Catherine. ‘He must not do, I think, I cannot make him out. There is
something very pompous about his style; what can he mean by apologizing for
being mixed up in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it, if he could.
Do you expect him to be a sensible man, sir?’
‘No, my dear; I think not, ‘ Mr Bennet replied. ‘Upon my word I find him
quite the reverse. There is instability and self-importance discernible in his
letter which promises well. I am impatient to see him.’
Later on that day she and Elizabeth escaped the chaos of preparation for
this unexpected, and unwanted visitor, by taking a walk in the park. ‘Lizzy,
why do you think that Mr Collins has come at this time? Papa is still in the
prime of his life, I do hope he is not coming in the expectation of moving into
Longbourn at any time soon.’
‘Of course he is not, but I have no idea why he is coming today. We must
wait until he arrives and then no doubt he will tell us at great length and in
interminable detail. I am as eager as Papa to see if he is as ridiculous as his
letter.’
At four o’clock Mr Collins duly arrived at their door. Jane was
introduced after her mother, and Mr Collins seemed to take a particular
interest in her which she found decidedly uncomfortable. He was a tall, heavy
looking young man of five and twenty. His manner was grave and stately and his
speech very formal.
He had not been sitting long with the family before he began to praise
Mrs Bennet for having so fine a family of daughters. Jane exchanged a glance
with her sister who raised an eyebrow and hid her smile behind her hand.
During dinner her father scarcely
spoke at all, but when the servants were withdrawn he turned to their guest.
‘Mr Collins, it would seem from your letter that you are very fortunate in your
patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh.’ He could not have chosen a better
subject, Mr Collins was eloquent in her praise. In fact by the time he had
finished his discourse, Jane felt she knew as much about his patroness as he
did.
Lady Catherine had a sickly
daughter, her estate was called Rosings, and a great deal more that she had
already forgotten. When it was time for tea her father seemed glad to take his
guest into the drawing-room again and when the tray was removed he invited Mr
Collins to read aloud to the ladies. Their guest immediately said that he never
read novels, much to the disgust of Kitty and Lydia. Other books were produced
and after some deliberation he chose Fordyce’s sermons. She saw her younger
sister’s horror as he opened the volume and before he had, with monotonous
solemnity read even three pages Lydia interrupted him.
‘You know, my Uncle Philips talks of turning away one of his men. My
aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk into Meryton tomorrow to hear
more about it, and ask when Mr Denny comes back from town.’
Jane was scandalized by her younger sister’s incivility. ‘Lydia, hold
your tongue, have you no manners at all?’
Lydia seemed almost surprised by Jane’s reprimand. However, Mr Collins
was very offended, and laid aside his book with a heavy sigh. Then followed a
homily about poor manners and everyone was much relieved when their guest
agreed to play backgammon with their father. Even her mother apologized most
civilly for Lydia’s rude interruption and promised that it should not occur
again, if he would resume his book. Jane was delighted that he preferred to
play backgammon.
That evening, as she and Elizabeth were preparing to retire, Jane
finally had time to discuss her sojourn at Netherfield. ‘I am glad to be home,
Lizzy, but I must say that I did enjoy being with Mr Bingley. Did you not think
he is so good-natured, so affable, with all his staff? I do believe I never
heard him say a cross word the whole time we were there.’
‘Which is more than I can say for his friend. Mr Darcy had nothing good
to say about anyone, he is so high in instep I am surprised he can walk
something very pompous about his style; what can he mean by apologizing for
being mixed up in the entail? We cannot suppose he would help it, if he could.
Do you expect him to be a sensible man, sir?’
‘No, my dear; I think not, ‘ Mr Bennet replied. ‘Upon my word I find him
quite the reverse. There is instability and self-importance discernible in his
letter which promises well. I am impatient to see him.’
Later on that day she and Elizabeth escaped the chaos of preparation for
this unexpected, and unwanted visitor, by taking a walk in the park. ‘Lizzy,
why do you think that Mr Collins has come at this time? Papa is still in the
prime of his life, I do hope he is not coming in the expectation of moving into
Longbourn at any time soon.’
‘Of course he is not, but I have no idea why he is coming today. We must
wait until he arrives and then no doubt he will tell us at great length and in
interminable detail. I am as eager as Papa to see if he is as ridiculous as his
letter.’
At four o’clock Mr Collins duly arrived at their door. Jane was
introduced after her mother, and Mr Collins seemed to take a particular
interest in her which she found decidedly uncomfortable. He was a tall, heavy
looking young man of five and twenty. His manner was grave and stately and his
speech very formal.
He had not been sitting long with the family before he began to praise
Mrs Bennet for having so fine a family of daughters. Jane exchanged a glance
with her sister who raised an eyebrow and hid her smile behind her hand.
During dinner her father scarcely
spoke at all, but when the servants were withdrawn he turned to their guest.
‘Mr Collins, it would seem from your letter that you are very fortunate in your
patroness, Lady Catherine De Bourgh.’ He could not have chosen a better
subject, Mr Collins was eloquent in her praise. In fact by the time he had
finished his discourse, Jane felt she knew as much about his patroness as he
did.
Lady Catherine had a sickly
daughter, her estate was called Rosings, and a great deal more that she had
already forgotten. When it was time for tea her father seemed glad to take his
guest into the drawing-room again and when the tray was removed he invited Mr
Collins to read aloud to the ladies. Their guest immediately said that he never
read novels, much to the disgust of Kitty and Lydia. Other books were produced
and after some deliberation he chose Fordyce’s sermons. She saw her younger
sister’s horror as he opened the volume and before he had, with monotonous
solemnity read even three pages Lydia interrupted him.
‘You know, my Uncle Philips talks of turning away one of his men. My
aunt told me so herself on Saturday. I shall walk into Meryton tomorrow to hear
more about it, and ask when Mr Denny comes back from town.’
Jane was scandalized by her younger sister’s incivility. ‘Lydia, hold
your tongue, have you no manners at all?’
Lydia seemed almost surprised by Jane’s reprimand. However, Mr Collins
was very offended, and laid aside his book with a heavy sigh. Then followed a
homily about poor manners and everyone was much relieved when their guest
agreed to play backgammon with their father. Even her mother apologized most
civilly for Lydia’s rude interruption and promised that it should not occur
again, if he would resume his book. Jane was delighted that he preferred to
play backgammon.
That evening, as she and Elizabeth were preparing to retire, Jane
finally had time to discuss her sojourn at Netherfield. ‘I am glad to be home,
Lizzy, but I must say that I did enjoy being with Mr Bingley. Did you not think
he is so good-natured, so affable, with all his staff? I do believe I never
heard him say a cross word the whole time we were there.’
‘Which is more than I can say for his friend. Mr Darcy had nothing good
to say about anyone, he is so high in instep I am surprised he can walk
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