“Insolent girl!”said Elizabeth to herself.“You are much mistaken if you expect to influence me by such a paltry attack as this.I see nothing in it but your own wilful ignorance and the malice of Mr.Darcy.”She then sought her eldest sister,who has undertaken to make inquiries on the same subject of Bingley. Jane met her with a smile of such sweet complacency,a glow of such happy expression,as sufficiently marked how well she was satisfied with the occurrences of the evening.Elizabeth instantly read her feelings, and at that moment solicitude for Wickham, resentment against his enemies, and everything else, gave way before the hope of Jane's being in the fairest way for happiness.
“I want to know,”said she,with a countenance no less smiling than her sister's,“what you have learnt about Mr.Wickham.But perhaps you have been too pleasantly engaged to think of any third person;in which case you may be sure of my pardon.”
“No,”replied Jane,“I have not forgotten him; but I have nothing satisfactory to tell you.Mr.Bingley does not know the whole of his history, and is quite ignorant of the circumstances which have principally offended Mr.Darcy;but he will vouch for the good conduct, the probity, and honour of his friend, and is perfectly convinced that Mr.Wickham has deserved much less attention from Mr. Darcy than he has received; and I am sorry to say by his account as well as his sister's, Mr.Wickham is by no means a respectable young man.I am afraid he has been very imprudent,and has deserved to lose Mr.Darcy's regard.”
“Mr.Bingley does not know Mr.Wickham himself?”
“No;he never saw him till the other morning at Meryton.”
“This account then is what he has received from Mr.Darcy.I am satisfied.But what does he say of the living?”
“He does not exactly recollect the circumstances,though he has heard them from Mr.Darcy more than once,but he believes that it was left to him conditionally only.”
“I have not a doubt of Mr. Bingley's sincerity,”said Elizabeth warmly;“but you must excuse my not being convinced by assurances only.Mr.Bingley's defense of his friend was a very able one,I dare say;but since he is unacquainted with several parts of the story,and has learnt the rest from that friend himself,I shall venture to still think of both gentlemen as I did before.”
She then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each, and on which there could be no difference of sentiment.Elizabeth listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which Jane entertained of Mr.Bingley's regard,and said all in her power to heighten her confidence in it. On their being joined by Mr. Bingley himself, Elizabeth withdrew to Miss Lucas; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner she had scarcely replied, before Mr. Collins came up to them, and told her with great exultation that he had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.
“I have found out,”said he,“by a singular accident,that there is now in the room a near relation of my patroness.I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to the young lady who does the honours of the house the names of his cousin Miss de Bourgh,and of her mother Lady Catherine.How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my meeting with, perhaps, a nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh in this assembly!I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him,which I am now going to do,and trust he will excuse my not having done it before.My total ignorance of the connection must plead my apology.”
“You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr.Darcy!”
“Indeed I am.I shall entreat his pardon for not having done it earlier.I believe him to be Lady Catherine's nephew.It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se'nnight.”
Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme, assuring him that Mr.Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt;that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either side;and that if it were,it must belong to Mr.Darcy,the superior in consequence,to begin the acquaintance.Mr.Collins listened to her with the determined air of following his own inclination, and, when she ceased speaking,replied thus: