78
way. This is my advice. Find such a woman as soon as you can, bring her to Hunsford, and I will
visit her.' Allow me, by the way, to observe, my fair cousin, that I do not reckon the notice and
kindness of Lady Catherine de Bourgh as among the least of the advantages in my power to
offer. You will find her manners beyond anything I can describe; and your wit and vivacity, I
think, must be acceptable to her, especially when tempered with the silence and respect which
her rank will inevitably excite. Thus much for my general intention in favour of matrimony; it
remains to be told why my views were directed towards Longbourn instead of my own
neighbourhood, where I can assure you there are many amiable young women. But the fact is,
that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however,
may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from
among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy
event takes place—which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. This
has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And
now nothing remains but for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence
of my affection. To fortune I am perfectly indifferent, and shall make no demand of that nature
on your father, since I am well aware that it could not be complied with; and that one thousand
pounds in the four per cents, which will not be yours till after your mother's decease, is all that
you may ever be entitled to. On that head, therefore, I shall be uniformly silent; and you may
assure yourself that no ungenerous reproach shall ever pass my lips when we are married."
It was absolutely necessary to interrupt him now.
"You are too hasty, sir," she cried. "You forget that I have made no answer. Let me do it without
further loss of time. Accept my thanks for the compliment you are paying me. I am very sensible
of the honour of your proposals, but it is impossible for me to do otherwise than to decline
them."
"I am not now to learn," replied Mr. Collins, with a formal wave of the hand, "that it is usual
with young ladies to reject the addresses of the man whom they secretly mean to accept, when he
first applies for their favour; and that sometimes the refusal is repeated a second, or even a third
time. I am therefore by no means discouraged by what you have just said, and shall hope to lead
you to the altar ere long."
"Upon my word, sir," cried Elizabeth, "your hope is a rather extraordinary one after my
declaration. I do assure you that I am not one of those young ladies (if such young ladies there
are) who are so daring as to risk their happiness on the chance of being asked a second time. I am
79
perfectly serious in my refusal. You could not make ME happy, and I am convinced that I am the
last woman in the world who could make you so. Nay, were your friend Lady Catherine to know
me, I am persuaded she would find me in every respect ill qualified for the situation."
"Were it certain that Lady Catherine would think so," said Mr. Collins very gravely—"but I
cannot imagine that her ladyship would at all disapprove of you. And you may be certain when I
have the honour of seeing her again, I shall speak in the very highest terms of your modesty,
economy, and other amiable qualification."
"Indeed, Mr. Collins, all praise of me will be unnecessary. You must give me leave to judge for
myself, and pay me the compliment of believing what I say. I wish you very happy and very rich,
and by refusing you hand, do all in my power to prevent your being otherwise. In making me the
offer, you must have satisfied the delicacy of your feelings with regard to my family, and may
take possession of Longbourn estate whenever it falls, without any self-reproach. This matter
may be considered, therefore, as finally settled." And rising as she thus spoke, she would have
quitted the room, had Mr. Collins not thus addressed her:
"When I do myself the honour of speaking to you next on the subject, I shall hope to receive a
more favourable answer than you have now given me; though I am far from accusing you of
cruelty at present, because I know it to be the established custom of your sex to reject a man on
the first application, and perhaps you have even now said as much to encourage my suit as would
be consistent with the true delicacy of the female character."
"Really, Mr. Collins," cried Elizabeth with some warmth, "you puzzle me exceedingly. If what I
have hitherto said can appear to you in the form of encouragement, I know not how to express
my refusal in such a way as to convince you of its being one."
"You must give me leave to flatter myself, my dear cousin, that your refusal of my addresses is
merely words of course. My reasons for believing it are briefly these: It does not appear to me
that my hand is unworthy your acceptance, or that the establishment I can offer would be any
other than highly desirable. My situation in life, my connections with the family of de Bourgh,
and my relationship to your own, are circumstances highly in my favour; and you should take it
into further consideration, that in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that
another offer of marriage may ever be made you. Your portion is unhappily so small that it will
in all likelihood undo the effects of your loveliness and amiable qualifications. As I must
therefore conclude that you are not serious in your rejection of me, I shall choose to attribute it to
your wish of increasing my love by suspense, according to the usual practice of elegant females."
80
"I do assure you, sir, that I have no pretensions whatever to that kind of elegance which consists
in tormenting a respectable man. I would rather be paid the compliment of being believed
sincere. I thank you again and again for the honour you have done me in your proposals, but to
accept them is absolutely impossible. My feelings in every respect forbid it. Can I speak plainer?
Do not consider me now as an elegant female, intending to plague you, but as a rational creature,
speaking the truth from her heart."
"You are uniformly charming!" cried he, with an air of awkward gallantry; "and I am persuaded
that when sanctioned by the express authority of both your excellent parents, my proposals will
not fail of being acceptable."
To such perseverance in wilful self-deception Elizabeth would make no reply, and immediately
and in silence withdrew; determined, if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as
flattering encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a
manner as to be decisive, and whose behavior at least could not be mistaken for the affectation
and coquetry of an elegant female.
Chapter 20
Mr. Collins was not left long to the silent contemplation of his successful love; for Mrs. Bennet,