Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little

assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent

under the guidance of an illiterate and

miserly father; and though he belonged to one of the universities, he had merely kept

the necessary terms, without forming at it any useful acquaintance.

The subjection in which his father had brought him up had given him originally

great humility of manner; but it was now a good deal counteracted by the self-conceit

of a weak head, living in retirement, and

the consequential feelings of early and unexpected prosperity.

A fortunate chance had recommended him to Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of

Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his

veneration for her as his patroness,

mingling with a very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman,

and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and

obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to marry;

and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view, as

he meant to choose one of the daughters, if

he found them as handsome and amiable as they were represented by common report.

This was his plan of amends--of atonement-- for inheriting their father's estate; and

he thought it an excellent one, full of eligibility and suitableness, and

excessively generous and disinterested on his own part.

His plan did not vary on seeing them.

Miss Bennet's lovely face confirmed his views, and established all his strictest

notions of what was due to seniority; and for the first evening she was his settled

choice.

The next morning, however, made an alteration; for in a quarter of an hour's

tete-a-tete with Mrs. Bennet before breakfast, a conversation beginning with

his parsonage-house, and leading naturally

to the avowal of his hopes, that a mistress might be found for it at Longbourn,

produced from her, amid very complaisant smiles and general encouragement, a caution

against the very Jane he had fixed on.

"As to her younger daughters, she could not take upon her to say--she could not

positively answer--but she did not know of any prepossession; her eldest daughter, she

must just mention--she felt it incumbent on

her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged."

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth--and it was soon done--done while

Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire.

Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

Mrs. Bennet treasured up the hint, and trusted that she might soon have two

daughters married; and the man whom she could not bear to speak of the day before

was now high in her good graces.

Lydia's intention of walking to Meryton was not forgotten; every sister except Mary

agreed to go with her; and Mr. Collins was to attend them, at the request of Mr.

Bennet, who was most anxious to get rid of

him, and have his library to himself; for thither Mr. Collins had followed him after

breakfast; and there he would continue, nominally engaged with one of the largest

folios in the collection, but really

talking to Mr. Bennet, with little cessation, of his house and garden at

Hunsford. Such doings discomposed Mr. Bennet

exceedingly.

In his library he had been always sure of leisure and tranquillity; and though

prepared, as he told Elizabeth, to meet with folly and conceit in every other room

of the house, he was used to be free from

them there; his civility, therefore, was most prompt in inviting Mr. Collins to join

his daughters in their walk; and Mr. Collins, being in fact much better fitted

for a walker than a reader, was extremely pleased to close his large book, and go.

In pompous nothings on his side, and civil assents on that of his cousins, their time

passed till they entered Meryton.

The attention of the younger ones was then no longer to be gained by him.

Their eyes were immediately wandering up in the street in quest of the officers, and

nothing less than a very smart bonnet indeed, or a really new muslin in a shop

window, could recall them.

But the attention of every lady was soon caught by a young man, whom they had never

seen before, of most gentlemanlike appearance, walking with another officer on

the other side of the way.

The officer was the very Mr. Denny concerning whose return from London Lydia

came to inquire, and he bowed as they passed.

All were struck with the stranger's air, all wondered who he could be; and Kitty and

Lydia, determined if possible to find out, led the way across the street, under

pretense of wanting something in an

opposite shop, and fortunately had just gained the pavement when the two gentlemen,

turning back, had reached the same spot.

Mr. Denny addressed them directly, and entreated permission to introduce his

friend, Mr. Wickham, who had returned with him the day before from town, and he was

happy to say had accepted a commission in their corps.

This was exactly as it should be; for the young man wanted only regimentals to make

him completely charming.

His appearance was greatly in his favour; he had all the best part of beauty, a fine

countenance, a good figure, and very pleasing address.

The introduction was followed up on his side by a happy readiness of conversation--

a readiness at the same time perfectly correct and unassuming; and the whole party

were still standing and talking together

very agreeably, when the sound of horses drew their notice, and Darcy and Bingley

were seen riding down the street.

On distinguishing the ladies of the group, the two gentlemen came directly towards

them, and began the usual civilities. Bingley was the principal spokesman, and

Miss Bennet the principal object.

He was then, he said, on his way to Longbourn on purpose to inquire after her.

Mr. Darcy corroborated it with a bow, and was beginning to determine not to fix his

eyes on Elizabeth, when they were suddenly arrested by the sight of the stranger, and

Elizabeth happening to see the countenance

of both as they looked at each other, was all astonishment at the effect of the

meeting. Both changed colour, one looked white, the

other red.

Mr. Wickham, after a few moments, touched his hat--a salutation which Mr. Darcy just

deigned to return. What could be the meaning of it?

It was impossible to imagine; it was impossible not to long to know.

In another minute, Mr. Bingley, but without seeming to have noticed what passed, took

leave and rode on with his friend.

Mr. Denny and Mr. Wickham walked with the young ladies to the door of Mr. Phillip's

house, and then made their bows, in spite of Miss Lydia's pressing entreaties that

they should come in, and even in spite of

Mrs. Phillips's throwing up the parlour window and loudly seconding the invitation.

Mrs. Phillips was always glad to see her nieces; and the two eldest, from their

recent absence, were particularly welcome, and she was eagerly expressing her surprise

at their sudden return home, which, as

their own carriage had not fetched them, she should have known nothing about, if she

had not happened to see Mr. Jones's shop- boy in the street, who had told her that

they were not to send any more draughts to

Netherfield because the Miss Bennets were come away, when her civility was claimed

towards Mr. Collins by Jane's introduction of him.

She received him with her very best politeness, which he returned with as much

more, apologising for his intrusion, without any previous acquaintance with her,

which he could not help flattering himself,

however, might be justified by his relationship to the young ladies who

introduced him to her notice.

Mrs. Phillips was quite awed by such an excess of good breeding; but her

contemplation of one stranger was soon put to an end by exclamations and inquiries

about the other; of whom, however, she

could only tell her nieces what they already knew, that Mr. Denny had brought

him from London, and that he was to have a lieutenant's commission in the ----shire.

She had been watching him the last hour, she said, as he walked up and down the

street, and had Mr. Wickham appeared, Kitty and Lydia would certainly have continued

the occupation, but unluckily no one passed

windows now except a few of the officers, who, in comparison with the stranger, were

become "stupid, disagreeable fellows."

Some of them were to dine with the Phillipses the next day, and their aunt

promised to make her husband call on Mr. Wickham, and give him an invitation also,

if the family from Longbourn would come in the evening.

This was agreed to, and Mrs. Phillips protested that they would have a nice

comfortable noisy game of lottery tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards.

The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good

spirits.

Mr. Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured with

unwearying civility that they were perfectly needless.

As they walked home, Elizabeth related to Jane what she had seen pass between the two

gentlemen; but though Jane would have defended either or both, had they appeared

to be in the wrong, she could no more explain such behaviour than her sister.

Mr. Collins on his return highly gratified Mrs. Bennet by admiring Mrs. Phillips's

manners and politeness.

He protested that, except Lady Catherine and her daughter, he had never seen a more

elegant woman; for she had not only received him with the utmost civility, but

even pointedly included him in her

invitation for the next evening, although utterly unknown to her before.

Something, he supposed, might be attributed to his connection with them, but yet he had

never met with so much attention in the whole course of his life.