Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 28

Elizabeth was sitting with her mother and sisters, thinking of what she had just heard, and wondering whether she should tell them, when Sir William Lucas himself came in, and he was beholden to him. Entrusted by the eldest daughter, she came to tell the Ban family about her engagement.When he narrated this incident, many words of compliments and self-congratulations to the Ban family were indispensable, because the Ban Lu family was about to get married—the listeners were not only surprised, but also unbelievable; Mrs. Bennet insisted bluntly that he must be quite mistaken, and Lydia, who had always been capricious and uneducated, exclaimed:
"Dear me! Sir William, how can you say that?—don't you know that it is Lizzy that Mr. Collins wants to marry?"

Only the ingratiating and flattering disposition of a courtier could have brought Sir William through all this unscathed and unscathed; and in spite of his entreaties to assure them of the authority and truth of his news, he had none the less Politely and patiently listened to their rude words.

Elizabeth felt it her duty to get him out of this embarrassing position, and going forward, she related what she had heard from Carlotte, to prove that Sir William was telling the truth; Her mother and sisters made a fuss, and she congratulated him warmly and sincerely (Jeying soon joined in), telling of all the happiness this marriage might bring, of Mr. Collins' good character, and of Hard Easy commuting between Fortshire and London etc.

Mrs. Bennet did not dare to speak too much disrespect in Sir William's presence; but as soon as he left the house, her grievances burst forth.In the first place, she persisted in her obstinate disbelief; in the second, she decided that Mr. Collins had been deceived; in the third, she firmly believed that they could never be happy together;However, two inferences were evident to her from the whole affair; first, that Elizabeth was the real source of all the mischief; , she has been chattering on these two points.Nothing comforted her, nothing appeased her. ——The whole day's work failed to finish her complaints.For a week she scolded Elizabeth, and for a month she spoke harshly to the Lucass, and it was many months before she forgave their daughter.

Mr. Bennet, whose mood was much quieter in this matter, declared that his recent experiences were of a very pleasing kind; Lucas, to be as stupid as his wife, and even more stupid than his daughter, was his pride!

Jane herself confessed that she was somewhat surprised by this marriage; but she did not express her surprise much, but sincerely hoped for their future happiness; Elizabeth explained to her that there could be no love between them. Happiness, but these words could not persuade her.Kitty and Lydia were not in the least jealous of Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only a clergyman; and if it affected them, it was only as news in Meryton. Just spread the word.

Mrs Lucas, who had a daughter in a happy marriage, certainly could not have been unaware that she had the advantage of reciprocating Mrs Bennet; How happy she was, although Mrs. Bennet's sour face and sarcasm were enough to drive away her joy.

Between Elizabeth and Carlotti there was now a barrier which kept them both mutually silent on the matter; Elizabeth knew that there could no longer be that kind of conversation between them. true friendship.Her disappointment with Carlotti made her start to care for her sister more lovingly. She was convinced that she would never doubt her sister's integrity and decent character. Heaven and earth were more anxious for his sister's happiness, for Bingley had now been gone for a week, and had heard nothing of his return.

Jane had written Caroline an answer in time, and was counting the days when she might receive it.On Tuesday, the thank-you letter that Mr. Collins had promised to write in advance was sent to the house. The letter was addressed to their father. There were many grandiose words of gratitude in the letter. I didn't know that he had lived here for a year. For a long time.Having thus relieved his qualms of conscience, he began to tell them, in many warm and exciting words, of his happiness at the love of their neighbour, the lovely Miss Lucas, and went on And he explained that it was only in consideration of being with her that he was willing to grant their wish to see him again at Longbourn, the date on which he might arrive there being the following Monday; for Lady Catherine, He added, with full consent to his marriage, wishing it to take place as soon as possible, trusting that his lovely Carlotta, who would not dispute this, would at the earliest opportunity choose an auspicious day which would make him the most auspicious day in the world. happy man.

Mrs. Collins' return to Hertfordshire was no longer a joy to Mrs. Bennet.Instead, she complained about it as much as her husband did. —It was strange that he should come to Longbourne again instead of Mr. Lucas's; it was both inconvenient and very troublesome. --in her ill health she hated visits at home, and lovers were the most disliked of all.These were the things Mrs. Bennet had been going on and on about these days, and it was only the greater vexation of Mr. Bingley's absence which kept her from time to time.

Jane and Elizabeth were never quite at ease about this matter either.Day after day went by without any news of him, except that it had just been reported in Meryton that he would not be coming back to Netherfield all winter; Mrs. Bennet, whenever it was mentioned, she always retorted that it was the most vicious rumour, and that it was not credible at all.

Till Elizabeth began to fear too--not that Bingley was frivolous--but that his sisters might succeed in dismissing him.And though she did not like to admit such a thought as could spoil Jane's happiness, and cast a shadow over her lover's fidelity, she could not help thinking in that direction often.She feared that his two sisters, who were not willing to marry him, and his formidable friend, combined with Miss Darcy's charms and London's life of pleasure, might make him feel ashamed of himself. Jiying's affection was completely swallowed up.

As for Jane, her anxieties in this unresolved situation were, of course, greater than Elizabeth's; but, as long as she felt that she needed to conceal her feelings, she would not speak of them, so between herself and Elizabeth , never mentioned the matter.But her mother didn't have such delicate emotions to restrain herself. There was not a minute when she didn't talk about Bingley, and she didn't express her anxiety for his return. She even asked Jane to admit that she was being played by others. Now, if he never came back, it would have required all of Jane's tenderness and meekness to bear all this more calmly.

Mr. Collins returned to Longbourne punctually on the Monday after a fortnight, but was less attentively received at the Ben's this time.However, he was too happy now to need much attention; and to the Bens, this love affair was a blessing to be free from his many entanglements at home.He spent most of each day at the Lou House, and sometimes when he returned to Longbourn, it was time for the whole family to go to bed, and he simply apologized for his absence. Li, it's time to go to sleep.

Mrs. Bennet's present condition was pitiful enough.The mere mention of this marriage made her miserable, and wherever she went she heard people talking about it.The first sight of Miss Lucas disgusted her.As the future mistress of the house she would take her place, she felt a growing jealousy and loathing for Miss Lucas.As soon as Carlotti came to their house she took it for granted that she was planning on how soon she would be the mistress of the house; as soon as she saw her talking to Mr. Collins in a low voice she thought they were talking. Talking of the Longbourn estate, it was only upon Mr. Bennet's death that she would ruthlessly drive herself and her daughters out of the house.She told her husband all these sad things.

"Ah, my dear Bennet," she said, "to think that Carlotie Lucas shall be mistress of the house, and to think that I shall have to make room for her, to see her In charge of this house, I will not be angry with one place!"

"My dear, don't think about such unpleasant things. Let's think about the good. Let's be lucky. I'll live a long time."

Mrs. Bennet was not much comforted by this remark, so she did not answer her husband's complaints, but continued to complain of her troubles.

"I can't bear the thought of them both getting all the money. If it weren't for this question of inheritance, I wouldn't care."

"What don't you care about?"

"I don't care about anything."

"Let's say thank you that you haven't gotten to that unreasonable level yet."

"My dear Bennet, I shall never be grateful for the succession. Who would be so cruel as to take property from his own daughter and leave it to someone else? I don't understand; especially it's all for this Mr. Collins!—why should he get other people's property?"

"I'll leave that question to you," said Mr. Bennet.

(End of this chapter)