Page 27 of Hard Home

Then he rode back into Meryton and wrote out a return in a very neat hand, in which he stated that the affected ground now measured one hundred and forty yards, that it had measured thirty-one on the ninth of November, and that on his own estimate — which he begged leave to say was worth very little, his gift being now materially reduced — it was widening at something above nine yards in the week and had begun to move uphill, toward the town.

He gave it to Captain Harding at eight o'clock, and Harding read it standing at the window, and then folded it and put it in his coat and said, "Thank you, Denny. Go to the assembly."

"Sir?"

"There is an assembly on Thursday and you are down for it, and Miss Lydia Bennet will be looking for you, and if the officers of this regiment stop dancing, this town will begin to ask why we are here." Harding did not turn round. "Wear the red coat. Be charming. It is an order."

Lieutenant Denny went to the assembly on Thursday and danced every dance and was thought by everybody to be the pleasantest young man in Meryton.

Chapter Thirteen

"I hope, my dear," said Mr. Bennet to his wife, as they were at breakfast the next morning, "that you have ordered a good dinner to-day, because I have reason to expect an addition to our family party."

"Who do you mean, my dear? I know of nobody that is coming, I am sure, unless Charlotte Lucas should happen to call in — and I hopemydinners are good enough for her. I do not believe she often sees such at home."

"The person of whom I speak, is a gentleman and a stranger."

Mrs. Bennet's eyes sparkled. — "A gentleman and a stranger! It is Mr. Bingley I am sure. Why Jane — you never dropped a word of this; you sly thing! Well, I am sure I shall be extremely glad to see Mr. Bingley. — But — good Lord! how unlucky! there is not a bit of fish to be got to-day. Lydia, my love, ring the bell."

"It isnotMr. Bingley," said her husband; "it is a person whom I never saw in the whole course of my life."

This roused a general astonishment; and he had the pleasure of being eagerly questioned by his wife and five daughters at once.

After amusing himself some time with their curiosity, he thus explained.

"About a month ago I received this letter, and about a fortnight ago I answered it, for I thought it a case of some delicacy, and requiring early attention. It is from my cousin, Mr. Collins, who, when I am dead, may turn you all out of this house as soon as he pleases."

"Oh! my dear," cried his wife, "I cannot bear to hear that mentioned. Pray do not talk of that odious man. I do think it is the hardest thing in the world, that your estate should be entailed away from your own children; and I am sure if I had been you, I should have tried long ago to do something or other about it."

Jane and Elizabeth attempted to explain to her the nature of an entail. They had often attempted it before: but it was a subject on which Mrs. Bennet was beyond the reach of reason; and she continued to rail bitterly against the cruelty of settling an estate away from a family of five daughters, in favor of a man whom nobody cared anything about.

It should be said in her defense that she understood the essential point rather better than either of them, and had done for four-and-twenty years. What she could not be brought toaccept was that a thing so plainly wicked should also be true, and she had spent two decades in the reasonable conviction that somebody, somewhere, must be able to do something, and that the only reason nobody had was that nobody had troubled.

"It certainly is a most iniquitous affair," said Mr. Bennet, "and nothing can clear Mr. Collins from the guilt of inheriting Longbourn. But if you will listen to his letter, you may perhaps be a little softened by his manner of expressing himself."

"No, that I am sure I shall not; and I think it was very impertinent of him to write to you at all, and very hypocritical. I hate such false friends."

He read as follows:

Dear Sir,

The disagreement subsisting between yourself and my late honored father always gave me much uneasiness, and since I have had the misfortune to lose him I have frequently wished to heal the breach; but for some time I was kept back by my own doubts, fearing lest it might seem disrespectful to his memory for me to be on good terms with any one with whom it had always pleased him to be at variance.

My mind however is now made up on the subject, for having received ordination at Easter, I have been so fortunate as to be distinguished by the patronage of the Right Honorable Lady Catherine de Bourgh, widow of Sir Lewis de Bourgh, whose bounty and beneficence has preferred me to the valuable rectory of this parish, where it shall be my earnest endeavor to demean myself with grateful respect toward her Ladyship, and be ever ready to perform those rites and ceremonies which are instituted by the Church of England, and those older offices which, in a parish so anciently held, are annexed to the living.

As a clergyman, moreover, I feel it my duty to promote and establish the blessing of peace in all families within the reach of my influence; and on these grounds I flatter myself that my present overtures of good-will are highly commendable, and that the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive branch. I cannot be otherwise than concerned at being the means of injuring your amiable daughters, and beg leave to apologize for it, as well as to assure you of my readiness to make them every possible amends — but of this hereafter.

If you should have no objection to receive me into your house, I propose myself the satisfaction of waiting on you and your family, Monday, November 18th, by four o'clock, and shall probably trespass on your hospitality till the Saturday se'ennight following, which I can do without any inconvenience, as Lady Catherine is far from objecting to my occasional absence on a Sunday, provided that some other clergyman is engaged to do the duty of the day.

I remain, dear Sir, with respectful compliments to your lady and daughters, your well-wisher and friend,

WILLIAM COLLINS

"At four o'clock, therefore, we may expect this peace-making gentleman," said Mr. Bennet, as he folded up the letter. "He seems to be a most conscientious and polite young man, upon my word; and I doubt not will prove a valuable acquaintance, especially if Lady Catherine should be so indulgent as to let him come to us again."

"There is some sense in what he says about the girls however; and if he is disposed to make them any amends, I shall not be the person to discourage him."

"Though it is difficult," said Jane, "to guess in what way he can mean to make us the atonement he thinks our due, the wish is certainly to his credit."