The whist party soon afterwards breaking up, the players gathered round the other table and Mr.Collins took his station between his cousin Elizabeth and Mrs. Phillips. The usual inquiries as to his success was made by the latter.It had not been very great;he had lost every point;but when Mrs.Phillips began to express her concern thereupon, he assured her with much earnest gravity that it was not of the least importance, that he considered the money as a mere trifle,and begged that she would not make herself uneasy.
“I know very well, madam,”said he,“that when persons sit down to a card-table, they must take their chances of these things, and happily I am not in such circumstances as to make five shillings any object.There are undoubtedly many who could not say the same,but thanks to Lady Catherine de Bourgh,I am removed far beyond the necessity of regarding little matters.”
Mr.Wickham's attention was caught; and after observing Mr. Collins for a few moments, he asked Elizabeth in a low voice whether her relation was very intimately acquainted with the family of de Bourgh.
“Lady Catherine de Bourgh,”she replied,“has very lately given him a living.I hardly know how Mr.Collins was first introduced to her notice,but he certainly has not known her long.”
“You know of course that Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Lady Anne Darcy were sisters; consequently that she is aunt to the present Mr.Darcy.”
“No,indeed,I did not.I knew nothing at all of Lady Catherine's connections. I never heard of her existence till the day before yesterday.”
“Her daughter,Miss de Bourgh,will have a very large fortune, and it is believed that she and her cousin will unite the two estates.”
This information made Elizabeth smile,as she thought of poor Miss Bingley.Vain indeed must be all her attentions, vain and useless her affection for his sister and her praise of himself,if he were already self-destined for another.
“Mr.Collins,”said she,“speaks highly both of Lady Catherine and her daughter;but from some particulars that he has related of her ladyship, I suspect his gratitude misleads him, and that in spite of her being his patroness,she is an arrogant,conceited woman.”
“I believe her to be both in a great degree,”replied Wickham;“I have not seen her for many years, but I very well remember that I never liked her,and that her manners were dictatorial and insolent.She has the reputation of being remarkably sensible and clever;but I rather believe she derives part of her abilities from her rank and fortune,part from her authoritative manner,and the rest from the pride for her nephew,who chooses that everyone connected with him should have an understanding of the first class.”
Elizabeth allowed that he had given a very rational account of it,and they continued talking together,with mutual satisfaction till supper put an end to cards, and gave the rest of the ladies their share of Mr. Wickham's attentions. There could be no conversation in the noise of Mrs.Phillips's supper party,but his manners recommended him to everybody.Whatever he said,was said well; and whatever he did, done gracefully. Elizabeth went away with her head full of him.She could think of nothing but of Mr.Wickham,and of what he had told her,all the way home;but there was not time for her even to mention his name as they went, for neither Lydia nor Mr. Collins were once silent. Lydia talked incessantly of lottery tickets,of the fish she had lost and the fish she had won; and Mr. Collins in describing the civility of Mr.and Mrs.Phillips,protesting that he did not in the least regard his losses at whist, enumerating all the dishes at supper, and repeatedly fearing that he crowded his cousins, had more to say than he could well manage before the carriage stopped at Longbourn House.