PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38

Description

ON Saturday morning
Elizabeth and Mr. Collins met for breakfast a few minutes before the others
appeared; and he took the opportunity of paying the parting civilities
which he deemed indispensably necessary.

"I know not, Miss Elizabeth," said he, "whether Mrs. Collins has yet
expressed her sense of your kindness in coming to us, but I am very certain
you will not leave the house without receiving her thanks for it. The
favour of your company has been much felt, I assure you. We know how little
there is to tempt any one to our humble abode. Our plain manner of living,
our small rooms, and few domestics, and the little we see of the world,
must make Hunsford extremely dull to a young lady like yourself; but I
hope you will believe us grateful for the condescension, and that we have
done every thing in our power to prevent your spending your time unpleasantly."

Elizabeth was eager with her thanks and assurances of happiness. She
  had spent six weeks with great enjoyment; and the pleasure of being
  with Charlotte, and the kind attentions she had received, must make
  her feel the obliged. Mr. Collins was gratified; and with a more smiling
  solemnity replied,

"It gives me the greatest pleasure to hear that you have passed your
  time not disagreeably. We have certainly done our best; and most fortunately
  having it in our power to introduce you to very superior society, and,
  from our connection with Rosings, the frequent means of varying the
  humble home scene, I think we may flatter ourselves that your Hunsford
  visit cannot have been entirely irksome. Our situation with regard to
  Lady Catherine's family is indeed the sort of extraordinary advantage
  and blessing which few can boast. You see on what a footing we are.
  You see how continually we are engaged there. In truth I must acknowledge
  that, with all the disadvantages of this humble parsonage, I should
  not think any one abiding in it an object of compassion while they are
  sharers of our intimacy at Rosings."

Words were insufficient for the elevation of his feelings; and he
  was obliged to walk about the room, while Elizabeth tried to unite civility
  and truth in a few short sentences.

"You may, in fact, carry a very favourable report of us into Hertfordshire,
  my dear cousin. I flatter myself, at least, that you will be able to
  do so. Lady Catherine's great attentions to Mrs. Collins you have been
  a daily witness of; and altogether I trust it does not appear that your
  friend has drawn an unfortunate --; but on this point it will be as
  well to be silent. Only let me assure you, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that
  I can from my heart most cordially wish you equal felicity in marriage.
  My dear Charlotte and I have but one mind and one way of thinking. There
  is in every thing a most remarkable resemblance of character and ideas
  between us. We seem to have been designed for each other."

Elizabeth could safely say that it was a great happiness where that
  was the case, and with equal sincerity could add that she firmly believed
  and rejoiced in his domestic comforts. She was not sorry, however, to
  have the recital of them interrupted by the entrance of the lady from
  whom they sprung. Poor Charlotte! -- it was melancholy to leave her
  to such society! -- But she had chosen it with her eyes open; and though
  evidently regretting that her visitors were to go, she did not seem
  to ask for compassion. Her home and her housekeeping, her parish and
  her poultry, and all their dependent concerns, had not yet lost their
  charms.

At length the chaise arrived, the trunks were fastened on, the parcels
  placed within, and it was pronounced to be ready. After an affectionate
  parting between the friends, Elizabeth was attended to the carriage
  by Mr. Collins, and as they walked down the garden, he was commissioning
  her with his best respects to all her family, not forgetting his thanks
  for the kindness he had received at Longbourn in the winter, and his
  compliments to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, though unknown. He then handed
  her in, Maria followed, and the door was on the point of being closed,
  when he suddenly reminded them, with some consternation, that they had
  hitherto forgotten to leave any message for the ladies at Rosings.

"But," he added, "you will of course wish to have your humble respects
  delivered to them, with your grateful thanks for their kindness to you
  while you have been here."

Elizabeth made no objection; -- the door was then allowed to be shut,
  and the carriage drove off.

"Good gracious!" cried Maria, after a few minutes silence, "it
  seems but a day or two since we first came! -- and yet how many things
  have happened!"

"A great many indeed," said her companion with a sigh.

"We have dined nine times at Rosings, besides drinking tea there
  twice! -- How much I shall have to tell!"

Elizabeth privately added, "And how much I shall have to conceal."

Their journey was performed without much conversation, or any alarm;
  and within four hours of their leaving Hunsford, they reached Mr. Gardiner's
  house, where they were to remain a few days.

Jane looked well, and Elizabeth had little opportunity of studying
  her spirits, amidst the various engagements which the kindness of her
  aunt had reserved for them. But Jane was to go home with her, and at
  Longbourn there would be leisure enough for observation.

It was not without an effort, meanwhile, that she could wait even
  for Longbourn, before she told her sister of Mr. Darcy's proposals.
  To know that she had the power of revealing what would so exceedingly
  astonish Jane, and must, at the same time, so highly gratify whatever
  of her own vanity she had not yet been able to reason away, was such
  a temptation to openness as nothing could have conquered but the state
  of indecision in which she remained as to the extent of what she should
  communicate; and her fear, if she once entered on the subject, of being
  hurried into repeating something of Bingley which might only grieve
  her sister farther.

Disclaimer:
Contents of this page are indexed from the Internet. All actions are under your responsability. Email us to report illegal contents or external links and we'll remove them immediately.

Please check the description for download links if any or do a search to find alternative books.

Can't Download?
Please search mirrors if you can't find download links for "PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 38" in "Description" and someone else may update the links. Check the comments when back to find any updates.

Search Mirrors
Maybe some mirror pages will be helpful, search this book at top of this page or click here to find more info.

1. Ebooks list page : 81
2. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 53
3. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 37
4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 36
5. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 35
6. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 31
7. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 30
8. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 34
9. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 29
10. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 27
11. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 28
12. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 26
13. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 39
14. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 52
15. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 51
16. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Chapter 50