Page 62 of Hard Home

He waited on them the next morning, and had two nephews of Lady Catherine to admire; for Mr. Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of his uncle Lord ——; and to the great surprise of all the party, when Mr. Collins returned, the gentlemen accompanied him.

Charlotte had seen them from her husband's room, crossing the road, and immediately running into the other, told the girls what an honor they might expect, adding,

"I may thank you, Eliza, for this piece of civility. Mr. Darcy would never have come so soon to wait upon me."

Elizabeth had scarcely time to disclaim all right to the compliment, before their approach was announced by the door-bell.

Colonel Fitzwilliam entered into conversation directly with the readiness and ease of a well-bred man, and talked very pleasantly; but his cousin, after having addressed a slight observation on the house and garden to Mrs. Collins, sat for some time without speaking to any body. At length, however, his civility was so far awakened as to inquire of Elizabeth after the health of her family. She answered him in the usual way, and after a moment's pause, added,

"My eldest sister has been in town these three months. Have you never happened to see her there?"

She was perfectly sensible that he never had; but she wished to see whether he would betray any consciousness of what had passed between the Bingleys and Jane, and she thought he looked a little confused as he answered that he had never been so fortunate as to meet Miss Bennet.

The subject was pursued no farther, and the gentlemen soon afterwards went away.

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Colonel Fitzwilliam was about thirty, not handsome, but in person and address most truly the gentleman. He was a soldier, and had been a soldier for eleven years, and had the great advantage over most soldiers of never once having said so.

He asked Mrs. Collins where she came from.

"Hertfordshire, sir. Near Meryton."

There was a pause of about a second and a half.

"Meryton," said Colonel Fitzwilliam. "Yes. That is in the west of the county, is it not — no, I am thinking of somewhere else entirely. I beg your pardon. My geography is very bad and I have been three weeks at a desk, which ruins a man." He turned, easily, to Maria Lucas, and asked her whether she had been in Kent before, and was so pleasant to her that she was able to answer without blushing, which nobody had managed at Hunsford in a fortnight.

Elizabeth thought him extremely agreeable, and thought no more about it than that.

Mr. Darcy, standing by the window with his hat in his hand, had looked round at his cousin's pause; and had then looked at the carpet for the remainder of the call.

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They were not asked to Rosings for a week. It was Easter week, and Lady Catherine had her nephews, and there was no occasion for the parsonage.

When at length they were invited — on the Sunday, to drink tea and spend the evening — Mr. Collins's satisfaction was very great, and Elizabeth's expectations were not high, and were exceeded, and not in a manner she had foreseen.

Lady Catherine received them civilly, but it was plain that their company was by no means so acceptable as when she could get nobody else; and she was in fact almost engrossed by her nephews, speaking to them, especially to Darcy, much more than to any other person in the room.

Colonel Fitzwilliam seemed really glad to see them; any thing was a welcome relief to him at Rosings; and Mrs. Collins's pretty friend had moreover caught his fancy very much. He now seated himself by her, and talked so agreeably of Kent and Hertfordshire, of traveling and staying at home, of new books and music, that Elizabeth had never been half so well entertained in that room before. They conversed with so much spirit and flow, as to draw the attention of Lady Catherine herself, as well as of Mr. Darcy.

Hiseyes had been soon and repeatedly turned toward them with a look of curiosity; and that her Ladyship after a while shared the feeling, was more openly acknowledged, for she did not scruple to call out,

"What is that you are saying, Fitzwilliam? What is it you are talking of? What are you telling Miss Bennet? Let me hear what it is."

"We are speaking of music, Madam," said he, when no longer able to avoid a reply.

"Of music! Then pray speak aloud. It is of all subjects my delight. I must have my share in the conversation, if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learned, I should have been a great proficient. And so would Anne, if her health had allowedher to apply. I am confident that she would have performed delightfully."

Elizabeth looked at Miss de Bourgh, who was sitting exactly where she had been sitting on the Tuesday, in the same shawls, with the screen at the same angle, and who did not move at all.

"Do you play, Miss Bennet?" said Lady Catherine.

"A little."

"Then let us hear you. Our instrument is a capital one. You may practice on it as much as you choose in Mrs. Jenkinson's room. You would be in nobody's way in that part of the house."

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