turned her attention almost
entirely on her sister and Mr. Bingley; and the train of agreeable reflections which her
observations gave birth to, made her perhaps almost as happy as Jane. She saw her in idea settled
in that very house, in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow; and she felt
capable, under such circumstances, of endeavouring even to like Bingley's two sisters. Her